It's sad that I've only posted twice since it was last snowing here, and now it's snowing again.  We're getting an early winter with a good six inches on the ground, when the forecast has been for "less than an inch of accumulation" the past couple days.  Looking at these summer pictures makes me happy.

I went through my August photos, mainly to get a quick recap of that month in pictures with a little text just to explain.

We didn't get to the pond as much as I would have liked; the garden and animals and, to be honest, the housework kept me too busy to get the kids there.  It didn't help to have this little darling making messes all day - in the cupboards, with the toys, laundry, etc.

She saw water so of course the shoes had to come off.

Clare with Twilight.

I can picture this photo in a magazine where you have to write your own caption:

Lena loves her dollies.  She's adopted one of Nora's dollies that she sleeps with every night (not this one - she liked it but Nora took it back).

Our duck discovered our wading pool.  We actually have nine ducks, but this is the only one who made use of the pool.  For about a week straight, she (we're pretty sure it's a she now) would come for her bath while we were eating supper.  Made for some great dinnertime entertainment with all the splashing and dipping and preening.

Lena and her first corn on the cob.

I still can't look at pictures of the garden without feeling a little exhausted.  It wasn't easy trying to manage the fort plus take care of a big garden and I'm afraid I did neither successfully.

Nothing like an overgrown garden cucumber for a snack.

We used to call my sister "ragamuffin" when she was Lena's age because her hair often looked like this.  Lena got her share of being called "ragamuffin" this summer.

My water loving baby, not really a baby anymore.

Fun at the beach.  I have great pictures on my phone but my computer doesn't like my phone (or my phone doesn't like my computer) and I can't get the pictures off except for one. at. a. time.  And I just don't have the patience for that right now.

Swinging double.  I love when siblings get along.  Which is just about all the time at our house.  Ha.

Lena fills her wheelbarrow with gravel from the driveway.  This gravel driveway offers some great entertainment for the kids.

This is what Clare looked like much of the summer, nose in a book.  It reminded me of my own childhood, reading, reading, reading.  She participated in a "Read to Ride" program this summer (to win a mt. bike) and although she didn't win, it sure encouraged her to branch out in her choice of reading material.  

I sacrificed one garden bed for a kid play area and was glad I did.  They had a great time playing while I was working.

I hope by spring I no longer feel exhausted looking at these pictures.

Karl got to ride with Dad on Uncle Andy's tractor.  He was pretty thrilled.   And our "farm" does look good with a tractor on it.

At the end of August we drove to see friends and then meet my siblings and their families at an amusement park and hotel.  The rides were cheap and the kids got to go on many more than at our local county fair which charges $3 a ride.

Nora impressed me on the Ferris wheel.  If you look close, you can see her hands high in the air, waiting for the thrill of the ride down.  (I'm in the middle, in a pink shirt, and we're in a blue car.  Karl wasn't sure he liked the height but Nora just loved it.)

This brave little girl rode this ride by herself and this car went fast!  She loved it though and signed "more" and "please" when we took her out and then cried when we left.

The pool was so much fun for Karl who got brave and was jumping off the side into the deep end the entire time.

We also went to a zoo.  Clare liked these little bantam chickens.

Lion in background:

Clare's favorite:

And our own chicken and ducks.  This mama hen hatched three duck eggs and ended up adopting the five ducks hatched by another hen who decided it would be convenient to give up mothering duties.  For several weeks they mothered together until the other hen gave it up.  We could see this hen was occasionally frustrated that her "children" weren't behaving like chickens.

Lena, waiting for the chickens to come out of their door in the barn.

Nora knows how to handle these birds.

Our rooster, and so far a good one.  We hatched him this spring, a mix of two different breeds though we're not sure which ones.  Australorp and something, maybe Wyandotte or Orpington.

Beet harvest. The kids love helping.

Nora and her toad.