Kids Outside, Shifting Seasons, A Tractor, And So Forth

Tonight I heard a screech from the girls' room. It was Starling. She had just looked out their little patio doors and noticed Hans and Mette jumping on the trampoline. "SUMMER! THEY'RE JUMPING ON THE TRAMPOLINE WITHOUT US!"

I'm still a bit boggled over how it is that they spend so much more time outside here--often on our little trampoline and swing set. But they do. (And Starling is not one to be left out of it!)

Of course having neighbors about--who are likely to show up when they hear sounds of play--likely helps encourage heading out.

They've been riding bikes a lot more as well. And mostly I feel quite happy about it (knowing we are on a little dead-end county road). But I sometimes forget that we do actually have a dairy at the end of our street and trucks laden with hay or semi's carting milk are not completely uncommon! So it's not wholly without risk!

Neighbor kids responding to the call of other neighbor kids outside again.

The weather here has been great. Rather chill in the mornings (low to mid 40s) but then 70s in the day time. My only complaint is that it is getting a bit cold for sleeping with an open window--which I have been doing fairly consistently since we got here. Mike isn't quite as big a fan of the accompanying noises, but I love the outside sounds here! The frogs stopped in August (sadly), but we've been hearing coyotes in the distance lately! And I even like the cows lowing. (Though I will admit that every now and then they've taken to bellowing so loudly that I've had to shut the window. And I should also admit that occasionally we get magpies in the morning. They could never be described as pleasant to hear. The loudest and most squawking cacophony of all. And yet ... I still do like magpies. Always they've been annoying, but, they annoyed me every single summer of my growing up years at Polk's End, and somehow that's established an odd sort of nostalgic loyalty in me. [Several times I recall Tony, in a burst of utter, bleary-eyed, tired madness, going out with his shotgun to scare them off long enough for a few more minutes of sleep. With memories like that tied to the birds, I can't not like them ... even as I might myself be driven to firing a shotgun in their direction.])

But, back to the weather: it's cooler, and the Mendon hills are turning red, and I keep feeling rather shocked that we've lived here long enough to be seeing a change in seasons! I don't really know why, but it feels like something significant somehow to know and see a place through its seasons. The frogs stopping. The mosquitos lessening. The low fogs beginning to appear on the fields in the mornings. Already I look out our little kitchen-sink window and can imagine pastures stretched with snow. And I called Mike today wondering if there was a spot I could plant tulip bulbs at the farm where they wouldn't get mowed down.

And here is something else to share. This John Deere tractor:

Kent Porter--a kind and completely unassuming fellow from our old ward--grew up on a farm north of Preston. He and his wife Kayla lived a few blocks up the road from us in Pleasant View. Theirs was a very nice home in a very nice neighborhood, but certainly not a neighborhood that would ever need to call on a tractor. Still, the farming from Kent's childhood must have kept a little fire in him because some years ago he bought and restored this old John Deere. Mike has commented on it several times--telling Kent he ought to drive it in our local parade or telling him if he ever decided to sell it, to give us a call. But Kent would just smile. He didn't need the show of a parade, and he didn't seem to want to sell what he'd restored either.

So Mike and I were both shocked and a little unsure of how to even respond when Kent emailed last week and said that they were moving in with some of their kids due to some health challenges, and they wanted us to have their tractor. It was just too generous. And somehow made me want to cry--him passing this dream onto us. Mike offered to pay, but Kent didn't even acknowledge that suggestion. And before I knew it, Mike was pulling up with this green tractor and the kids were running out like it was Christmas morning. It felt like some wholesome moment from a time that doesn't exist anymore. When I emailed Kent and Kayla my profuse thanks (along with pictures of the kids excitedly greeting the tractor), Kent characteristically replied with just a simple, "Sure! ... I always knew it would go to you guys some day. I hope it will work well for you."

Oh there are some good and kind people in this world!

And now, because it is quite late, and because I hope I might have a husband showing up soon to give a few tiny moments of attention to before we both collapse in exhaustion, I will just add a quick pile of remaining photos (with a few brief comments where warranted):

Aunt Sar left some surprise Halloween decorations on the front step one Friday afternoon!

Shasta was nowhere to be seen for two or three days. He has not adjusted well to this move. After the first while of being in the house, he mostly stayed hidden in the garage. With his lack of adventuring spirit, his absence had us quite worried something had happened to him. (Remember the coyotes!) And I didn't think I could bear telling Goldie something had befallen her cat! But he came wandering, bedraggled and weary looking, out of the bushes after a few days. Here the kids are fawning over him with milk and cheese. 

Biscuit on the other hand has taken to farm life without a backwards glance. Often I see him traipsing about in some field along our road. And often I discover the remains of his small hunting expeditions in our yard (blech). 

The kids have taken to calling them "Town Cat" and "Country Cat" (you know the old mouse book).

Penny made a rather expensive purchase recently! (That's right. It's electric.) She'd been thinking about it for months and doesn't seem to have a moment's regret! We are all waiting for her to now embrace this newly planned hobby in earnest. None of my kids have had quite such an interest and strong taste in music as Penny. (Though Goldie certainly does love her very country music.)

Daisy nicely drove all the way up last weekend just so that we would have someone to sit with all the kids in church on Sunday while Mike, Penny and I spoke. 

On Saturday she took the kids to a big Logan pumpkin festival. They didn't get a photo by the grand prize pumpkin (as the crowds around it were large), but it was over 1,700 pounds! She also took them all to a park and to buy coloring books (to bribe them into being well behaved for her time on the pew with them in church the next day). What a good sister (and daughter!).

Anders was very excited to have hit two clay pigeons during a Young Men's activity the other night. I can hit a still target all right. But I've never managed a moving one. The Young Men and Young Women in our ward (and their leaders) have really done a great job at welcoming our kids. I'm so grateful.

The Pleasant View kitchen cabinet back up on the wall it fell from several years ago. It seems to me now quite a wonder how many things we simply turned a blind eye to (like the broken shower-door handle) that we might have enjoyed all those years living in Pleasant View! Ha!

(Speaking of the Pleasant View house. It went on the market a week ago. We've had six showings. But not a single offer. Will it ever sale? Why won't someone buy it!)

The End. No Mike yet. But hopefully soon.