More scenes from the park.

Another Trip to Ramsey Park

Little Brother had a follow up with his ENT Dr. after his surgery. The Dr. travels and was not at our clinic when the follow up appointment needed to happen, so we went to a nearby clinic to get the "all clear". After, we went to Ramsey Park to play and eat a picnic supper.

A Day at the Beach

The air was a bit chilly this day, after a dip they needed their towels. But, they had great fun playing in the sand.

Cropdusting

This airplane was dusting the corn crop on the next farm. We all enjoyed watching the plane.

Now that's a tomato!

We have been enjoying our different tomatoes in lots of different ways. Here is a "Beefsteak" tomato on a hamburger.

Thank you!

Family friends went to a farm and sent us some blueberry syrup. We have been enjoying it on our pancakes. It is delicious, but the memories it reminds us of are even better. We had, for several years, gone blueberry picking with this family. This year we didn't because both of our families have moved far from our favorite blueberry patch. The kind of blueberry patch that reminds one of _Blueberries for Sal_, not a manicured, commercial "You Pick" farm. We will be planting blueberry bushes in the spring, in the meantime we enjoy our syrup.

Surprise!

When Gramma and Grampa were here they fixed and painted the dresser. Big Brother told Gramma he would paint the bed. Unbeknowst to me, they painted the dresser and moved it into the house. The bed and dresser look great in Baby's room. Now, I just have to hang the tractor pictures. Well, print, frame and hang the pictures. At least I have taken them :)

Watermelon, Yum!

After a rousing game of Swamp Monster everyone is hungry. Everything tastes better outside. Afterwards, time for a game of "Monkees in the Middle". Everyone sleeps well after a evening at the park.

Playing Swamp Monster

When we go to the lake, pool, even the ocean the children love to play "swamp monster" with Daddy. He, of course, is the monster and he tries to sneak up on the children. As they become better and better swimmers this is becoming increasingly difficult. In fact, I think he was snuck up on several times this summer. . .

The boys built a climbing wall

in the quonset hut. Big Brother has completed the Boy Scout Climbing Merit Badge, twice and completed C.O.P.E.(a rope and climbing leadership course) while at scout camp this summer. He aslo got an opportunity to climb while on his Philmont trek. He is teaching the others to climb safely. He loves to climb, this should not surprise me since he is always in a tree. When he was about three we were painting our house, Daddy had left a ladder leaned up against the side of the house and we caught him looking in the second story window.

Our hens are laying.

The hens we have raised since Day 1 are beginning to lay eggs. When they first start, their eggs might be small, misshapen or missing parts. Little Sister found this itty bitty egg and enjoyed it for breakfast.

Salsa

We have tomatoes, we have jalepenos, we like salsa, and I have a recipe, how hard can it be? The recipe said to use gloves when cutting and deseeding the jalepenos. Daddy never wore gloves, my friend who I ask canning questions of never wear gloves, so I did not put gloves on. The longer I cut and deseeded, the hotter my hands felt. The more I washed them, the more they burned. Daddy looked up remedies on the internet, bleach, lemon juice, vinegar, yogurt, ice water . . .Daddy came home from work and called the Emergency Room. I spent the next 12 hours with my hands submerged in ice water. The next day I bought gloves. Noone in my home will touch the peppers without the gloves. Daddy and Big Brother finished the salsa, it is yummy.

Pickled Hot Pepper Green Beans

Years ago Daddy's father went home to Texas and on his return brought back some Pickled Hot Pepper Green Beans. Daddy thought they were yummy. So when we had an abundance of green beans in our garden he requested I make some. The challenge with both the Pickled Beets and the Pickled Hot Pepper Green Beans, they were made without recipes.
A call to Daddy's aunt in Texas did not yield much help. "A brine like dill pickles, no spices in the beets, how much hot pepper, oh I just guess, you should come to Texas and help me make some. . ."
So armed with the Ball Blue Book, that information and Daddy's memories we started. Everyone (except me) likes them and Daddy says they taste just like he remembers.

Note to self: stagger the planting of green beans next year

Pickled Beets

Daddy has fond memories of eating pickled beets while he was growing up. His paternal gramma made them. Once while visiting my paternal gramma she offered us pickled beets, now noone in my family liked them so we said, "No, thank you". Daddy said, "Yes, please". We tried to explain that he didn't have to eat them just to be polite. He wasn't eating them to be polite, he actually liked them!

Welcome Home Big Brother!

We were all glad to see Big Brother, especially Baby. He had presents for everyone, pics to share and stories galore. But, oh my the laundry - stinky! I guess when you all smell alike, noone smells ? !

Big Brother at Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico.

Big Brother had an awesome time on his 73 mile in ten day trek. He took some great pics. They were challenged and emerged victorious. They saw beautiful vistas and lots of wildlife. He was ready for a homecooked meal! This pic captures him well.

County Fair

Big Brother was in Philmont and Little Brother was recovering from his surgery so the girls, the baby and I enjoyed our county fair. We saw all the animals, twice. We enjoyed some yummy, once a year treats, cotton candy, funnel cake and fried cheese curds. The girls rode a ride and a pony. We checked out all the exhibits of food, crops, and handiwork. We decided next year we'd like to enter some of our things.

Make hay while the sun shines.

We have enjoyed watching the farmers making and baling hay. There are these small rectangular bales, huge rectangular bales and giant round bales. Some of the round bales are covered with plastic or net.

Playing at the Pool

While Little Brother was at the library the girls, the baby and I went to a nearby park that has a wading pool. What fun we had!

Little Brother went to a fish fry at the library.

The theme of storytime this summer was food. The program that Little Brother participated in had a DNR (Department of Natural Resources) officer who had caught a fish and they cooked and ate it.

Ever wonder where your peas and corn some from?

Del Monte, Green Giant and Le Sueur all grow, process and package peas and corn in Minnesota. It is amazing to see how much peas and corn we see being transported in our area. Day after day, truck after truck, field after field. That dump truck is full of peas. Corn is transported in similar trucks and in tractor trailer sized trucks.

They look like Easter Eggs.

Some of the gift hens lay these pretty pale blue and pale green eggs. No dye necessary.

Little Brother recovers from surgery.

He used to snore and was always tired. We were concerned he had sleep apnea due to enlarged tonsils and adenoids, the Dr. agreed and now he is recovering, hopefully this will make a difference in how he sleeps.

Refrigerator Dill Pickles

Yum! None of our cucumber plants from the first planting came up. I don't know if it was due to the weather or some other factor. A friend gave us some cucumbers from their garden. We enjoyed some fresh with vinegar, salt and pepper. The rest we made into pickles. Ever the eternal optomist we planted cucumbers again . . .