WOW ... August Already!!!

Wild blueberries are finishing, blackberries are at their prime ... it's a battle to get to the fat juicy ones before 3 Golden Retrievers!!! We've had long dry weeks of temps in the 90s, so cooking is outside and the gardens/lawn watering is from the sump pump in the pond ... acorns are falling and veggies are coming!

On 90 degreen days ... outdoor cooking kitchen is open!!!

Yummy Blackberries (the ones I got!!!)

Sutter in her favorite sunny spot ... miss this sight :-(

Emma sought out Sutter's favorite sunny spot ;o)

Willow's turn for 1:1 time with Mom at Walpole NH Resevoir

Willow swimming at Walpole NH Resevoir!

After being attacked by a swarm of ground bees (Mya's on
look-out for more!), the girls help pick and sample veggies!

Post on Facebook by leash maker!

Willow's got her picking!

Our first tomatoes!

"Our 'matoes are gettin' ready!"

All windows open & this = AC !!!

One of our resting spots!

Another fun  "Day Swim Adventure" after Agility class ...
(Putney Vt Boat Launch) ... note Emma has all 3 bumpers!!!

Mya trying out the sprinkler!

Doing rock work below dock while water level is down!
(recent storm downpours raised pond level 2")

Lawn is looking greener ... had a whole night of rain!

A week of Church Vacation Bible School with 20 children
... the girls snuck in at the base of the theme Lighthouse!

Black Raspberry picking!

Teriffic Days of Adventure!

The girls love their Thursday morning Agility class at Breeze Thru Agility in Brattleboro Vermont (8 in class today!), but there was a bonus today ... after class we went with our classmates Judy & JoJo on a swimming adventure to Lake Whitingham in Wilmington Vermont ... it was a busy day there so the girls had to draw straws to see who would be the one to go swimming on a 25ft leash ... Emma won the draw and was sooo excited to swim, swim, swim and swim some more ... so sad that all 3 girls couldn't enjoy the swimming :-(

Emma & classmate JoJo taking a break!

Emma never tired of retrieving!!!

On the way home we stopped at the Hogback Mt viewing area
for a photoshoot ... and further down the Mt we stopped for
softserve ice cream at the Royal Diner ;o)
(Emma, Mya, Willow)

Gorgeous sunny play day at "Golden Family" pool ... FUN!!!

Emma & Willow
(Emma the "Champ" at 2'fer retrieving!)

Mya has it and Emma wants it ... GURRRRR, MINE!!!

Starting July With a BANG!!!

Perfect days & perfect nights ... sunny, and breezy, but getting pretty dry ... sooo out comes the sump pump for submurging into the pond and all the hoses to connect for watering the lawn and veggies (8 hrs a day for 2 days) ... then happily some overnight rain!

HAPPY 4th of JULY ... thunderstorms, fireworks & rifle shots! Sutter had a fear and now Willow has the same fear, so out comes the snug-wrapping "Thunder Shirt" and the herbal anxiety chewies!

Poor Willow ... she trembles during Thunderstorms, Fireworks
and Gun shooting heard in the distance!

But thankfully there are more sunny days for "pond play", chipmunk chasing, sister chasing/sparing and rolling in grass and dust bowls!!! The veggie plants look good...

Co-caretakers of the veggies ... our 1st Summer Squash!

Beautiful 4th of July at our pond!

"We're ready and waiting!!!

Looked who stopped by for a visit ... getting so big!

A year ago Sutter was supervising Willow, Emma & Mya
swimming ... we miss her!

Rainy days don't keep us in!!!

"WHAT ... you want me to pull these "Jugs-on-a-Rope" !!!
(Mya & Emma)

"Ohhh ... you just want us to count them!!!" (Emma & Mya)
(30 gals pond water trucked downtown to the Church garden)

Puppies love pulling "Jugs-on-a-Rope" (Emma 9 weeks)

Church garden ... "and WE Helped!"

Blueberry Pickin' has begun ... and cutting down all the
dead bushes around pond's edge!!! (Emma)

Willow Pickin'

Mya pulls Big Girl "Jugs-on-a-Rope" ... Willow  intrigued!

Once a year we make BB muffins ...
(the girls help pick and do the "licking" clean up!

Drying on their porch bed after an afternoon of swimming!
(Mya, Willow, Emma)

Starting Out June!

A relaxing sunny day at the Dock!
(yellow Iris are in bloom)

The babies are growing ... they were away for 2 weeks!

Years ago Sutter & I brought home a "baggie-size" clump
of Yellow Iris for our pond ... look how beautiful now!

Watching the geese!

New white box garden with Summer Squash and
 last years green box garden with Bush Beans & Cukes!

Mya can't catch Emma!!!

Family came by for a visit ... to poke amongst the
lilypads and graze grass at pond's edge!

Winter damage!

Chainsaw, handsaw and nippers work ... still more to do!
(see neater area top right!)

Clearing fallen trees - other side of the pond!!!

Still working on  "Winter Damage" photo above!

Womens Woodworking Class

Saw an interesting article in the local newspaper magazine about a woman craftsman that taught woodworking to women and it peeked my interest, so with 3 Goldens in the Van, we were off to Vermont for 5 weekly classes  www.twinbirchwoodworking.com ... a very talented Craftswoman who built her own "Straw Bale" house, furnished with her self made furniture!

The class of 5 women learned how to use: Table Saw, Chop (Miter) Saw, Jig Saw, Planer Saw, Jointer Saw, Coping Saw, Band Saw, Drill Press, Tape Measure, Hand Drill, Pipe Clamps, Sander, Glue and the most important Pencil with eraser !!!

We each presented our project idea, selected the type of wood that we wanted to use and we began drawing our plan on graft paper!

Table Saw

Instructor Gail moves from project to project!

Projects move from paper to finished product!

Mine was a Lap Table
(R) Teacher Gail 

I chose Birch  wood ... 2 glued 12x19 Birch pieces held in the
groove of a miter frame glued & secured with dowels!

The girls went every week after their Agility practice and
were inquisitive about the finished product!

Perfect for meals by the woodstove!!!

Love the "expressive" grain of the Birch!
(last step ... choose type of finish)

FINISHED (Tung Oil)!

First Meal on the Lap Tray!
(one pan meal ... pork chop, stuffing & peas)

FEELING SUCCESSFUL and ACCOMPLISHED...project also Golden approved!!!