Summer 2024

 All of these subsequent pictures are from this past week, from newest to oldest.  Last Friday we (by we, I mean Josh) set up a temporary electric fence so that the horses could graze the brome meadow. It was a rare project that we could all come along with and the horses certainly appreciate the effort! The boys were content for hours just riding along in the ranger! We have visited the cornfield every day for 3 or 4 days now because the leaves are at just the right stage where you can walk (if you're small, or crouch/crawl otherwise) underneath them and they are not yet hard and scratchy so that they cut the skin upon contact. Once the leaves turn brown, it will not be good for exploring anymore, so we're getting in all the adventures we can until then. We have also visited the creek several times and are enjoying the water. The weather is only just starting to heat up, astonishingly! The day we put the fence up was incredibly nice and pleasant, even during the hottest part of the day. Today has been the first day of the year that it really felt HOT to me, but that was only in the afternoon, it had cooled back down by 830pm. 

The boys enjoying their strawberry popsicles after romping around in the corn.

I have to include some pictures from the 4th because it was so simple and last minute and just so much fun! Wesley and I had just read from Farmer Boy about what  Independence Day looked like for the Wilders in the 1800s, so it was neat for him to connect the dots from an old book into the present. He is extremely adept with times and seasons and holidays have always been important to him.  I was grateful that one of my siblings (Josiah) took charge of the festivities on a year where Joshua and I were both physically and mentally not prepared to plan anything big. It was a festive, sweet time to remember our freedom and those who have fought to secure it. Gratitude is the name of these pictures! 

                                   Joy!