Sunday Afternoon on the Homestead

Rose Geranium

I hope this doesn't sound too brag-ey, but we had a really good day.  Natalie and I went to church this morning and out for lunch with Matt's parents after.  Then we came home and had my favorite kind of afternoon.  We were just at home.  The four of us, puttering, playing, working, sometimes talking, sometimes not. It was a perfect end to an otherwise crazy week. 

Matt spent some time in his garage doing some tidying up and I was in the garden pulling a record amount of weeds.  I'm a little embarrassed to admit this, but I hauled three wheelbarrow loads of weeds out of our veggie patch today.  Wonder if I'll get that many vegetables by the time its all said and done...  The kids went back and forth and helped us both along the way and still played their games and got some of their projects done.  Natalie was a help and picked peas for me.  Joey yanked weeds and reminded me not to pick the tomatoes and peppers, they're not ready yet.

We accomplished quite a bit in our afternoon/evening home and outdoors.  I like that.  The homestead looks much nicer.  Speaking of the homestead, I have been reading a lot of other blogs lately that talk about homesteading.  A few people have referred to our little homestead as a farm. I'm flattered by this, but having been to actual working farms and seeing the work that goes into farming, it seems silly to call myself a farmer.    Maybe if we ever got a pig or a goat and our apple trees start producing, then just maybe.  I think I like the term homestead.  Homesteads have kitchen gardens and flocks of chickens and cats sleeping on the porch.  Homesteads have small houses and clotheslines and casual flower gardens.  Yep, I think we're a homestead.

Here's some pictures that I snapped this afternoon while roaming around our little homestead.

Meow napping on the porch.

My hen & chicks plant I picked up at the farmer's market.

Natalie's Strawberries

Grape tomatoes just starting to set fruit.

T-Roy.  I think he's saying "You Tawkin to Me? Huh?"

Pippy our little peeper is getting big!

On of our Barred Plymouth Rock hens.  My favorite birds.

Tiger Lilies in bloom my friend Mary Jane

Mallow descended from Matt's Grandma's plants

Gaillardia (blanket flower) blossoms from Dennis

Natalie snuggling Rosie, Joey's bunny.

The fall of the T-Rex.  History according to Joey.

Chalk animals. Clockwise from top, sheep, turtle, cow, and your guess is as good as mine.
I do like the udders on the cow though.

And back around to the porch to find Papa Stray lounging.

Lots of photos to share tonight.  This is pretty much a lap around our backyard with the camera.  A fine little homestead indeed.