Green Acres...

is the place to be ~ Farm living~ is so nice when you have 80 degree weather in August!  Thank you Jesus for this beautiful weather and the RAIN! We are so blessed to have such cool temperatures for August and this wonderful rain. Since July 31st, we have had 6 1/2" which doesn't seem like much to central Kansas standards, but here in the desert - it is paradise! No hot winds, no parching sun, no sun scorched grass - and we are getting to give our John Deere mower a pretty good workout. We actually have grass growing and where the grass was DEAD - it is starting to come back! It has quite a ways to go though. We drove the gator up on the hill tonight and the pond is about to go around the island! Hallelujah! I should have taken my camera but I didn't - what a view tonight from the Hill. We love looking down at the farm from our vantage point of the hangar. Maybe I'll remember on our next tour to take my camera. Here are some of my green August shots---- I know, it is shocking!

Our garden is still producing cucumbers, yellow squash, zucchini, some tomatoes, blackberries, peppers, and now the okra is getting cranked up! We actually have had issues with the squash and cucumbers molding and dying. Its okay though, I'm about ready to pull the vines! I think they are about done... not looking too great now! Papa has a bunch of pumpkins planted too for our fall harvest.

 As you can see, there is still a lot of grass that hasn't recovered yet, but it is starting to fill in. The area where the row of south trees are to the house were totally dead!

 Dad's feed was almost dead after the last graze, he sprayed for kosha weed and then the rains came. The cows are really eyeing this feed, they get to graze on it again starting Sunday. We pray the rains continue to flow - we still need to catch up from the severe drought of three years, but what a wonderful start!

And then there is poor Emmy, who though Pa was still here at the farm when in reality --he had left with the big truck-- but she thought he was still here and sat for probably 15 minutes waiting for him to show up. She was not about to leave her post - I think she thought she was gonna hitch a ride! Silly but faithful mutt! :)

It's County Fair Time!

Every year the county fair rolls around and I usually help with entering open class quilts and oftentimes help the judge in the afternoon. This year was no exception, so on Friday - I took 7 of my quilts, clothing, etc. and got them entered. I was excited that my McKenna Ryan Art quilt won the "Judges Choice" award! She really LOVED it! So below are a few pictures of it!

 This was all made with batiks which I love!

 and the kids had a great time playing outside in the pool. What imaginations they have! They were swimming to Candy Island!  Sounds yummy....

 and of course the horses needed a little love!

 Meant to ride Cheyenne but we ran out of time!

 Then there was rocket launching time... Kelton and Eric had build some model rockets so we got to watch them launch.. Sure did fly high! Konnor and Papa went out in the pasture to wait on the parachute from the rocket.

 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 and we have blastoff!

 Katie was on recovery mission! Success!

and another one is getting another engine!

Got a some canning done too! Zucchini pineapple and zucchini relish that Theresa made. I only helped a little with shredding. The zucchini pineapple tasted just like crushed pineapple - really! After talking to some of my bible study friends, they said they have done it for quite some time! I must live under a rock! Today, I canned another 4 quarts so think I am done with that!

 

We also went to the rodeo on Saturday and walked around the fair! I believe the kids all had a great time! I was certainly ready for bed on Sunday!