In which there is a party at the farm, and we celebrate SUMMER!
Before the party began, we moved the Minerva Louises into their brand-new CHICKEN TRACTOR!
Some were happy to be carried to the new place.
Others were less cooperative.
Eventually, all twelve hens were happily scratching, flapping and practicing their "roosting" skills in the new tractor.
With that task out of the way, time to set up for the party!
The women set out food, the menfolk tend the fire....a traditional division of labour, if somewhat untraditionally enacted....
Guests arrive, bearing food, ready to share the bonfire and the beauty of the day!
At this point, please refer to YESTERDAY'S POST, where several blogfriends described in yummy terms the "virtual feast" they would share with us at the party, and add those mental images to the party table!
Jim also opened the first batch of home-brewed beer, which he (very kindly) named after my horse: "Fiddle Brown Ale." Fee didn't get any, though. She prefers beetpulp anyhow.
Cassie loves burnt hotdogs.Jack likes marshmallows, any way you fix 'em!
Bella likes the chickens....oooh, no chicken-chasing, B!
Old friends were happy to catch up. My horse-girls have grown so much (and they're prettier than ever, too!)
Jim's classmate from high school. They're planning a fishing trip in July. Yay! (bring me lotsa trouts, you guys!)
food, food, food.
sunshine, sunshine.
smile.
Horses: not thrilled about hot dogs, thanks.
We finally woke them up so people could admire them.
I thought my horse looks tall standing next to ME.
Egad.
Hana is such a cute little shrimp.
Puzzle, a.k.a. "Sir-Not-Appearing-At-This-Party" provided a talkative escort service to friends using the bathrooms. His motto: "nobody should pee alone."
So: now it's official: LET THE SUMMER BEGIN.
Life, it's good.
when i saw your 'barrow of snacks the smores ingredients caught my eye.
ReplyDeletesmores are a thing of great mystery here in germany. much of the youth is aware of the "american way" of picnicking/camping, but they are flummoxed with the idea of roasting marshmallows. yah, you can find american marshmallows here (with the statue of liberty on them to make sure everyone knows) and you'd even find it funny how there are directions on the package on how to roast them. in german.
marshmallows are odd to these people. but puttin them in a fire and then eating them like that is simple american weirdness.
great example, last week at a bbq, my sister in law fruck out when her mom put a candy similar to a marshmallow on the grill and ate it warm. she really lost it - that's just wrong, gross, don't, get away from me! she went on and on. partly on my behalf, she knows we amis love our marshmallows and wants to be very clear about germany's take on it. i painstakingly explained that you place the roasted marshmallow between two vollkorn kekse (german graham crackers) with chocolate. still, the idea was awful to her.
however, i'd like to take a moment and imagine the scenario if she'd been at your party. several cool young americans all putting marshmallows in the fire on sticks. she'd be outnumbered, and perhaps even pressured into trying one. she'd have to admit it's not just yummy, it's great fun.
you probably already know the german tradition of kids sitting around the fire putting bits of bread dough on a stick into the fire. now that i gotta try.
and back to your party - what...are those purple doritos? oh no, what have they done to doritos now..
i have to show your chicken tractor to my neighbors! they have one too but no wheels so i guess that doesn't count - they push it around. i saw it yesterday and thought of you. man i wish they'd give me some more eggs.
anyway, great party there, and i look forward to peeing with company at your place.
now something really big happened in our field yesterday and i have to blog it up correctly...
~lytha
wait, what is that cucumber/sauerkraut thing!? explain!
ReplyDeletegreat improvised picnic table, btw. you've got the important stuff for the farm - those sawhorses are awesome.
Looks like fun - sorry I wasn't there!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great party. I wish I were not so far from my family so we could have our traditional July 4th bash and all of us be there. It's hard when you're scattered like the winds.
ReplyDelete@lytha--
ReplyDeleteJust imagine how your sister-in-law would have reacted had the marshmallows been...PEEPS(sm) brand marshmallow treats. Heh, heh.
The party was lovely. The peeps have grown to be quite respectable clucks. The baby trees are prospering, for the most part. The weather cooperated, the company and food was fine. I meant to indulge in a s'more, but was waylaid by the marionberry pie. My s'more would have added peanut butter to the marshmallow, chocolate and grahm cracker. Mom
ReplyDelete