Last year Brenda invited us all out to her farm for a family reunion. She gave us a year to figure things out. Then Covid hit and plans changed. A lot of us were up in the air if we could make it. Calls were made and plans finalized and a miracle happened. All eight siblings made it out. Timing was different. Carl left the day Gena arrived. But for a few hours we were all together.
We were in the middle of digging post holes, but I dragged our dirty selves over to the same area and we snapped a picture or two.
When at the farm, it’s all about working together. Tim has all the man toys, and Pete and Ivan brought some of theirs and the fun happened all week.
Digging the hole. The posts were old telephone lines they got for free. They just happened upon a crew who were replacing poles and were able to claim them.
In this picture you can see the auger that dug the holes. The pokes were massive. The auger arm slipped and Pete rushed in alone to save the post. The others were in stunned immobility for a minute and then every male rushed in to help him. Willa was not too happy, but no injuries to report.
Joe is the master of chain saws. He’s used them as a fire fighter for over a decade.
Using all tools and manpower available. This is true team building.
The best part of the day was a turn in the outdoor shower. 100 gallon tank of water on top heated by the sun and a small stock heater (used to keep water troughs from freezing in the winter).
The handle hanging down to turn on the water. Deb was too short to turn it. Someone found her a stool. The square shower head. Tim had seen something similar when serving in Afghanistan.
Seriously the most loved part of the trip. I will have dreams about that shower. We all raved about it.
One morning we did sunrise goat yoga.
The goats were way more interested in causing mischief than in zen-like behavior.
Handsome was all about eating the mats, clothes, and stepping on people. That or head butting other goats without regard to people proximity.
My warrior pose. I’m proud of this picture.
Craig got to drive a tractor for days. He loved it.
Kade lived on the four wheeler.
Notice my head is as tall as this horse’s whither. We watched Pete learn how to hitch a team.
Lucy towered over me.
The men working on harnessing the team to the wagon.
Pete and Willa hauling hay bales back to the barn.
The hay ready to go up the elevator to the maw.
Craig and I am the old Polaris.
I found a friend on a dusty walk.
A hummingbird nest fell out of a tree. We didn’t find any eggs or babies. I hope they were okay.
Every dinner was cooked out in the fire with Dutch ovens - the last night we did tin foil dinners. My dinner was pot roast. I had never cooked a meal in a ditch oven before. Stupid. But my dinner turned out yummy. A big relief. Ivan did beer butt chicken - we will have to try that. He used the bbq. But veggies were cooked in the ovens. Pork chops and veggies one night. Pete’s famous thousand mile stew on night.
Just sitting around the fire and chatting.
Boaz stayed home to work. We missed him. We were happy to come home to him. We are so glad we went and got to work on the farm and play on the four wheelers and tractors.
We are grateful for family. We are grateful for the gospel that teaches us the importance of family and what our family can be. We love family prayers. We are grateful that we were able to all make it out and for Brenda who provided us a place to meet.
Families can be forever.
