May on our homestead

 

May on our homestead is always a busy time.

But it is a good feeling to have stained feet and dirty fingernails 

accompanying that satisfaction of working hard on your own land 

as you drop into bed exhausted at night!

But it hasn't been all work, no play, this month.

{PLAY}

A friend from church invited Matt, Nathan and Grace to join

him for a shoot at the Rainbow Archery Club.

This outing was greatly enjoyed.

Us wives went to Maymart and stopped at a coffee shop

during the shoot.

We received free tickets to a Seawolves' baseball game

followed by fireworks!

We invited our moms over for brunch and a trip to a new greenhouse

Mother's day weekend.

I tried a new project - garden flags - making these two for our moms' gift.

On Mother's day, Matt and the kids treated me to a lunch at home after church,

 a game, a nap and a walk on the new part of the East Branch trail 

(part of the Erie to Pittsburgh trail).

{WORK}

on the homestead, we've been busy...

watching our ducklings and chicks grow

and caring for them

(the ducks loved when we had a day long rain one Saturday)

Polly and Anna are quite entertaining!

(the chicks have moved to the barn and outside, 

but are still separated from the hens and protected) 

strawberry plants got planted

(a new things for us ...our neighbor shared plants with me)

herb garden, fruit bushes, vines, and patches all were cleaned

out from the winter and mulched

flowerbeds also got cleaned out and mulched

seeds were started early in the month

and vegetable garden got planted at the end of the month

we've been watering every day because it has been so hot and dry!

laundry has been hung out many days

(to save electricity, but I also love how you can't rush

when hanging out laundry and the fresh smell after hanging out)

Everyone is working hard to finish up the school year strong.

Grace had her Algebra Keystone test.  Nathan has been reviewing

and takes his SATs early June.

To close out the month, we helped friends shear their alpacas.

And on Memorial day, we smoked the rabbits the boys shot in the fall

for a cookout with pulled rabbit sandwiches and yummy sides!

Then we pulled out the pickleball equipment and played a family tournament.