A couple of weeks ago...

... was really crazy busy, but we had such a good time, I wanted to make sure I wrote about it and posted pictures. Matt celebrated his birthday a few days early because Mom and Dad would be out of town the weekend closest to his birthday (we never celebrate the day - it's a week!).

Brother John and his kids came down as well - It was Labor Day weekend and the last day of summer freedom for his bunch. We'd already lost ours mid-August.


No family get-together is complete without a hot, smoky grill manned by Dad and the wonderful barbecued chicken that comes out of it. After eating a lot of trial and error, I think he's finally got it! And of course, there was the Circus Cake.

After lunch, we all gathered 'round, sang an off-key Happy Birthday song to Matt (who couldn't keep a straight face to save his life), cut up cake, spooned ice cream and generally collapsed into a sugar-induced daze for a little while.


The quieter pasttimes of a hot afternoon went on during the dazed-time. As always, some gathered around the computer (how weird is that?), and some constructed items of great structural stability and creative invention.

Look at these faces. These are the ones that were gathered around the computer.

What could possibly be the cause of such consternation, incredulty, and hilarity all at the same time?

This... Watch it ALL the way to the end.

At least he's sincere.

After we'd laughed off a few calories, it was time to go outside and explore the wonders of the eggmobile and meet the new sisters.



The Eggmobile is a portable hen house. This is what enables the chickens to be "free range". They have a safe place to go at night (or when the fox or hawks come around) and they come out during the day and scratch around and eat for about 2-40 feet around it. Then after a few days, the Eggmobile moves about 50 feet away and they debug/fertilize the area around it again. There are compartments for nests and the resultant eggs. I'm collecting my egg cartons now in anticipation! They'll be old enough in about 3 months to start laying. Who're they?

Why, "they" are the girls - living right now in this newly refurbished hen house that had fallen into serious disrepair during the previous owner's tenancy.



And of course, being a "farm" there are vegetable plots to raid as well.

Maggie and Deacon (Uncle Dog) ran. Dad rode in style.

When we got there, we discovered these charming vistors had beaten us down there.

Maggie dug sweet potatoes, W walked the perimeter, and Gareth stayed behind and made beautiful music.

The fruits of Maggie's labor. All but two of them came home with me. YUM!

Kida got to come along too. It was her first trip to the farm and her first introduction to Deacon. They ran around like mad, then bolted in through the doggie door to the customized laundry room. It's been customized with a large ceiling fan, a water tower just for Deacon, and a baby gate to keep hot, panting dogs out of the rest of the house.

Can you say "HAPPY DOGS"?

And just because I like him, I will share this:

He used to live on a rock next to Dad's fishpond at the other house. Now he sits on the arm of a chair in the yard. Looks pretty happy to me in his new digs!