Getting Ready for a Wedding Reception.

We are hosting the wedding reception for the marriage of our first grandchild. She loves the beauty of our log cabin  and the gazebo out back so wants to hold it here after her marriage in the Orlando Temple.  Of course we have to spiff up the appearance of the back side with its jungle of weeds.

Here is the work in progress, including growing the rocks Florida or Disney style (pouring concrete in molds since we have mostly sand rather than natural rocks) and creating a new stairway for the guests as they go out to the gazebo. Of course you can see that this was done by hand, pioneer style in keeping with the log cabin motif. Doing everything by hand keeps us healthy and young mentally and physically. Remember to click on the pictures for a closer look.

This coming week I hope to have everything complete and ready for the reception.

Ride'em Cowgirl!

When the kids and grandkids come to visit, of course, they have to ride in the new horse riding arena. This time they convinced grandma to ride too. One decided to relive our adventures in Mexico 35 years ago by riding our donkey.

Steak TIme?

The grandkids say there is a rumor going around that if you can walk on your hands, grandpa will feed you a steak. Am I going to go broke?

Chicken Fever!

What do you do when the grandkids visit, go to Cracker Days, participate in the chicken chase and earn money by catching a chicken and at least part of a chicken tail?

You repaint the chicken coop and buy some baby chicks for grandma and grandpa to raise.

More Fences

I've just fenced off the drain field to keep the horses off when we turn them loose to "mow" the lawn for us. We're planting wild flowers on the mound so visitors will have a pleasant sight when they come to our place.  We'll post another picture when they are blooming a month from now.

New Riding Rink

With a bunch of grandkids coming to visit for Spring Break, we decided to make a riding rink so they would have a larger controlled space to develop their horse rising skills, The round pen was too confining and the full 30 acres left too much space for young riders just learning to control their horse.

Here I am putting up the new fence just beyond the garden. You can see that the horses love the new area.

Pow Wow

My scouts went to a pow wow last weekend to earn the Indian Lore merit badge. Does this batch look like a bunch of braves in training?

Here's our personal trainer, a Florida Muskogee Creek

One option for the merit badge was to make an item of Indian clothing. The scouts thought that this outfit that the Indians wore when they met the Pilgrims in Massachusetts might be the easiest, though the scouts opted not to wear it in public.

They learned how to cook, how to hunt and gather food and how to build houses. The picky eaters in the bunch were glad to see that the foods the Indians added to our diet are just good old American potatoes, corn, squash, tomatoes, and beans. Alligator shown here might be more of a Florida specialty.

They also saw a demonstration of the cracker horses the Indians in Florida rode.

Here two scouts are being challenged to join the Indians in their dancing,

I didn't get a picture of them dancing but the audience loved it--best of the show they said.

The scouts loved showing off their marksmanship as they perfected their blow dart, hatchet and javelin throwing, and archery skills.  They were inspired by the things they could make out of animal skins if they developed their tanning skills, especially the disguises they used when hunting or going to war. They had so much fun I think they were ready to join the tribe by the tine we finished, We'll see what new skills they show off at our next camp out.

Tempting Peter Rabbit

Now that the garden is fenced to keep out Peter Rabbit, we're preparing and planting the garden.

 Of course you can't see the seeds in the ground. but you can see the red stepping stones separating the various sections of the garden. Since it is still February, there is still time to plant winter crops such as potatoes, peas, carrots, cabbage, and broccoli. March1 we can plant everything else but since this winter has been so warm we may get a head start and plant now. Just imagine the corn and melon patches, the tomato paradise (if you click on a picture you may be able to see the many wire cages awaiting the tomato plants we are starting in our kitchen), the bean and squash patch, the potato hills, and the veggie sections with chard, lettuce, cilantro, onions and other great things to eat. I'll show another picture in a month or two to show that we've been able to help Peter Rabbit resist temptation.

Peter Rabbit. Stay out of the garden!!

The wild bunnies ate most of our fall garden as soon as the vegetable leaves popped out of the ground. Only the onions and Swiss chard survived. We hope this new garden fence will keep Peter Rabbit and his buddies out so we'll have lots of great veggies this coming year after our March planting.

Yes, Dreams Come True.

When I was dating my wife, she said that her dream was to be carried away to Wyoming in the arms of a cowboy. Instead she was carried away to Florida in a Volkswagen driven by a college professor.

But dreams do come true to those who are patient. Yesterday she was carried away by a 17 year old birthday boy grandson cowboy showing off his new boots and cowboy hat. But she will be staying in Florida.

Three Kings Day Surprise!

 Is this Choco coming to remind Grandpa that after the Christmas fun of get-to-gethers, bonfires, engagement announcements,and exchanging presents, you need to do something special for Three Kings Day on January 6 to top things off? Grandma thinks so.

She doesn't want Grandpa to part rivers, lakes, or seas like Moses (though he seems to be doing a good job in this practice run) ...

or melt snowmen to protect our papaya trees (remember, this is sunny Florida!!) 

 How about learning a new skill more appropriate for Florida? Her suggestion: plumbing to replace the kitchen sink faucet so water comes out?

Grandma and the Three Kings all approve of the new building skill--though Grandpa still thinks that being a college professor was a better career choice than becoming a plumber.