My Crazy Life as a Farmers Wife

Kitty Love...

Don't forget that there is still time to enter the Kitschy Kitchen Giveaway...I will draw a winner on Friday :) Hope you're all having a wonderful weekend...it's just beautiful outside here today. A perfect fall day...

Just Another Day...

We've been battling a bit of a sickness around here lately. But, my kids are extremely resiliant, and I can hardly keep them down, even when they are sick (wish David and I had that problem). We're still waiting on summer...temps have been in the 60s, and we're wondering when we are going to get some heat (or swimming weather as Kate says). The kids haven't been able to swim or run through the sprinklers, but they do spend almost every daylight hour outside playing. They are picking out their own clothes (which can be very scary when it comes to Lily), not getting their hair done, and looking like rag muffins...all in the name of summer. They're in the sandbox, on the swing set, playing in the empty potato cellars, running through the orchard, riding four wheelers, climbing trees...they even found my Easter storage tub and have been having egg hunts in the yard. We've been eating every meal outside on the covered porch at their request. They also ride bikes (Russell has taught Lily and Kate to run over boxes on their bikes, and the love it...they're always digging through the garbage trying to find an empty box to run over with their bike). I'm ok with their crazy box smashing as long as the boxes end up in the garbage when they're done ;) The kids have been helping in the garden, and helping me clean out the greenhouse, chasing quail with their bug nets (but never coming even close to catching one), picking weed bouquets, playing kickball, Mother May I & red light/green light and talking mom or dad to take them to the Ice Shack for a summer icee.  But the number one outdoor activity at our house is still playing with all the animals...it never fails to be one of the best entertainment factors at our house. Here are a few pics from this past week...

(whenever we clean out the fridge, any old produce goes to the chickens...the girls are feeding the chickens old oranges and grapefruit) 

(and just in case you're wondering why Lily is wearing a single orange halloween glove...the answer is simple. This is her mouse/vole removal glove. You see, the cats (and you know, we have a lot of them) are very "talented", and the bring on average, 15-20 dead voles or mice into the yard every day. We're pleased that they're keeping all the rodents under control, but they don't eat them all, and Lily likes to dispose of them...and she needs a glove just in case she comes across a dead carcass that needs removed ;)

Cooling Off...

the girls and I had spent the morning doing chores (feeding the animals, weeding flower beds etc.), and it was starting to get warm outside. We have had cooler weather lately, and spring hasn't been feeling very warm, so now that we finally had a nice day, the girls thought it was HOT! I was working in the garden, and they were on the hill and decided that the ducks and geese needed clean water in their pool. I turned on the hose, and they did the ususal...dump the old water, scrub out the pool and filled it with clean water. I turned off the hose and went back to work in the garden. I could hear the ducks and geese squaking and making a fuss...I looked up to see Lily and Kate in the pool. They had their pants off and the were splashing around having a ball...

the only problem, was that the geese and ducks were going crazy, because the LOVE it when we put fresh water in the pool. They were torn, because they love the pool with fresh, cold water, but they are scared of the girls because they always pick them up and run around with them in their arms...

they longingly watched until suddenly, the girls dissapeared...and they all ran for the pool...

but it was short lived. The girls emmerged from the house with their swimming suits on...

and the animals went back at a safe distance to longingly watch the girls splash in their water...

 

and then Lily thought that the ducks might like to get in with she and Kate, so she went to get one...

turns out, they didn't want to swim with the girls, so the girls decided to play in the mud...