Summer Updates

We've been enjoying an unusually (for southwest PA) sunny summer! Everything is growing: the kids, the chickens, the garden, the weeds, etc! I look around the house and see lots of signs that summer is in full swing:

1. There is watermelon in the 'fridge and ice pops in the freezer.

2. Every day brings a new opportunity to pull weeds. My mom blessed us last week with the edging (by hand) of our sidewalk while I baked a cake.

3. Big Fish has been industriously watering our garden and even stringing hoses together to water the pumpkins and squash down our back hill.

4. My 4 basil plants in the garden are in desperate need of a picking. I've already made a pesto batch and pizza with basil and cheese.

5. Shhh! Don't tell my mom, but Small Fry is carrying around a mason jar with a baby ring snake in it. I must remind Big Fish to let the thing go tonight!

6. The honey bees seem to be expanding. I checked them on Saturday and actually placed a honey super on the top. The bees have been quite busy in their two hive body boxes, so to my inexperienced eye they looked like they needed more work space. Maybe we'll have a tiny bit of honey this year! I'm starting to read up on how to care for them through the fall and winter. Plans are being made for a second hive next year.

7. Hummingbirds have drained their feeder - need to fill that today before they get too angry!

8. The chickens are enjoying their "big girl" digs. The coop is ready for its first clean-out already! They come running when they see us because we usually have a slice of bread or some old lettuce for them. I did hear on the radio that homegrown eggs don't really taste any different than grocery store eggs. They do definitely look different, though. We'll have to test that ourselves in a few months!

9. Brookie spends large amounts of time on her swing. It's just a disc hung from a tree branch. Another favorite activity of hers is sidewalk chalk drawing on our driveway. We need a rain just to give her a clean slate!

10. A recipe for rhubarb custard bars will be posted this week, so see you back soon!

Enjoy some iced tea on the porch swing!