Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Now I Know Why my Mom Dreaded Summer

Happy Summer Folks! It feels like the season is really, really here. Tomorrow is the last day of school and Wyatt is going to be home as a kindergarten graduate in need of constant occupation.

This picture of pretty flowers from my garden is supposed to calm me regarding the inevitable.


Well, nope. That didn't really work. Oh crap. I'm doomed.

We spent some time outside this afternoon in the lovely weather. Temperatures topped out at a mild 80 today and even though I could probably survive in Siberia and be happy, I tolerated the heat. Huh huh. . .

Ella, meanwhile, made the pilgrimage out to the arena to drive her wheelbarrow around and tie some invisible object down with a ten pound chain.


Wyatt, not to be outdone, found a spare building anchor in my barn and was spinning circles around the base as fast as he could.



My kids are kind of like cats. They are attracted to sand and can be occupied by strange but fascinating things that are not real toys. I swear that I could give Wyatt a bottle cap and a piece of lint and he'd find some new way to use it.

Getting bored with heavy chains and such, Ella took a seat on the cavelletti's in the middle of the arena. I've been meaning to move them for weeks but somehow just forget. They are really in the way when I am trying to do lateral work on the horses but I just ride around them. I guess I've been lazy like that.

I just love this photo for some reason.


I think Ella was gazing in amazement or in dizziness at Wyatt spinning around and around and around. Knowing he was being watched, Wyatt interrupts the moment to show Ella that one can "taste" sand. He's a smart cookie. Yep.



Mind you I warned them both, "Your mouth's not gonna like that!" But sometimes one must figure it out the hard way. Plus, there being a whole ham between the two of them and a camera in the vicinity, a show must be put on.

Not being one to turn down a dare, Ella partakes in some grit tasting of her own.



Then of course there was this.




On to smarter animals. . . Horses. Now they know what is edible and what is not.


While it looks like they are eating dirt here, actually they are picking up bur clover seeds (Medicago polymorpha) that are all over the ground. It is one of the last thing that gets munched out of their little pasture. When the seeds dry out, they are edible. Earlier in the year the horses don't touch them. Most "clovers" are more bitter earlier in the year when they are super green.


And because I can't enter their field without being attacked, here's the two nice horsie faces up close and personal. Meet the Vegetation Destruction Team. I think they would like to be like the A team. And the have enough legs between them. Gemma is a professional escape artist and Sharpie could be the look out.

I ramble. . .

Our little vegetable garden is going strong now. My favorite are the snap peas. I LOVE LOVE LOVE eating them right of the plants. And I am strangely fascinated by the twisty tendrils.


At our house the rule is "If you pick it, you eat it." So certain children better not pull any peas off the vines that he does not plan on putting in his mouth.


Lastly, Bingo is living the good life. Some food, some exercise, some socialization, and some restful sleep.


It's all in a days work!
How is your summer starting?

19 comments:

Doris Sturm said...

I was waiting to find out why your mom dreaded summer, Julia? Is it you kids were out of school and had nothing to do? You took some lovely photos and to me it looked like everything was going pretty well out there. I love the landscape. I miss California, but I prefer the cooler climate. I especially hate humidity and have been a shut in for the past two months - it got hot early this year. I feel sorry for my dog. He's sleeping his life away. I also love that photo with Ella sitting there staring off into the distance - and I got a kick out of that photo of your two horses looking down as if I had just fallen off and they came back to see if I was ok? (he, he, he)

Hope you'll have a lovely summer out there in the wilderness. It sure looks good to me.

Love you,
Doris :-)

Melodie said...

Great picts! That one of the sand spitting is hilarious! Kids,endless comic entertainment!

Suzi said...

Yep, summers can be daunting. Love the pic of Ella sitting on the jumps too. She looks like she is contemplating life.

Sara said...

Love the pictures! It looks like a pretty awesome summer so far. :D The one of Ella in her apron on the jumps is so peaceful. Love it! I recognize the apron too! :) J&J routinely eat sand. What is up with kids doing that?! Bingo has a pretty awesome life, doesn't he? ha!

DayPhoto said...

I was reading right along, enjoying the words and the photos then got to the one with the kids spitting out the sand (great shot by the way) and had to burst out laughing!

Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com/

Liz Mays said...

I hope they were attacking you with love!

Those peas would make a great stir fry dinner!

Commonweeder said...

What a delightful post. I think the quiet photo of Ella catches her at one of those thoughtful moments that young children have more often than we think. We grannies like to slow things down a bit from time to time - and I think there is a benefit to that.

Shelly Cox said...

Sounds like your summer is shaping up to be interesting to say the least.I just love reading about all your family shenanigans!

Mine summer has started off busy! I assumed (falsely I might add) that May would be the busiest month of the year here at my job. June is shaping up to be full of summer school programs and special events. I've done so many snake presentations I could do them in my sleep and for all I know maybe I do....hmmm I may have to ask my husband if I am mumbling strange things about venomous....cold-blooded, vertical eyed creatures.

I signed up for an online entomology class through ISU, so now I am studying again after 25 years!

The herpotologist at the local university is doing a turtle study at all the ponds (5) on campus, I am tagging along with him as much as possible, and learning everything I need to know about Missouri turtles (at least the one that call the campus home).

Mowing, weeding, planting, and overall care of an 86 acre farm is in overdrive with the nice weather.

My book is complete and now I am in the proofing stage (amazing how many typos one can find).

To top it all off we have a baby raccoon that is now living with us and demanding more attention than my own children ever did.

Life is GOOD!!

theUngourmet said...

Well Julia my summer is starting out as a wet, stormy, soggy, muddy mess but supposedly the mid 80's are on their way. If I don't get some sunshine soon, you're going to have to set a few more chairs around your table! ;D

Darling photos! I love that one of Ella too and Bingo does look very contented!

brokenteepee said...

That is a lovely photo of Emma.

It's not summer yet here.
*sigh*

Won't be for another month or so.
*bigger sigh*

Julie Harward said...

I wish I had as much energy as the kids! I love how your eye sees the beauty in everything. The horses are so beautiful! Summer is pretty peaceful here...love it! Come say hi :D

Lesley Speller said...

Aww cute pictures! I love those little tendrils too! We decided to skip the big garden this year, but I miss my fresh squash so much!

Rick (Ratty) said...

It would really be nice to be a carefree kid again, even if it means a little taste of sand.

The Mind of a Mom said...

Happy Summer I love the pic of your kitty he looks like he is so comfortable! The kids look like they are having a blast I'm sure there is a ton of water and sand to keep them busy until big boy school starts in Aug

Unknown said...

hahaha i love this post...and your pictures are always sooo wonderful

Christy said...

I very much enjoyed scrolling through and looking at all of these gorgeous photos. Beautiful!

Raven said...

Those are great pics! Looks like you all are having a great summer so far. Your little ones are so adorable.

Frogs in my formula said...

Sigh. I actually feel healthier / better having "breathed" your fresh air and seen your blue skies. I want to try to grow snap peas. They do taste wonderful fresh from the garden.

Vixen of Vixensden.com said...

The are all great pics, but I really love the one of Emma with the wheelbarrow.

We took the g-kids to meet the horses. Next thing I knew Ladybug was eating the horse carrots. I told her NO, those aren't clean and are for the horses. She started spitting like your kids in the sand eating pic and spent the next 45 minutes complaining that I wasn't getting her to the store to get "real person carrots" fast enough. Lesson learned. for me.

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