Farm happenings

Happy Labor Day! We will spend the day together with friends and we hope you will be doing the same!

The new Sussex lights are growing fast. We really like this breed (not that we don't love the orphingtons). They have a nice song that reminds us of shore birds, they are very friendly and inquisitive and leave beautiful feathers around the yard. They have not started laying yet, hopefully in the next month. Stand by for a photo of the new chickens and rooster...we had a chicken rescue in the midst of preparing for the hurricane.

We finally found a wheelbarrow just her size. Scout is trying to help push the big one and now she has her own! She likes to help with everything we do. We are always sure to take the extra time to let her help. She gets so much pride and feeling of being a part of the family. We feel this is very important for us to always do.

Surveying the property!

Sharing Tonto with friends. Tonto has gotten lots of attention this summer. Scout is riding more frequently and for longer now. She has a beautiful seat and only requires assistance staying on board occasionally. Tonto is such a good girl, she is making a great companion for Scout. I can't wait until we can go trail riding together...taking our schooling out into the forest for the day, what a dream!

The party girl ready to go

Exploring the giant fungus growing alongside the driveway

Now 20 months old, completely potty trained and talking well enough to tell you exactly what she wants. It is going by fast but we are enjoying the journey. We are so happy to have Zach here to enjoy it with us.

Art at the beach

When the weather gets hot what is better then art at the beach?!

Looking for treasures,

watching the snails crawl back into the sea,

Little piggies find a shell,

searching for treasures in the water,

The mosaic they made with their treasures!

She already loves the sea

Anticlimactic EARL

We spent all last week preparing for Earl. Getting the animals snugged in, rescuing a flock of chickens and their rooster and making them a snug hurricane proof shelter, picking up the yard of all things that can blow away, bracing the gutters, filling containers with emergency water, picking all the veggies from the garden, getting 140 bales of hay. We got it all done, with some family teamwork and the help of several of the "horse kids".  It was nice to be done and relaxing a couple hours before the hurricane.........then there was no hurricane!  Lots of rain and at least we got a lot of work done. The chicken coop is finally finished!

Rain...what rain

Four days of rain doesn't deter Scout, we are outside anyway. We dress for the weather and out we go...she insists!

Mackenzie gave Scout her outgrown kitchen. We put it out in the sandbox, what a hit! "COOK, COOK" is what we hear when she is inside. She wants to go out and play in her kitchen. She is spending a lot of time in the big sandbox we have been constructing (all from found materials).

Stennis is testing the new dock just put in for the tug boat.

making cookies

We made cookies together for the first time, peanutbutter chocolate chip. I always make from scratch but we bought that dough in a tube stuff from the dairy counter. I thought it would be perfect to practice "cutting" with her play knives. Then she pressed the lumps down with a sugar covered fork. Finally she had a bowl of chocolate chips to place intp each of the cookies (of course many went into her mouth!!) Lots of fun.

We have read a lot about how your tastes develop in your first two years of life. Therefore, she rarely is given sweets. I can only think of once before that we gave her a cookie. After the cookies were done she took one, licked the chips and then handed the cookie back. Daddy and Zach loved them though!!

Hidden Hollow

Scout and I rode our bike (20 miles round trip) to Heritage Museums and Gardens here in Sandwich. Last week was the opening of the new Hidden Hollow play area for children. Each week is a different educational theme, this week was insects. There is a water area, sand area, blocks, music, gardens, climbing, building, story/gathering area, stage and amphitheatre complete with costumes. Everything is made with natural materials. It is fabulous and we highly recommend it! There are also organized activities and events and classes held there. Scout spent some time in each area, exploring and then moving on to another area. We had a great time and can't wait to go back with Daddy. We used a pass from the library to get in for half price.

Compost tumbler

Scout saw this waterfall from the trail above..."OOOOHH" and wanted to go down to see it.

Swallowtail butterfly

Scout got these great hiking boots for her birthday and finally fits into them!

Stopping for a drink before heading down into Hidden Hollow

Beautiful carved toad"stools"

As always she is attracted to the water area. Carved wooden bowl.

Watering the strawberries.

Why not just lie down in the pool of water?!

Cool block area!

Checking out the bugs.

Scout climbed the steep hill to the play with the BIG kid. Scarves hanging in the trees allow the kids to make hammocks and forts and what ever their imagination can dream up,

Naturally a sand box.

This dragonfly was very friendly.

This wooden walkway connected each of the play areas.

Scout spots the dragonfly.

Stopping for a snack.

Getting ready to head back home.

Taking time

Take time to let her do it herself. The pride she feels is priceless.