Snakes!

(Not for the faint of heart!)

Our local library had a special event this past July, featuring Ron Cromer of Snakes Alive. Our children were completely engrossed by Ron's presentation.

But the fun (for them!) didn't stop there! To their delight they were allowed to handle the snakes.

Oh dear, this one creeped up Dominique's sleeves.



I pulled it out for him. Oh, what would a mother do for her child!


Matthias isn't quite sure about this!

But Laurence didn't seem to mind.

Look at my girl!

This Burmese python is impressive, isn't she? Her name is Penelope.


Now, that's a big, heavy snake! Raphael and Lydia volunteered to hold it!

Amazing!

Summer is...

For blueberry muffins with frosty, cold goat milk for a snack. The muffins recipe is from William-Sonoma Bread.



Summer version of spring cleaning since last May with the wedding prep we were too busy to deep clean.



The little boys bedroom is newly decked with a sailing theme.

I love the airy, breezy look given by the silk.




Lydia's room is sweet and gentle looking, just like she is.


I don't have time today, but later I'll show you our learning room and my bedroom with my new sewing corner.

Fourth of July Fun!

Early in the morning Michel went to Moe's farm to meet with Moe and Gene (Sebastien's godfather). Gene is a vet and was going to determine if Cleopatra had been bred. She had been at Moe's farm since March. According to Gene she is three months pregnant. Good! In the trailer she went. Easier said than done! It took them forty five minutes to get her in there, even though Moe has a nice arrangement to move cows around. She is home now, Leif and Eric the Red have quickly learned to respect her. She is undeniably the queen around here.

Here are the two youngest ready to go visit the little ladies at the Special Care Hospital.

For dinner, Lydia and Raphael fixed a scrumptious feast. They made potato salad from William-Sonoma: Potato, hamburgers, grilled corn on the cob, and red, white, and blueberry sundaes from Complete Party Planner, by Annabel Karmel. Although she calls them sundaes, they are not ice cream but layers of jello and fresh strawberries, whipped cream and of course blueberries. Don't they look pretty? It took the children two hours to gather the blueberries, they came home with more than two pounds of them and too many dirt ticks bites to count!

At night fall they watched stars with Raphael's telescope.

Michel set off a few firecrackers. OOh...! AAh...!


When everything had cool off, they just had to have a closer look. They also found this strange looking horned beetle?


Farm life, work of mercy, good food, awe at God's majestic creation, firecrackers and creepy crawly things... a blessed day for little (and big) boys.... a time to keep!