Summer is Waning Stuff

 Now that summer is waning Kili decided it was time he let go of the ladder and started swimming and doing a "Jimmy Snuka Superfly" into the pool.

 Our caterpillar proved not to be a monarch (which should have been obvious by the color), but when I first saw this cocoon I thought it had tied en-route-cocooning.  Upon further investigation (ie. google) I learned that this is indeed a type of cocoon, not a blooper.

 Here is the butterfly.

The "Months Mind" Pontifical High Mass for Msgr. Schmelzer, may he rest in Peace.  Eternal Rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let Perpetual Light shine upon him.

 Is this an awesome find at St. Vincent's or is it an awesome find at St. Vincent's? A glorious picture of Our Lady of Sorrows or as I learned "Our Lady of the Thumb".

 We had an extended family gathering which was alot of fun, of course.

 Little Girl with the Curl tending to a cousin's needs... whatever that may be according to a tot!

 Corn has been plucked, shucked, and frozen. Truly Marigold is thrilled with her part of the job (which I believe was shucking 2 ears of corn in an hour)

 See? She really did love the job...

 Others were involved in other less interesting projects... or more interesting depending on your vantage point.

 A friend came over and helped us clean up our Mary Garden. Yes, we have 2 cement Marys. Another awesome St. Vincent find... the extra was $7, no joke.

 Poppy & Marigold getting ready for a tea party for their cousin's 5th birthday.

 Auntie gussied up the tea party in a most magnificent manner.

Complete with a doll for each little girl.

 It might be noted that the traditional English tea party "fairy cakes" are for the fairies. Bread with butter and sprinkles. It was missing serious sugar. :D

 S'mores and more and more s'mores

 This is what happens when you buy the gigantic "s'more" marshmallows... mighty tasty just the same!

 This is serious business, people.

 I'm a beautiful sky lover.

 We had our parish "Family Fun Fest" recently.

 Nothing like capturing our new priest in full cassock playing beanbag toss!

 We went out canoeing one Sunday afternoon (yes, I know that is a kayak...) to get ready for an extended family canoe outing.  Canoeing is something we can all do together and it is splendid fun.

 Growing like the weeds.

 A not-so-great find at St. Vincent's, though I was tempted to match it with Rosie's play costume from July... haha...

 This is one seriously tall corn stalk.

 Tree frogs don't really have giant red eyes that I can tell...

 Read-through for the 2016/2017 homeschooling play... this year it will be "Tom Sawyer" Play parts will be announced soon!

 A couple of our great-neighbors-to-the-south's guinnes found a couple nice roosting spots at our house! :D

 Cicada

 Last Sunday we went to the Pecatonica River to go on an extended family canoe trip.  Other than various canoes running into some wild branches and trees lying in the river, we escaped any catastrophes. IT was great fun!

 This outlet in Arglye was where a river drowning occurred early this winter. So let's remember the souls of these 2 men. Eternal Rest grant unto them, O Lord and let Perpetual Light shine upon them. May they rest in Peace.

 We had a splendid presentation by Mr. Rex from TFP and America Needs Fatima.Our Lady's request was 3 parts: 1. Prayer, especially recitation of the Rosary and Five First Saturdays Devotion, 2. Sacrifices, offered both as an act of reparation for the sins against the Sacred Heart of Jesus and teh Immaculate Heart of Mary and for the conversion of poor sinners, especially those in immediate risk of going to hell, 3. Amendment of life in order to stop offended God and to obtain graces and blessings from Heaven. Let's get a move on it! :D

 This statue is one of 20 statues formed from a mold that was formed from the original wooden statue carved to Sr. Lucia's satisfaction. Truly beautiful

 Mr. Rex gave a fencing lesson afterwards.

 Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us!

 We bought a bushel of peaches from a friend of ours who ordered them for us.  These are peach biscuit bombs, they were very yummy!

 I also tried my hand at making peach pie filling. It was so good!  It was better after it had been in the pressure cooker for too long at too high a pressure. I found out as I overfilled a jar and the lid blew off the jar. So it was a great opportunity to try it.  YUM!

Here is one very large corn cob and a branch from a very full crab apple tree. I think we'll try and make crab apple jelly.