New Look to the Blog

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How is it?

I like it better than what I had before, but it seems to take a lot longer to load. My dashboard kept telling me it had something wonderful for me to try, but it was not working so wonderfully. The preview at the bottom never did load.

Not sure if it will stay this way, I was just playing with it.

Don't you love the Sweet Pea time of year?





We loaded up our 'tractor and trailer'. It's our giant rig, ready to take on the care and husbandry of our little corner of the great big creation.





First stop, planting some cukes and zuchs we got on sale at Lowe's, replacing the ones that have not grown. My cuke seeds from last year did not sprout at all, and the squash bugs have done in about half our zucchini plants.

I love these beds. You walk down, pull the mulch away, drop the plant in, and you are done. Cukes...





Putting in the zuchini...





Then it was down to the barn to give aid to the horses.

We let the chickens out in the barnyard. There are our two surviving chicks from the broody hen. We have too many eggs, so we didn't want many anyhow.





The face flies have been awful this year. Of course, now that I took the camera down the horses kept shaking their heads, so you can't see the hundreds of flies that cover their faces, encircling their eyes, and making them miserable. Here's Ginny, our very clever, mischievous, and trouble-making filly.





Bronco does not even make a dent! I put this on and if fifteen minutes the flies are back in full force.





So I bought the big guns. Well almost. I bought the medium guns, because the big guns are 30 dollars a bottle.

Here is a roll-on that is supposed to last for days. If I can keep the flies off their faces for a few days, even through sweat and rain, I'll be satisfied. The bottles are 10 dollars each.





We also bought these drop applicators. You dribble a few CCs here and there every couple of weeks and I believe the product enters their system, making them less tasty for pests. I've used it in the past and it was helpful. I think this package was about 25 dollars. It should last 6 weeks for the two of them.





The roll-on seemed to help right away. I'll let you know how it goes when I check them again. Time to change out the water.





Then it was time to prune and spray grapes. Michael took a break to bring the kiwi vines up across the arbor.









Whew! Need an iced tea break. It's hot, muggy and uncomfortable out here!





The black rot.









And we've got some sort of mold, mildew, fungus, or something. Front and back...









This meant a trip to the Ag Extension office. The Japanese beetles are all over, so we sprayed the grapes and fruit trees.





Lots of grapes. But will we get a harvest? I may rip them all out and plant Mars only. A blue seedless, resistant to black rot.





Thursday night we were back to our usual schedule.

Young people having fun before the guys head off to their class.





And the girls began a class for themselves.








We discovered that the game Mad Gab is remarkably similar to trying to communicate with a very persistant eighteen month old.

Hilarious!

Little Adventures

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We've had commode repairs.





Nicely done, Michael!





Accidents, just waiting to happen... Yes, those are pockets full of eggs. About 4 in each one. How many of us as children experienced the thrill of running and tripping with pockets full of eggs?





Why did I never think of cutting watermelon this way before? I like it!





More neighborly cows.





And a hastily blockaded fence line until barbed wire can be found.





I baked shortbread cookies for my dad and Michael.





Oh, yes! I'm enjoying this watermelon IMMENSELY, thank you!





Some peas, Swiss chard, and Black Seeded Simpson lettuce to put into the garden.





Those went in this corner.





We attended a Republican meeting at which a gubernatorial candidate was coming to speak.




Does anyone else think that is just a very silly name for someone running for governor?

I attempted a different sort of sun tea.





Dropping a sprig of lemon mint and a sprig of stevia is going to influence this gallon of tea? Such was the premise of several online articles. I was willing to give it a try.





It didn't work. Do people get paid to write articles about things they've never done? Next time I'll do what should have been done in the first place; crush them and let the oils release into the tea as it soaks up that gorgeous sunlight!

About a dozen young adults all had another Airsoft war game. We enjoyed an afternoon and evening of conversation, eating, tours of the gardens, and later, us oldER folks sat around talking politics. Are your tables filled with this conversation more and more lately?

Here are some of our battle hardened troops below.





And here they are later with another creative game they came up with.





And when my head was about to fall on the table, we headed home. I'm looking forward to Michael getting his license so I can sleep while he drives!

~Faith

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Somewhere In Time - RenFaire

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And no one really knows when because, as we discovered, Renaissance Faires are not exactly the most historically accurate events.

We'd been wanting to attend one of these for a long time, so we were really looking forward to going this last Saturday.

We drove about an hour away to a crowded, but beautiful, little park to see what one was like.

We walked through a lovely old residential area of town where this park was, oohing and ahing over the the homes and yards. And all I thought to photograph was this magnolia blossom!





Oh, look! Some stocks!




Michael being a good sport. Notice the woman in the background.





I say that because we did not notice her. Until it was too late. Apparently, she set these up. And she may have been a little starved for love...

I wondered if Michael would ever forgive me when she brought out the whip and began demanding a kiss for his release...

All I am thinking at this moment was how it was going to look if I had to take this woman out. There was no WAY Michael's first kiss was going to be this!





But she relented, Michael forgave me generously, and we moved on to a stage where a man was telling stories.





I was interested in seeing him jump rope in a straight jacket, but the men in brassieres encouraged us to quickly find a new avenue of entertainment. This is a family event?





Shopping was fun!





Michael got some practice throwing knives.





The girls got some jewelry.





And I got lots of photos.

















These girls were very talented actresses who did bits of Shakespeare.





We had professional jousters. We enjoyed the demonstrations very much.





Music!





Pirates!





Lots of fairies flittered about, as well as people dressed as warlords and such. It sort of felt like the Lord of the Rings people had arrived to liven things up.





Head pirate was arrested.





Brought before the executioner...





A loud ruckus ensued...





Then he was granted a reprieve by Queen Elizabeth.





And forced to dance.





It was great fun. I'd love to find one that was historically accurate and less bawdy. Time to start our own?

Havin' fun!

~Faith

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