All Photos with date stamps were taken by September Massey or Lisa Smith
Once again because of my lack of posting I find myself traveling back in time trying to remember what happened over the past few months, were I left off and were we are going. I'm sure that there is a lot that has happened that I will end up leaving out. It's been a very stressful and trying summer, but the Lord has been good to us and carried us through the hard times.
MAY
The first batch of meat chickens are in the freezer. By now many have already created wonderful tasting meals for our family to enjoy together.
Petunia gave birth to twin bucklings this year. We named them Alder and Pine. She had a hard time again this year as her babies tend to be rather large and in poor position. Since I will not breed her this comming year we plan to keep Alder as our herd sire. I'm hoping that Petunia will milk through for a while since I had such a hard time drying her off before kidding.
Lilly had triplets this year that we named Hemlock, Cottonwood and Poplar. She did amazingly well. I went in after checking on her and the next time I came out to check her she had already given birth the babies were on their feet clean and nursing. She is such a great mama. When I first walked in I saw two babies and thought that Petunia's babies had some how gotten into the pen with Lilly then I realized there were three and two had Lamancha ears. All of Lilly's babies have the little waddles like their mom.
Iris and Tamarack look on curious of the new babies.
Lisa and Ken were baptized together by Pastor Earl Malpass. This was such a wonderful day. We waited for so long for this as there was no place we could find with enough warm water over the winter and our pastor was away for several months.
Thanks to my sister Rebecca we got to go to a horse show in Fairbanks. Lisa LOVES horses. It was a lot of fun we got to see many different breeds as well as different demonstrations of what horses can do. Such as, dressage, jumping, barrel racing, mounted shooting, pulling a cart or buggy etc...
June
The baby goats were growing fast and are such little sweet hearts.
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| Oak the butterfly charmer |
GRANDMA CAME TO VISIT
Photos: By Grandma
No more training wheels for any of the Smith kids. Now it's dirt hills and mountain biking all the way. Maybe next summer they'll be ready for some bikejoring.
Picking flowers by the well house while daddy fills the water jugs.
Putting a little more gravel under the supports for the front entry.
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| Wyatt |
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| Me planting potatoes |
Putting in the Garden
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| Ken, Oak & Wyatt |
Transplanting to the greenhouse.
Grandma and the kids playing battleship
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| Dark Cornish Chicks |
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| Black Spanish Turkey |
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Bronze Turkeys
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| Americana Chick just hatched from egg. Hatched inside after hen abandoned nest. |
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| Shortly after hatching Americana chick named "Candle Sweetheart" cuddles with woolly mammoth beenie baby. |
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| Candle Sweetheart |
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| Lisa making chocolate chip cookies |
Auntie Becca Comes to visit
The kids got another chance to ride a horse when a missionary group came through. They let all the local kids ride a pony out in front of the Manley Hot Springs Roadhouse.
July and Auntie Becca's visit continued
4th of July
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| The boys won the costume contest |
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| Bike Parade. Auntie Becca helped the boys turn their bikes into horses |
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| My niece Alexis in the sack race |
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| My sister Rebecca and I do the sack race |
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| My Sister Rebecca and he daughter Alexis |
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| From left to right: Alexis, Lisa, September, Oak, Ian, Wyatt |
Darrell Scott's Memorial Service
Making Buns and Playing Games with Henna from Finland
Henna was visiting Manley Hot Springs from Finland on an adult 4-H leader exchange program. She worked at Dart-AM-Farm and came to visit and make some buns with the 4-H kids. She also taught them how to play some new versions of tag and the kids taught her how to play Candyland.
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| Henna's first ever game of Candyland |
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| Petunia sunning with the turkeys |
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| Oak says it's been a long busy month |
August
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| Fodder operation in full swing |
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| Oak again. How in the heck can he sleep like that?? |
This has been one of the wettest summers on record. We have had so1 much rain its crazy. The animals stay inside and the kids go out to play. Warm temps + a sudden downpour = running through God's sprinkler.
1st day back to school
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| Raspberry jam with honey and no pectin |
The Garden
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| Candle Sweetheart |
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| Dark Cornish Chickens |
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| Bronze, Broad Breasted Bronze and Black Spanish Turkeys |
After all this time we have finally painted the house.
Well that gets you up to date.
Matthew 6:5-13 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him. After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
Blessings to you all,
