Cow Chip Throw Deep Fry

 Once again the annual local Cow Chip Throw was in session.  I wasn't able to stay this year as we had a 60th anniversary to go to ... hence just a few pictures.

 This year they deep fried oreos and twinkies.  They sold some $600 worth if you can believe that.

Sam was one of the chief fryers along with Nick and James-behind-the-camera.

Assumption Picnic

  On the Sunday following the Feast of the Assumption we went to a beautiful little parish for their annual Assumption picnic.  Following the Mass they had a beautiful procession in honor of Our Lady.

Following the procession there was a very enjoyable ... and delicious .... picnic with all sorts of good old fashioned wholesome games and fun.  The funniest was the annual frying pan toss where the wives tossed a cast iron skillet while the husbands sat in a chair.  No man was hit.  The winner won the frying pan.  Cracked me up. There was a very beautiful sense of love and camaraderie in the day.  Seems that is the way everyone should be.

Corn Corn And More Corn

 So I went out for a little bite of cake with a couple of friends and came home to a massive corn fest.

 Aw shucks... haha.

 I came in the house at this point. We froze 85 bags of corn which was 1500+ ears of corn (off the cob)

 The horses were very happy campers after this event.

It might be noted that we opted to get a larger freezer that is more energy efficient.  The corn took up 3 whole bins!  We did a non-blanching form of freezing that requires fresh cut corn, water, salt and sugar.  So far it tastes delicious!

Enlarging the Family for a Day or Two

 Our friends from Long Island were out to visit once again.  We had a great time while it lasted, which was too short!

 The day after they arrived we thought Marigold had broken out into chicken pox.  A week later it looked like she had again and thought maybe, afterall, she had broken out into a case of bug bites from sitting in the garden.  We probably will never know :D

 The oldest of our friends is engaged to be married next summer!

 A dose of calamine to the face for what was (or wasn't) chicken pox.

 Shucking for a family of 19. :D

 16 children under one roof. 

We are once again grateful for an enjoyable time with our friends from Long Island.

Baby, Bugs and Oddities

 Kili is now 3-1/2 months... of course when this was taken he wasn't even 3 months. I'm sorely behind in posting pictures.

 Do you see anything askew with this corn stalk?  Yes... the corn is growing out the top.  Odd.

 Solar panels gets to be an addiction I think!

 A cicada

 An inch worm

 Sam's most recent rendition of his thrasher.  It will take dried beans or peas and shell them for you.  Yes, he built this himself.... and it works.

 Yes. I know!  Totally awesome PRAYING MANTIS!!! I have never, ever seen one in our neck of the woods but used to love seeing them when I grew up in NY.    Frodo found it outside.  This is about the only bug I like. Maybe because it is praying. :D

 Tis the season for juicing and making jellies.

 The boys picked wild plums down the road and then we were sent more.  We've made many quarts of jellies.

 Pippin was just dying to pen up the spout.... and spill hot juice over the kitchen floor?

 Kili dressed up in real duds. He's a baby for crying out loud, he should still be in sleepers... then again so should his sister but at 16, I suppose that's just silly.