July Happenings

Hey, Bailey, want to come over and hang out?





Oh, we have to dig some trenches for sprinkler lines. At least it's not patching asphalt or killing chickens.

With the passing of Cookies and Cream in the spring, Valerie's room has been lacking something. Well, her friend, Ruthie, needed to find a home for her hamster, Munchkin.







Valerie has a new roommate! Not great pictures. But I'll get some better ones. She has charmed us all.

Summer is slipping by so quickly! No boredom around here. The girls had a week of strings camp that was Beatles themed. Below you can catch some Elanor Rigby action. Valerie needed to play violin to balance out the ensemble. What can't that girl play? And Amira did a great job on cello.

Valerie got the opportunity to show Shetland sheep at the State Fair this year. She had a blast. Her 4-H leader had the kids work hard but also got them tickets to the water park and wristbands for the rides.

Here are Valerie & Josh taking the show halters off the sheep.



Valerie and her friends goofing around at the award winning booth.



Here's the team and the ribbons.


I was a big fan of the llamas and alpacas.


The baby miniature donkey was extremely cute ... As were the baby deer.







The one animal that impressed the entire family was the baby wallaby (well, there were three of them) in the petting zoo behind the sheep barn.





Amira said, "We need, not want, NEED a wallaby!"

I asked Rex if he got enough wallaby time at the fair. He said there is never enough wallaby time.

Then he went home and started researching what kind of a permit we'd need to keep a wallaby and where the breeders are. Michael is not sold on the wallaby as a pet idea. I was thinking it could just hop around the house and yard ... And it could sleep in a pouch in Rex's room. Alas, it is not happening any time soon.

Amira got to milk a cow at the UC Davis vet school tent.




Now there's a maid a milking!

I saw the cutest grill also:







How cool is that? No. Didn't buy that either. I showed a lot of restraint. I did not eat the potato tornado, deep fried grilled cheese sandwich, chocolate covered bacon nor the deep fried mac 'n cheese (on a stick)!

Valerie was eating a deep fried mystery food. I asked her what it was. She responded, "Clams!" Then she said they were making her feel sick. Ya think? Who buys clams (or any sea food) at the fair. So, instead of throwing them out, she calls her friend over, "Hey, Briar! Do you want the rest of these?"

Neither of them actually got sick. But the other excitement at the fair was on the day the kids got wristbands for rides. Josh came back to the sheep barn and said, "Well, some guy threw up on one of the rides. The good news is that he was sitting NEXT to Valerie."

When I asked how that is good news, he told me that Valerie was the one person who didn't get barf all over her. Niiiiice.

No photos! Aren't you lucky!

Home a few days and it's off to Santa Cruz for our last summer hurrah. Then I'd better to prepare for canning like crazy. Garden looks amazing in spite of the neglect.