Max Patch Picnic

Pete and I decided to go up on Max Patch for a picnic.  Max Patch is an area that is so high up in elevation that trees can not grow, therefore it is just a very large wonderful green field of grass, perfect for flying kites and picnicking. 

A beautiful spring day in the mountains.  

A hot beagle

Our baby birds

For the past couple of years now we have had a female fly catcher create a nest right above our front door and hatch babies, twice every spring.  Once the babies hatch and fly away we promptly remove the nest and hope she will find a better spot for her little ones for the next go around.

Alas, she came back again this year. Eiyaya..  See.. this poses quite a tense time for me especially when the babies hatch b/c I am afraid that as we walk in and out through the door all day long, (keep in mind that our door is only a couple of inches away from their nest), we will scare them.  I am terrified that we'll scare them so badly that they'll fall out of their nest or that they'll try to fly early and i'll come out one day to a little mangled bird on the ground in front of the door.  Ohhh.. the horror.. Stephen and Pete keep telling me that it's nature.. some may not make it, the stronger will.  Well.. I don't accept that, not on my watch!  So.. I hold my breath with each exit,  with each entry until we come out and they are gone.  

This year before we left for the day, I noticed that the little fledglings were stretching their mini wings.  Adorable!! I grabbed my purse and turned around again and noticed one of the babies was actually fluttering around the nest like he fell and was trying to get back up.. again..I was terrified!!! But.. against all of my nature I let the birds be, didn't assist just let them be.  The baby got back situated into his or her little nest of 5 and I quickly exited the door.  As I was walking out I turned around to tell Pete to be careful b/c of the baby birds are being very anxious and as he was walking out the birds completely exploded all around Pete out of the nest, right above his head. They went in all directions, left, right, to the ground, in the air, in our small trees in our yard.  We both were stunned.  As I walked to the car, I noticed Baily was watching something really close on the ground, on a closer look, it was one of MY birds, it was regrouping, sitting on the running board of our car.  I shrilled at Baily to leave him/her alone grabbed her and quickly moved away.  All at once the baby fly catcher flew away up in a tree. 

It was amazing, Pete nor myself have ever actually seen baby birds fly from their nest for the first time.  I of course immediately started feeling the tears welling up, I held them back.  As much as I wanted those little birds to find another home some place else, I'll also miss those little guys.  

Trip to Indiana

Stephen and I took a trip to Indiana, to meet Emmie and hang out w/Tommy (Tom), Tracy and the boys.   Emmie was adorable!!!!  We had a really great time and can't wait to see them all again hopefully sooner then later!! 

Stephen trying to bounce Blake off the trampoline.. ok not really but Blake wasn't taking any chances.

The two brothers taking a ride on Tommy's bike.  I was asked if I wanted a turn next, I replied 'no thanks..I know your motorcycle record Tommy'.  

Stephen and I went to check out Tommy coaching diving.  It really brought back soo many memories of when we used to all dive.  They had a VERY nice facility, the lap lanes were really really nice as well.  I almost wanted to just jump in, see if I still had it... 'almost'.  

While Tommy was coaching, I got some 'Mommy' practice in.

Stephen was completely out of his element w/Emmie.  Handing her to him was highly enjoyable for me.  I think Stephen and I both are a bit out of sinc w/babies, at least at the present.  The last baby I was around for any length of time, was most likely, well Stephen and I was about 4-5 years old myself.  To say the least, it's been a while. 

While Stephen and I were gone for a few days in Indiana.  Pete kept up w/our 'kids' and had some quite time. 

Our new JohnDeere

After a long period of time of not mowing our lawn, the entire winter to be exact, we finally decided 'well.. our lawn is totally out of control and it was time for a wack'.  Instead of paying someone to come mow our massive lawn we decided to mow it ourselves to save money.  With the acreage we have a standard push mower just wouldn't do, we definitely needed a riding lawn mower.  So.. we went down to Lowe's to check out their inventory since we knew they were having a nice sell on all things yard.  Pete wanted the heavy duty massive JohnDeere mower, I wanted the cheaper orange one over to the side that no one was looking at, hey perhaps it was lonely.  Alas, we came to a compromise and bought the middle of the road but still heavy duty JohnDeere mower capable of mowing our yard/field.

I have to admit I woke up this morning thinking, we're getting a mower, we're getting a mower, totally excited, you would have thought we were getting something more impressive.  I suppose I get excited pretty easily.  As promised the Lowe's delivery guy was right on time w/the mower in our yard at 1:00pm sharp.  Plenty of time to mow our grass under the looming black clouds that were crawling toward us w/every wind.  Interesting side story is that the guy who dropped off our mower turned out to be the lady who Pete bought our house from, her nephew, small town I swear.  He said the house looked completely different and he liked what we've done w/the yard.  He said his aunt died not too long ago, he said it was her time, she was really old.  Pete and I like to think that she would be proud of what we've done w/her little white house.  He said her grass was never as long as it is today, we chuckled and said 'we'll fix that'.  I asked for my JohnDeere trucker hat, the delivery man laughed, got in his truck and drove away.  I actually wasn't joking, I wanted my bright green JohnDeere hat..hmmmmm

I started off mowing and quickly got scared as our yard is very steep and well this was my first lawn mowing experience in my life.  I have 2 brothers remember.  Not that i'm a girly girl, ok well I suppose I am at times, or definitely when it suits me, the girl card comes out flying.  I actually mostly felt as if the mower was going to fall on top of me at any second and would swallow me up like that poor kid Randy from middle school.. ick!!! I still have horrid memories of that story (I have a really really good imagination).. ugh!! Pete showed me what to do and what not to do and I was off.  I got some of it mowed down.  But man, that grass was really long.  I mowed and mowed, well for a little bit at least, then the bugs, the heat and well the fact that i'm SURE there is tons to do inside the house, in the nice cool house :)  So I got off told Pete i'd be back to do more in the afternoon when it cooled down. 

Pete of course picked up where I left off.  I made lunch for us and yes, I did do tons of stuff inside that needed to be done while Pete mowed and mowed and mowed.  In the rain, in the sun, in the thunder (I didn't like the thunder... remember my imagination, every time the mower would stop i'd think..did lightening strike Pete..nahhhh i'd smell it),  Baily following like the loyal pup she is, Pete mowed.....

A double rainbow...funny the rainbows both appeared to end in the development, is that where the pot of gold is??? figures, urrrrrrr

The beginning..and the ABC's of blogging

Today, well tonight, is one of the first of hopefully many entries of our family blog.  Life stays extremely busy around here but I will try to keep this up.  

I found the ABC's of blogs written on a friends blog so I thought perhaps that would be a good place to start.  So here we go..

A – Age: Pete-35 Jen-32

B – Bed size: Queen

C – Chore you hate: Pete-dishes Jen-sweeping/mopping

D – Dog’s name: Baily

E – Essential start your day: Pete-coffee Jen-simi sweet tea.

F – Favorite color: Pete-green Jen-red

G – Gold or Silver: Pete-Gold Jen-Silver

H – Height: Pete-5'10 Jen-5'6

I – Instruments you play(ed): Pete-Guitar, Harmonica, Congos, Bongos, Djamba; Jen-Cello, Flute

J – Job title: Pete-President/Co-Owner of ENO, husband and dad of the furry babes; Jen-Textile and soft good designer, marketing and all of the above, wife and mom of the furry babes

K – Kid(s): of the furry variety...Greta and Baily

L – Living arrangements: a lovely white house on top of a hill

M – Mom’s name: Pete-Pamela; Jen-Patricia but goes by Lynne

N – Nicknames: Pete-Kodiak, Grimmel or Grizzel; Jen-Bink, Bindie Rose Prickett, Skeg

O – Overnight hospital stay other than birth: Pete-shattered femer; Jen-none (knock on wood)

P – Pet Peeve: Pete-dry fingers on cardboard, dull knives; Jen-chewing/smacking gum w/mouth open, lights left on when i'm going to sleep

Q – Quote from a movie: Pete-"ummmhmmm i'll take some of dem french fried potators, do you want the big ones or the small ones, i'll take the biggins, how much do ya want for em' or 'it ain't got no gas in it' - Sling Blade ; Jen-'my name is...my name is..... my name is Seannnn Daileyyyyyy' - The Earthling & 'frankly my dear.. i don't give a damn' - Gone With the Wind

R – Right or left handed: Pete/Jen - Right

S – Siblings: Pete-Patience, Province, Pristine, Paul, Prescott, Poetry, Preston; Jen-Tommy and Stephen

T – Time you wake up: Pete-depends, but most common 7:30am; Jen-8:00-8:30am

U- Underwater creature you love the best: Pete-to eat:grouper and to watch:eninime, Jen-to eat: I don't eat underwater creatures and to watch: all of them but definitely a whale is by far my favorite..love love love

V – Vegetable you dislike: Pete-zuchini and okra, Jen-okra, collards/greens (but Pete is convinced he could make me some that i'd love)..i'm sure there are others but I can't think right now

W – Ways you run late: Pete/Jen - we never run late to things, we're normally early

X – X-rays you’ve had: Pete-femer, wrist, bi-cep, head; Jen-knee, hand and foot

Y – Yummy food you make: Pete-cevechi (no clue how to spell), pork chops, mash potatoes, steak..i'll just jump in and say everything he makes is YUMMYYYY; Jen-lasagna, mexican taco lasagna, hamburger's mushroom gravy, pancakes and I bake well so i've been told

Z – Zoo favorite: Pete-otters; Jen-I don't go to zoos unless they are rehabilitation zoos