Regardless of the cold and snow, Bella loves to get outside and run in the morning when Eric goes out early to do the chores. This mat outside our back porch door is her favorite resting spot during the day…she can see all the kids and everything that goes on in the house. Spring will eventually come, Bella, and then they’ll come out to play!
Pics from our yard after the weekend blizzard and additional snow today. Crazy weather. Means I won’t have to water much in the Spring, right?
Joining Barbara in commemorating the year in once a week posts … just whatever is going on in your life: the mundane, the crazy, the normal, the everyday.
These photos are from the July 4th storm. They were taken at night and are ‘light’ because of the lightning. What a show … glad we were miles from the clouds.
I asked the local florist to make up an arrangement for my table during the 50th Anniversary celebration. They were gorgeous and we are still enjoying quite a few of them today!
The first fire in our fire-pit.
Louis loves riding around in his own pick-up.
The Ameraucana chicks have started to ‘fly the brooder’! So, Dash cleaned out another section of the Wahoo for these little guys. They are only 2 weeks old, but needed higher walls and more space.
Summer wouldn’t be as much fun without a smores party. The kids had been begging for days and we finally were home on a gorgeous evening.
Didn’t I tell you this sill kid was always running after Bella’s tail…caught him in the act a couple times.
Splash splash in the outside pool for these three boys.
The latest creature caught in our window well. I think it’s a muskrat.
I’ve never had success growing Morning Glories, but this one (above) is absolutely beautiful. Makes me want to walk out by the garage every morning to see the new flowers. The clematis (below) is stunning, too. So fun to have a different batch of flowers throughout the seasons.
1. Louis says ‘Bella’ and ‘doggie.’ It’s sooo very cute! He loves to see Bella, but only from a distance. It’s like the idea of a dog is just wonderful to him, but the reality is a little overwhelming. OK! That was last week, this week, he loves to run behind her and grab her tail. She is a great dog and doesn’t even bark or snip at him.
2. Bella chewed up the fancy dog bed. Angelina keeps stuffing it back together.
3. I cannot keep the house clean. By rights, there should be NO dust with all the moisture we’ve had lately. However, I dust one day and in the next the dust layer is right back on the coffee table. I want to not mind, really, but I cannot.
4. About half of Zeke and Graham’s clothes were packed up in a tub because someone was tired of washing the clean clothes that somehow ended up on the floor and hiding in various areas of their room. ‘It wasn’t me. I didn’t do it.’ I’m sure you’ve all heard this before. The last 2 weeks have been much more doable for their mother.
5. I watched ‘Inception’ by myself, then attempted to watch it the next night with Eric. I just couldn’t stay awake! Anyway, scenes come into my mind, when there is a still moment.
6. The Minot flooding has been on my mind, too. I grew up 45 miles NW of Minot; it’s where we shopped, where I danced, where we went to the movies, where our family participated in 4-H Achievement Days and the ND State Fair. It’s truly heart-wrenching. My parents’ farm and home are not affected by the Souris/Mouse River.
7. Thankfully, my brother’s home in Bismarck is still OK. He cannot drive into his neighborhood, but he’s doing OK.
8. I was lamenting to my mom over the weekend, that I never have time to write deep, meaningful posts (as if there are even thoughts like that in my head!). This blog has, instead, become a journal of our life here on the farm. Our faith is interwoven in our daily life. I will say that it is more challenging in our present location to think liturgically. So, I’m thankful for other bloggers who post about the special feast days and celebrations.
9. We received a new priest last week. Dash and Eric liked the homily … I was in the cry room with a very busy toddler. Keeping one ear open, watching the toddler and being ready to run doesn’t help me hear or understand the homily.
10. We set up the pool (it’s been in storage since the summer of 2007 … miraculously, there were no mice created holes). The middle three have been enjoying it and finally convinced Louis to try it out. He goes in with his life jacket … but he loves it!
…and her name is…
BELLA
After Tae Kwon Do tonight, Eric and the four oldest kids drove to Jamestown to pick her up. Check-outs are only scheduled after 5pm and this is the only day that worked for our family. Long night, but fun.
The kids all helped pick out treats and toys for her. They also helped clear out the corner of the outside garage where the dog door is located. That inside corner had become Eric’s ‘store-it-all’ section of the garage. It looks better now …well, the corner does, we won’t offer a picture of the rest of the garage!
A new red collar and leash. We didn’t want to let her just run this first night. Need to figure out how she reacts to cars, chickens, pigs, sheep, etc. So far, she just wants to run and sniff. Thank goodness Zeke is more than willing to hold the leash and run with her!
Angelina and Eric moved all the supplies to the outside garage. Dogs need some stuff … at least my crew thought the dog needed some stuff. Bella probably would have been happy with an ice cream pail for holding her feed and water.
The picture above is the dog door. We are still working on that outside kennel … on the calendar of the local cement guy to pour a pad and sidewalk to the front.
So far, so good. We now own a dog.
