Traditions...

The weather cooperated and I was able to go home for Christmas.  Our Christmas is filled with traditions.  One is getting outside and seeing the wildlife.  I miss the sound of the geese.  Their honks filled the air.

Christmas presents are just a small part of the fun.  Cooking Christmas dinner is a family affair.  Everyone chips in and does their part.  Mom's kitchen is a carefully coordinated dance.  As you can see below, pies are the dessert of choice.  

 I'm making a family cookbook, so we really worked to get photos of everyone in the kitchen.  My dad never cooks, except oyster stew.  Funny thing is none of us kids know how to make oyster stew.  We still needed an action shot of him in the kitchen and a plan was hatched.  When he came upstairs, I asked him to stir the gravy and my niece, Sierra, took an action shot.  It was a well coordinated event.   We were successful.    We were so impressed with our little plan that we even got the hired man, Jr, stirring the pot.

 My niece and nephew got radios for Christmas.  They used them to guide the little guy to the trash barrels.  You can see him carrying all the bags, talking on the radio, and being followed by the always in the background farm cat.

For the first time since we were kids, my sister and I did not have to do Christmas dishes.  Instead the two older girls washed and dried.  The whole time pretending they were doing a podcast.  We were able to pursue other interests, like putting together puzzles with the little ones.

 There is only one way to end Christmas day.  We go sledding.  It is probably our biggest Christmas tradition.  Nothing says the holidays like shoving your sister's kids down a precarious hill.  

 Yucca plants, rocks, cactus, trees, and fences aren't going to stop the fun.  Of course, you have to see how many people fit on the sled and inevitably the spills are the best part.  We did break from tradition this year and stopped sledding, before somebody got hurt.  Usually, someone gets injured and heads to the house crying or limping.  I'd like to think we got smarter, but the truth is we just got cold.

It was a great Christmas.  It is good that some things never change.  On the trip home I was able to stop and see my 96 year old grandmother.  Since many of the recipes in the family cookbook will be hers, I asked if she would grant me an action shot in the kitchen.  She was more than happy to oblige.  

That is a run-down of our Christmas traditions.  It made for a great trip.  What are your Christmas traditions?  Do you go sledding?  Does everyone help with the cooking?  Who does the dishes?  What desserts do you have?  Whatever you do I hope you had a very Merry Christmas.

Enjoy the little things...

 Life was meant to be enjoyed.  There are so many little things out there to be appreciated.  A front porch is at the top of my list.  Add a few lanterns and some string lights and it becomes a place of peace.  

  A porch is pretty big compared to the joy of watching a caterpillar munch on a leaf.    There is also watching a toad hop across the sand.  I miss toads.  Growing up they were everywhere.  I believe we have too much clay in our soil and I am toad deprived.   I regret this as they are one of my favorite creatures.  It was a peaceful watching the caterpillar below swing back and forth with the breeze on his grassy hammock.  

 Another of life's simple pleasures comes with finding your favorite berries (buffalo berries) are plump and should be ready to pick in a few more weeks.   Soon they will turn from orange to a ruby red.  

We had a busy weekend cleaning the garage, mowing, cutting trees, preparing tree stands for hunting season,  cleaning house, and picking berries.  Still we weren't too busy to notice the little things around us and  under our feet.  

I am thankful every day for the life I lead.  What is your favorite little things that you observed this week?

Camp Hygge...

Usually I get a week with my nieces, but they have so many things going on we only had 3 days.  You can pack a lot into three days.  I picked them up at the rodeo.  A wet rodeo it was.  It was pretty cool to go back to a place where I had raced many a barrel.  I saw a lot of people I knew.  

 I love the photo above, because Taylor's mom, her sisters, and brother are in he background.  Below is Sierra's pole run.  

 It is tradition to stop somewhere and take photos on the way home.  This year I knew the theme had to be sweet clover, as it was everywhere.

 There is something very peaceful about driving across the South Dakota prairie.

 This year's project was horseshoe art.  The girls did a great job, but I forgot to take a photo of them with the finished product.  This year's big adventure was tubing.  We didn't have an air compressor, so we fit five filled tubes and four excited girls in the Jeep.  It was a challenge to say the least.  I'm not going to lie, it was quiet scary.  There were waterfalls and poison ivy.  Somehow we lived and had fun.  It will definitely be on the list for next year.  I do think I will have a life jacket for the smaller ones.

 Baking is always a part of our time together.  One night we had a cookie backing competition.  Uncle Kelly was the judge.  We had several categories.  It was a lot of fun and the cookies turned out grand.  On the last day we made jam, gummies, salted banana pie, and sour cream peach pie.  The oldest loves my lasagna recipe and always helps when I make a batch.  Of course, we went hiking.  We drove up a 4-Wheeling Jeep trail.  I am happy to say the girls never questioned my choice of roads or driving.  When we got to the top we hiked to a fire look-out.  I really wish I had taken a photo of the lookout. 

 The fishing was hilarious.  That is the biggest fish we caught.  Funny thing is the girls made such a ruckus whenever they caught one of the little sunnies that pretty soon every fisherman on the lake was edging towards us.  One finally had to come see our haul.  I doubt he was impressed with our 7 sunnies.  We sure had fun.  We also played a lot of giant Jenga, bean bag toss, and even a board game.  We were pretty wore out after three days.  I always look forward to time with the nieces.  I worry the older ones won't have fun, but they still seem to enjoy our forays.  Next year the littlest boy gets to come.  I still haven't figured out where I'm going to put him in the Jeep.  

Do you have a summer family tradition?  Did you spend a week with somebody?  What is your favorite summer family memory?

Whirlwind Family Tour...

Kelly and I went on a whirlwind family tour.  We were able to visit my sister, his mom, his brothers and sisters, his nieces and nephews, my brother and my parents.  It was a big loop up I-90 and back through South Dakota and Highway 14 & 34.  Although it was a quick visit, it was good to see everyone.  A few photo highlights...
There are always hummingbirds in Minnesota and Darlene is still in her 70's.  We had to drive by and check.

Kelly's mom was renovating her garden, so she gave me 3 giant hostas, lilies, and purple cone flowers.  One hosta filled half the pickup bed.  People kept looking at us, because it looked like there was a garden in the back of the pickup.  They made it home and were immediately transplanted under the deck.  A big thanks to Cindy.  

 What?  A picture of a lake in Minnesota.  Who would think of such a thing?

We took a walk every morning at the St. Charles park.  It was very nice.  Then off again to South Dakota.  At my parents it isn't hummingbirds, but turkeys.  Not lakes, but the Missouri River.  We took the back roads and I must say it was nice to slow down and not have traffic.  

 Mom's flowers were amazing.

 This family of squirrels was romping all over.  These two stopped for a quick family portrait.

 I am so lucky I was home for the cactus blooms.

 The Prairie is My Garden

 Look at that little bugger run.

 A look across the mighty Missouri River.

 Canvasback Ducks

 I was lucky to get this shot outside of Sturgis, South Dakota.  The sweet clover is crazy this year and I can't think of a prettier shot.

It was a wonderful trip and great seeing everyone.  Best of all, coming home to a yard in full bloom was a perfect end.  Did you go anywhere for the Fourth of July?