and so another summer starts ...

Noah's ark - aka the Ranger and Me - headed east last night loaded to the gills with dogs, cats, rabbits and parrots.

Chickens hopefully arrive next week or the week after.

It was a nice peaceful ride, both loading and unloading went smoothly. I did (OF COURSE) forget some stuff - exta litter pans, food dishes etc but nothing too major.

It's a lovely summer day - cool but not cold and nice and sunny.

It is very strange to be here on July 1 without a passle of Big T's family here ..most of them have come sometime this week to celebrate his mom's birthday for the last 3 years and his parents have joined us this week for the last 6 ...

I will probably head back to the city one night a week or so likely 57 nights here of a possible 63 or so ... YAY

weeding, walking, eating home grown veggies, reading, blogging and playing agility, beach walking - it's going to be a tough summer I can tell already ;)

not nearly as lovely day

but wonderful again as our first cut hay is off the fields (luckily as it's RAINING today - hard)

We had a long walk to see what was up and pretty much the same hay as last year is up ...and now we have a mower to take more off ..hopefully they can pull more off with the second cut :)

Sampson ran and ran and ran some more until I thought he might fall right over - there was cut grass and BIRDS ... including momma birds who did a great job distracting him from nests and kept him moving and moving

Sally ran and enjoyed too but not with the same obsessive air as Sammo

Thea bombed around a bit but I don't let her go too far when the grass is short - we ALWAYS have hawks around

Brody was wet so he mostly trotted along at our heels ...

but we all had fun and Franklin most appreciated the fresh collection we did for him - alfalfa, timothy, plantain, dandelion, maple, clover - what a way to a bunny's heart!

mow wow

The newest work horse (toy?) joined our family today ...


we spent quite awhile getting it then getting it set up and hooked up to the john deere atv - and yes it was hazy, drizzly day off and on - ended up BEAUTIFUL but we had moments ;)

then off to the farm to cut the pond path and the agility field ..

it is AMAZING - did in an hour what it took us at least 3 to do last year with the lawn tractot

we ran the dogs into the ground (well actually they did that themselves)

also planted, weeded and enjoyed veggies from the garden

great day!

rotten rabbit

Franklin, the handicapped satin angora rabbit, loves getting his outside time
it is good for him mentally and he thrives on the fresh self selected food

HOWEVER ... rabbits are prone to fly strike - where flies lay eggs on the skin and the larvae hatch and burrow into the damp folds of the skin ...

so poor Franklin ended up with little larva on him, down in his "nether" region, today - GROSS

I picked them off, killed them and will be checking him with great paranoia for the rest of the summer ... I'm not sure how to balance his out time with the flies ...

the things we do sometimes ...

wow - jungle land ...

and the garden LIKED the rain last week

Everything is looking great - beans, and all the squash type plants are up, peas have pods on the vine, peppers have little peppers on them, tomatoes look strong and healthy, scapies are starting on the garlic plants, onions are looking good. No carrots showing yet nor beets but it will come I'm sure.

We ate wild strawberries yesterday - tiny but oh SO GOOD!!


It is pouring rain with a driving wind so I hope you'll forgive me no pictures ...
yesterday was Dad's birthday so we had Dad and Jean for lunch - lovely, and we put them to work ;) (never ending weeding and inflating tire on atv)

another lovely weekend

planted potatoes, more corn, another pepper plant, more peas, cucumbers, zucchini herbs...
watered, weeded, and rock picked too (of course)

was lovely

mum's flower garden is inspirational right now - just lovely

pictures whenever my computer decides to cooperate :)

I ant to post pictures but the computer is NOT cooperating

picking rocks

planting
weeding
playing with dogs
eating
sleeping

repeat (+ add in entertaining some of the parental units for a bit around lunch today)

looks like the way this break is going and you'll hear NO complaints from me


another glorious full day and then a half day + too

WOW

four days in a row

to plant, weed, walk, do agility, eat well, read, catch up on blogs, groom bunnies


what a lucky lucky duck I am :)

what a wet weekend that was ...

Tom's mom came for the weekend for the first time since her husband died. We had a lovely visit but were all a little more quiet and reflective than usual. It was really cold and really wet - not a great weekend to be outside but I weeded and planted and cute up some wood anyhow.

Of course the dogs wanted their walkies - so we did that too - though not for too long at any one time.

We ate our first asparagus of the season - yum!

beautiful day ..

Mum and Wilkie swung by for bbqed hot dogs for lunch - and Mum earned her keep by weeding and rock picking in the garden too - very motivating to have help
then Colleen swung by (our FABULOUS real estate agent turned friend) and she offered some help too so she weeded the raspberries and the pea bed ..
so I got three times the work done I could have on my own and had a nice chance to catch up with people I care about too - a perfect blend
Collen's life is pretty tragic right now ..hopefully things will settle for her and she can find new routines ...

planted more onions (done now) and am soaking peas for tomorrow .. some peas are up, some onions are up, chives, garlic, strawberries all look amazing ...you can see the potential in the garden right now - it's very exciting!