Oh no, oh no...

We are already on a trip again and I have neglected to write about two (for us) important events. Oh gosh, how fast catch up. Selecting which photos to upload is always the most difficult part of blogging. I have a lot of beautiful photos I could share ... and that doesn't even count photos from our children. Helen and Sarah both take beautiful photos.

After returning from our family trip in Germany we were very busy. And that doesn't even count catching up with the daily blogs from the trip. School was still on summer break and we could help with the three "local" grandchildren like picking up the twins from a several days camp, driving Caleb to and from a goal keepers day camp, having them in our house and playing bagatelle and hide the thimble etc etc. And yes, helping with Colin having a doctor visits for a may be broken arm which luckily turned out not to be that bad. 

This picture I had to share. When we brought the children back to their house I followed Caleb in the car when he was on his bike to a friend's house. He suddenly stopped because he had seen this on the side of the road. They have lots of patches of trees in their neighborhood. Of course I had to zoom in. But you don't see this that often.

Saturday the 17. of August we started out to go to Costco just to put some gas into my Kia Telluride. I always have a bit of a bad conscience because it needs quite a lot. It is not a hybrid and I often was wondering whether I wouldn't like one better. James and I try to do for the inviroment what we can even if it is not much. 

Since we had a bit of time that morning (or didn't feel like tackling any work) I suggested to James to go across the street to the Toyota dealer to inquire a bit about hybrids. Was that a mistake? Because several hours later: bye bye Tellie (the dark gray one) and hello Highlander (the red one in front). It's a used one but so far we are very happy with it. It lades his battery out while driving. 

Of course, family tradition is that every new car needs to be celebrated with lunch or dinner afterwards at a Chinese restaurant. It used to be Chong's when we lived in Reidland KY but it seems that any Chinese restaurant is ok. I sent this photo to our two girls and they knew right away what that meant.

Afterwards I remembered that we forgot to ask for chop sticks. We hope that it still counts because one time we forgot to do it and promptly somebody drove into the back of our brand-new car.

August 23 (by chance it would have been my mother's birthday) we were invited for a night out in an airbnb. Sarah had booked it a long time ago for two nights for a "mother's time out" but then things happened for her friends and she missed the canceling time. Wade and her decided to use it for the five of them but another problem came up. Caleb had a soccer game on Saturday. Sarah wanted to take the twins on Friday after her work and invited us for the first night.

We accepted! Of course! We were there a little before her, had a "refreshment" (must have been after 5) and went for a walk.

This was an awesome property. Check out Lake Glen Haven, 142 acres with a lake in the middle and the owners house and 4 separate airbnb on it (ignore the Game Barn which is somewhere else). This first photo shows the tugboat in the back ground. There were lots of trails and we went on a walk totally around the lake. 

Bridge to a little island.

A treehouse very close to our "Silo" which the boys a lot injoyed.

The Silo was very unique and comfortable.

Across from "our Silo" was a large fenced field with lots of different animals ... sheep, goats, a young cow, a lady turkey with her baby chicken etc etc.

On our picnic table at the Silo was a big clear plastic container with pet food in it and the boys could take a handful once in a while and make the animals happy.

We had lovely talks with the owners. The lady turkey had been depressed last year. There was no tom turkey and nothing hatched from the eggs she kept sitting on. She didn't eat and was miserable until they put some of their chicken eggs under her and one hatched. Now she is happy, very caring about her baby and the chicken follows her everywhere.

Our Silo included a "swimming pond" which was totally clear but chemical free. We saw that even gutters directed rain from the roof into it and a waterfall circled it. Tadpoles lived in it, little fishes and even at least one Newt. Jumping in only feet first.

The boys swim like fishes and dove and had a wonderful time. 

That newt was put into a bowl for just a little while but then of course was put back into the pond again.

There was plenty to do with lots of trails.

And yes, trees are for climbing.

I found that James has also a hair-cutting kit similar to what Sarah has and I took it along just in case she didn't mind using it. Of course not!

Sarah had brought their kayaks and a paddle board but there were other boats too which we where allowed to use. 

Wade had come with Caleb and the dogs on Saturday.

As always I had way too many photos to put into the blog. Which to include? Sigh.

On August 25 I couldn't sleep. I had not followed directions. I had not used the bugspray. Sarah had brought plenty. Back home I found out a day later that chiggers had a feast on me and I was quite miserable. I was the only one who had that problem and it was such a shame for me because it had been a wonderful place.

I couldn't sleep and wondered around the house at midnight. What crawled across out walkway in front of our front door? It was fast and crawled onto the mulch where it stayed for a while straight as an arrow. I could take an identification photo and yes, it was a copperhead. I think the frogs or toads under the lights make for a good meal.

And this is a month in a nutshell. Night, night in Germany. Next blog from our trip.

And since I wrote this on my sister's birthday (and had to change the date when I had started it on 

August 3): HAPPY BIRTHDAY, UTE !!!