Bigfoot Spotted at Local Corn Maze...

No wait, that's not Bigfoot. That's me! Still a rare sighting considering I'm usually behind the camera, but I don't have big feet. Well maybe they're big considering my height, but you didn't really come here to read about my feet did you?

Have you ever been through a haunted corn maze? Neither have I, but my kid and all his friends and their families did Friday night. I volunteered to be brave and stay and make sure the campfire didn't die out. Would have hated for them to come back all cold and scared and not be able to warm themselves.


It's not that I was too scared to go in the maze after the hay ride. Nope. Those screams coming from the corn didn't drag up any unresolved issues of Steven King novels for me. No, I was just genuinely concerned about guarding our fire and belongings. Someone may have run off with our cider, or worse yet our marshmallows. Cause, you know, those criminal types are always out looking for marshmallows. I saved the day by not going in that maze.

Whodunit?

Somebody laid an egg. A pinkish brown egg. It wasn't Beth, our "special" chicken who lays green eggs. (That's one of the reasons she's special.) Or Sammie who lays nice, pretty brown eggs. Nope, it was one of the potentially evicted. Problem is, I don't know which of the sixteen did it. So I don't know who gets to stay. I think we need to come up with a chicken cam so we can catch her in the act. Maybe we could broadcast it live right here. It would be like an online version of the game Clue. I could make little chicken costumes, Colonel Mustard, Miss Scarlet, Mrs. Peacock. Yeah, yeah, I can see it now. We could become an overnight web sensation!

Or I suppose it might be simpler to just keep them all.

My Little Dream House on the Prairie

My dream house sits just a stone's throw away from the blacksmith shop. It's wrap around porch just calls me to sit and snap some beans or something.


The cozy interior is furnished perfectly. Everything you really, truly need is here.


I'd move in tomorrow if the park staff would let me. My family laughs at that and claims I wouldn't last a day. But what they don't know is that I've been dreaming of this place since I was a little girl.



When I read the Little House books or watched the series on TV, in my mind I was Laura. Just standing inside this humble little abode makes me wonder if I didn't live in such a place in a former life or was it just the childhood dreams that make it feel so much like home?

I'd last longer than a day. The only thing I can think of that I've become too spoiled to live without would be a fan on those steamy August days where the air is so thick and still you can't breathe. But even then I could just take a dip in the pond to cool off I suppose. Yep, if it were just me, I'd be moving.

The Blacksmith Shop

The village smithy, a place where men have gathered for centuries among the flames, heat, smoke and noise.


You won't want to believe me, but this is a brand new building. It's dedication was held just today with a ribbon cutting ceremony. Complete with a metal ribbon of course!


The craftsmanship is amazing. All the logs are hand hewn. As are all the buildings in this little village.


Each window is fashioned with unique metal crossbars. The doors sport hand wrought hinges and latches.


The forges consist of a raised brick hearth outfitted with bellows to feed the coal fire and a hood to carry the smoke away.


With a forge and anvil, hammer and tongs, blacksmiths can make almost anything.


Everything here is made from a simple railroad tie.


These men are some of the finest you will ever have the opportunity to meet. They are willing to pour their blood, sweat and tears into building an environment where the future may learn from the past.


And ladies, believe it or not, these big burly men can even cook up a darn fine meal. I've never had ham and beans so good!

Time Travelers

We are transcending time this weekend. Before first light this morning our time machine transported us across the picturesque Indiana countryside to a battlefield during the War of 1812.

Luckily, we didn't land directly in the center of the battlefield. We stood at a safe distance and watched the Americans win. Thank goodness, it would have made for an awkward teaching moment had they not.

After the battle we played with some of the local children.

And we studied many craftsmen and women working at their trades.

It was all I could do to resist the temptation to pull out my "letters of credit" to purchase everything they made. The time machine is small you know. But I did sneak in a beautiful wooden spoon and a small pair of sewing snips.


The kid made out like a bandit with all the primitive wooden swords available. I believe he enjoyed himself. I heard him mention something about it being "heaven". And that "it was the most excited he's ever been". And how "we have to go back every year". And how he "wants to do this when he grows up".

Yes. I believe, today, I witnessed a reenactor being born.

We Hit the JACKPOT!

Well okay, no not that jackpot. We won a chicken coop contest! You see, our friends over at Backyard Chickens run these contests every once in a while amongst all of us crazy chicken people who like to hang out there and we won the large coop category this time around. Now our coop will be on display in their coop gallery. How exciting is that? And if just the "coolest coop" title were not enough look at all the loot they sent us!


Now I just need to get the girls to live up to the wording on the t-shirt. LOL

Eviction Notice

Dear Fat-Bottom Hens,

It has come to our attention that you have resided on said premises for over four months. If you will recall subsection B of the Front Porch Indiana Chicken Bed & Breakfast Agreement, the owners of said porch were to provide the bed and you hens are to provide the breakfast. To date, you have not provided said breakfast. This has caused a significant disruption in the supply chain and is causing the loss of business as the owners are unable to fulfill orders.

It is understood that every possible accommodation requested by you has been granted, whereby further delay of egg production is no longer substantiated. You are hereby notified that you have 30 days to begin production of said breakfast to pay for your room and board or you will be evicted.

Regards,

The Management




"Did you understand a word she said, Maude?" "I'm not sure Gertie, but I think we're getting fed a special breakfast tomorrow. I hope it's pancakes."