Ivar the Rooster

After a day of rain and a day of overcast, grey skies I am ready for some sunshine again.  Unfortunately the little heat wave we experienced a few days ago seem to be far in between and the forecast isn't looking too bright.  Our dear Danish friends that we got to know in California came up here in the middle of the week and I'm glad that they got to see our city from its best side for a couple of days, so they are not terrified that they chose to spend the summer here with us.  Thank goodness we are similar in the sense that we just dress accordingly and go on with our business!

A look back at warmer days...

Yesterday we had a dog house delivered that we graciously got to take over after my second cousin and her family.  Today we started cleaning it out in order to turn it in to a hen-house.  When we're done with the transformation a rooster named Ivar, a hen and her chicks will move from our neighbor farmer to our house. :)  The kids are so excited - well actually so am I!  Poor Ivar is being picked on and attacked by another rooster on the farm and we are starting to feel the urgency to get him a new home.

The rest of the day was spent digging and planting... moving bushes... planting berries... digging holes to prepare for a couple of cherry trees... cutting and and removing big roots...  Tiring work, but so rewarding.  Not only in the way the garden turns out, but also in how great it feels to be working my body that hard - this is the way your muscles should work!  Danny on the other hand is being our private lumberjack.  He is cutting and chopping wood like a mad man and piling it up to dry.  The kids watched him with big eyes the first time they saw him swing the axe and thought he was the coolest guy ever!  Now the chopping has worn off on them - but to me he's still pretty cool...