Tom has been struggling with lawnmowers.  His usual lawnmower is no longer functioning.  He bought one at the auction, but it doesn’t work and is not worth trying to fix.  So he found another one which is newer and in much better shape.  He is happily mowing our lawn again.

I picked peaches on Wednesday.  I got to them in the nick of time.  I canned 6 quarts and still have plenty.

On Thursday Tom got 3 tons of hay delivered.  We still have one ton in the barn so this would be plenty for the upcoming year.  Unfortunately I was scheduled to work Thursday and Friday.

So very kindly Russ, Jay and the kids came over Friday and helped Tom put the hay in the barn’s hay loft.  Here is William handling a bale coming off of the hay elevator.

After I got off work on Friday I did manage to pick blackberries.  Wally guarded me like Steve used to do.

Our plum trees are not producing this year.  I got three Golden Egg Plums off of our tree, and they were all bird pecked already.  Here’s the blackberries I picked.

I did make a 50/50 martini that evening, It was actually really good.

I worked again Saturday, but Tom was able to take the camper van and join the family camping on the north fork of the Nooksack River.  This is the campsite.

Piper had her own castle there.

Plus she got to explore the rocks and mud along the river, much like she did at our cabin.

William was throwing rocks, and Russ and Jay were in the river, much like the cabin.

I really wish I could have joined them.  But so glad Tom was able to go and have fun.  After I got home from work, I delved into the garden.  It has been neglected and weedy.  But there are still vegetables growing.  I planted some pea seeds hoping for a fall harvest.  I have never been able to accomplish this yet, but hope springs eternal.

This morning I did the chores.  Louella is looking good and getting closer all of the time.

Jameson is getting sun bleached and looking really healthy.

I got to see the hay in the loft.  It is such a nice sight to see and represents food security for the sheep, goats and cows.

I had to re-establish the poultry patio in front of the barn as Tom had to take it down for the hay trailer.  The birds were happy to have it back.

I also set up the strings, trying to discourage the eagles.

I wanted to show how big Tyrone is compared to the other chickens.  If you don’t remember, he is the surviving chick of the shipment we got last year in March, sent during a blizzard. He is a survivor.

That is our week of farming and camping (at least for one of us).