Catching Up

We've had a fun couple of weeks over here at Kentland Farms East. (Not our official name.  Totally made up.  And stolen from the real farm.  And we don't have permission to use it).

Here's what we've been doing:

Enjoying the last of the tomatoes (almost done canning for the year, yippee!)... 

We brought home some sweet baby chicks for the kids to raise...

And had Mama's friends and their families to visit (chicks very popular with big city kiddos)...

The grown-ups behaved themselves.  Mostly. (We didn't actually let Baby Cam drink that beer)...

But we may have actually let Nate use that gun...responsibly.  Of course.

Baby Henry enjoyed some of the last summer days in the grass...

And Mama is teaching herself how to knit.  Sort-of.

We found changing leaves...

And watched the corn ripen...

We pushed through the last rows of corn behind the machine shed to watch our neighbors begin to harvest...

And came out here...

Charlotte learned the difference between sweet corn and field corn...

 And waved at the tractor...

We had sweet friends for dinner....

And picked pumpkins from Grandpa's special field...

With Grandma.

Happy Fall!

 I hope the change of seasons is full of wonder and joy at your house!

Come back later this week to hear about mushroom hunting and some of the best mushrooms we've ever eaten.

Fall Festival

Last weekend was Fall Festival here in small town America, one of our favorite weekends of the year.  There is a huge parade and a carnival on Main Street, and pretty much everyone is there.  Everything else in town is closed.  Grandpa Leland always gets up super early to secure us the best parade seats, and, unlike Chicago, when you put out your lawn chairs, no one touches them.

I, of course, took more pictures than the newspaper.  Literally.  (Journal Standard?  Call me.  I work for cheap).

My favorite Father-in-law with the famous pork chop on a stick.  They sell these during the parade like ice cream.

My Daddy and Charlotte.  (See, the parade is so good even my parents drive out here for it!)

Charlotte, waiting patiently for the candy-tossing to begin.

Very patiently.

Besties Indira and Olivia

Amelia waves at the veterans.

Hmm.

Amelia, Charlotte, my Dad, Aidan

Charlotte and Grandma Jo wait for candy (well, Grandma Jo is mostly just waiting to snatch Charlotte out from underneath the wheels of a float as she runs for candy.  Thanks Mama Jo!  

Have I told you before that we could never have so much fun doing all the things that we do without our parents?!  Well.  Consider yourself told, because it is certainly the truth).

Veterans

Are you seeing a theme?  Patriotism isn't just for the 4th of July around here.

Aidan, Indira, Olivia.  

Dear Children, stop growing up so fast, you are looking like teenagers.  Love, your Mama/sister

Grandpa Corey and Charlotte were best friends all weekend

Amelia says enough with the pictures

Seth insisted I get pictures of this one.  "Do you think we could do that to the Deere, honey?!"  

I am the wrong girl to ask.

Don't get this everyday at a Chicago parade

Or this.  Come on in with your dead deer, and we'll process them.  Here's a coupon!

Grandpa Leland and the Ham Stand.  Doing a brisk business, as always. 

Rides

Thanks for visiting our town!  Come back again soon!

Just case you aren't convinced that we do indeed live in Mayberry, let me tell you that they recently started piping music onto Main Street.  Not just one store blaring out the window, but the whole town.  

I love it, of course.  

Apples

Being the good farmer that he is, Seth wandered out to "field check" our apple trees on Monday, and discovered that one of them was ready to harvest.  (Being the good wife that I am, I dutifully wrote down the harvest date in our garden notebook which will surely be misplaced by this time next year).

I didn't stage these pictures, but you can bet I ran like the dickens when I saw that the baby had gotten his hands on an apple.  (Er, because Hen is the fourth baby, not the first, I ran to get the camera, not the apple).

This is just fascinating.  What on earth is it?

It looks a little tricky.  Surely I can figure it out though.

By chomping on it.  Naturally.

You have got to be kidding me.

And of course my Olivia-girl was entertaining the work crew (that'd be me and Hubs) with her singing and dancing all afternoon.  Of course.

Well, she did take a break to try an apple or two.

And pose for a picture for her silly Mama.  (Do you love her dress?  My stepmama made it-and most of the girls'-dresses.  You can get one for your dancing girl here).

Charlotte was in charge of quality control.  A tough job for sure.  (Dress also Inimini by Rohini)

Luckily she had a trusty sidekick to keep her on task.  The task being, touch the apples as much as humanly possible.  Good thing Mama's planning on canning applesauce.

She did her work with a cheerful heart.

Sometimes you know you're right where you're supposed to be.

Actually, every time I look at their faces, I know.

(And where was my Amelia during all this?  Poor girl was worn out from all the parties the day before and slept on and on in the house).