Summer 2013-Camping at Orcas Island

 Our hike: At the crest of the hill overlooking the sound.

 Mommy's turn to carry the precious cargo.

 Impressive ant hill. I remember when we used to have ant hills around the barnyard. I miss them.

 Cruising the lake

 Someone is being very uncooperative! He wants to get in the water! Whaaa?

 Old growth tree.

 The campsite: Dad's the first one up in the morning. I don't know who took his picture :D Maybe a moose?!

 E is awake!

 The campsite is now bustling with activity. Brooke is preparing one of her gourmet meals. E is protesting something, probably a diaper change.

There...now you are all fresh and ready for the day.

Part III-"Just Because We Can"

Jay came in to the kitchen and announced, "We are going out to shoot the 410; just because we can."

  It's fun to get out in wide open spaces and do something you can't normally do.

 Loading

 Ready

 I love the juxtaposition of this beautiful young women in her shimmery sandals and a 410.

Various pictures. Posted by Tim

We finally burned the pile of branches.

Ben's creation with help from Brooke, Ethan, and Sam

Splitting wood

Drying tomatoes above, stacking wood below.





Good-bye Our Little Friend

Johnny-born-Probably early in 2009
Died- September 17, 2013
Thank you for all the years of fun our dear little companion!

"PUPPY AND I"  by A.A. Milne
I met a Puppy as I went walking;
We got to talking,
Puppy and I.
"Where are you going this nice fine day?"
(I said to the puppy as he went by).
"Up in the hills to roll and play."
"I'll come with you, Puppy," said I.

I'm so glad L took this photo on Sunday. His photos are few and far between because he was camera shy. But she set the camera on the car so he didn't know we were taking a photo and it captures his normal happy enthusiastic expression.

Part II- The Fields

The Dynamic Duo

 Looking south over the northeast corner of the sugar beets.

 Driving south, there were spectacular skies that day.

 The road by the canal to the pump.

 The pump under its shelter.

 Looking west down the canal.

A pivot crossing.

J ventures in to the uncultivated part by the canal.

Looking over the sugar beets to the pivot and the house.

Dad and Dean are fixing up the south west field for growing. They took a pipe from the diversion by the rough road and buried it going south to set hand lines all over that corner.

The ubiquitous sunflower of the west.

Opening up a milkweed pod. Pretty soon milkweed seeds will be blowing around on their little parachutes.

L forgot her farm shoes :D

J Gives L a Tour of His Childhood Home-Part I-The Yard

 On the 4-wheeler

 The barn-Many times he entered this door.

 And milked the cows

 The old new barn and the old old barn

 The barn where Grandpa milked

 The back of the old old barn

 Behind the barn where childhood imagination flourished

 The tree rows

 The corral

 The shed

 The "garage"

 The basketball court

 Facing the house from the barn

 The north view

Thanks L for sharing the photos