Saturday on the farm

I lie. This was Wednesday. It was just too complicated to seperate them. Because then, where do I put these ones? So the first few are Wednesday. 

Heading into the woods to collect sap for the first time.

Old Maple Syrup canister I found on a junk pile. 

Collecting girls

This tree is actually two trees at the top, which is why it is so heavily tapped. 

My main squeeze

Daddy-o!

Sugaring sky

Playing Skip-bo Friday night. Gilbert's cards were not much of a mystery to anyone. Ashley oversaw this, which means Ashley is pretty much a saint. 

My weird brother in law with the little doll Elsie had him hold. 

This is the kids jungle gym. They play on this chair and loveseat, between the chair and loveseat, and then, behind the chair and loveseat. And yes, Hoyt needs a pull up with his pants. But he is still cute. 

Our hearts game. I didn't win, but I did shoot the moon, which almost matters more. 

Outside boys

First tire swing ride of the season.

These two cousins are such friends. They bicker, but always like to know where the other one is. 

Cute little freckle face!

Doing kid-ish things

This bear had his own camp chair and candy.

Ain't he sweet?

Penny taking a drink

My Rilla roo

Mud puddle cousins.

There was a good frost Friday night, but it warmed up beautifully. 

I love his fat cheeks!

Cousins staying out of the way while we moved cows. Or rather, Owen and Justin moved cows and we stood around observing and being potentially useful.

Way up high cousins

Fixing Hoyt's hat

Keeping the dogs from running around disrupting the cows.

Walking to the corrals

Dog watching

Lincoln with his muck boots muckin'.

Cows in the corral.

Uncorralled children. Seriously, this picture is why all kids should have a farm to go to. If it has big rocks for them to play on, all the better. 

Orianna is very careful about looking after the little kids. She is my big helper!

The working cows people. 

Everyone else was busy. I just stood around writing weights down.

Penny was so anxious to help. But she wasn't quite sure how to help. 

Cheyenne and Orianna running the chute.

Lincoln, being James Dean cool. 

Windy cousins

Hoyt-let

Muddy leg

Watching proceedings.

Petting the cow.

First boil of the season

Steam

There is a lot of this involved in sugaring. With moments of intense busyness interspersed. 

Scott cutting a jag of wood for the sugarhouse.

Celebrating Evan's birthday with an ice cream cake

Just blown out candles. Clover asked them to put a maple leaf on it, in honor of sugaring, and apparently they thought that meant he was Canadian. So it was a red and white maple leaf cake. 

When "Happy Birthday" ends, everyone is just standing around, wondering when they can get a piece of cake. Gilbert had turned his pants inside out because they were muddy. I was rather impressed with this problem solving. (I think the girls told him he couldn't go in the camper with muddy pants.) So his pockets were flapping.