We have been busy catching up with projects that were neglected this past year due to life’s little interruptions aka:  Work, Sports, School, Children and Middle-Age Exhaustion.

It has been wonderful to be on the farm without as many interruptions this summer.

Here’s what I’ll be writing about in the next few days.

The piggies: they live to eat and eat to live.  They are very fun animals.  We built them a new pen this year and it is Hog Heaven!

The Porch Guru. He uses his magical drafting brush to fix rotten boards in the porch.  We question why the jeans have not become shorts, they must be a part of his mystical powers of porch fixing.

The imaginary brick path built by the invisible 15yo son.  This is Seth’s summer project.  I’m thinking it might be his fall and winter project as well.  I’m also thinking I might start spewing green slime if I don’t see him out there working on it. The 6yo has nothing to do with this project except standing there looking cute and annoying everyone.

The mulch that we discovered for $10 a truck load just down the road from a fella named Big D.  This stuff is changing my life!

A big box that was full of newspapers from the recycling center and now contains salvaged coupons.

The marriage of recycled newspapers and mulch….it’s a beautiful union.

The Shelf Guru.  He braves the scary old basement to build much needed storage shelves for his wife’s new way of shopping.

And not pictured, the photos of our chicken that almost became a late night snack for Mr. Coyote and survived.  It’s pretty graphic.  I’ll most likely post it just so you can see what happens when Preacher: Head of Farm Security, falls asleep on the job.

That’s what’s coming up.

I hope you all enjoy the 4th of July with friends, family and fireworks.  Thank you so much for all your sweet compliments about the whole birthday saga.  I’m working on a behind the scenes report from Clay that amazed me and we can have a little Q&A then too.

Okay, line up your pyrotechnics and give them a big hug and kiss for me!

See this wooden post?  It’s part of our old pig pen that we dismantled in order to build a new pig pen.  Because that’s what we do on Coal Creek Farm, we tear down stuff, move the stuff to another part of the farm and re-build the same stuff.  Keeps us from getting bored.

I have no idea why I’m laughing, but it probably has something to do with the realization that I’m tearing down a pig pen, because when you think about it….that’s pretty funny.

The ground was soggy the day we tore down the pen so we lifted the posts right out of the ground.  I decided I’d do this one all by my big self.  Do you see how helpful my youngest boy is?  He’s hitting the post with two little wonder bars.  So helpful.

You know those Scottish games where the Highlanders lift the giant poles and throw them?  I think I could do that.  I could be a Scottish Highlander.  I have the freckles.

This might be where I remembered I’m almost 41 years old, out of shape and my back just isn’t what it used to be.  Or…it’s my second attempt to get that dad-gum post out of the ground.

Yep…I got it out all by myself with no help from that little wonder bar boy.  Coming soon to Coal Creek Farm, four new pigs.  Stay tuned!!!