Fall is upon us

What a blessing. Let's hope it sees its shadow and hangs out for awhile.

Thank You, AFL-CIO

No, I haven't gone pro-union on the old conservative Roberts family, but I did have a great Labor Day, and I feel like I can at least thank them for an excuse not to work. (That's what unions typically do in my industry...think of excuses not to work).

We started the day with a trip on the Garrison Creek trail right off of the Natchez Trace, and only a 10-minute drive from our house. A quarter of a mile later we were up at the overlook, and took a break to enjoy some pecans, raisins, and a few moments to sketch a bit of God's creation. We then hiked the remaining mile and a half of the loop back to the car, and then headed to Puckett's Grocer for some lunch. Those from Birmingham will know that its hard to find good barbecue outside the shadow of Vulcan, but Puckett's is pretty good. Top it off with a little Blue-Bell ice cream and you're good to go.

Now that's what I call a day.

"There all there" and "A visitor in the barn"

There All There

We had our ultrasound for the new wee little one last night. All the finger and toes were there, the heart has four chambers, the hearts beating good, etc., etc. So, praise the Lord for that. There are two people on the planet who know whether we have a boy or a girl, but unfortunately, Andrea and myself are neither of those two people. Don't you just love surprises?

A Visitor in the Barn

Upon arriving back home from the ultrasound, It was my chore to feed the goats for the evening. We've known for a few weeks now that we have had visitors to the barn at nights. Sometimes the garbage is strewn around. Oscar's bowl is usually on the floor. And someone stole our goat hobble (that's a nice invention made with velcro that keeps dirty goat hoofs out of fresh goat milk. Now we have to rely on sweet-talking).

Last night I caught our culprit red-handed. I was expecting a raccoon, because I knew they stole things, but it was actually a docile little possum. So docile in-fact that I completed all of my chores -- grain, hay, cat food, and water -- without him or her barely moving. Oscar didn't notice at first and was a bit shocked to see another creature on his table, but not so shocked as to interrupt a good meal.

If I could speak possum, I'd ask him to bring me my hobble back.

God's Provision is a Funny Business

That's a nice way of saying that Tecot is now in the refridgerator. Many thanks to my neighbor, Mr. Duke, for the helping hand. For one raised on momma's milk, Tecot was a fat little booger. We're having our first "feast" on Saturday. I'll let you know how it goes.

Fitting

Nahum spoke her first word yesterday that Andrea and I could decipher: "flower."

Fitting for the little girlie-girl that she is.

We're still working on "Zinnia angustifolia," but flower will be good for now.

Some Digital Photos

Nahum, the birthday girl, on her birthday.

Quick hiking trip off the Natchez Trace

Kids throwing rocks. Endless facination with kids + rocks + water.

Elias, cautiously testing the waters.

Timnah, knee deep at the work "go."

Me and the wee one. Chillin'. Taking pictures.

Well Thanks

This past Saturday, Andrea and I made the rare move of taking the family out to eat. We opted for some-what upscale restaurant called Saffire Grill. The food was really, really good. As we were waiting for our dinner to be served, Andrea took Timnah and Elias over by the front entry where they could get a good look at the little jazz trio providing a little ambiance. Elias loved it. So much so he started dancing (not terribly unlike his father's dancing). A middle-aged couple at the end of the bar obviously thought it was a hoot. So much so that they paid for our dinner! We didn't get a chance to thank them before they ran out, so I'll say it here: Thanks!

Reading the Shampoo Bubbles

If the type of shampoo you use says anything about one's personality or mood, then Andrea is apparently tired of being a horse and ready to be a refreshing tangerine.

I quizzed her on this to see if there was any deep-seated emotions that we needed to talk about. Apparently, though, the only issue was that Publix was out of "Mane and Tail."

A Few More Firsts

On Friday, Timnah, Elias, and Nahum all got to experience their first '80s cover band. Timeless classics like "Funky Cold Medina" and "Smooth Criminal". The treat was complete with band member costume themes of Slash, Top Gun, Karate Kid, Mr. T, and Pee Wee Herman.

On Saturday, Timnah's Sunday School class had a slip and slide party. We were expecting visqueen and baby-shampoo. We had no idea there would be this:

Timnah and Elias both loved it.

Unfortunately, we don't have pictures from either event. We'll do better next time.

You heard it here first

Andrea just called a moment ago, and Nahum has taken not her first step, but her first two consecutive steps. I've not consulted a dictionary, but I think you need at least two to be officially considered walking.