Earlier this week, Susan, Hadahsa, and Athalie were at the farm supply store (Central Tractor). There were still a number of assorted chicks. As the children were excitedly examining each of the bins of the chicks, Susan was wistfully informed by one of the staff that they are selling for only 10 cents each. I say wistfully, because I think that staff were tired of caring for them this spring. In any case, we came home with a 16 of the Rhode Island Red layers. As a dual purpose bird, we'll eat the roosters once they start to crow, and we will see about whether the hens are kept for egg laying. A few of the chicks are shown clustered in the corner of the box where we are brooding them in the utility room.

This morning, the boys and I went to Cheesetown. We dropped the snowblower off at Lehman's Small Engine Repair so that the leak in the gas line could be repaired, as well as normal maintenance performed. We then stopped at Clifford Hawbaker's Garden of Eden for two scoops of compost. Jerusha and Jeremy are helping to spread the compost--they are making mud-balls and then throwing them into the woods.

After the noon-time rain shower was over, I finally allowed Zachary to get the skidloader out to help with moving the compost. It started up right away, and he drove it up thru the woods and around to the lane--in this way avoiding making tracks in the yard. So I shoveled the compost into the loader bucket, and then the boys drove it out the lane and up to the right-of-way to dump it where we had the compose pile last year.

But Zachary and Micah soon lost interest in driving the skidloader! Micah got a bit of a fright when he came off the road into the lane a bit too fast and where the lane and road are most mis-matched in height. After the bouncing settled down, he drove the skidloader to the trailer for a re-fill, but said that he did not want to drive it any more.

Then the neighbor boys, Michael and Travis, showed up with a gift for the boys. And Zachary lasted until the last two loads. He graciously offered to let me to drive a little. So I dismissed him and did the last several loads.

This week past, our boys have been down to the creek with the neighbors. 'Til now, Zachary and Micah have been content to use their home-made rods and reels. After Michael presented the gift of a pair of real Shakespeare fishing rods and reels. Zachary and Micah are now content to allow Jeremy and Jerusha to have the home-made tackle.

Since Michael's and Travis' dad is a fisherman, they are too. And now, they have an opportunity to show Zachary and Micah how to be fishermen too. Michael is helping Micah get the fishing line mounted correctly.

Here Michael (on left) and Travis (on right) help the boys get their hooks tied on, or some weights fastened, or something.

After all that exhausting work, Zachary was hungry. Here he is (faking) eating a live worm, much to Jeremy's delight.

After this, all of the boys went down to the stream for some fishing. Later in the afternoon, I walked Jerusha and Jeremy down with their poles. They cast their lines in the water too. We were all fishing under the bridge; but with all the people it was getting crowded, and so the bigger boys were about to venture downstream. Just then, there was a hail storm, lasting about five minutes. We picked up some hailstones the size of pennies. The hail was intermittent with heavy rain, so no real damage was done. After the rain stopped, the little ones and I walked back up the hill to the house.

Later the fishermen came home for supper. We were regaled with stories of bites, nibbles, stolen worms, and lost lures (this one to a snag).

Hugs & Kisses from your Son and Grandsons (and brother, nephews, and/or cousins),