We weren't feeling very patriotic this year. But our friends who have found Canada to be a safe country where food is abundant are. So we celebrated together and were reminded of the good things in our country.
Yay!
The kids enjoyed time together, lots of teenage blabbing kind of games. ;)
I put these old broom handles up ages ago and nobody every wanted to use them. But now the chicks seem to like them!
Melanie got hired to make an African style outfit. She did a simple version.
There were shorts to match.
More gardening. Do we have to do more Mom? Are we done? Can we go swimming now?
Our soccer plans were cancelled.
Jennifer did her own soccer in July with Evelyn. :)
Books. Love 'em. But don't love 'em being everywhere.
Kale harvest. I dried it in the oven. It made the house even hotter than it was, and wasn't smelling too pretty. Next time if you want to dry it, harvest it on a colder day!
Free range chickens + fox = fewer free range chickens. We rushed the remaining hens back into the yard. And had to think about how to keep our egg-laying birds a bit longer from the fox's clutches.
We love the pool!
Many hours of cooling off happened in July. It was a very hot and dry month.
We set up a tunnel from the little hutch (which we could shove back and "lock" at nights. While the hens could get into their old yards and stretch their legs and peck to their birdie hearts' content.
A bit of a weird setup--but it's only supposed to be temporary. We can't keep both over the winter, with only one barn.
Rain! It's so rare, I take a picture everytime! What a year to have started some irrigation. Definitely useful this year!
Daniel made his own blender.
There is the new chicken arrangement.
The storage room is now almost empty. And now we start calling it Matthew's room. Lucky guy stays cool in the summer!
More rain, and some umbrella fun.
A highlight for July was having an intern pastor and his wife stay in our "apartment" for a few weeks. They were great company. And they brought board games which the kids got to learn and play. What fun!
Checking out moths...and then everything else. And leaving all the pamphlets on the floor after. :p Hopefully they learned something about moths...maybe not about cleaning up. :o
Early morning view. Evelyn has her flag all rolled up.
Beet harvest.
Girls hanging out by the apartment doors. Much funner to hang out there if there are guests staying there!
Or you cold hang out by the picnic table if that is being used. Not everyone can focus on their work with noisy kids around, but he did great!
Enjoying those games!
We tried to find some instructions online, but they weren't as good as the in person instructions later. :) The game made a bit more sense after that!
Matthew moving into his new room. He painted the concrete floor himself, and we picked up a used rug and desk. Nice and spacious room for him!
Daniel gets a room all to himself now, and the first big project is rearranging the furniture and cleaning it up. That is no small task!
Making progress...
Origami project Jennifer and Melanie put together.
Putting some of the free wood away up into the bin.
Nathan doing yet more work on the gocart.
Our serious piano student. Getting her summer practice in. Her and Nathan get full marks for diligence!!
Harvest time! I was really sorry I pulled so much out in the morning when I was feeling ambitious. I was busy with cleaning/blanching/freezing/deribbing until late that evening. Next time, less ambition, or get those kids to work!!
Concrete all ready for the pool project.
Side of the pool all set up for the concrete to be added.
Jennifer and I got a sewing project started together.
Evelyn finished an old one while we were there. I like her more reserved approach to using the machine. ;)
Melanie made a cake. Because she was bored. Boredom is tasty!!
The guys working hard on the concrete. It was a hot day to be mixing and pouring. Maybe a rented hand cement mixer would be good...if there is a next time. ;) So glad we had extra help!!
Concrete drying nicely. The plastic over it is so that it doesn't dry too fast in the hot sun.
Nathan worked on pulling a wire over to the garage. So he can have his welder on pull power.
A friend gave me flowers that she was going to throw out. So I rescued them and added them to my favourite flower garden.
Matthew finishing up the barrier to keep both chickens seperated and able to roam.
The old hens are wishing they got the side with all the greens. (Well, if you weren't so greedy you may have left some on this side from the spring, you know!)
Yup, they won't get at each other now!
Daniel is thrilled to have a desk up in his room.
I hope his toys won't be too enticing if he really wants to do his studies there in September!
Big splash!
Matthew mowing more lawn every time. He's doing a great job, so Nathan gives him more work almost every week!
Those chicks loved all the greenery! It didn't last long though. ;)
Melanie and Jennifer collecting flowers for a project.
The results. Fairy flower girls.
Evelyn went with me to the park while most of the kids got to enjoy an outing with our guests.
She was shy at first, but then really enjoyed her time with the kids that were there.
And cooled off in the water before we left.
Dress up time.
Pool time. Melanie got a friend over for a sleepover.
They had lots of fun in the pool. And playing kick-the-can. And chilling.
We had a goodbye shot taken of our guests. The house sure seemed emptier once they left. We had a great July, and are thankful we got to get to know them! :)
