This is an Evergreen blackberry bush on our property. We were told it is a native species, but upon further investigation I think it is actually considered invasive (R. lacinatus) vs the native (R. ursinus). Because there is far less of this variety anyway, we will protect it until we confirm one way or another.

We have been HARD at work blazing some trails on our property to the point of being “slipper-friendly” for a walk in the woods. Man what a lot of work! But it is sure fun. You get a total body workout trail clearing. I am not kidding. I’ve been bushwhacked like no 4.5 mile hilly run followed by pushups, situps, weights and yoga can do. I guess what I’m saying is I thought I was pretty fit, but I had no idea just how much work it is hauling logs around in a wheelbarrow, clipping and trimming branches, loading the wheelbarrow with chips and hauling it section by section of the trail. But it is SO fun to see progress. I hope you enjoy this folder of pictures. All were taken within the last 48 hours. Also check the main AUG album toward the end for some more pictures which are newer – like the milk man’s first delivery and dinner with Tres and Jenni. Aloha for now, and thank you for your notes when you stop by to see pictures! I sure miss my Hawaii friends and love to hear from you!

The kids winning their snakes at a carnival at the Kitsap County Fair!

It’s bad when your day wears you out so much you don’t even want to throw a picture up of your cute kids at a carnival. But man oh man. We started with our usual wild morning of running around squealing avoiding bathroom and dressing time. Then breakfast, then the county water guys showed up to continue their investigation of why our water is green (very pretty green when you fill the tub up a bit) while I was on the phone with my fifth emergency water/waste restoration service trying to find someone willing to come out and clean up the sewage that has been building up under the house for the past three weeks. I have not mentioned this yet because it is just beyond gross, even for me. Yes, I know that is shocking to many of you. TAMARA. ANGEL. APRIL. 🙂 So our main trunk line was broken when we moved in and we didn’t know it – long and mysterious story – but it has been fixed and now we need to clean up the horrible mess. Strangely, no one wants to see the pictures of our crawlspace to scope the work (go figure!). I am worn out from trying to get someone to come help us but it looks like tomorrow is the day. We plan to make the guys cookies. The boys split a gut tonight when I said maybe we should make them in little poo shapes and call them “POOKIES!” (I have been trying to eradicate the onslaught of bathroom talk but this episode is making it nearly impossible!) So after finally lining someone up to come out, I talked to the water guys once more on our way out to the FAIR for which Sam had earned a ticket by finishing his reading program lightening fast (a library program this summer that we just joined). So off we went down to Silverdale 30 min away. We wait in traffic to get in (it’s free entry day if you get there before noon), find parking, and make our way through the throngs to the carnival, get tickets and pick some rides. We survived the rides (Sam did a big guy one flying around like Superman while I watched and prayed nervously!) and went on to pet the steer and watch the sheep be shorn, hunt down cotton candy but end up with ice cream, and race home just 2 hrs later for a conference call I had with a doctor in Boston. Then I do some data analysis, write up some recommendations, and throw some kebobs on the grill. Then more fun with the water guys who haven’t turned our water back on yet – they are out flushing the line, watering our weeds basically. There’s going to be some major growth out by the road!  Boy oh boy. Tomorrow is Thurs already, that’s how insane this week has been. But I am thankful for all the fun and laughs mixed in, for our good health, family and friends. Check for new pictures by clicking the one above…

We were on the hunt for a really big, first growth tree and hope we found it. We had to bushwhack about as much as I was comfortable in order to find it. Then to the library for story time and craft, Sam's library card and a book.

Then after the library, we headed home for Ben’s nap and my work while Sam read his book. Then more trailblazing for Sam and me on our property. We are trying to clear little loop trails in our forest. It is so jammed up with nettles, wild berries, thorns and spiders galore. I took a heavy spade to help clear some steps for us. Interestingly, we found some dung which we have not yet identified. It was huge and possible cougar. I sent it to my two new friends on the island, one an arborist and the other a naturalist. I am so lucky to have these interesting new friends who I can text disgusting photos to. I emerged from the forest with webs in my hair and a strange dinner cooking in the microwave when Dave got home.

I can’t wait to go berry picking and get some huckleberries for more pie! Sam also made this really neat polyhedron out of some magnets, so of course Dave says something about a dodecahedron and I had to look it up to verify the identity. Well…he was close. Dodecahedron is 12 sided. This 14-sided thing appears to be a cantellated tetrahedron? Sam is also learning about project management – he is studying up on rearing chickens. We talked about writing up a proposal based on our research and presenting it to Daddy for grant funding. Then he would interview vendors to build a coop, and research chicken breeds, cost, etc. He is really tearing into a book Richard bought at Bay Hay on the subject. So far we like the Australorp breed…I’m exhausted after our first day back in real life. Picked up Dave’s car from Tacoma (thanks for the ride Richard!) and said goodbye to Gramma and Richard. Then to make fools of ourselves at Bangor Sub Base by barging in through the commissary out door and finding the place empty…we finally found out from the baker that the commissary is closed on Monday. So out we went with our cart and a lone watermelon. Yikes!

Dave made whipped cream tonight to top off the rest of the blueberry pie!