Community

Last night, we went to a community folk dance.  Here, they're doing the Virginia Reel. A reel can be done as long as one likes, and there were quite a few dancers, it was probably about 20 minutes long. My 3 year old was my partner for about 10 minutes.  They learned to "Do-si-do!"

Snowflake nursing her 2 babies who are now 5 and a half weeks old.  Since I walked over, she is bracing herself to stand up and see what I've got for her.  I often drain a can of tuna into their bowl.  Her sister, Sandy, is inside the barn with her 4 kittens.

A lovely sunset and our lambs, who are now 4 months old.

Our cows like to eat burdock leaves and we have plenty!  We go to the local library weekly and someone had brought brownies, hence the chocolate smile above.

This is my Bell's Palsy face.  I'm trying to smile, but my right side is still pretty paralyzed, although I can close my eye without using my hand to force it closed.

These kittens are fun to watch, playing with each other everyday.  Sandy's kittens are 10 days old now and have just opened their eyes, but nurse and huddle together to sleep most of the time.

shelling peas

We picked peas + spent about 2 hours shelling them this afternoon.  If I were doing it alone, I bet I wouldn't say it was fun, but it was...remarking on how many we find in each pod, pretending it's a smile of green teeth + throwing a few to the chickens.

Snowflake has a puffy tail, as she's on-guard, checking out the newest addition to our homestead: black guinea hogs.

Captain is happy to make a new friend!  He's doing well, munches on grass and whatever else he likes in the meadow, napping in the shade with the others.  He has a long tail, while the other lambs had their tails banded when we got them (and they fell off), so just little nubs, which they waggle when happy.

The view from our place of one of our neighbors, Jonathan and Ellen, who are Amish.

These kittens are 4 weeks old now.  There are two from Snowflake. Her sister Sandy had her kittens on Friday, there are four, just a few days old now.  Both the mama cats have been caring for the littlest ones and nursing them, which is sweet.

strawberry field

we picked strawberries and raspberries from a nearby farm!  I hope to make ice cream using some of these these berries and raw milk soon!

It really feels like summer now, the days are warming up and we're getting more and more from our garden, which is great.

This chard is so pretty and colourful, isn't it?  

Water

Seems like we've been to many water ways recently. We went hiking in Vanhornesville, to the waterfall and caves, with Rob's sisters.  They were here four days and are back home now. 

This is Three Mile Point beach on Lake Otsego.  I am supposed to stay out of the sun while on doxycycline, and did my best sitting near a tree, but one of my feet got sunburned!  At least that's all.  I put aloe in it.

Today has been 3 weeks since I found out I have Bell's Palsy.  I'll take the last capsule of doxycycline tonight.  I started brewing chaga mushroom and adding kudzu root to my tea. Both can help with Lyme.  The right side of my face is still paralyzed, but I'm managing better!

I went to the co-op in the town of Little Falls. I got this little packet of moringa for 75 cents.  It's supposed to be nutrient packed, to naturally give one energy, without caffeine. There are 5 servings in it.  I also got buckwheat, and wanted to try to stock up on gluten-free items, as that sounds like that's what one needs to do when you have Lyme. The town is near the Erie Canal and we went to see the locks.

Look at the progress!  Almost all the windows are in, now we're just trying to figure out if we're putting vinyl siding on that matches the rest of the house, or wood.  I think shakes are great, but they're more expensive.

To celebrate the 4th of July, we went to the parade in Springfield, had lunch, and then went to Glimmerglass state park for the fireworks with friends in the evening.   

Today, we got two more cows.  They are female Galloways, one is expecting a calf and the other is almost a year old. So, now we have four cows.  It's been rainy most of the day.