Owen, Sara &
Andrew Hoelter

I think next summer we will have to find a kayak–we are getting to be too much family for a 17 foot canoe! Owen had a paddling lesson this week at Sparks Lake in preparation for being my co-pilot next year.

In addition to paddling and biking at Sunriver, there have been swimming lessons,

Lots of hammering and building on our tree house, now less of a death trap,

And BBQs in the backyard, giant Jenga supplied by the uncles.

(Unpictured, but significant!) A gazillion books, including Owen and my joint summer reading list. My choices: My Side of the Mountain and Misty of Chincoteage, His choices: The Lost Hero and The Strange Case of Origami Yoda. He finished these in about 3 days and I am just now catching up. I’m thinking  Island of the Blue Dolphins and  Ann of Green Gables next…

And of course, a sweet girl’s 5th Birthday, with a trip to Enchanted Forest and birthday cake with a friend. Sara at 5 is long and lanky, swims like a fish and can almost ride a 2-wheeler. She can read Green Eggs and Ham except for “anywhere” and “would”, and writes the most fantastic completely phonetic  stories (thanks Montessori). She will only rarely wear a dress, loves blue and purple and puppies (but is a little scared of actual, living dogs). She has green eyes like her Dad and a rarely photographed smile that will knock your socks off. She, along with Drew, spends a good portion of her time in some kind of fantasy, usually involving rescuing animals or packing for/going on trips. She is a great kid.

All is well for now, but let’s not do this again for a very long time…

The morning after…

When brother and sister stay up way past their bedtime, they become best of friends, even choosing to stargaze late into the mid-summer night.

Warm pajamas (both Owen’s), warm socks, wool blankets, and popcorn help set the mood.

Not sure how many stars they saw in our central city backyard with high clouds in the sky, but they sure were cute.

Summer on…

A visit from Uppa! With a picnic at Baskett Slough and birdwatching…

A very happy 40th Anniversary dinner for Mark and Miriam with HUGE platters of food, lots of singing (accompanied by an accordian!), and the love that produced this bunch. As always, I’m touched and grateful to be a part of this family! We had a little trouble getting the picture taken…

And the chicken update:

Coop is progressing, which is good because the girls are getting a little bored in their box. I added a roost and gave them some dandelion greens today for distraction. They are getting their feathers, losing their fluff and looking a little rough around the edges. But, ALIVE and nobody’s clearly a rooster yet.

Hold onto your hats, folks! The Hoelters have pets.

We have 3 little chicks peeping under the kitchen counter tonight!

Meet Goldie (Golden Sex-Link), Annie (Australorp), and Rhoda (Rhode Island Red). Be HONORED Aunt Rhoda!

The kids and I showed up at Old Mill Feed and Garden this morning to pick up our Barred Plymouth Rock chicks, carefully researched and selected for their suitability as an urban flock. Due to an unfortunate “hatching failure”, the situation quickly changed from “Yay! Picking up the chickens!” to “But we WANT some chickens!” Add screeching from Drew and tears from Sara. So, I made a decision (that I hope I won’t live to regret) and we came home with a mixed bag. There’s always the chicken foster home in Union.

There has been much chicken watching.

They seem to be fairly perky, perching on their feeder and peeping like mad when somebody peeks into their box. I did not follow my mother’s advice and allow for a 50% mortality rate. So we shall see.

While the kids and I were setting up our brooder and getting the chicks, Peter got down to work on the henhouse. I tell you, that man never ceases to surprise me.

It was nearly 60 degrees and dry, with weak, watery January sunshine this weekend. Enough to get us planning cold frames and chicken coops with abandon! We settled on giving the roses a much needed pruning/hacking and a quick little landscaping project.

We added a path in the backyard, between the bench and that garage in what was previously a serious patch of weeds and some Japanese anenomes. We are hoping that this will a) add structure to this really big flower bed and b) be a fun place for kids to hide and play when the hydrangeas bloom and the anenomes grow up around it and c) improve access to the dastardly weeds. It already has been used as a course for the world shortest cross country race.

It was hard to resist the primroses at the nursery, so I planted some of them as well–to keep my quail company.

I know it’s going to get cold and REALLY wet again (and last for months!), but it was good to work outside in shirt-sleeves in January. Now for that coop…