Concrete

We had the half of the house that was wood on dirt, dug out and concrete was just poured!

It was fun to watch!  After, the boys made handprint in the concrete.

Sunday was a full day at church with many visitors.  Metropolitan Hilarion was buried that afternoon.

My sister and her husband and 3 children came from Canada for a long weekend and stayed at Lake N Pines.  We had a really nice time at the lake and in the game room, where each child got at least one bouncy ball.

We hiked up to the big cross on the hill.

It is 7 years since my father passed away.  We said goodbye to my sister and husband and children, the the next day to my mother, who headed back to Ohio.  It's was a great long weekend and we are happy, but tired!

Art museum

We went to the Fenimore art museum this morning, as it was rainy.  The Native American exhibit was amazing. Leather fringe, porcupine quills, silver, turquoise, birch bark used to make their craft. That blue velvet and white beaded bird is about 6 inches long + was for sale in the gift shop for $349.  

Jan Brett wrote Hedgie's Surpise. This is in the children's activity room at the museum.  Hedgie is one of our favorite characters from her books.

There was Liturgy followed by blessing of water for Mid-Pentecost yesterday.

I baked cookies for a friend, whose baby will be baptised Saturday morning!

I went to urgent care to have this rash checked out.  The woman said it could be a spider bite.  My mother said it may be cellulitis.  That starts with a wound of some sort, and it could've started with a bug bite.  I'm not sure about taking antibiotics, as it is hard on my body.  I am rinsing it with Domeboro, applying an antibiotic ointment called bacitracin, taking benadryl and prednisone.  I also have an oral antibiotic pill that I may start.  If these other treatments help, then there's no need.  It may get worse, though.

Ferdinand is 2 and a half months old now.  This week, one of our bunnies died and also the rooster.  He was just too aggressive and attacked the children too many times.  

My sister and her family are coming from Canada tonight!  My mother will be here tomorrow.  In a few days, it will be 7 years since he passed and we'll have a memorial service at my father's grave.

I just put together a box for our 18 year old daughter, Olivia, who will be 19 in a week and a half.  I got her gold birthday candles, gold and silver Sharpie markers, a clay face mask packet, Bob's Red Mill granola bars, Ghirardelli caramel chocolates and socks.

House progress

I haven't shared much about the main house, as we stalled, and decided we should pour a concrete foundation on the half that was built on dirt. We had an estimate. More gravel delivered. Today, the concrete people will put gravel down + wood to frame it up!

Planted a few marigolds on my father's grave.

Hiked to the big cross and stopped by the chapel of St. John of Kronstadt.

The animals are all well.  32 hens, one rooster, 2 cows, 2 kittens, two rabbits, eight lambs now. We're selling eggs quickly.  Paul was so excited to collect $3 on a sale of a dozen eggs.  We let him keep it.

We went to church for Saint George's day and the bishop gave the namesday boy a big loaf from proskomedia.

I made an Italian dish...carbonara!

The apple trees should have flowers soon.  I'm looking forward to the warmth and fruit of our labors, but we are enjoying the slow day to day progress.

Radonitsa

In the Russian language, "Радоница" means "Day of Rejoicing."  It's a day to pray for the departed and celebrate the Lord's Resurrection with singing of "Christ is Risen!" It is always observed on the second Tuesday after Pascha.

Friends came over last week with these daffodils!  

 

We're collecting about 25 eggs daily.  I baked this loaf with 3 of our naturally green raw eggs and they baked beautifully.  

Ready to feed the lambs!