We are on our short break before we begin to work on our summer homeschool projects.  The boys have each selected a TOPS science books to work through this summer.  Aaron will be doing electricity and Ben is going to do Corn and Beans.  These should be fun for them and easy enough for them to do on their own.  We will also continue with math and will be working through volcabulary books Wordly Wise.  I've actually enjoyed our little break and it's nice to have a bit of time off.   

I've been trying hard to get our pool up and running.  Well it's running, but I'm having difficulty with the water balance and having our vacuums work properly.  Very frustrating.  One of these days I 'll get all this down and it won't be such a problem.  Kevin is already fed up but still perseveres in helping me.  The boys have been in it already, clear water or not!

I've also been slowly getting our garden in.  At least it's in earlier than last year.  I've got potatoes doing very nicely and a beautiful lettuce patch.  I'm trying to do companion planting so as to not have so much soil exposed.  This will take time to master and of course the plants have to get larger to shade exposed soil.  This will help with the weeds eventually.  In the meantime, I'm going to lay down wet newspapers and cover with straw as mulch to help with the grass that thinks it needs to still grow.  I will have all sorts of heritage melons, squash, tomatoes, lettuces, carrots and whatever else I can't remember.  My Trek club even planted a section of it for their service project they are working on.  The produce will go to needy families we know or the food bank in the area.  It should be some garden when it kicks in.  They palnted all sorts of things in a small space.  I let them, it will be fun.  At least its one section of the garden I won't have to worry about. 

We are patiently waiting on baby goats.  We were off a week on one of them so she should be due anytime starting tomorrow.  The other one hopefully will be a week behind her.  I'll be milking and will become the official goat lady.  Long story!

Ben has a new batch of chicks for his egg business.  He also got an incubator for his birthday so he can hatch out replacements and sell the chicks.  We were also suppose to get turkeys and they sent us a box full of ducks.  I guess it's a tough job when you cant' tell the difference between the two.  Anyway, Aaron is going to raise those up and sell them at the swap in the fall.  We'll get our turkeys in a couple of weeks.

 

Kevin has been busy rerouting fencing to keep livestock out of my garden yet give them access to more pasture.  It starting to shape up around here.  I've been also working on landscaping and it's slowly coming along.  I"m in no hurry.  Kevin and the boys also built me a goat stantion for milking.  So we are set up and ready to go, just waiting........

 

Is this terribly cute or what?  A miniature daffodil I found on the property.

white bearded iris that looks like an angel

  

Very cool rainbow after a shower