I'm Allllllriiiight

Tomatoes, potatoes, zucchini, melons ... these are a few of the items that were well enjoyed by the gopher in my garden. I started April out fairly optimistic about the summer bounty as I placed my tomato starts in the well composted soil. Then I added some eggplants, basil, loads of marigolds, cucumbers, summer squash, melon seeds and more seeds for winter squash. On the bed ends I seeded amaranth and sun flowers. You should have seen my mind's eye. It was gorgeous. Our garden soon resembled a bit of a battle ground as there are now gaping holes, traps and more half eaten plants. But I put on my rose tinted glasses and look past my husband, who is going all "Caddy Shack" on the gopher, and see the surviving plants. I think to myself, "I'm alright." Thanks, Kenny Loggins.

As we speed closer to the month of June I feel a bit hurried to capture the highlights of the last two months that seemed to have passed in another blink of my eyes. For Rex, as always, more paintball! And he's also wrapping up his junior year. Next year he'll spend his senior year out at Butte College. Sounds like an adventure.

He is also enjoying working on his car. I can't tell you everything he has done to it. But it is very clean and sounds "sportier" than it did when he first got it. I can tell when he's leaving home as I hear the car accelerate up the main road. 

Valerie attended the FFA State conference in Fresno during April. She's the "flight attendant" on the right in the photo below. She is really looking forward to attending the National Convention in Indiana in October. Thank you to everyone who purchased tickets for the beef raffle. I can't say I know the person who won, but all the students who sold tickets definitely have a leg up on the financing of that trip. Valerie was able to make a down payment thanks your help.

April took Amira's Girl Scout Troop to the Bay Area to compete in a Camporee Skills event. This was the first event for these girls and they took home some ribbons! Knot tying, first aid and pancake flip flop were some of the winning categories for these skilled young women. A good time was had by all.

Here is a photo from the long ride home. It was too hysterical to not post. 

May brought the prom! Valerie's school is pretty small, so sophomores, juniors and seniors could attend. Valerie went with a group of friends. First they all went shopping at the Roseville Mall for their gowns. Next Valerie had a photo shoot with the John Deere. Her friend, Raelyn, took this photo (among others). She also gave Valerie walking in heels lessons in the driveway. She was like a drill sergeant, "Heal, toe! Heal, toe! Not: stomp, stomp, stomp!"

The night of the prom Valerie went out to dinner with her friends, Hannah, Isa and Madelyn and then more photo shoots downtown. Valerie has been friends with these girls since grade school. It was quite startling to see them all looking so grown up and elegant. 

I came downtown to pick them up from the venue at about 11pm. I could see the sparkling lights on the second floor of the building downtown from the parking lot below. I took this photo of the four of them near the window and texted it to them. They realized they had a stalker and quickly moved along. I heard there was actual dancing at this prom. 

May also brought the FFA end of the year Banquet. Valerie received several awards and was elected Vice President of her chapter for next year. Of course we are very proud. We are so happy she has found a passion that inspires her to the levels she has achieved.

We were supposed to receive about 30 baby chicks and 15 turkeys back in March. But due to a poor turkey hatch they were delayed until May. For anyone who has never received a box of baby chicks in the mail, here is what it looks like when the peeping and rustling package gets opened.

 I was really worried about the chicks this time after the condition of the sweet potato slips I received earlier in April. Can you imagine a flattened box with that generic apology note wrapped around it? Seriously, this is what came in the mail:

I planted the survivors. And we hope to harvest whatever the gopher leaves for us.

Memorial Day weekend came along with the Silver Dollar Fair and Rex's 17th birthday. Also, Amira's Girl Scout Troop placed flags on the graves of soldiers in the local cemeteries. It's not a place I usually go, but it was a good experience to go look at the past and present and read the names and dates on the stones.

And now as we turn to June, we say good bye to the poppies of spring! But we will enjoy the humming of the birds and bees all over the salvias and fushias in the front yard. I think the roses are happy too.

I could leave you with photos of flowers, but I think, instead, I will leave you with this: