animal kingdom / DAILY FARM LIFE / HEALTHY LIVING / LIVING WELL

Short list after a long break

I’m sitting in my non-air-conditioned “office” and sweating– even though I have a fan strategically placed on the desk beside me, blowing directly onto the side of my head. But I’m not complaining. Because outside in the barn are 20 tweens filming the ‘death scene’ from Romeo and Juliet in full costumes of varying degrees of polyester, velvet, nylon tights, cloaks and capes. I’m sitting here contemplating what would be the best refreshment for those poor kiddos, aside from dunking their heads in a bucket of ice water. I’m leaning towards lemonade if I can scrounge up enough plastic cups to go around. 

I’ve disappeared. Yes, this summer is bound and determined to not allow me to catch my breath. Apparently we’ve decided to squeeze every ounce of life out of it. And out of me.

So, to ease back in to this little blog of mine, I’m coming here today with a list. Because I love lists and that’s the easiest way to catch up on a whole lotta stuff that needs catching up.

1. Shakespeare. What are those tweens doing in our barn in shakespearean dress? This is Emma’s Shakespeare class that has been studying Romeo + Juliet during the school year and is now finishing up the filming of final scenes. Much of it has been filmed here at Woodlawn–which I’m told has required many takes thanks to noisy sheep and barn cats that like to jump into scenes at random moments.

2. It’s almost time for the county fair! This time next week we’ll be unpacking sheep, cakes, cookies, photographs, artwork, and crafts at the fairgrounds. On my to-do list today is to make a to-do list. For the fair. I’m not feeling stressed yet, so I figured making a list would help me get my rear in gear aka start to feel stressed. 

3. Emma rode her horse in an event--dressage, cross country and stadium jumping. Her second “official” event and just like last time, she got booted off her horse on the 4th jump, an automatic disqualification. Thankfully this time, there were less tears and more laughter. Maybe we’ll try again in the fall.

4. Emma’s going to school next year! This requires its own post, but this is HUGE news around here. A process we’ve been agonizing over for the past few months. But we’re all so excited. My first homeschooler to leave the nest. 

5. We’re down to 2 chickens. We have a fox. A fox who must stalk our chickens from the bushes. Not minutes after we let them out, he was racing through the front yard in broad daylight trying to snatch one up. We all screamed at him. The dog chased him. And the chickens are on house arrest. 

6. Willie sleeps through the night. Praise the Lord. He has also discovered the muddy hole in the woods behind the house and shows up at the porch door like this, all the time, wondering why I won’t let him in.

7. The girls went to camp. Sadly, one camp home early with a migraine. We’ll try again next year.

8. I’ve lost 20 pounds. And 18 inches. Woohoo. Still going strong on the healthy-front. A few bumps in the road from summer chaos, but feeling good!

I’ve missed you all. Hope summer is treating you sweetly. More soon. xo.

6 comments on “Short list after a long break”

  1. I love your updates, even if they are sporadic. Congratulations on losing 20 pounds! And Willie…that sweet face. I’ve always had a soft spot for Labs, as my first dog {and only thus far} was of the chocolate variety.

  2. oh, molly… so many good things!! our kids went to camp for the first time this summer… and loved every minute of it… they are becoming their own people, having so many experiences that are independent from us!! it’s so fun watching them grow up – watching them go out and come back. congratulations on 20 pounds lost ~ that is fantastic!! xoxo

  3. I haven’t been receiving updates? Anyway, signed up again for your posts! (Kimberly Barfield)

    HUGE, HUGE Congrats on your lost weight! 20 lbs! Pick up 2 large watermelons and you’ll know just what you’ve lost!!

    My dog Luna jumped in a pile of manure behind our house! Something is grown in those fields out there but I have no idea what it is (yeh, I’m a city girl who moved to the countryside). Her snout didn’t look like your poochy dog Willie’s but she smelled beyond belief! We gave her a hose down before we let her in!!!

    I didn’t grow up in a farming community or with horses or anything like that and your posts are so interesting to me, a peek, a glimpse, at a very different kind of life. Thanks, Molly!!

  4. That pic of Willie is absolutely adorable!! We have a cockapoo that is a digger and he comes to the back door with a dirty snout and paws on a regular basis. We’ve given up trying to keep him from digging. My husband goes in the backyard and fills the holes in every so often. It keeps Sparky busy for a few hours to dig them back up again!!! It’s a dog’s life!! : )

    ~ Wendy

  5. Haha, Willie is a star. When we have our lab puppy down at the beach she is the exact negative of Willie, being a black lab covered in white sand, adorable ! Val xxx

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