There were interesting rock formations left by glaciers. The one below looked like a person (near the top)...or at least we thought it did.
Some of the rocks were huge. I had Olivia stand between a couple of rocks to give a size comparison. She is about 4'9" - so they're tall rocks.
On June 3rd, the tulips were still blooming. There were some purple ones under the pine trees - though I think a mole ate the majority of the bulbs I planted. Aspen is relaxing on what was the limited amount of grass in the backyard. Over half the backyard, at that point, was mud, dirt, and straw thanks to the fire and flooding we had in May and June 2018; and all the construction vehicles that dug up the yard.
The 3rd also marked the day we got two dump trucks of black dirt delivered; and one dump truck full of recycled cement/tar/sand for the driveway. Cooper isn't sure what to make of the big piles of dirt.
On June 6th and 7th, we laid 280 rolls of sod. It covered most of the area that was dirt and mud.
A week later, we laid the remaining 140 rolls of sod. It was very hard work.
We were basically incapacitated after each day of laying sod. Ice packs and Ibuprofen were necessary for us to use just to get the backyard finished.
Sophia and I took a SAORI weaving course at the art center. We've taken quite a few together now. This time she wanted to make a scarf, so she used blues and greens.
This month also was a month that Sophia received multiple scholarships. The hard work that she invested in writing and submitting them paid off, and her first year of college now is paid for through scholarships, grants, and work study. She was able to decline one loan and may be able to decline a second one - meaning her first year she will have NO student loan debt!
Some of the scholarship providers had special events to congratulate the winners. One of them, through a local hospital, had a very nice event - complete with a cake. Sophia's name is in the bottom row - second from the left.
My sister and her son; and Sophia, Olivia, and I went to Burnet Dairy Days. This was a fun free event that had a TON of samples. They had a wide variety of cheeses, ice cream cones, pizza, sandwiches from their restaurant, pop, milk, and more. We all said that we would go back again next year.
Later that day, we went to the humane society where Sophia played the harp for the dogs waiting to be adopted.
One, in particular, was very attentive when it came to listening to harp music. Bear, the dog, was so adorable and polite. He was fascinated with the harp.
Another dog, Goo-sul, was one of the dogs who was rescued from the South Korean meat trade. He was a very affectionate dog who wanted to be right next to me. I really enjoyed spending time with these two dogs. There was another one, too, who had a huge grin her face the entire time. I've never seen a dog smile as big as she did.
By June 18th, the robin had laid four eggs in the nest and was spending time sitting on the eggs. Periodically, she would fly off and then return...perhaps to eat. By July 2nd, the babies had already left the nest. I looked it up and found out that babies are ready to fledge two weeks after they are born.
This is an odd photo to include in "favorites" for the month. It's Sophia the day after her surgery to get her wisdom teeth out. The surgery was a very complex one. The oral surgeon said that on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the most complex, her procedure was between an 8 to 9. Of course. Things can't be easy.
She bravely dealt with the pain which was more intense than a normal procedure. She has two ice packs on either side of her face and a blanket over her face since she head a serious headache. The recovery time is 4-6 weeks, so she should be in better shape by mid-July to early-August.
A major change this month was the painting of the barn. This is one of the last major projects that was part of the fire damage/rebuilding process. Since May 5, 2018, we have either looked at a burned barn or a barn that had primed boards on it. This is the before photo when the guys started working on it during the third week of June.
This is a photo of it after it was done. What a change! I cannot even begin to tell you how uplifted my spirits are when I look outside at the painted barn. I don't think it has ever looked this good. Seriously.
We've been seeing a lot of does and fawns recently. For some reason, they are walking around and crossing the roads during the day. These little twins were grazing by the side of the road. The mother was nearby in the woods watching them. After a few quick photos, they ran back into the woods to their mother.
Another thing we are seeing a ton of are little American Toads. Every summer, we see hundreds of these for a while. I looked up some information about these little toads. On Ask a Naturalist, I found out that these "newly metamorphosed toadlets...are so tiny compared to the adult toads. We don’t for example, see mini-bullfrogs.
"The tadpoles of many species of the genus Bufo (what most people consider to be the “true toads”) metamorphose at a very small size, often all at once, and then disperse. If you live near a pond or lake or stream where the tadpoles are common, you might all of a sudden see dozens or even hundreds of these tiny toadlets for a few days, and after that, see them only occasionally."
During the fourth week of June, we scrambled to get the final touches on the yard and home since we were hosting Sophia's high school graduation party on June 29th (which also happened to be my birthday).
Despite a 95-degree day with high humidity and dewpoint, we had a great turnout. People stayed to eat a meal; talk with neighbors, friends, and family; and look at the gardens and repairs made after the fire. This is Sophia by her cake. She picked purple and silver for her homeschool colors.
Larry and Maureen are family friends who made the trip up from Winona. They knew my parents since the 1960s; and would have been my parents had something happened to my parents when I was a minor. So, having them at both the graduation ceremony last month and the party this month meant a lot to me. They are closest people I have to parents since both of mine no longer are living (they died in 2012 and 2015).
One of the gifts that Olivia and I made for Sophia was a money cake. I saw the idea on Pinterest and wanted to make one for Sophia. It was a rather time-consuming project, but she really liked it.
I also gave her this gift card/money wreath. The gift cards are to places near where she will be attending college in the Fall. The extra money is to give her a bit of spending money on campus or if she goes out.
In closing, as I look back on June, I'm so happy when I think about the flowers that were blooming around our farm. The lavender has been doing well.
2 comments:
Wonderful photos!
Kim
As usual, so much happening!
Love to read and see your photos.
Congrats to Sophia!! :)
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