Keeping active children engaged during family gatherings can be challenging at times. I am grateful for the fun, uncomplicated activities found on various child-related internet sites.
Thanks to my daughter for this fun, easy activity for Thanksgiving. I apologize for not knowing to whom the credit goes. But thank you!
We cut out ‘feathers’ from colored paper, put them all about the house. The children ‘found’ them and taped them to the drawn Turkey we taped on the wall. It was fun, but did not last very long.
My daughter drew the Turkey on paper and taped to the wall.‘Feathers’ were strewn all about the house.Helping the children tape on feathers.Lots of fun finding the feathers.Our turkey was feathered quickly!It did not take long, but was fun!
Do you have special holiday activities? Please share!
Have you ever watched and listened to life around a pond? It has life, stories and sounds all its own. It is far different from a lake. As different as the city mouse is from the country mouse.
Our farm, we purchased nearly 10 years ago, has a grand little pond on it. One of its best features is that it is fully visible from the back of our house. I watch it daily from our big kitchen window. In summer both east and west porches reveal its wonderful, special sounds as well as lovely view.
Scarcely 8-9 feet deep, nothing big can float on it nor live in it. Yet it has its own wonderful ecosystem as well as giving us loads of big fun.
Our little farm pond has given us big fun.Happy catch!
We have had little boats on it, fished from its banks, watched snapping turtles, painted turtles, dug up crawdads, listened to happy bull frogs in summer, bird watched, and even had a supper provided to us from it.
Birding is great fun around it.
But the most fun it offers is ice. We have ice skated on it only once. We mostly scoot around on it in our farm boots.
Mostly we scoot around in our farm boots.
Our grandsons are enthusiastic fisherman. Fishing year-round, brings many hours of excitement for them. They do not care the fish are small. This great joy has been taught to them by their dad (who always has a fishing pole ready).
They happily invite me to join them, which I always do. I watch while they do everything. My only job is snapping photographs.
Reflections of two happy fishermen.
Ice fishing is especially fun. Partly because it does not happen often and because it is WAY fun to ‘walk on water!’
This past weekend provided such a time. Our grandsons are just like their dad. They would rather fish (and hunt for that matter) than eat. So, directly after a “have to eat” breakfast they make a mad dash for the pond all the while gulping down their final mouthful of food.
Ice fishing is especially fun.
The ice is amazing. Clear, glass-like, smooth as butter. A pebble would slide across from shore to shore.
Waiting patiently for a bite.
We stay on the tree-shaded colder side as there has been a bit warmer weather recently. The ice on the shaded side is thick and trustworthy.
As a precaution however, the rope is for emergency.
My grandson fusses at himself for bringing the incorrect pole this time. He told me ice poles are much shorter, but this was the only one he could grab quickly enough on the way here and that sure was not going to stop his plans.
My hand ‘froze’ as I watched the boys pick ice out of the hole with their hand.
But it paid off! The boys caught a few fish!
Always a thrill!The boys call them Green Ears or Red Ears.
I can feel the cold finally creeping up through my farm boots. Time for this granny photographer to head to the house.
I was asked this question many times as a young mother with five children, dogs, cats, and a bird. I would laugh and say, “Yes! Around 2 a.m. in the morning it’s nice and quiet!”
We still have dogs, cats, a bird, horses and chickens but the children are grown and now have families of their own. So our busy, noisy home full of kids happens only when our grandchildren come for visits.
Cousins that do not often see one another get extended time together here on the farm for a couple nights. To say it is wild and crazy is rather an understatement. We aim to please, create life-long memories, and ties that bind us together as family.
Good planning ahead of visit makes these times special and smoother sailing for everyone. The groceries! How much needs to be stocked up for these ever-hungry little people! I know the meals and snacks we will have, and am all prepared!
They pile like a pack of puppies in our downstairs bedroom. Who ever said sleep-overs were about sleep?
They are all here for only a couple nights. Just enough to keep everyone wanting more, while making fun, life-long memories.
They sure seem to enjoy one anothers’ company. Watching them run, laugh, play tag, chase lightning bugs at night and eat like little piggies around the table confirm that these are the times they will hold dear one day. Glory!
They are not interested much in going out to “do things.” They simply want their free time to spend together outside. With the exception of always wanting to go get soft-serve ice cream at Packs. We visited only one place off the farm this visit.
When I watch these happy children run like little wild indians around our farm, I am reminded of the poem The Barefoot Boy, by John Greenleaf Whittier:
Blessings on thee, little man,Barefoot boy, with cheek of tan!…
The joys, innocence and simplicity of childhood are taken away far too early these days. Childhood is gift every child should be given. We see to it these grandchildren have full, simple and hopefully memorable times with each other in this ephemeral time called childhood.
We hope these photos of our barefoot boys and girl bring a smile and perhaps a special memory to you.
A huge hit—the swing set!An early (5:45 a.m.!) morning quiet time.The only one still asleep? Our 13 year-oldgrandson!😂Sugar cubes were a ‘new’ thing for them. Another huge hit!Going to join fishermen cousins at the pond—our little girl and puppy.Always ready to fish!A tiny sunfish!A beautiful wildflower bouquet brought in from the field for the table!Water gun fun—shooting the photographer, me!Always have horseback riding times! High Hope is a good teacher.Riding double bareback in a halter and lead line. Oh the fun of it! High Hope agrees.Duke is always a favorite with everyone.Fireworks are always in order when their Uncle Gordon is here!Bam!A Good Morning greeting and wake up from HoneyPie.“Time to get up,” Buster says.The swing set has now fallen silent…until next time.
That is today? I thought to myself while passing by the Shenandoah County Fair Grounds on my way to Harrisonburg, VA. How did I ever loose track of that? I promised my grandson, William, we would go see them when they came this summer! Now what was I going todo?
I had plans for the day, and it sure did not include this activity I had promised to William. Pulling off to the side of the highway, I checked out the Fair website. Sure enough, the races were today, starting at noon. I knew then I had been given this reminder, graciously by God. I must not let my grandson down. We had read together, with great joy and interest Born To Trot, by Marguerite Henry. I knew the Shenandoah County Fair had harness racing during the fair week. So earlier this year I promised William he and I would go see them. Such exciting anticipation for both of us!
My plans for the day must be re-arranged. Quickly I changed the entire plan for the day, and made a hopeful, last-minute call to my son.
“Is it possible I could pick up William and Evan (his older brother, if he’d like to come) to go to the fair to see the harness races?” I asked. Last minute is not the best time to make plans with a busy young family, but I was hoping, and praying it would work for them. He said he would call me back. Great. By then I was in Harrisonburg. I finished up in a hurry the errands I was on, counting the minutes.
The return call from Austin was a happy “Yes!”
It was a ‘day made to order’, as an old neighbor used to say to me many years ago. We arrived at the fair grounds in good time to find a seat down near the track. Being that close to those trotting horses was thrilling! William even picked the winner! In between races we found the Ruritan building for a yummy hamburger and ff’s, and ate lunch while watching more racing.
I have not ever seen harness racing in person. It is truly thrilling. Those horses are trotting the air! It seems as if they float over the track!
We ended this most grand afternoon in the only way one should when at a fair—Ice Cream Cones!
I am so grateful The Lord gave us this grand day. For left to me, it would have been missed.
And, by-the-way, Austin told me after we got home that, “William had been waiting and was sure excited to see the races.” By God’s good grace this promise was kept. How wonderful!
one_local_gal 