neighborhood bbq

Last night we had thirty neighbors at our house. The stars aligned so that all but one household were in town! I spent the day cleaning out the garage, thinking we'd be in there because of the rain, but then it cleared up for a glorious evening.

It was awesome. Neighbors started coming at 5:15 and most left around 9. Ivar asked each person if they would like to see his little tomatoes and then gave garden tours. Everyone met the chickens and many got to see Rory's office in the woods.

We grilled burgers and hot dogs and a neighbor brought salmon and halibut he had just caught in Alaska a few weeks ago. Everyone else brought salads and bars and I was once again reminded how passionately I love a good picnic and potluck. Yum.

When I was cleaning the garage earlier in the day I was thinking, "it takes some doing to have so much company" and when I was cleaning up the kitchen late last night I was thinking, "but it is worth every minute to build that kind of community."

our forest room trail

We found a little trail just a few minutes from our house that leads to a waterfall. It is a beautiful walk and reminded me a lot of a good forest room adventure. Felt like our family was living out one of their days.

***

Today I told Rory the following story and he begged me to write it down. It has nothing to do with the pictures above...

I finally got around to calling my credit card company to tell them that I had changed addresses (one year later). I called, pushed all the right numbers to get to the correct menu, entered my sixteen digit account number and then heard Ivar screaming bloody murder out in the garage.

I ran to the garage to see him terrified and telling the chickens to get away. I told him they were coming to him because we had dried corn in his hand that he was feeding them. But he didn't get the cause and effect. He insisted I put him in the stroller that was collapsed next to the trash cans. So with my phone to my ear, credit card papers in my mouth, and a dried ear of corn in one hand, I tried to expand my heavy, uncooperative stroller.

And then I stepped in chicken poo. I felt it between my toes.

The corn slipped from my hand, the stroller wouldn't open, and just as a human voice began to speak my phone dropped from my ear splitting open and popping out the battery.

And that is why it has taken me a full 365 days to call the credit card company.

cock-loo-da-doo

Ivar will tell you that Roosters say, "Cock-loo-da-doo"

Roosters begin Cock-loo-da-doing as early as 4:12 in the morning.

But Roosters don't just Cock-loo-da-doo when the sun comes up. They do it all day long. Maybe even 7:12 pm. Just because they can. And truthfully, if you're not trying to sleep, it is sort of a cool background sound for our little farm.

Roosters are hard to photograph, as are all chickens. To get these shots I was laying in the grass, trying to coax them my way by calling their names, "Almonzo, over here. Look at me, Hamburger."

Roosters are so cool looking. I really like them. And their waddle is so wiggly. Their tail feathers are beautiful and their combs are awesome.

All that said, if you're looking for a rooster, ours our listed on craigslist. You know, for the people who need a 4:12 alarm clock. Or a chicken dinner.

backyard camping

Rory left this invitation out for us last Thursday for some weekend camping in our backyard. It ended up being too chilly for us to actually camp outside, so we just set the tent up in the living room for play on Saturday. But then Sunday the weather warmed up enough so we could play outside. Truth be told, I'm not sure we were ever going to make it past bedtime out in the tent with a one and two year old...

The chickens were very curious and we loved watching them out every window as they clucked by. I enjoyed the view laying on my back the most. (any activity in mothering that lets me lay down for a bit seems to be a personal favorite...)

Last year Elsie was still inside of me for our backyard camping trip. She seemed pleased to be a part of the fun on the outside this year and we loved her addition of baby dolls into our tent.

elsie loves the water

elsie waves from Becca Groves on Vimeo.

There is still much to write about Mount Carmel, but until then I'll leave you with this sweet video of Elsie loving the water. She went nuts at the ocean and loved the waves above at Mount Carmel and just yesterday we were at Lake Nikomis and she crawled in the water unaware that it would get deeper. Each time she'd get to her chin in water and then cough a little bit, not making the connection that it was her own crawling that was putting the water in her mouth. She seemed determined to crawl across the lake to the other side, if only that water wouldn't fill her mouth.

We've had a great week back at the grovestead. Vacation is awesome and homecomings are even more awesome. We're slowly getting back into our community here and Rory has been working hard in the garden (cucumbers and sweet peas are abundant!). I'm trying to take lots of pictures for some posts for next week.

Have a great weekend!