Thus concludes week two of summer break.

We have been and done a number of things. Farming, a cottage run to open it up for the season, visited a mine to prospect for shiny bits, and pretty cured gem stones, gone swimming, been on boat rides, tubing, and fetching icecream from the marina, participated in a fishing derby, and going on play dates with pals, plus we picked up a new to us puppy.

Wow! Lot of ground covered there. I still hold firm that the kids somehow managed to not once touch a reading book, nor a pencil to write a single word over the last 17 days since school ended in June. Miraculous. Going to have a rough go of September if they lose all of last years progress being summer time bums! Bathing suit, and no-home-work! Suns rays, and no-reading-ever! Outdoors, and education-is-for-the-weak! AC blasting, and lots-of-tech-please!

If they weren’t kept so busy pulling weeds, picking fruits, and gathering rocks in the fields at the farm I would be positively aghast, but they are helpful when required to be. So it is early days of the summer break yet. We have time to crack a book, and sharpen some pencils in grade school curriculum work books. Plus they will have to get their fair entries made before too much longer. That’s coming up on us real fast. The 2024 Markham Fall Fair. I’m sure it’ll be a hot topic around these parts over the next 8-10 weeks.

I myself would like to prep something new for the fair, so I need to be on my toes too. Will I make yet another ogre or monster for my sculpted ceramics class, or attempt a softer “Faircrow” mascot to win some nostalgia brownie points with the judges? Hmm. I tend to prefer monsters, but I can stretch out a little this year perhaps. Maybe? We’ll see how I feel some late August if I haven’t started anything yet.

**Today we take a moment to remember dear little Heidi, whom would have turned six years old today. A tragic accident took her, along with her mother late last July 2023. Nearly a full year has gone by, hard to believe it really happened, and wasn’t just a bad dream.**

So on this sunny Saturday morning I shall bid you adieu. Ciao Bella!