* The next thing... that occurs to me as I think forward into my day is: Gee I'm glad the big kids got the milking done this morning before they left! Last week was very calm around here, with all the big kids at Catechism Camp all day long. Gabe and William and I had a good time together, just goofing around and getting pretty much nothing done. And this week we'll have a different mix of kids yet again.
Bright and early this morning the big kids, Jon, Dominic, and Michelle, headed to the mountains to spend the week with some friends on their farm -- to play and visit and (ostensibly) help out with the haying. So, we'll just have the five youngest at home. Last week, though, since it was a day camp, everyone was around early morning and evening to help with the animal chores, and this week, it'll just be Theresa, Cathy, Dan and me milking, watering, and feeding. It's such a pain to get everyone up and fed and dressed, start the laundry, etc, and fit the milking in by 7:30, too. But I'm not complaining. Really. I'm just saying.
*
As I look around, I'm also grateful for the teenagers who stayed up washing the second load of pots and dishes that wouldn't fit in the dishwasher. Because of their help, when we we got up this morning all we had left to clean up from yesterday's barbecue for the Dads, -- my husband,
my Dad, and my brother (feted and celebrated by the rest of the extended family) -- were empty potato chip bags and lawn chairs scattered hither and yon. We had a fun day yesterdy. The weather cooperated and a good time was had by all. We had brats, hotdogs and some odds-and-ends leftovers of steaks and pork chops (that had sunk to the bottom of the freezer), plus a couple vegge side dishes, fresh-made guacamole, hummus, and salsa, compliments of Jon (18), chips and pop. And all the goodies Catherine (8) spent all day Saturday baking. She made two different kinds of cookies, muffins and this cake. Why pink for a Father's Day cake, you ask? Because Circus Cookies are her Daddy's favorite and pink was the only color frosting that would work with the cookies. Daddy loved it.
The boys spent Sunday afternoon going back and forth between two television sets. The Rockies were playing on one and
Phil Mickelson was playing on another one. You see where we girls were.
*
Saturday I got the chance to visit with two special girlfriends over a cup (or two...) of tea at a nice tea room in Denver. I can't think of a better way to catch up with old friends! Amy (
L) and Rosemary (
R) ordered high tea and I had the miniature version, without the pastries. I think we went through three pots of tea, maybe four, and closed the place down. I do love coffee, as you might know. I grew up with it; it is the American cuppa. But, I do enjoy a good cup of tea, too. Especially when it's paired with excellent company and good conversation.
"There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea." (Henry James
"Tea tempers the spirit and harmonizes the mind, dispels lassitude and relieves fatigue; awakens thought and prevents drowsiness."
(Lu Yu, 5th Century Chinese Poet)
It also has less caffeine and is less acidic than its big brother, coffee...
And last but not least, I've gotta tell ya... I'm feeling a thrill of accomplishment this morning, as I look out my patio window -- you know that tingle of satisfaction you get from an unexpected little victory -- like finding a five dollar bill in an old coat pocket? Well this thrill is like that, but better. Here's the story...
I was trolling around on Craigslist, as I do upon occasion --- not because I have money to spend, mind you, but just because I like to torture myself. Anyway, I saw an ad, with a couple of pictures, selling a yard full of statuary -- and one piece looked like a St. Francis bird feeder! (I've been wanting a statue of St. Francis for the bird garden I'm planning) I called Dan to see how he'd feel if I just went and took a look. And, bless him, he said I could, and said if it was a really good deal, I could write a check. Woohoo! So I went, and it was a good deal, and this is what I got:
Poor Dan didn't know what he'd gotten himself into, did he?
But, look at all of it! Did you see the big decorative windmill, the wishing well planter and the sunflower shaped birdbath in that last picture? Plus, there are two medium sized trellises and a "pole" gazebo. And, at the risk of looking like Minnie Pearl with the price tag dangling off the side of my hat, I have to brag that I got it all for $85! Woohoo!
Fourteen years ago today our first little girl was born. And she was beautiful. I really mean beautiful; she stopped traffic, she was such a pretty baby. She floated in a cloud of pink in a household with four big brothers, the sweetest little thing you ever saw. She was born singing (The first song she ever learned was You Are My Sunshine), and has grown up to be a top notch soprano who switch hits alto. At home on the ball field as she is in the choir loft, Shelly hangs right in there with her brothers in volleyball and baseball -- and is right out there with them chopping down trees and mowing lawns, too. The big boys love to tease their little sister (whom they lovingly refer to as "Chicky"), but they all hold her in the highest regard. They have to; she can beat them at poker.
This shot looks like a diorama, but if you look closely, you can just see a hyena running away from the window and into the green grass.
But talk to the tail.
More striped pyjamas.
But the boys...
...were all about the gorillas and monkeys. 
And snakes.
And, of course, the buzzards were a big hit.
See, William, that bear's not complaining about taking his nap.
What did you say, Mommy?
I said: The End
* The first thing I'm thinking... as I sit down at the computer is that, most mornings so far this strange summer I've started out with a sweater, but today it's nice and warm out already and there's not a cloud anywhere to be seen. I checked to see what the weather folks are saying, and it looks like the unsettled, wet weather of the last few weeks will be calming into the more typical Colorado summer forecast: hot, dry days and cool evenings, with only the occasional, instead of daily, thunderstorm. This is nice in some ways: for one thing, the littles have been wanting to set up the wading pool and it's just not been warm enough yet. But, I'll miss the lovely moist air, which has felt so good on our skin and hair -- and I'll really miss God watering the garden for me!
