Swimming, hiking and Horses

We have a small river that flows through our property, last Friday we all went swimming. Saturday we hiked around Pilot Mountain knob, then on Monday we saddled up a couple horses and got the boys riding in the ring.

Summer with our boys from Belarus

Robert and Artsiom



Artsiom and Helena

Intimidator, the new roller coaster

Entrance to Carowinds

We are participating once again in the American Belarus Relief Organization (ABRO), which sends children of Belarus to America for six weeks in the summer. We take them to the doctor, dentist and eye doctor and buy them shoes and clothing and they live as one of us in the hot summer sun. At our house they also get to feed animals and do farm chores as well as play outside and ride bikes. I will be putting pictures up of some of the things we are doing.

Yesterday we all went to Carowinds. Yes, Helena has a broken arm, she fell from her horse.

Trail Rides

Here in Pinnacle we live between 1-6 miles from some of the best horse trails in NC. The Sauratown Horse Trails, part of the Mountains to the Sea trail, and the Pilot Mountain State Park Corridor Trail are both very close to our home and lately Jeff and the girls have been making good use of them. As they do more riding we'll post more pictures of the trails, but here are a few.

New crop of chicks

Last week, along with Helena's 13th birthday, new chicks arrived. We got four new breeds, Buff Chanteclers, Black Australorps, Speckled Sussex, and Light Brahmas. This is the first time we got chicks that were non-yellow, and they are all so cute.

The Cooksy's Hacienda

Last week we helped a dear friend get some painting done on his dream retirement home. Mr. and Mrs. Cooksey have always dreamed of owning an organic farm, and bought the land several years ago. Although they have been doing some of the farming, they have not been living on the property. Last year they started construction on the dwelling, and this summer they are close to moving in, but need to paint and put in the flooring, thus we found ourselves in South Carolina painting.

We packed up the camper, and the kids bikes, and the dog and made our way to Kershaw, SC, a place we had never been before. Mr. Cooksey has a trail around the perimeter of the property and his garden is all inclosed to keep out the deer and other animals. He also has a series of soaker hoses snaking through the garden to keep everything watered. The kids enjoyed the sand and the biking and Jeff and I painted. They kids also did some weeding in the garden, and a little painting. We got a lot completed, but we will have to go back and do a little more before the Cooksey's can move in.

Spring Pasture Maintenance

back of barn after a month

front of barn

back of barn in March

Kathleen pulling the plugger with gator

gathering equipment and seed

Last month the entire family worked many long hours and days in an attempt to bring our horse pastures back to life. We gathered rocks and branches, we filled holes, and kicked poop, we plugged, seeded and harrowed. Now a month after a few rains and some warm days, we are beginning to see more green than brown. Today we actually let the horse graze in the back field for the first time this year, and oh were they happy.

Death of the third bantam chicken

The Bantam Trio

Lightning was a little banny rooster,

and he was a beautiful bright red.

He had two little bantam friends,

but now all three are dead.

Gloria was a little brown hen,

and was a rare color 'twas said.

She and her friends played together,

but now all three are dead.

Honey was a pretty white rooster,

and his merry life was led.

But one morning there was a calamity,

and now all three are dead.

by Helena George

In 2008 we bought three bantam chicks, Gloria died within a few months, the second, Honey, died shortly after, but Lightning the red rooster died this afternoon. We were all sad.