Catching Up Around the Yard

Garden is growing! Gabe asks me, "Is it doing good, Mom?" We'll see if it bears fruit! We are happy to see blossoms on the bush peas. We've eaten salad, radishes, young turnips, onion, and beet tops. I pulled my turnips that were quite wormy, root maggots, and gave the last to the chickens yesterday. Turned some wood ashes into nearby soil for another planting. We'll see if it helps.

Yum? Thawing liver, heirloom beets pulled from the garden, bacon, and sour milk/honey/oatmeal/whole wheat cookies. We did have quite a delicious dinner of tender liver, bacon, and onions with amazing sautéed market rainbow chard. It eradicated Gabe's headache, as he ate with gusto. He declared the cookies good enough to eat too, although they reminded him of muffins.

Magnificent Tree!

My archers! Early season for hunting bucks is on the horizon. Better practice the draw and straight arrow sharp shooting.

Marshal Counting Backwards

Marshal guessed before lighting the candles that I had a trick one on that cake.
Lots of blowing and lots of smoke. One more year makes a big difference! :-)

Marshal

Faces of Sunday

My sis, full with sixth child, beauty, wisdom, and unsurpassed stamina!

Uncle Jesse and Nephew Silas.

"That won't be on your blog, will it?!" :-) For you, Jed, with love from Aunt Shanea.

BROTHERS - Beautiful Babies

Nothing Like that Ice Cream!



More Birthday....

A birthday is not complete without mom lighting the candles in our family.

Happy Birthday Dear Naphtali! We love you!


Dad (Grandpa) made the old style, hand-cranked vanilla ice-cream with his raw jersey cream and passed around the crank to the men and boys. He served the pure goodness.

Sunday Birthday!

Many cousins gathered round Naphtali on her birthday, to share the excitement and delight of turning five! Five years ago, she drew her first breath in the little house where we celebrate her life today. We were reminded that her name means struggle and victorious. There was struggle and victory in her first breath as her parents received her with fervent prayer.
Cousin Crowd

Mothers and daughters, love passed down.

What a joy, our Naphtali!

Finally!

Finally... another girl! Finally... united, all four girl cousins on the couch at Grammy and Grandpa's! Naphtali, Lydia, Havilah, and Vera in arms.

Logging Luke and Pups

Luke logging full days last week before the timber prices fell. He has been lovin' it!

Hounds, Hank and Hank Jr., and Daisy, Australian Shepherd pup.

She is a sweet girl. Saw her happiest in the cab with Kim, paws propped on her shoulder.

Junior