Fall Catch Up Post Pt 2

Here is the second part of the catch up post I promised!

The weather is slowly getting colder.  The nights and mornings are very chilly but during the day it is still nice enough to let the children outside to play or help me work around the farm, to get things ready for winter. 

One thing that has hindered us being able to work or play outside, is the drought.  We are in a terrible drought here in the deep south.  No rain for weeks and weeks.  The ground is just powdered dust.  Our farm has no grass or weeds, even trees are dying.  We have wild fires all over the south and at times, the smoke is to thick the let the children out to play.  I have been feeding hay to our livestock all summer because there is no grass.  Hay is very expensive right now, as farmers and sellers are shipping it in from all over the country, to feed their live stock.  Our pond is at the lowest it has ever been.  The dock is on dry land and the water line is several feet from the dock.  Praise God, our well still has water in it.  If you think of us, please pray for rain.

One of the outings that the children wanted to get in this fall, was a trip to our local lake for a cook out.

Tim had to work but we invited his parents to join us that day.

William and Tim's dad.

Tim's  mom and Carolyn.

The play ground is a huge pirate ship.  The children have a ball pretending and running around together while there.

I pair up an older child, with one younger one when we go places.  Elizabeth was paired up with the baby and after letting her go down the slide each time, had to come down  herself!

Grandmas job was catching all the grand children at the bottom of the slide, both small and big!

This lake is a beautiful place to go but we usually have the whole place to ourselves.

The weather was chilly but beautiful.

It was to cold to take the children out on the lake in a rented boat (like we usually do) but they still had a great time eating and playing on the play ground.

One of the other places the children wanted to go to this fall, was a place called The Rock Garden.  They wanted to have a picnic there.  The Rock Garden is a lovely, quiet, whimsical place.  It is a mans dream of a mini village, all done in miniature, all by hand, made by him and volunteers.  It is fairly large with walkways.  All of the buildings have scenes inside with miniature hand made people.  A very unique place.  I love to take pictures of our children while there.

Timmy and Notre Dame

There is a small field beside it for the children to play in and a few picnic tables.  They hold weddings, family reunions and such there.  We have not been able to go since opening our home to  foster care again.  I have been covered up in infant and toddler care the last few years...So the children really were excited to do this outing. 

Not only were the older children excited to go and enjoy it themselves but to share the experience with the littles who had never been.

And to relax...

Tims parents also came with us on this trip.

The littles really had a wonderful time exploring and I enjoyed seeing everyone have a great time.  I also got a few very good shots of the children.

Whew, I think this about catches us up to the present.  We have been home schooling and taking a few days off here and there to work on preparing the farm for cold weather.  The boys have stacked wood on the back porch for our wood stove.   We have started picking up branches that fell, over the summer, fixing fences, raking leaves and all that good stuff.  God is so good.

 
Luke 10:2 - Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly [is] great, but the labourers [are] few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.

May we all keep our focus on the blessings of our lives as we move into the week of Thanksgiving.   May God be with you and keep you.  May He lead and guide you, as you live and grow in Him.

Blessings,

susan