We're Back!

 Back with a properly functioning computer, and back from a wonderful week with my parents in Maine!

We actually got back Wednesday night, but since then the kids and I have been busily trying to catch up on the work we need to have done for Monday (I meant for us to do some work on vacation, and we did a little, but it wasn't nearly enough!) and the cats and dog have needed extra affection, etc., etc.  But my computer was in the shop while we were in Maine, and now it doesn't shut itself down when I go to My Pictures -- how cool is that?  And Blogger has changed something so I can load on lots of pictures at once -- again, very cool! And I have pictures!

We had some beautiful weather, and one day we spent at the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens.  The gardens are gorgeous, and they have a large children's garden, complete with playhouses, rope bridges, chickens, and a reading area.  We could have spent our whole day just on that, but there so many other things to see that we didn't.



the kids would have played in this fort all day!





(and there were Enormous tadpoles in this pond.  Katie kept wanting to go in after them.)



(I liked these fish.)

(Travis, resting.  He finds viewing gardens very tiring.)

(Katie had been needing a good whirl, and the wide lawns were just perfect for this.)

I include this to prove that we did do some school work while on vacation.  A very little.  Just look at how engaged Travis is!  Okay, Chauntecleer did nothing for him.  He did enjoy The Pardoner's Tale, though.


Okay, this picture is not supposed to be here, but Blogger just zapped half my post and I am done messing around.  Did I mention that Blogger's new picture loader stinks?  Anyway, this is from Friday.  Harry got outside, and Bo was all excited because he thought he was going to get to Chase a Cat.  He bounded up to Harry, happy as could be, and ... Harry didn't run.  He didn't even acknowledge Bo's presence.  Bo bounced a little more, even gave Harry a hopeful sort of poke, but still... nothing.  Bo says Harry is a most unsatisfactory sort of cat.

Anyway, so, we were in Maine, and we went to the Common Ground Fair.  It is an agricultural fair for organic farmers, with all sorts of other sorts of counter-cultural causes thrown in.  We spent most of our time looking at cows, horses, rabbits, and chickens.  The best was the sheep dog demonstration, which was really amazing.

 I thought this cow was just too cute.  Ed said it wouldn't fit in the plane's overhead compartment.

 Travis says this picture does not properly represent his hoola hooping abilities.

 There were five sheepdogs, and they were amazingly clever at getting the sheep, goats, and ducks to go where they wanted them.

 Turned out, though, that the group of six women from the audience were even better.  One of the women actually knew about herding things, and the other five were really good at following her commands.  I think the shepherd was a little embarrassed.

 I'm not sure who did more teasing this trip.  I think she and my daddy tied for that honor.

 Here is my mom, with some of her flowers.  She keeps a perfect house, grows glorious flowers, has read mountains of books and remembers them, and cooks gourmet meals (we had lobster tails, Beef Wellington, roast beef, chicken parmesan, etc.).  And she even helped me grade the compositions I brought along! 



 It was a wonderful trip.