Beauty

Although we’re still getting strawberries, I think the peak is now headed downward.  We have never seen our little garden produce as much as we did this year.  The pictures on the top were just one day’s pick.  The raspberries are starting.  This will be our first real year with them, as last year they were still pretty short and the chickens stole the 3 berries that we got.  I’m excited for what I see turning red this year.

Ingrid is now getting into everything.  She’s dangerous to have on your lap when you’re eating as she grabs plates and food.  We’re now starting to feed her from our plate, and she can’t seem to get enough. I think this next week we’ll get around to pulling out the high chair.  She turns 7 months tomorrow.  When did that happen?

She’s starting to get on her hands and knees, and I saw her rock back and forth for the first time when I was taking these pictures.  I’m so not ready for her to be on the move.  I may or may not be dressing her in sleepers so she can’t get a good grip to move.  (She’s obviously my 5th.  With the 1st you’re excited for them to move.  With the 5th, you dress them in sleepers to slow them down.)  With all the little toys around our house, I think the pack ‘n’ play will come out next week too, so she has a safe place to play without being tripped over by older siblings and finding Legos everywhere.

Yesterday we met Missy.

While our Lena is 1/2 German Shepherd, 1/2 black lab, Missy is 1/2 Great Pyrenees, 1/2 polar bear.

Just kidding.  She’s our new livestock dog that we’ve been wanting for ages.  We started pursuing her a few weeks ago after a series of frustrating attacks on our chickens.  Great Pyrenees are legendary in their livestock guarding abilities.  Talking with other hard-core chicken owners, you either have 2 choices: fence in your birds, or get a Great Pyrenees.  While our meat birds will remain behind a fence, we love our laying girls to rid our yard of the ticks that seem to find my children.  It’s the attacks on the laying hens that have felt like getting punched in the gut.

Like I said previously, she’s 3 years old.  She’s so very mild mannered, and takes a leash and commands fairly well.  We’re going to keep her pretty close inside a fenced area, or on a leash or e-collar until my Papa comes in August.  He’s a pro with dogs, and is planning a week of doggie camp with her to help her understand her boundaries.  She already instinctively herds and guards and needs no training there.  Our only concern is training her to stay off roads.  She also has a remote e-collar on the way, which I’m sure she’s super excited about.

Knut, Silje and Lena took her for a tour of the place, and gave her an introduction to the meat birds.  She gets to meet the laying hens today.  As you can imagine, Silje is through the roof with excitement on having a new dog.  It literally took her 2 hours to fall asleep last night. I think she brushed her 3 times already.  She dreamt doggie dreams last night.  Missy and Lena seem fine together so far.

I have no doubts about Silje losing excitement for Missy.  It would be impossible.  I see how she cares for Lena, and we’ve had her about 4 years now.

The roses had a huge show for us this week too.  I love that part of summer.  Solveig was following me around as I was snapping these pictures.  She knows where the strawberries grow, and always helps herself to a snack now when we are outside.

The pain from the accident, running from my neck to my hips is still a constant.  I’m finding out injuries like this often get worse before it gets better.  My chiropractor is recommending I start some kind of electric therapy next week.  I really don’t want to write about it daily, and I want to try to fix my eyes on the beauty around me, for my own sake.  So let’s just say I’ll let you know when I feel better.