Community

This is not a deep thought. Community is what you make it. Scott and I like having the option of buying locally from our friends and neighbors. We like living in a town that has interesting events conducted by our friends and neighbors. Sometimes we even like participating in fundraisers conducted by our friends and neighbors.

What brings this specifically to mind is Fur Rendezvous, which is celebrating its 84th or 85th year depending on your math skills.

Scott and I really enjoy the varied Rondy events and appreciate their sometimes hokey nature. If a person wants events like Rondy, it behooves one to support and participate in those events in some manner. Hopefully beyond purchasing the obligatory pin.

We want to raise Elizabeth with a sense of community. We want her to feel a desire to be part of and experience the joy of being part of what makes special stuff like Rondy happen. So this year all three of us entered our perhaps very amateur photos in the amateur photo contest sponsored by the Mall at Sears and Blaine’s Art Supplies. I mounted all our 8×10’s on the regulation sized foam board (supplied by Blaine’s at a discount) and slid them into the recommended envelopes. All three of us trooped down to Blaine’s to turn them in tonight. As soon as Elizabeth and Scott were out of the car I handed out our entries. Elizabeth briefly voiced her concern that the pictures was too big for her to carry (You hear whining? No, neither did I). We paused for pics in the entry then guided Elizabeth to the back counter and helped her slide her entry onto the top.

She looked pretty proud of herself. So does Scott for that matter.

It was pretty easy and inexpensive. With photo printing, mounting supplies and entry fees it was about $11/entry. That’s cheap entertainment.

It felt good to participate.

Posted in Family | Comments Off on Community

RIP Smart One

Elizabeth and I check on the chickens together pretty regularly. Elizabeth likes scattering corn and watching them peck and scratch. She likes gathering eggs too.

The last couple times we noticed Smart One hasn’t been as active as usual and seemed to be feeling her age.

Smart One hatched in June 2005. That was the Spring we brought home our first hens, adult Chanteclers (Suki the buff, Satay the ill tempered Partridge, and Paprikash the tiny Partridge). That was also the Spring Anthony at Triple D was able to get four tiny Partridge Chantecler chicks for us (Wings Wings the rooster, Fly Girl, Little Girl, and Smart One).

Smart One earned her name by being canny and hard to catch, as well as being the first to learn to push through the flap of the dog door on their first coop.

We like our current flock of hens very much and appreciate their personalities. That first set of seven birds were very special though.

I am sad to see the last of those first birds gone. Nine and a half years old. She still laid once in a while. What a fine chicken.

Today all of the chickens were enjoying the sun and scratching around outside. This warmer winter has been very nice for the birds.

Smart One was hunched up in the hen house and looking very woeful. She wasn’t interested in eating though she would take some water. She had lost quite a bit of weight from just a few days earlier. She was wheezing and clearly unhappy.

It was time to help her die and we were very sad.

Posted in Fauna | 1 Comment

Disturbing revelation

Oh so very disturbing.

Because of Elizabeth, Scott and I not only know who Doc McStuffins is, we kinda like her.

Woe

Posted in Baby | Comments Off on Disturbing revelation

Mad skills

We enjoyed dinner this evening at Kumagoru with friends.

EKA was very interested in the chopsticks.

A waitress kindly brought a kid modified set for her. Scott helped her with the first few bites, she fumbled the next couple, then she was unstoppable.

20141115-204928.jpg

Posted in Baby | Comments Off on Mad skills

He is a goody boy

Elizabeth stayed home sick today. Scott says she crawled into Bing’s kennel and was just hanging out.

Bing snuggled in next to her and closed his eyes for a snooze with his baby.

He is such a goody boy.

20141111-002027.jpg

Posted in Baby, Dogs | Comments Off on He is a goody boy

Errata

I’m not able to herd yet. A fall could reinjure my spleen or liver. So. Scott and EKA went in with the dogs (one at a time) and had some sheep time a couple weekends ago. I miss herding.

20141105-094342.jpg
Elizabeth likes music very much. A few days ago I tuned one of the mandolins and we had a good time making a lot of racket. I worked with her on the concept of the left hand cups the neck from behind not over the strings. And that we gently strum strings above the bridge not below it. And observing that pressing strings in different spots makes different sounds. We also thump around on the piano. I was thrilled this morning when we worked on identifying the D keys and she seemed to get it. Yay Bou!

20141105-094656.jpg
This was an odd Halloween in that there was virtually no snow and it was comparatively warm. The damn malls and what not have largely destroyed the visceral joy of children running amok hopped up on sugar that I recall from my childhood. We left an unattended bucket of candy at the end of our driveway and spent Halloween eating Fire Island pizza (only offered once a year) with friends. EKA did a little trick or treating. She was perplexed with this game the first couple of houses but rapidly learned the ropes and was soon charging up to doors caroling ‘trick or treat’ with the rest of the children. Great fun. (Costumes: Millionaire, little baby elephant, jester circa 1987).

20141105-095126.jpg

Posted in Baby, Dogs, Music | Comments Off on Errata

Awake and sore

I am awake too late at night waiting for my accident pain to recede so I can sleep.

Good things today. First snow and an oh so delighted toddler gleefully making tracks thru every inch of yard. She was do happy and so tired. The world is newly beautiful seen thru her lens.

20141021-010136.jpg

We enjoyed a healthy tasty dinner as a family. Crockpot of veggies (onion, tomato, carrot and celery) topped by a been in the freezer since ??? T-bone steak. Crockpots can mend a multitude of sins.

Happy corgis hunting the bizarre house fly droning and bumping around the house tonight.

A kind husband doing exercises with me to keep company.

A silly toddler playing at being a puppy, and taking advantage of my prone position by licking my face. Eew, but cute.

Posted in Family | Comments Off on Awake and sore

Disturbing toddler brain

So we were out and about running an errand with Elizabeth this afternoon.

Radio is on but we’re chatting so not paying much attention to the songs. Some pop song by Meghan Trainor with a repetitive chorus is on. Elizabeth is in her car seat puttering with her Duplo blocks.

We pull into the pawn shop, turn off the engine, and hear Elizabeth singing to herself: “It’s all about the bass, ’bout the bass, ’bout the bass, no treble…“.

It was cool, and disturbing, that she picked up the (admittedly simple) chorus on one hearing. Fortunately she hasn’t shown any inclination to sing the racier lyrics.

She loves music, and sings frequently, but usually nursery songs.

Posted in Baby | Comments Off on Disturbing toddler brain

Home grown bounty

Dinner was oven-toasted ham and cheese sandwiches from Dinner Factory, and corn, fried (mostly) green tomatoes and potatoes from the garden.

IMG_4497.JPG

Posted in Flora | Tagged | Comments Off on Home grown bounty

Yay Kate

Friend Suzanne handled Kate at last weekends herding trial. Finished Kate’s AKC Herding Started Course A Sheep title in style by going Reserve High in Trial. Such a very good girl.

20140911-215126.jpg

Posted in Dogs | Comments Off on Yay Kate