Day at the Zoo

I only managed to take a few pictures at our recent (okay, it was in June) trip to the Watertown Zoo. I was far too busy herding children to take photos. By the time I had pulled out the camera, turned it on, aimed and focused, my kids would have climbed into the monkey cages and been swinging from trees. A friend of mine has a framed picture in her kitchen that says, "There's a special place in heaven for mothers of three boys." Apparently, I am not alone in my noodle kingdom.

A brief respite

Sorry for the delay in writing; we just got back from a vacation. My husband, father and I took a road trip through Iowa, Illinois and Indiana. We stayed at B&B's, ate good food and visited every garden and farm museum I could find. That's what they get for having me plan the vacation!

In Des Moines we visited Living History Gardens, packed with school kids at summer day camp. Pretty neat, although a little too polished for my tastes. I liked seeing their Milking Shorthorn cow and calf and seeing how the 1900's farmsite stored their hay and grain in the barn and corn crib. In one of the town homes a 'housewife' had just taken some corn bread and a peach pie out of the wood stove. Man, did that smell good. I wish I had a wood stove, or an open hearth for cooking. My husband (who would be the official wood chopper) is very glad we don't.

I really enjoyed Conner Prairie, another living history museum near Indianapolis. They had 1st person interpreters (the ones that actually pretend that it's the year 1880), and that added a nice touch. My Dad got a kick out of the town doctor advising him to vote for Benjamin Harrison for president. Again, I most enjoyed the kitchens in the homes, looking through the pantries and seeing how they prepared and stored food.

I didn't take many pictures. I forgot about my camera until the last day, when we were visiting a Japanese garden in Rockford, Illinois. Here's my Dad and me at Anderson Gardens. Don't we look like tourists!

















Speaking of preparing and storing food, yesterday I bought four gallons of strawberries from a local farm. Last night was spent washing and coring berries, with pink-stained fingers afterward. It's jammin' time!

Canvas sky

Barn Raising

Two weeks ago we had a 'barn-raising' weekend. My husband's uncle & family, brother & family and father came out, all intent on working on our new barn and getting as much done as possible. Turns out this barn-building-thing is more time and work than originally estimated. But it is slowly coming together. I pick up our first goat in two weeks. She might have to shack up with the chickens for awhile.

The best part of the weekend was the cookout on Saturday. A hearty bonfire, beautiful sunset, lots of yummy food, no bugs, and the boys sleeping out in a tent with my husband. Good time was had by all.

















Above is a picture of my husband's brother Nate and his one-year-old son. My husband's other brother, Caleb, was also celebrating that weekend elsewhere in Minnesota -- his first son, Malakai Ezekiel, was born at their home on Friday. Congrats Caleb and Hope! Let the sleepless nights begin!