Go Play Outside

I love sunny weather. It keeps my house clean. I send the kids out first thing in the morning, call them in for breakfast, send them out till lunch and then clean the house while they nap. After nap time, back outside folks. I love it. Unfortunately we will probably have rain the rest of the week. But while it lasted I took a few pictures of the girls playing today.

We let the chickens out of their new outdoor pen. Let me tell you I was so glad to get them out of the house.  It's a bad sign when people come in the house, sniff and say ooh are you cooking fish? nope just raising chickens.

These two are the more adventurous ones in the group.

Once they determined the coast was clear they all came out to see what they could find. These little guys have grown so much that I think I should re-introduce them.

This is Ethel, the ornery one, a Black Sex Link. She is by far the leader and a very photogenic ham. Every where I pointed the camera she sped over and posed in front of the other chicken.

Here's Chrysanthemum, our Silver Laced Wyandotte. She's bashful but speedy.

Olga, my beauty, she's a California White. 

And lastly, Hazelbell Featherdy, our Light Brahma.

Poser.

The girls love the sand box. I often find Beloise laying down in the sand.

Oh no, I've been spotted, prepare for a ham-moment. . . 

Ta-Da! She's worse then Ethel.

They have been pulling out their fluff to make way for their feathers.

I was trying to get a shot of Hazelbell when Ethel darted over and when I looked at the picture this is what I saw.

Our old girls are still going strong. Laying usually an egg a day each.

Speaking of hams, I wanted to show you what we are doing to the playhouse area but Penny decided to come stretch in front of me.

We have moved the playhouse down on the slope for a bit so that we can remove the bark dust. My Beloved is planning to make a floor for the house to keep it up off the ground. He also reinforced the pathway with a plastic border thingy, since the sand and rocks kept sliding out of place hopefully this keeps it in place a little better. We haven't decided on a new ground cover for around the playhouse, probably grass but I would like to put some flower beds beneath the windows.

We also would like to put in a picket fence along the rock wall with a mailbox on the last post. But I doubt it will happen this summer.

Beloise, back in the sand box.

While I was taking these pictures Ballerina noticed what I was doing and ran over to the sand box mumbling some excuse about oh yeah that's what I was going to do.

The girls love to play restaurant. The Menu?

Eggs and Toast

Chicken and Rice

Chicken Sauce Soup

Cheeseburger

Water

Milk

They also do specialty orders if you ask but be prepared to pay for it.

I said pay not pray.

~And So That's What She Did

Daddy Brought His Work Home

This past week we have been getting ready for a get together at our place for the fourth of July. We like to do these types of things that are waaaay out of our comfort zone every now and then, it  pushs us to do a few extra chores around the yard. A few years back we had a wedding in our backyard . . . yikes!(It was a blast but I doubt we will do that again. . . but I always say that). 

This last week my Beloved brought a box tractor up to the house to smooth out a driveway on the east side of our house where he parks his truck. We are hoping to do a combination of rock and grass that will look really sharp when we are finished. For now it is just dirt, but at least it is smooth dirt.

As soon as he pulled up with the tractor Thumbelina wanted to ride with him. So up onto Daddy's lap she went and she loved every minute of it.

Here she has her mouth wide open in great excitement.

You may be wondering what makes this a box tractor, I believe it is the deal on the back that looks like a box. Apparently it is also called a float tractor.

"I'll just play with this while Daddy's not looking."

Then Belloise came out and wanted to ride.

She liked it . . .

For a minute

Here the screaming begins. . .

Then she saw me and I am sure the whole neighborhood heard, over the sound of the tractor,  "Maaaamaaaa."

Thumbelina thought for sure that she would be allowed to drive this by herself once Daddy was done.

She was not.

World War III followed.

The Allied Forces of Daddy and Mommy won.

The girls have been playing in the yard a lot lately to take advantage of the decent weather we are finally having.

Getting some quality swing time in with my girls.

We have been working a little here and there on the playhouse.

 There is still so much to do, but slowly we are getting there. A few weeks back my Beloved planted some grass and put in a rock pathway, and I planted some pansies in the flower pots.

Today I planted some mint moss in the path and we moved our columnar apple tree back here to get more direct sunlight. So excited we are actaully getting apples on it this year. This is the second year we have had it and last year we got nothing.

As you can see, the pansies didn't last long. Thumbelina yanked them out shortly after they were planted, telling me that, they died. They were nice while they lasted.

As I said we have been busy with yard work here and there.

Filling pots to place around the yard.

The pond flower bed is looking good. The clematis is extraordinary this year! And my hydrangrea is indeed comingback after being nearly completely dug up last winter by the dogs. You can't see it here because the blue bell flowers on the left surround it. Next year we will have to remedy that, they are too pretty to touch this year.

As a side note if anyone knows what type of flowers these are please let me know I just call them blue bells. Of course I call every orange lily a tiger lilly and my Beloved is starting to catch on that I have no idea what they are really called.

And finally making the porch look cozy and inviting. . . hmm needs pillows, I'll have to get on that.

By the by check out that trunk my Beloved found on the side of the road. He came home with His pick-up bed mounded high with bark dust and this trunk perched very picturesquely (made-up word) on top. I began to wonder if he knocked off some pirates somewhere along the way.

Hope you all have a happy and safe fourth of July.

~And So That's What She Did.

The House of Play 1

A few weeks ago on our semi-weekly trip to Costco our family spotted something that we simply could not live without. An adorable wooden, not plastic, playhouse (Kidkrafts Woodland Cottage). Emy fell in love the minute she rang it's real deal doorbell and washed her hands in the simple sink. I fell in love with the flower pots under the windows, the bay window on the South side and did I mention it's wood? I'm not a big fan of plastic play structures. Oh they look great at first but give it a year or even just a few months. I am curious to see how this roof will hold up to the ruthless rays of sun this spot receives in the summer.

We had a little trouble getting her to leave it at the store. As we walked away she asked if we could talk to someone to see if we could borrow it.

So, as is our family tradition, we got a jar and started saving. Momma did some sewing and Daddy did some selling of unused items. Emy found change around the house and then God pitched in and sent us a check or two for the rest.


Saturday morning we hurried through our breakfast and dressing to get to the fun part, heading to the store to bring home our new friend.

Of course Emy insisted on helping Daddy build it. So she read the prints while Daddy built.

Here she is telling me that I need to go in the house because they are busy.




This is to be the girls new homestead, don't worry the chairs will just move down by the fire pit or perhaps back up on the porch I haven't decided.

At first we tried to place it against the rock wall but the Hubby said "No, turn it this way so you can see her from the house as she is running in and out" and I thought my what a smart husband I have and cute to boot. God knew what he was doing when he made this man.

When the house was finished Emy was napping so as soon as she awoke she ran straight for her shoes and wanted to go see her house.

She particularly likes the grill on the open window. She likes to pretend it is a drive-up.

Yes I would like a cheeseburger please. Extra cheese hold the patty.

Now I don't know if you noticed but there is a small piece of land surrounding her little house that is sectioned off from the rest of the yard and boy howdy do I have plans for it. I have visions of an English flower garden, white picket fence and winding paths . . . what? you say there isn't THAT much room? Your probably right but let's see what I can squeeze in, don't forget room to run laps.

And I realize there is a serious lack of Elly pictures in this post. I was holding her during all of the pictures so while she may not be in these shots in body her creative eye went into almost every one (except the ones taken while she napped).

And so that's what she did.