This blog is a record of our daily life ... the joys and struggles of raising our little flock to love life and the author of life, our Lord. There are many similarities between Christ's followers and a flock of sheep, thus the name of this blog. I'm trying to 'shepherd' my little flock to know and love Christ - this is my vocation.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
The Awesome Magician and His Assistant
After two days of practice, the show was prepared for viewing! Grandma & Grandpa Green Acres were invited for supper. Eric went to town to pick Dash up right away after football practice so both could make the 7pm show.
The Awesome Magician enters… he was a purple rock and then transformed into “The Awesome Magician”!
His assistant, the lovely Angelina. Her hair bow was cute, I thought, but she tossed it aside right away because it wouldn’t stay in place.
- Napkin Trick
- Coin Through Hand
- Coin Folding
- Card Trick
- Time Bomb
Awesome Magician: Graham
Assistant: Angelina
Thanks for Coming!
Zeke had a turn to assist in the magic.
The coin and paper folding trick. The coin was folded into the paper, but when Dad opened the paper, it wasn’t there.
Where did the coin go? Well, it was in Grandma Green Acres’ ear, of course.
Grandpa Green Acres had a chance to assist, too.
The Grand Finale was ‘The Time Bomb’. The Awesome Magician was tied up and the ties poked through holes in the box. The ties on each side were held by volunteers.
We counted down from 30 to give the Awesome Magician time. He took every last second before magically appearing from the box, free from his fetters. Much applause followed.
A final bow for the audience and then a pause for pictures.
*I should also note that all this creativity occurred AFTER the TV & Wii had been put away/mis-placed ….further reinforcing the positives of the decision.
Monday, August 29, 2011
33/52 & 34/52
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.
33/52
Other FMCHE Annual Book Sale purchases…
Charity for the Suffering Souls: An Explanation of the Catholic Doctrine of Purgatory by Rev. John A. Nageleisen
Padre Pio: The True Story by C. Bernard Ruffin
The Jesse Tree: A Cutout Book by Marlene Konrady
Essentials Digital Photography – this is more for Zeke than anyone else, but I imagine I’ll be reading some of it to him. He has an interest in photography and videography.
Below is the Marian Garden Shrine Dash made for me. He used the old shrine (it completely fell apart) to make a pattern on oak (leftover from building our hosue) and used the ‘old’ statue and added a crucifix. I think they’re beautiful! He’s making a few more for gifts.
German chocolates brought by a good college friend when she and her kids visited this past weekend.
And, the Kroshus crew is out again. This time, they’re tearing out the front walk (that’s done), lowering the grade so water will drain AWAY from the house and foundation, installing a new walk, and landscaping between the walk and the house. These guys know how to work…I really like their productivity!
Redoing the drainage.
And chickens…
…running out to meet their mistress…
…dust bath time…
…the broody hen…
…older pullets and two cockerels in the holding pen and getting used to the big hens. The door was opened and the two flocks merged on August 18 (about a week after the two flocks were housed together). We’ve kept the younger flock separated at night, but they needed outside time during the daylight. A people-person stuck around the first couple days when they were out together. On Saturday they were pretty much left alone. The Buff rooster is definitely the dominant as he gets into the most fights with ‘head’ hens. I just enjoy sitting and watching them…
…the Ameraucanas enjoying the outdoors…
I’m going to harvest tomatillas this year!!
And, a sleepy child (Zeke) to end the collage.
34/52
And another crazy week! Lots of travel, first varsity football game for Dash (and he played because they were ahead by sooo many points… ended up winning 68-13), Dentist and Orthodontist appointments, Sam’s club shopping (with the three youngest in tow – they did better than I imagined!), overnight with a good friend for Angelina, peaches from the fruit truck in Fargo, first corn on the cob from the garden.
Big chickens have been successfully merged. The roosters are settled in with the new hens and their authority established. The flock is happy and the youngest pullets are getting closer to the ‘laying’ age.
We’ll be harvesting a few more chickens later in the year because the Ameraucana group includes about 4-5 cockerels that we cannot keep, or need, as adults. So, more for the freezer later this Fall.
The newest three were moved to the Wahoo on Thursday. They’ve outgrown their water tank home and were just getting too smelly to keep up with in the outside garage! They have more space and better feed containers in the Wahoo.
Here are a few pics to memorialize the week…
Progress on front landscaping…
and the next day!
At the Ransom Co. Fair:
Zeke and his friend, Brett. These are Mickey Mouse ears.
Above: Dash showing a pig.
Below: Graham in the tractor pedal contest…he won tickets to the rides (participation prize … but he did well for his first time ever!).
Below: Angelina showing a pig.
Below: Louis was just happy to run around and see all the animals. As for me, I was absolutely beat by the end of the day!
Above: Love this pic of Angelina walking back from the mailbox. Wheat field being harvested in the background.
Below: Happy Birthday, Eric!