Opening Day 6/20

Belly prodding

This is our midwife, Sarah, poking around with Audrey's belly to determine that the baby's head was still pointed down.  He's getting ready to come out, but she thinks he's still going to cook for another few weeks.

Allegheny Forest

We went up to the Allegheny Forest a couple weekends ago for one last camping trip before such an activity becomes too cumbersome for me. It's beautiful up there. We hiked about 12 miles total, and I managed to get enough sleep in the tent despite some difficulty getting comfortable. Per Mum's request, I've included a few shots of my belly. It's even bigger now.


Putting on my pack. Ezra carried the bigger bag, but technically, I probably was carrying more weight. I guess mine was more balanced though.


Breaktime


We stopped for lunch at a spot overlooking the Allegheny Reservoir.


A historic bridge that blew down in a tornado several years ago.


A local guy offered to take our picture.


Muus really loves the baby sling a friend's mother made for us. I could hear her purring from across the room.

All in the Family

Father's Day. Jack's future is in good hands.

Mother's Day

Mom, Dad and the Kid


My brother, Dick Haning, lived in Oregon and had a large family. His son Scott is father of Sarah Haning Vogt, the mother in these pictures. The infant Jackson Vogt is my great great nephew.

Country Yard Sale at CC South, 6-6-2009

Before

Blanche's photographic artwork

Some new an used utensils that we didn't need.



Long view; It was laid out carefully at cost of time and labor of all...

After

(Draw your own conclusions.)

The Nest

Now that the semester is over and the conference I was anxious about is behind me, I'm in full nesting mode. I spent much of yesterday sorting and organizing all the wonderful gifts we've received from you all and from friends here. This is a crib people from my department chipped in for. This will eventually be the baby's room, and a nice, sunny place to hang out with him until he moves in.

The attic door is in this room. I'm warning Ezra he better not tell the kid there are monsters up there. That stuff is traumatic. Although it would dissuade him from wandering up there and breaking through the ceiling...



We just have to re-upholster the rocking chair. And make curtains.

Growing the Family

Here are a few photos of some new additions at the homestead. Ezra was driving home the other day and saw a sign that said "Chickens For Sale." Convenient, since one of our hens "died" late last week. To replace her, we ended up with four chicks, two baby turkeys, and a duck. Yesterday, we discovered the "dead" hen was just taking a vacation after her illness.


Two turkeys and a chicken.



The new poultry assortment.



Duckie's new girlfriend, Daisy. She's very pretty. She disappeared the first night, but we were relieved to hear her quacking in the yard the next morning.



Animal Train. Duckie is still more or less loyal to Tulip. And with Daisy around, he leaves the chickens alone.



Busy bees.

Plants and Pizza

First, cutting down the big (15 foot tall? 5-6 diameter at base) spruce that was getting too big for its britches. No easy task with a hatchet and hand saw.

The blank spot.


Lunch at the diner after picking out a mountain laurel (portrait by Jason Azze).


Andy in his new home.


More plants: perennial/shrub seedlings on table, smaller laurels (mountain and sheep) and lowbush blueberries on deck (center right), basil and parsley (foreground). All but the herbs will eventually go on the hillside (background), once I can tell where the true blank spots are.



Homemade pizza.