Baby I'm Back!

 It's been a few months since I updated this blog. Whew.......busy, busy busy........

There has been so much going on around the farm. The garden is cranking and we've added new chickens to the coop.

                                      We've been enjoying summer break by visiting friends.

             
                                   And we've been camping out, especially when we had a wonderful week
                                   of cool temperatures.

             
                           Lot's of exploring to do this summer!

There's a What In My Front Yard????

This little guy and his family inhabit the back woods of our farm, now. Last Friday, Nathan ran up on this cub eating pecans off the ground from the tree near our house. It really startled both of them. Nathan took off on his 4-wheeler and came inside to tell me. I didn't believe him at first. A bear cub? In our yard?

I grabbed my camera and headed out the door with Nathan standing on the porch to help look out for Mama Bear. Our farm is open space farmland on all four sides and a row of pecan trees follow the lane up to the house. He was eating on the ground about 30 yards from my front door.

When he saw me he jumped up in the tree, hissed and swatted at me but I held my ground and growled back. It surprised him but it gave me enough time to take a few pics before I ran inside.

Since then we have seen him in the evenings eating pecans with the deer down the lane. And yesterday we saw Papa, Mama and this cub crossing the back field into the woods. All I can say is........WOW! The Dept of Game and Inland Fisheries is aware and emailed me information on living with Black Bears in Virginia. Welcome to country living!!

Bring it On!

My two little rugrats ready for the first day of school. Both of them were anxious to get the day underway. AnnaBelle did great at preschool and is thoroughly enjoying herself!

Costumeexpress.com had a great deal for early Halloween shoppers. I let them decide what they wanted and this was the end result. Amazingly they are taking care of these costumes, could my constant bickering about respecting things finally sunk in? Well see!

Looking forward to the cooler weather this weekend. The cold front moved through this evening with sharp lightning and periods of heavy rain. Fall, my favorite season of all!

Time to Spread Your Wings and Fly Little Bird

When I had my daughter in March of 2008, I felt complete. With a then 3 year old son and a great hubby I finally had my family unit. So the days go by......

and I have watched you grow from a baby to a toddler and today really stopped to wonder. Boy has the time flown by! The summer will soon usher in fall and my little independent girl will be entering Preschool.

I'll babble like a baby in the car that first day back in September. I'll suck up the tears when you confidently walk through that door after a few weeks into the semester.

And I've relished in watching you blossom and grow. I've especially enjoyed watching you develop a sense of humor and your need to make people laugh.

Such much excitement and challenges are ahead of you and while I can hardly wait for you to experience it, I just wish time would slow down just a bit.

The Dog Days of Summer

Wow looking back, its been a while since I last posted. A testament to how busy we've been around here at Woodland. It has been so miserably and record breakingly hawt! Yet the kiddies could play outside most of the day if you keep the little pool filled. I love the fact they would rather play outdoors in a heartbeat!

As you can see the tomato crop is plentiful this year. Little Miss AnnaBelle enjoys counting and stacking them while I put them up. Along with the butterbeans and corn we are stocking the freezer full! Tomorrow I am going to make a batch of fig jam. Our tree is loaded with them this year.

My sunflowers this year bloomed in spectacular fashion and I didn't realize we had planted such a variety. Tomorrow I'll harvest what seeds I have left that the birds haven't enjoyed.

I'm keeping Nathan busy this summer. He enjoyed bible school at Rocky Hock UMC for the third year in a row and each year more and more children are attending. So good to see such a great turnout this year. This past week I signed him up for 3 days of tennis camp (MWF) at Cypress Cove. He absolutely loves it. So much that I am signing him up for a full week the second week in August. We played some on the basketball court this evening and had quite a few rallies. It was so nice playing tennis with my little man, what a special evening!

Papa's pool has been a nice respite after Nathan's tennis practices. AnnaBelle is getting to be a better swimmer everytime she gets into the pool. Nathan is learning to dive but it just looks like a cannon ball/belly flop! :)

The butterbeans are plentiful this season. We have been getting rain when we need it, such a different circumstance from last year. I picked over half bushel this morning. We're still doing the patch therapy on AnnaBelle's right eye (the good one) She has an appointment at the end of August and if this isn't going to work, I am thinking against the surgery. It will only correct the straightness which isn't that slightly off, but will not correct the vision. So I see no need in putting her through it.

My little girl will be starting preschool in the fall! She is doing so well on her potty training, I have been so proud of her. Still a ways to go, but what progress we have made!! :)

July Happenings

The 4th of July was pleasantly spent on the farm with the in-laws coming over for dinner. In addition it was also George's birthday AND his Mom and Dad's anniversary. We had lots of vegetables from the garden along with chicken on the grill. AnnaBelle helped me make a chocolate cake for her Daddy and has eaten her weight in it since. She loves cake........ and flags!

The garden is producing extra since we've been blessed with rain when we needed it. Sure has been a change from last year.

We camped out twice last week since we had such great weather for it. No humidity and lows in the low 60's for both nights we camped out and I could do it every night if the weather cooperated. AnnaBelle is still asking me every evening if, "We gonna camp out, Momma?" Followed by a sigh of discontent when I tell her it's too hot....and boy has it been hot!

When the heat, humidity and the thunderstorms chase us inside we find other things to occupy the day.

Board games have been a hit. I bought a few over the last couple of months and have been introducing them to the kiddies. They LOVE this one! Isn't that the cutest toe?

But when it's really hot we head down to the river. A couple of weeks ago Nathan landed this nice smallmouth on a beetle spin. He was super happy and I was super proud. My little guy is getting to be quite the fisherman. He can throw right up to the shoreline with ease. He'll have his occasional squirrel fishing fiasco in the trees, but he quickly gets out of it, keeping his bait. Who hasn't?

Since this picture was taken the river has risen over 4 feet. The little islands are covered and we'll have to wait a few weeks for the level to go down. Judging from this map it could be a while.

http://water.weather.gov/ahps2/hydrograph.php?wfo=akq&gage=sebv2&view=1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1&toggles=10,7,8,2,9,15,6

Hmmm...we could always get that part we need for the canoe and put that into action! ;)

School's Out For Summer!!!

My little guy graduated from kindergarten on Monday. His last day was yesterday and he brought home a great report card, exceeding in Science and Social Studies. **sniff sniff** I'm so proud of him! Now I'm 70+ days free from the school carpool.....YEA!!!!!

So it's a summer of backyard pool fun and swimming in Papa's pool. Trips to Busch Gardens and state parks. And a few vacation bible school weeks, too!

The garden is cranking. We've picked squash, snaps, cabbage, zucchini and we'll be eating eggplant this weekend! Yummm!

My little bundle of energy has been limping around the house for the past 2 days. She has a splinter on the bottom of her foot and has only let me attempt to take it out once. Its been hilarious watching her run on her tiptoes, and yesh the calf muscles she is developing! But tonight George and I plan on soaking it and removing it whether she likes it or not. Oh the fun that is going to be.....

We've had some cool nights and have been able to sleep out in the tent. We have such great times in there. I love the fact that they love camping, too. Can't wait to camp at some state parks when they are a little older.