A little smattering of things...

I've had a cold for a few days.... I wasn't going to mention it, but I found the picture below this afternoon while reading another blog and thought it was most appropriate for how I've been feeling.

Thankfully, so far, the rest of my family has been able to keep "It" at bay.

It is so muggy tonight here in our little house, but is at last cooling down to where it may be comfortable to sleep tonight...

Our fellas worked on hay, hay, and more hay today. Jacob hauled bales in and stacked them all afternoon while the other two were cutting and baling on Fern's ground. I found the following poem last night while looking for one about summer, and thought it was most appropriate to post as we welcome in the month of July, and as we go about preparing feed for the cows for this winter! As for the shepherd and lying around, I don't know about that part. :)

The Shepherd's Calendar
by John Clare

July the month of summer's prime
Again resumes her busy time
Scythes tinkle in each grassy dell
Where solitude was wont to dwell.

And meadows they are mad with noise
Of laughing maids and shouting boys
Making up the withering hay
With merry hearts as light as play.

The very insects on the ground
So nimbly bustle all around
Among the grass or dusty soil
They seem partakers in the toil.

The very landscape reels with life
While mid the busy stir and strife
Of industry the shepherd still
Enjoys his summer dreams at will.


Mother had 3 sessions to do this afternoon, and I was working in town again this morning and early afternoon, so we just now finished our dishes and sat down to post while waiting for Dad and Andrew to get home so we can get their supper together.

We've lately had an invasion of ants in our dining room--they come in through the open patio-door. Mother learned a long time ago that cinnamon and Basic-H (separately or together) will deter ants, so we're giving it a fair trial.

Speaking of insects, I also saw the following question on a blog:

"Why didn't Noah swat those two mosquitoes?"

I wonder that about flies too, don't you? :)

Not much to post about really...

Mom and Jacob went to Bismarck today and, while there, also saw the surprise that I can't tell you about yet.

Dad and Andrew worked on hay again.

I worked in town again, and was so glad when I was able to get my shift on the 11th switched with another young lady so that I can attend my grandpa's sale...

When I got home, I worked in our garden.


We Have a Little Garden
~by Beatrix Potter

We have a little garden,
A garden of our own,
And every day we water there
The seeds that we have sown.

We love our little garden,
And tend it with such care,
You will not find a faded leaf
Or blighted blossom there.

And that was our day. I thought of taking pictures of the progress we're making in the weeding department, but my camera batteries are dead and Mother had her camera in Bismarck with her. So, that shall have to wait for another day.

I'm getting up early again (5:00) in the morning (even earlier this time, as I'm orientating for the AM shift.)

Have a lovely evening and sweet dreams and God be with you~

Cora

The garden looks better...

...and Mom and I look redder, er, more red, that is!

We spent most of our day weeding, and it's so nice to see such big improvements in that jungle of a garden.

My dad and Andrew went to Bismarck this morning for chiropractic appointments, and then had a most unexpected pleasure, but I KNOW Andrew will want to post about that, so you'll have to wait and see what it was. :) In the meantime, you can guess if you like...

Other than all that, Dad hauled a load of grain for a neighbor and the boys worked on cutting down hay, until one of them got the tractor stuck--bad. Now Dad's over there helping them get it out; Mom's in the garden still; and I'm heading for bed early, as I need to be at work early tomorrow morning----to be the Dining Room Host.

Gotta run to dream land,
Cora

~"Challenges are like summer storms. Everything is more beautiful when they have passed."~
(author unknown)

The wedding of Ben & Hannah Dagley~

It's hard to believe it's been a full week now since this beautiful bride donned her lovely gown and began smiling, and smiling, and smiling. :)

The wedding ceremony began at 11:00AM with some group songs...

"Here comes the bride..."

The two sweethearts...

The wedding party consisted of all Ben and Hannah's siblings, their spouses and children...

Singing...

Ben sang a song to his bride...

The rings...

The hug that came after the kiss--which I wasn't fast enough to get a picture of... However, if you look closely, you'll see I did capture A kiss after all!

Hugs for the lovely Hannah...

After the ceremony was over, there was some time for group pictures...

That's the Dagley clan on the left and the Stovers on the right.

The Stovers--and Tim and Louisa (Stover) S.--and Ben and Hannah Dagley

More Stover family...

The ever-growing Dagley family....

The bride and groom with their parents...

With the brides' parents...

And with the groom's parents...

Ahhhh, there's a kiss!

The new couple...

Ben and Hannah with James and Amanda.... (Ben and Amanda are brother and sister.)

and them again with Tim and Louisa (Hannah and Louisa are sisters.)

Now they're with Ben's oldest brother, Nathan's family...

And now with Ben's youngest brother, Michael--on carpenter stilts. (He's getting a lot of ribbing about being the only Dagley sibling who's single now... :) )Some of the photographers....

James and Amanda---and "Baby". :)

Jacob and a friend going through the "Congratulations" and "God bless you" line...

Then there was a time for special music. Several people shared....

This was a new-to-Prairie-Days family from WI... They did a wonderful job of playing instruments and singing acapella...

The Geiger family, dining while listening to music...

The Happy Hollow Boys, singing "Sweet Violets"--such a fun song! There's kind of a funny story about that too... Three years ago, at David and Susanna Dagley's wedding, these three guys were thinking of doing that song, but decided not to, only to find later that our family used that very song in a puppet skit that day.

Now, this year, our family had thought about doing that puppet skit again, but decided not to, only to find out that this group of young men planned to and did sing it.

Another song I'd thought would be fun to work in as a skit was the "June Bride" song from Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. Nothing came of it here though, and now I'm glad, as the Balyeat/Dagley sisters sang that very song! :)

Tim and Louisa S. sang a nice song together...

James and Amanda singing and playing...

The fun afternoon entertainment consisted of a "Healthy" dessert auction--with all the proceeds going to the new couple. Here's Mrs. Balyeat, making a label for a dessert or something...

I made and gave the two Halvah hearts pictured on the bottom, left corner of this picture... They brought $34, I think it was! Maybe I should go into the Halvah making business? :)

More pictures... (That's me, trying to get Andrew's camcorder set for taking pictures.)

Praise God from whom all blessings flow.....

It was a lovely day for a wedding!

Oh yes, back to the cake auction... James was the auctioneer--being the fun-loving fella he is...

After selling a dessert, they took a picture of the baker and the buyer together...

Myself, Amanda, and Mother--just like in the good old days... :) (Amanda used to come help us with chores for a few days each year so our guys and Ben could go to the Sustainable Ag. convention... We had some really fun times together!)

A cute picture of a cute couple... :)

"Who will give me $76? Anybody, $76? $76? Yes, over there. Ok, who'll give me $78? Do I have a $78 for this delicious blueberry pie? It's the only one of it's kinds folks......." :) (Some things went over $100--when a couple fellas would pool their money, that is!)

Amanda and Me, enjoying the auction...

Mr. Dagley, doing the same...

Hannah and some of the young girls...

Some of the Geiger "Girls", pondering how high to bid on a pie... :) (I thought you'd like this picture, Miranda--and the rest of you girls too!)

I don't remember if I'd mentioned last week that we were going to sell our one and only bottle calf to the Bartlett family? Well, we did. It sounds like they're really enjoying him too... The kitties on our farm are enjoying having more milk also, now that the calf is gone, although we're working on drying Sally up currently, as she's due in a couple months.

Anyway, Mom and the boys took the calf with them to the wedding and the Bartletts took it home with them from the wedding...

Saying "Goodbye" to the Bartletts and Longfellow (now Calvin, I think it is.)

The present table in the Dagley park...

Darling Clementine, drinking her goat's milk...

In the later part of the afternoon, there was more dancing, for those who wanted to dance... I ended up doing some more hair right before the dance. :)

And THEN, there was a baptism! One of the guys Ben works with decided to give his life to the Lord and wanted to be baptized that day, so Ben carried many loads of water to this stock tank...

After asking several questions and hearing this man's testimony, they baptized him...

Somewhere toward the end of the day, my friend, Crystal and I tip-toed onto this big rock amidst the flowers and Mother took our picture... :) Crystal and I are the same age and met about 4 years ago at a midwifery conference. We've been friends ever since, even though we don't get to see each other often.

And that, my friends, was our lovely day last Sunday.

This Sunday found my dad working in the shop (his back's getting better); my mom and brothers in Napoleon at a bluegrass jamming session that our friends were hosting; and myself at work in town until about an hour ago....

Next Sunday will find us at a rodeo! Want to come join us? :)