Farm Walkabout Part...something

While Iko and I warm up to each other (she is saying Grandma, SCORE!), I take advantage of her open to me moments when I can. Meaning, if she wants to hang around, I go for it. O was at her friends' house, it was time for a mini walkabout.

I'm not usually here this early in summer, so different things are in bloom. Or not. Brightness stands out in boldness.

Peeeeennnk flwr!

Bwrht flwr!

Me: Pretty, Iko but poisonous.
Iko: nous, no!

This is 'my' fig!
Last year there was a fig picking that left me figless,
so this year, this one is claimed as MINE!

After our walk it was out into the side yard where lots of things are going on.
The set up for Elijah's new small barn building business (say that three times fast)
has begun. This is also where we come out for mellow time.
That's Nesta back there; any place is good as long as she's with her people.
Yes, that's the hind end of the Turtle. 

These poppies mesmerize me. I guess I've never really seen them growing up close. It makes me want to have one of those cameras on it 24 hours a day to watch the stems unfurl. The closed buds make me think of pomegranates and wonder if they were related.So naturally, I googled it. I didn't find that out because I was stopped by finding a really good story about a man trying to stop the lucrative growing of poppies by persuading farmers to grow pomegranates instead! News to me and brilliant, and best of all, he's having some success!

As I was getting ready to write this, some movement in the field caught my eye out the window, something prancing across the field. It wasn't Nesta. 

This young buck acted like it had all the time in the world.
I don't speak deer so I don't know what this one was saying. 

He casually strolled into the woods with one backward glance.

Have a teachable Thursday. Do something thrivingly!

Happy birthday, Anita!!

A Wedding Weekend

Right off the bat, I know weddings full of people you don't know are really not much in the attention grabbing department, but I'm making an exception here because of two reasons - 1) I really love a bunch of people who made this extravaganza happen and 2) it was way big fun and that was WITHOUT the three day open bar. Ok, maybe some of that was about the bar...

Making the pulled pork tacos for lunch on day 2
(it all sort of runs together a bit,
there was major food and drink from the get go)

Elijah testing that the swing could not run into the hanging lights
That's his story and I'm sticking to it

Some cool homemade wind decor

While back in the bar...

Post ceremony
There were a LOT of happy tears and hugging going on

Bride and sister in law(s)

Oh good, the kissing part!

Elijah in his best man suit, O in her flower girl dress

All the handsome lads GQing it

Walking carefully in 'the dress'

Showing off the newly be-ringed finger

La familia (there's lots more but rounding up cats is HARD!)

One of the kids' tables
No one had a chance to be bored at this wedding

Marley and Pat (oops, sorry, Marley, didn't mean to get the mouth full thing)

Elijah giving his best man speech
Yes, more tears

Ryan's 3 sisters, three very awesome young women
There is a fourth sister who had to grind the books and couldn't make it. Damn.

Happy guests everywhere

These are SOOOO out of order but...
This is prior to the wedding
The theme was Art and there was art everywhere!

Elijah stringing the lights

Did I mention there was a lot of food?
All the time?

The bar. This was a very kid friendly affair, but I'm still not sure why
Iko actually seemed to claim a particular bar stool every day.

The guy with the beard might be one of the funniest people I ever met.
He has about six names, I just called him hilarious.

All day the smoke wafted around the place, tempting us.
It was well worth the wait. 

Carol and her daughter Cassidy drove in from NC. It was sooooo
good to see them again, after many, many years! 

Writing yet more lists. 

Vrai (the bride's youngest son) made some outstanding salsa

This was 'the tree' for Nesta to hang out and us too

Games and painting and and and

There was a puppy that got more attention than any puppy ever

Iris and Marley, pre-wedding

Allie and Iko. That dress lasted on her about 5 minutes,
this is the only shot I got of her in it 

The tears started now

Funniest officiant I've ever heard at a wedding.
He said earlier something along the lines of
'They wanted a serious smart ass, I guess that's me'

This is supposed to be a video. It would have been had my camera battery not died.
Right then. GEEZE!

It was all about the hat

Morning after recoup on the verandah 

Oh! A tiny baby!

Tiny baby draws a crowd. 

Iris and Iko in the zone

These kids were all great, keeping an eye on each other and having fun.

While back in the bar...

Dave and Papa take Iko to the cherry tree

The order is a mess but the days were a little more orderly. Pretty much! A beautiful setting, awesome people from all over the country, new friends, old friends celebrating the public joining of heart friends. That works for me!

Have a traveling toward touching-hearts Tuesday. Do something tenderly.

And welcome home, Jake and Randi!