First Backyard Fire of the Year

We have a rock-bordered fire ring down by our garden. We love it, but it is still under a LOT of snow. Michael purchased a portable fire ring when we lived in the RV....it is set up off the deck - up a slope....we've shoveled around it.....and tonight....we lit the fire.  The first fire/s'more of the season! 

But first....the re-stocking of the s'more kit...crackers, Hersheys, Kit Kat, Reeses, York, white chocolate bars, sugar free Lakanto chocolate bar, marshmallows, wipes, matches....we're set for the season.  Well - not really. I would love to find sugar-free marshmallows, but that is something I've not seen yet.

Alex dug around for the roasting sticks. Yes, THIS is planned. I thought the sticks were stored  in the greenhouse. The walls and roof of the greenhouse blew away. He dug around in the foundation to find them....but I wasn't ready with the camera. LOL 

Alex purchased a drone and is learning how to fly it and how to sync it to his phone/camera. Everything is moving towards new content for that defunct YouTube channel.  All it lacks is a spark of motivation..... 

Nolan works in the morning - and is still strictly maintaining his distance, I think news of Beth's infection after being so careful motivates us to keep the rules. The  rest of us gathered around the fire....This was Dad's first snowy campfire with us.  He enjoyed the summer and fall fires.

Grandpa, Michael, Stacia, Alex, Krista 

Dad and I

 THIS  is the FIRST time anyone started a snowball fight around the campfire. It is NOT our first snowy campfire...but G Dog  adds a touch of fun to the simplest day.  If you look closely...Alex has the remnants of a snowball on his ear and one is heading straight for Grandpa....he wants all to know he was NOT being a mean bully....G Dog started this and had thrown several before I told him he could throw back. LOL

As we sat and visited I remembered....camping with the Beth (she of Covid fame) and family decades ago...the fires, the flaming marshmallows, the ER runs and the Patrick McManus.  Visiting the Bowers and enjoying fires in their back yard. Inviting friends for spring/summer dinner in Montana, Texas, California....ending up in the backyard for a dessert of s'mores and visiting, while children play....so many nights around the campfire, vlogging, blogging, reading, connecting while we lived for 2 years in an RV.  Friends and family visiting us in the RV and joining in around the campfire... getting to know Cory around a campfire at a Campground in OR... campfires with CoRielle, BreZaak and kids while they lived here....

Yes, when isolation is over...we're having friends over to sit around the campfire and play frisbee golf...and we can do that at midnight around here!!!!  The kit is ready.

Move it, Move it....

We like to move it, move it...and we did it all day...maintaining proper social distancing all the while. 

Thursday mornings we rush to get out of the house for breakfast and Bible study. These days that means a drive through and a park, river etc. Study in the car. 

Autumn gave Stacia a fancy drink.

We were surprised how MANY were out today....our first rainy day. 

Back and home Michael and I made a polo for the grandblessings. We let them in on the family secret....I am super woman....

Krista was heading in to grab some gift cards from a local coffee hut....I went along. We ran into Kayle!  Good times!

Michael is working on making book shelf this week. I decided it was time to shovel the snow out of the chicken yard. It needs to melt so grass can grow out there....we've been letting the chickens free range...but they are making giant holes in any patch of  bare ground. They need their own yard to cultivate....until I need the garden tilled.

In the midst of my "spring workout"  (WW actually has snow shoveling listed as an activity with fit points)...Jessie showed up with SUGAR. Eggs for Sugar...it works. Our kombucha will live...and she and her crew were ready to get out of the house. We made the exchange at the front porch - all the maintaing proper social etiquette for these days.

Stacia had run the eggs up - so I shamelessly enlisted her help to finish the chicken yard. 

Still not totally bare - BUT the sun should be able to melt this quicker....

  

We turned our eye towards the rest of the yard....this lonely chair is frozen in place....for a bit longer.

Everyone has been posting spring garden shots - yeah. This is it. 

Here's my clothes line....

Dinner was left overs. The news arrived my dear sister-friend, Beth, has tested positive for two strains of covid. She has been uber careful, more so than anyone I know. She has gone out once in the past 6 weeks....for an infusion.  She has her groceries delivered, washes produce with bleach water, husband and son are working from home....this was an unexpected surprise....even though I knew she was being tested. Please pray for her body to fight this virus well.

We ended the night around a fire...and that deserves it's own post.

Spring Mornings

Still mornings. 

Quiet, slow starts to these spring days. 

Lingering in the word. 

Enjoying the twinkle lights and candles. 

Yes, this IS spring.  Our snow man has lost it's heard...and note the first bare patch of grass in our yard.