Chickens AND First Day of School

Here is is MOST of the flock. We have 5 hens from last year's chicks - and 11 grown chicks from those we got in March. 6 are laying (3 old ones - and 3 new ones)
Here is the REST of the flock. Working to make us some more eggs! Thanks Turkey (middle box) & no-name (NONE of this years chicks have names - yet)!

Here is Grace - FULLY LOADED - and ready to walk down to the bus with Gretchen.
Ingrid leaves just a tad earlier this year. The Middle School bus arrives at 6:50. David takes her down on his way to work. She too - was pretty loaded down on the first day. I think it funny - that w/o looking - I took Grace's picture in the EXACT same location that David took Ingrids!

SO far - Ingrid LOVE's middle school. We're off to a great start. She even went to her first dance this past Friday night! WOW - - Mom & Dad are NOT ready for this!

our 4H group has been up to a lot. Gretchen has been working hard with the other leaders to get the year off to a great start. Check out their happenings at www.tandskill.blogspot.com

FULTON Chain - Backpacking Trip

We found this great spot to canoe to. It's quite secluded - and we picked 2 quarts of blueberries. The jam is great - and NO - I'm not gonna share WHERE it is!
The kids like to swim -- we have campfires - - and pretend we own the place. It's just 15 minutes from home. PERFECT.

In late August we took a back-packing trip to the Adirondacks. Really went minimal on the packing. We're hoping to do a 90 mile canoe trek in 2 years. We did a nice little part of it. Nice to know we'll KNOW where ONE of the carries is. Read "An Adirondack Passage" (Christine Jerome) for a clue about what we plan to do. Here the girls "practice" their strokes!

Here we've traversed all of Eighth Lake - and FOUND the carry. A nice lean-to is between the girls shoulders up in the woods.

After we hiked to Browns Tract Inlet (w/o the canoe this time!!) we returned here to have a picnic lunch that we'd stashed in the woods!

Here we are trudging along the trail. This one is wide - it'll be easy to get the canoe thru here. However - it's about a mile long. We'll probably buy some "canoe wheels" to assist getting the 4 of us, 2 canoe's and our gear thru.

After a good bit of hiking and lunch - it was time for a swim in Eighth Lake. Just beautiful. I could stay there forever.

The girls signing in at a trail register. At the end of the carry - this back-water leads to Racquette Lake.. Nice. It's called Browns Tract Inlet.

One does need to take a break before hiking all the way back - don't-cha-know!

This Island is in the middle of 8th Lake. It has a lean-to on it, as does the shore to the right. I wanna be there NOW! This is were we saw loons diving and swimming all about. We heard their cries early in the morning while still in the tent.

What would camping be without marshmellows?

After we returned to the campground (between 7th & 8th Lake) - we attempted to paddle the stream connecting the two.A few little critters had different ideas. We went over 5 beaver dams before deciding it just wasn't going to happen. (we tried to get to the beach at 8th lake - from 7th). Those wheels are really going to have to happen so we can go AROUND some of these not-so-man-made obstacles!

After leaving the campsite on our 3rd day out - we drove around to find some of the other lakes - carries - post offices - libraries - eateries and camping areas. This is Buttermilk Falls. One that we will NOT BE TRAVERSING! It is between Forked Lake and Long Lake. Again - several lean-tos are along this stretch of water. Nice to know they are there. Maybe they'll be vacant when we need them. They are first-come-first-served. No reservations!

July 2009

Grace had a nice birthday celebration at Lorton Lake with her Grandparents.
Ingrid caught a fish.

and... so did Grace!

And.. they got to practice their new kayaking skills. THey went to 4H camp the week before and had just learned all about kayaking.. WOW - and Grandma & Grandpa had kayaks!

While the girls went to camp for a week - David & Gretchen did some inn-hopping and hiking and a bit of kayaking on the HudsonRiver. These pictures are from the Santanoni Great camp near Newcomb, NY. It is a 5-mile hike to get there. It is pristine. We saw wild river otters and loons. Just beautiful and a great day.

The old farm - - this place used to be self sufficient and had a huge staff to run it all.

On the GREAT porch.

I finished another quilt in July. THis is a bargello. It is for my best friend's daughter - who graduated from high school in May. First - it has to go to the fair.. (since I am dilenquent - I happen to know it got a blue ribbon!) Congrats Molly - you get a prize winner!

June 2009

Ingrid's first knitting project using a pattern. She donated this bear sweater & Hat to a project they do at school. It will be donated to a Ranch in the Adirondacks for Handicapped Kids. Nice Job Ingrid. A big party at Graftoon the last day of 5th Grade. Lots of rain - lots of smiles and good times.

And - the chickens are doing well. They like pecking thru the clovers of Summer.