Our neighbor said she hadn’t seen us outside much in the past couple of weeks. I think she’s gotten used to us working out front at all hours. I explained that we were off plowing up a three-acre plot of land that Sydney is using to start a farm operation, and she looked surprised. So, this is what we’ve been doing:
Sydney plows, occasionally has me spell him, and has me digging out rocks. Meanwhile, the kids have a nice shady spot and a picnic blanket on which they color, read, and play with magnetic sand.
Katherine is headed into second grade halfway between baby teeth and adult teeth:
And Nathaniel, who giggled deliriously when I asked him to look into the sun, has lost his first tooth just before kindergarten:
Erin
Alan Schmierer
Seeing the picture of Sydney manhandling that tractor makes me sweat at the thought of working outside in the heat. The area, however, looks very inviting and pretty – a fun place for the kids to play. Is it my imagination or does the soil there look more fertile than whatever is in your backyard?
It is. As in, it’s more than two inches deep 🙂 It’s also been farmed for a fairly long time before us.
Hooray for more dirt in which to dig! And better dirt! What all are you going to plant? It was so wonderful to see you guys.
The kids have asked about you several times since you left. I’m so glad you stopped in–twice! At the moment, Sydney’s planting buckwheat as a cover crop. And then it’ll likely be a mix of a lot of different vegetables, but a lot is still up in the air.
You guys have been busy!! Is Sydney barefoot?
Also, so children do reach a point where they sit and play quietly without constant supervision? 🙂 Good to know!
We’ve tried various shoe configurations (hiking boots, old sneakers, wellies . . .), but barefoot seems to suit him best. It certainly makes clean-up easier!
And, well, I’m not sure they play “quietly,” but after some grousing they’ve resigned themselves to being there–and now they’re playing together much better than before. It helps that the magnetic sand isn’t something they can play with in the house, so it’s forbidden fruit, finally tasted 🙂 And yes, we’re only at this play-independently mode by this summer, so it may be a bit yet for you.