Rest

Blue

Happiness

Walk

Most days Mom and Naomi take a walk around the perimeter of the farm. Usually Naomi takes Charlie too. When I get home from work, Naomi often gives me a report about Charlie. Some days he is a well behaved walking partner, and well, some days he isn't.

Green

Family

There are very few reasons Caleb will crawl around looking for a cat. Nessa is one of them.

Judith and her children returned Amanda home early last week and then stayed for an extended visit while Joel was on a business trip. We are absolutely delighted.

P.S. Julie--Somehow the reunion make me miss you an eensy-bit more. Perhaps the reality of Amanda coming home makes me realize you will come home eventually and then reminds me that that is still a long way away...

Storm

 Hail pelted the Cookie House last week and deposited tiny balls of ice on the roof, porch and lawn. A gust of wind also splintered the top of one of the windbreak trees and crashed it onto the already decrepit shed at the corner of the property. Overall the Cookie House faired well through the storm. Neighboring fields weren't so favored. 

"What did they plant here?" Betsy asked as we drove past my neighbor's field half a mile from my house.

It was field corn. The hail had stripped the leaves from the plants.

Smiles

Betsy with Hadassa

Bunny

One of the latest additions at the Langs.

Ice cream

While I was visiting Judith a couple of months ago we mentioned the closed antiques stores that stood on the crossroad half a mile from the Cookie House. We agreed that it should be an ice cream store.

Well, a week ago our wish came true. A young couple bought the old building and has rejuvenated the antiques business with hand-dipped ice cream.

An ice cream store within walking distance--what could be better?

Sky

Planting pumpkins

Kitten

Mackinac Island

 On Friday, a group from SVSU headed north on I75 to one of Michigan's most famous tourist attractions. 

Mackinac Island (pronounced Makinaw) lies in Lake Huron between the Upper and Lower Peninsulas of Michigan, within sight of the Mackinac Bridge. No motorized vehicles are allowed on the island, so the fudge-shop-lined streets are a bustle of horse and bicycle traffic. The island is also known for the Grand Hotel, with the longest covered porch in the world. There's the governor's mansion, where the governor can vacation and entertain visitors. For those interested in history, the island offers Fort Mackinac, which was captured by the British in the War of 1812. Though now firmly a part of Michigan, Mackinac Island was once claimed by the French, British and the Ojibwa. 

The highlights of my trip were the eight-mile bicycle ride around the circumference, as well as the ferry ride to and from the island. 

Photo credit: Aimee

Collete and Aimee on a tandem bicycle

Rock

Arch Rock, Mackinac Island

The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

Psalm 18:2 NIV

Favorite

Julie's patio

 Julie envisioned a patio in our backyard. She bought the blocks at an auction. At Betsy's urging, they managed to lay them out before Julie left for Africa last fall. But, by then it was already too cold to use it. So, Julie--here's your patio.

Oooh-ooh-oh-ahh

Yellow

Scrap

Lauren Mae and I rode along while the guys hauled a load of metal to the scrap yard. It was incredible to watch them unload. They used a huge crane with a powerful magnet to lift the metal from the trailer and deposit it in huge piles.  

Sorry for the water splashes. It was raining.

Purple

Carmen and Hadassa

Worth the thorns

Blueberry blossoms

Dear Amanda,

Please come home. I need someone to share my beans and tortillas with. 

Love,
Amy

Craziness

Libby and I babysat four of Carmen's girls recently. Charlie and Hosanna were great pals.

Still life

Pond

A leaky, cement pool. A roll of plastic. Three girls. An afternoon.

Beyond Measure

Our friends the Costons have operated the Beyond Measure Bulk Foods store from the front room of their home for the past couple of years. Though I've tasted their products and sent orders with my Mom, I'd never visited the store, located north of Midland. Finally, a couple of weeks ago, I was able to go myself and I wasn't disappointed. Beyond Measure has all the goodness of a bulk food store, combined with country charm.