"let's play basketball, Around-The-World" she says

And when she gets on her bike to ride to the playground she ask us at each street if it is clear because she can't see if there are any cars coming.

 And when we reach the school she is the only one who misses the entrance.

 And when the balls comes at her for the first time she drops to the ground & ducks taking it hard right on top of the head.

And when you pass her the ball she runs away or sticks out her hand awkwardly as if trying to bat off a vary large and dangerous bug.

And when she shoots she asks, "Did I make it?"

 And when she moves past her older brother he quits the game and bikes home.

And when she wins the whole damn thing, beating her parents in honest, she rubs it in hard!!!

 She is simply the most amazing kid. 

And when she bikes home she asks if it clear at each street because she still can't see if there are any cars coming.

"Did I make it?"

of chickens and nuggets

Now that is funny!

What isn't so funny is the chicken who has laid a dozen eggs under the deck where we can't get to them or the group of young thug chickens who keep breaking into the garden, or the chicken in the tree who likes to fight the squirrels.   Okay, the last one is funny....>sigh< life with chickens. 

something about Jack

 There is something to be said for having a baby in the house again.

Something sweet, curious, and naughty going on. She attacks and cuddles and runs around like a maniac.  She sleeps in my bed and when I roll over on her she doesn't move.  She bites me, scratches me, and sleeps in my arms.  

I watched her wander into the chicken coop this morning hissing at the hens, who does that?!?! I watched her run full speed into a sleeping dog and hiss at the dog for it. I watch her eat dog food while the dogs look on helplessly.  She walks around  like lit fuse, sparking, popping, and hissing at anything that moves.  The other cats have taken a hit out on her: pretty sure Ladybug is the Hit Man.  Her life is in constant danger.

And yet I love this crazy little thing almost as if she was a dog. 

when to call the big guns to the garden

The sunflowers in the garden are magnificent this time of year but too much of a good thing is too much in some areas and it was time to do some thinning.  Some plants pair nicely with sunflowers like melons, cucumbers, and lettuce but tomatoes not so much.

So BC was called in for some removals.

There he is deep in the cucumber patch, one of the tomato jungles in the foreground.

"No problem." he said.

 

Wait, where did he go?!

Got it!

 That's much better :)

“Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing there is a field. I'll meet you there." ~Rumi

stink

You can only pretend so long your dog didn't get sprayed by a skunk....sometime last week.

 And since we didn't get to watch The Birds tonight because Beach got a better offer we thought we would have some other gruesome fun.  

Wash the dog!  The dog who HATES water.

See the terror?!

Poor Little Dog :/ wet and skunky

when opportunity knocks

When Beach got promoted at work >gym< I was forced back out into the real work force.  Turns out her job only cost us a lot of money >a lot of money!!!!<  Fortunately for us the gym offers a gym mom daycare otherwise known as the Pro Shop, a place if you are a gym rat to buy food and tape >lots of tape< and if you are a mom to work off some of that pesky tuition you are paying.  So I signed me up >well, actually I think the coaches signed me up< and now I am kind of working again.  And you know what?  I took out a calendar and marked all the gym days for Beach including the new fall schedule >adore the new schedule!!!< which starts on the 19th.  Then I filled in my hours at the Pro Shop, color coded some family vacations and events >we are busy this month!< But instead feeling overwhelmed I felt completely like me again.  It has been long time since that has happened.

the other side of the lake

 Okay, where did the lake go?!?! The water level has dropped 15 feet in elevation revealing a good 100 feet of shore line.  Must be August!

Of course there was still some water to play in.

Yeah Mom, a little help back here!

 Mud pies with buddies

The water wasn't that cold but we had a steady wind most of the day. 

Once you got in the water getting out was the hard part :)

 A quick dip.  Very quick!  

Beach was Little Miss 'You-are-getting-me-wet' in the canoe, it was in good humor but still she had trouble getting very far into the water.  Not really like her.

 Lost of buddies to swim and wade with

Or to do this with

 Dueling kayaks 

(Beach & Tessa)

 Party at the pavilion. My boys look beat! 

 Last looks around...

And home again~