Summer Fun, Part Two

One summer evening (Friday, to be exact), we were invited to a barbeque at the Hohnecks--along with 30-plus others (you'll find Greg at the barbie). Our landlord, Harvey, was there as well, along with 8-year old Emmalee. It was a wonderful time of fellowship, stories and laughter.

When we got home, we didn't turn any lights on because it was so warm in the house and we had all the windows and doors open (no screens here). Traci lit a candle for a little light. Before long, Sydney began to bark ferociously. What was up? Traci got the torch (also known as a flashlight), but couldn't see anything in the yard. As soon as Greg was available, he went out to look. Alas, the culprit was identified. It was a hedgehog! (The brown object in the center of the bottom photo). We've seen other hedgehogs in the yard...and Sydney always has the same response. We should have known exactly what it was! Micah took this picture at about 10:00pm, so the flash on the camera did it's job.

The next day, Greg and Micah were in the garage putting together a shelving unit. Traci was at work in the kitchen doing dishes (dishwasher is broken) and realized she heard an incessant bark though it sounded like it was in the distance. She had the chook bucket to empty (Kiwis call chickens 'chooks' so the chook bucket is for food scraps which are given to the chickens). Following the sound of the barking dog, she identified the bark as being that of our very own farm dog...who found yet another hedgehog. Sydney danced around this motionless critter, barking and batting at it with her paw. Ah, no movement whatsoever, other than a rollover by one of Sydney's strikes. She wasn't going to leave that hedgehog! Traci lured her to the chicken area, where she loves to accompany us when we empty the chook bucket. Meanwhile, Greg gingerly scooped up the hedgehog on a shovel and placed it in the paddock just behind our yard.

Ah, farm life! I'm also including a photo taken from the kitchen window on Saturday morning. There are six or seven calves in this photo. Many are still nursing. They are really cute to watch them play with one another.

Finally, we've been asked if we are affected by the floods in Queensland. Queensland is in Australia, so as such, no, we are not affected. In fact, it has been quite dry here. On Sunday morning during our fellowship time, we began to get a slight drizzle. One of the potato farmers began to rejoice--(as in, vocally rejoice in the moisture we were getting). The dry weather is very hard on the farmers. The flooding in Queensland, however, truly has been catastrophic. There are people still stranded on the roofs of their home, while the flood water is just inches from them.