Summer is here! Ruthie is enjoying the summer. She has goggles on because she was playing airsoft guns and forgot to take off the goggles. Ruthie won't be completely off this summer since she is still behind in her reading. But that only takes an hour each day, so she feels free as a bird.

Yesterday I was supposed to take Maggie to Walter Reed for her accupuncture appt, but when we got to Waldorf, Mike called to let us know he was finished flying and could take her. So we just had to wait at Maggie's favorite asian restaurant. These little appetizers are so tasty and delicious.

This is the main course...tempura shrimp sushi. Neither one of us could finish our meal, so I was able to take a nice lunch home for my children. Allen's second batch of chicks are doing well...sort of. We lost two. When I went to pick them up at the post office, the building was very cold. I actually started shivvering. Not good for baby chicks who are supposed to be kept at 95 degrees.

The company where we bought our chicks gives you a choice to get one free exotic chick with each order, so we decided to accept. Isn't he different?! We call him Poof because the fur on his head poofs up.
In addition to our two dead chicks, we have one with a sore foot. It looks like he may have sliced his foot on the cardboard container. Trying to keep a bandage on this chick is very hard!
Remember Buttermilk, Ruthie's little mallard?

Look at her now! We stopped fighting the fact that Buttermilk wanted to be raised with the chickens, so she thinks she is indeed a chicken. Once a day, Lizzie brings Buttermilk over to the pond so she can swim. Otherwise, you will find Buttermilk milling about in the garden with the chickens.
Buttermilk is still very friendly and loves to be held. Why do we always end up with the strange pets?!Speaking of strange pets, Lizzie's muscovy, JJ is still very lonely now that Moab has wandered off.
Alongside my garage I have these beautiful tiger lilies that are just starting to bloom. They look okay from a distance, but if you look up close...
You will see that the ducks have matted down all the lilies closest to the garage. There are many eggs there, too.
Anna's squash is almost ready for picking. Yippee! We love squash. Today, Anna and Maggie are with shopping with my Dad. Saturday is Abigail's first birthday party, so Grandad is hosting it. Should be fun!
I have been cleaning out my pictures and deleting the blurry ones. I found these two of my thrift shop quilt. I bought this baby quilt at SMILES in Calvert County.
Here's a closup of one block. I paid $1 for this beauty! The backing is made of flannel. I think this pattern is called the sunflower.

So we are keeping busy. Mike is working very hard these two weeks teaching short courses at TPS. Our lawn is overgrown because our four lawn mowers are all broken...and not easy fixes. Hopefully that will change this weekend.

So far our summer has been all about thunderstorms and humidity...typical Maryland. But we are ever thankful for the rain.

Many blessings ~ Kathie