Birds, trees, girls, and more.

 A few days ago we came home from running some errand and discovered a poor lost bird in our garage!  It took some work to use the broom to gently help him find the open doors.  I was afraid maybe his wing was hurt because he wasn't flying but once he got outside he took off up into a tree.
Then just last night we stepped outside in the evening and there was a little bird perched on our porch.  He was determined to not leave either.  You can see how close he let us come.  Clearly this is a favorite perch for birds, as is evidenced by the poop on the porch. *sigh*

 I collected some clear soda bottles (such a sacrifice to drink the IBC) and use them as vases hanging around the front porch.  I want to add a few more.  I love that we have about a gazillion rose bushes in gorgeous bloom to fill the vases!
We've got strawberries getting ripe!!!  Can't wait to start eating them.

Here are the girls playing "Dead woman".  I love the grin on their faces.

Lizzie got to make up her sleepover at grandpa and grandma's house on Friday.  When the other girls got to do their sleepover Lizzie was sick, so she went with some cousins.  While she was gone, though, Kate and Sabrina (with generous help by moi) made this tent to sleep in.

A few weeks ago I lopped the lower branches back on the big evergreen in our side yard so it would quit biting me while I tried to mow around it.  In less than 2 weeks it was DEAD!  Fortunately we aren't so attached to this particular tree and would be happy to use this space for fruit trees eventually.  So I took the loppers and went to town!  The tree is a good 20 + feet tall.  I pruned as far as I could reach on our little 6' ladder.  So now it looks like a one-ended Q-tip.  With the girls' help I was hauling the branches off to a little nook where they'll be out of the way while we figure out how we want to dispose of them.  In so doing, I turned and leaned over to pick up a new branch and my back quit.  It was done.  It has been over 48 hours and I can almost move comfortably-ish now.  MAJOR improvement after yesterday when I couldn't bend, twist, move, stand, sit, or lie down.  I'm grateful to be feeling much better now.  Hallelujah for a jetted tub :)

And these are just some new pictures I took of my girls for fun.  They're wearing their swimming suits after playing in the water.

Pictures are now caught up! 

I will continue doing the "open house" pictures as I get parts of the house looking good, but I'm going to post them on facebook as notes instead of on here just for more privacy, since this is public but my facebook profile is not.  I'll mention here when I post something and if you aren't on facebook and want to see, let me know and if I know you I'll email you the stuff instead ;)
<3