Typical Farm Boy

This afternoon was my son's graduation from high school. We had a list a mile long of things that needed done before we left for the ceremony. I was up early finishing my son's slide show and as soon as that was done, I started making my second batch of homemade strawberry ice cream so that we would have enough for the graduation party. My son, in typical farm boy fashion, just had one last minor tractor repair before he got ready.

Doesn't everybody grease tractor parts before they put on a suit and tie?

You know we have to leave by 1:15pm right?

Bri says, "I got this"

Thank goodness!  Now my son won't be late!

Stay tuned for Graduation Part II -  (after Puppy Picture Monday)

Can I keep her?

My son was working on our tractor and called me outside to check the progress.  I took this seemingly innocent picture of the tractor repair.

If you look closer, you can see that Olive Doodle has made a new friend

"Come see what I found!!!"

"She is so sweet and cute and furry and I love her!"

"She gives the best kisses"

"And likes to give hugs"

"And she helps me guard the tractor"

"She is a tractor kitty!.......Can I keep her?"

Gosh - my son and Olive are really good at finding new friends aren't they?

Calendar Check!

As soon as the first of each month rolls around, I make a printed monthly calendar that I tape to the refrigerator with the "To-Do" list for each and every day.  We all have electronic calendar versions of Yesteryear Acres things to do plus personal calendars with more things to do and then JUST to be sure we get our things done, we have the master calendar that is on our refrigerator. Our calendar days are always full. We never have a square without writing on it.  Some squares are so full that we need to write everything in abbreviations which can be tricky to decipher. I find myself staring at the refrigerator wondering what 2HER means until I get the AHA moment and I realize I meant my son has a 2 Hour Early Release day (obviously).  With my son's high school graduation this Sunday and my daughter's college graduation last week and our sweet doodle puppy care list, our calendar is overloaded!  I wrote SP? for Friday May 29th way back on May 1st.  Now how am I supposed to remember what SP? is supposed to be?  I couldn't figure it out so I just pushed it to the back of my mind and started the morning's chores.  As soon as I was done with the early morning work, Bri and I were on our way to the strawberry patch.

One long row of deliciousness!

The picking was excellent 

One for the basket, One for me!

It wasn't long before we had several peck baskets full.

Once I got home and checked the calendar again, I cried out "STRAWBERRY PICKING!"  Gosh I am good!  I predicted the first day of picking would be Friday, May 29th and that I would be out picking strawberries. 

 Calendar to do list......CHECK!

Thank goodness too - because tomorrow's to-do list says, "Make Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream".  Looks like I am right on track!

But I Love it Most of All

My son is graduating from high school this Sunday.  I have been busy putting together a slide show of all my favorite pictures of him and each time I see a picture of him, I instantly remember what we were doing at that moment and my heart smiles. I enjoy his company so much and I treasure all the times we have shared together.  The one thing that is clear from my slideshow collection is that my son has always been, and will always be, surrounded by tail wagging devotion.  

Wherever my son is...... a doggie is right there with him 

From big doggies

to little puppies 

to tiny doggies that need a place to warm up 

You can find my son

Always sharing his love with our dogs

From the coldest of days 

To the warmest of days

The weather is always perfect for playing fetch

or being surrounded by puppies 

or going for a swim

Or just reading a magazine

But his favorite thing of all is taking his dogs for a walk

And the dogs love it too

My son thinks the best thing about growing up at Yesteryear Acres is being surrounded by endless tail wagging devotion

The doggies think the best thing about growing up at Yesteryear Acres is spending time with my son

They follow him wherever he goes

Whether it is on the dock fishing

or off-leash hiking through snow covered fields

or long walks at the park

My son loves being with his dogs

And our doggies love being with him......

But I love it most of all

Dear Son,

Thank you for every walk you have shared with me and our doggies. I will miss you soooooooooooooo much when you go away to college. The doggies and I will be waiting by the door whenever you come home to visit.  We will have our walking shoes and leashes ready!

3.5 Hours Later

This morning at 7:50am I was sitting in the dental chair at the dentist office getting my teeth cleaned.  I had a sneaky suspicion that I would need a bit more work done than just a basic cleaning.  I mentioned this fact when I made the appointment.  I have a nice size crater in my back molar where all kinds of food like to hide and take up residence. I can't get the particles out unless I use a pick. I told the receptionist that although I am not a dentist, I am pretty sure I needed that crater filled.  Well - today, it was more than proven - I am not a dentist. The crater in my back molar was created by a big crack in my tooth that loosened the original filling that was placed in my tooth WAY BACK WHEN. Once that old filling fell out, nothing  remained but a big old crater.  Now the problem was that this tooth could not be fixed by refilling the crater. As soon as the dentist said, "now the problem......" I knew I would not like anything else he was going to say.  I was sure right about that.  3.5 hours later, I have a nice temporary cap on my molar to keep my tooth from splitting and in 2 weeks I get to go back to get a permanent cap. I am not sure which was more painful, the 3.5 hours of drilling and having my mouth stretched wide open and my jaw pushed past its hinge limits or....the bill! I was extremely glad when the procedure was over and I was back home.   Looks like we will have soup for dinner! Ouch!

The plants are watered!

Mr. Yesteryear Acres was out running errands today when he called to say a torrential downpour was headed my way.  He said it was really raining hard.  I said, "it is beautiful here with white fluffy clouds of happiness and bright blue skies." I even sent a picture to him so he could see we were all safe and secure and free from the threat of an impending deluge.

See?  Nothing but clear skies do I see!

And then

Not 10 minutes later - There was no bright blue sky of happiness anywhere to be seen.  The skies opened up and it rained sheets upon sheets of hard rain. You could barely see out of the windows it was raining so hard. We had thunder and lightning and poor Blossom Doodle ran under my chair to let me know that the skies were definitely falling!  I texted Mr. Yesteryear Acres back and said, "Hey!  The plants are all watered!"  Man - I am so helpful.  There is nothing I won't do to help out!

Full of Love

Marmalade's Double Doodle puppies are entering the fun stage.  They are starting to explore their world, play with one another, and are beginning to venture outside.

"I'm exploring a jungle!"

"I'm waiting for my snuggle time"

"I think it is my turn!"

"Time for Follow the Leader"

"I CAN'T MAKE IT THAT FAR!"

"Potty Break!"

"This is fun"

"Can we do it again?"

"That was the best!"

Sweet Pea's Goldendoodle Babies aren't old enough for adventures

They have to master the art of snuggling first

They get an A+

Nutmeg's Doodle Puppies are tiny bundles of cuteness!

Little Chocolate Kisses

To make you smile

And Caramel Cuties

Full of love

Happy Monday!