This was a great week. I got to go hiking with my two favorite little boys, Isla stayed with us for several days, school was great, and we got a lot of projects done. The weather was beautiful and the fall foliage was (is still) stunning.
Driving along the Blue Ridge Parkway to our hike.
I love the double tunnels!
We went to Cumberland Knob, which is such a beautiful hike! I’d done it with the big boys and now it was the little boys’ turn. The sign says strenuous, but I’d say it’s pretty easy. Just a 2 mile loop that we can do in an hour. There are a lot of river crossings and some steep drop offs and fancy footwork needing to be done, but that makes it fun! We took our time collecting some leaves, hickory nuts, playing in the water, and just soaking in the quiet beauty. We were the only ones on the trail (it was the coldest fall day we’ve had so far) and just loving being out by ourselves.
Samuel and Anderson. Best friends. They are 10 and 8. We’ve always called them the little boys and now they’re not so little anymore.
I had the best time!! These two are awesome hikers. We wish we could go everyday. We have so much fun together and I love hiking with them.
The drive home.
One Less Duckling
Samuel is the only child not in the current play, Frozen, so he stays home and makes sure all the chicks, ducks, and big chickens get into the coop or house safely. Tuesday night, however, was the first rehearsal for the next play, A Christmas Carol, and all 6 kids at home are in it. So we made sure to enclose all the fowl in the fenced chicken yard where they can go into their coop on their own, then the automatic door closes at dusk. We’d be home an hour later and if any didn’t get in in time we could put them in. It’s the first night this fall that nobody has stayed home (in the summer it was still light when we got home). Guess we should have left somebody home because in that one hour after the door closed a duck died. When we got home all 4 ducks were outside the automatic chicken door and one had been attacked on its bill and was dead. Gratefully, the other 3 were fine. I was busy unloading groceries and getting the baby I had for the week to bed and then putting Tilly to bed and never could find the flashlight to go out and see poor Bumblebee or take a picture. The next day her body was gone.
All we have now are 3 little white ducks swimming in the water. So sad. They are 7 weeks old now.
More Fowl Pictures
We opened the front door to run out and play one day and found all the August chicks roosting on the porch swing.
Kaitlyn and Makenna built new roosting bars for the chicken barn (aka coop, but it’s part of the barn). They did a great job and we can now fit more chickens. The August chicks have been in the house since we got them and are now ready to roost with the bigger hens. We moved them to the coop this week.
Projects
Lori came up to spend Saturday with us and we got a lot done! We got all the gutters cleaned out (but I forgot to take pictures). We also finished mowing the pig pasture, fixed the lampost light, moved the cow pasture fencing to be more straight with the driveway, and mowed around a lot of stray spots that grew up all summer but weren’t mown with the riding mower. We also picked up pecans to dry and harvest. It was a really productive Saturday.
- Isla helping me pick tomatoes
Party Time!
Thursday when we came home from rehearsal Samuel had a party all ready for us! It was the last day of rehearsal for the week with no plans for Friday or Saturday so we felt like celebrating. He had the popcorn made and everyone just automatically grabbed a book to read and eat. I love hanging out with my sweet children!
Saturday after we’d worked outside most of the day we had a football party with Lori! Her favorite team was on nbc for once so we were able to watch it on TV. We had some party foods and a relaxing evening.
This Week’s Creations
Kaitlyn surprised me one night with this adorable squirrel! Isn’t he so cute?! She also made several little duckies. Anderson made an organ out of cardboard. The kids are always busy making something; I love it.
