Monopoly Fun...

I found this antique copy of Monopoly (100% complete) at a local Thrift Shop for a bargain price and so I bought it and the kiddos and I had a fun game recently. I can remember being much younger and spending many hours during the summer and winter holidays playing this game with my siblings back in South Africa. 

Learning the game of Monopoly. :)

4-H Projects...

Riaan entered a couple of exhibits at our local 4-H fair recently. His work was entered under the "Models" and "Crafts" categories, and he did a fantastic job! He did a drawing of a dinosaur museum - pictured at left - and then a couple of Lego aircraft creations that he designed (from pictures in a book) and made all by himself! We were very proud of him!

With his Lego creations and his drawing on the wall.

A closer view of his amazing models!

Evansville Wartime Museum...

Riaan and I went to the Evansville Wartime Museum on Friday, 9th July, where we saw the Texas Raiders B-17 Flying Fortress along with the T-6 Texan (also known as the Harvard in Commonwealth circles) and other interesting exhibits. It was fantastic watching these old war birds take to the sky! :)

Riaan and I in front of the B-17 Flying Fortress.

1938 Boeing Stearman.

1944 P-47 Thunderbolt.

Display of flags of the WWII Allies - note the old South African flag third from right.

Parked in front of the museum.

Cockpit of the Flying Fortress.

Riaan at the radio controls...

... And posing with one of the machine guns.

The tail of the B-17.

T-6 Texan or Harvard in Commonwealth circles.

Rear view.

 It was amazing seeing the old planes take to the air!

The Flying Fortress taxiing for take-off.

Waiting ATC clearance - the crop duster in this shot landed and then the old plane took off.

Into the air she goes - such a beautiful sight!

Mercy Ships Tithe...

I blogged about it here, but we recently held a yard sale & Riaan had a lemonade stall. Well, he tithed some of his profits to Mercy Ships (his own choice) and last week he received a thank you card and a colouring book in the mail from the Mercy Ships head office, based near Lindale, Texas! Nice one, Mercy Ships! :)

Eliza holding the card and sticker and Riaan holding the colouring book. :)

Sunflower Variety...

We have a lovely assortment of sunflowers growing in our front garden. They have really grown quickly in recent weeks and are all opening up now. I love all of the different varieties and the colours of each sunflower. They are so beautiful! :)

Ready to open up.

A bee takes the opportunity to find some fresh pollen.

I love the darker petals on this sunflower.

Sunflower eclipse - it looks as if a full moon is moving across the sun. :)

4th of July Activities...

The 4th of July occurred on a Sunday this year, and so I started the day with an early morning cycle. I was out before the sun was even up and cycled a 40 km (24 mile) loop around Washington. I saw a family of inquisitive deer run into a field and then stop and stare at this spandex-clad cyclist. I was also almost knocked off my bike by a suicidal rabbit running right in front of me as I rounded a bend. Thankfully I missed him, but it could have been a nasty fall!

Once home again I started the fire and we had a lovely braai for lunch. We had lamb ribs and pork belly strips, as well as toasted cheese and onion sarmies, which are always a family favourite! Candace made a green salad and we enjoyed a delicious meal together - yum!

After a little rest, we drove down to Jasper Parklands - a large, outdoor wild area with lakes, forests, play areas (a splash pad and tree fort) and hiking trails - and here we met up with some of Candace's family for an outdoor picnic. The kiddos loved running through the fountains and jets of water in the splash pad!

We were back home in time to watch the fireworks from outside our front door. It was a lovely 4th of July! :)

Early morning selfie.

Trees silhouetted against the rising sun.

Family of deer in the field ahead of me.

A closer view. :)

Family photo while we wait for our food to cook.

Toasted sarmies. Yum!

Fiddle-back spider - AKA the brown recluse - in our wood pile. They are venomous, but I left this individual alone.

 Sign and park map at Jasper Parklands.

 Bridge crossing over a little man-made waterfall separating two lakes.

Curious turtles inspect us humans on the dock above them.

The splash pad.

House Wren Family...

Riaan's little bird house was again occupied this spring and summer by a house wren family. There were initially four little eggs and then a fortnight later the bird house was full of cheeping, hungry baby birds. It was also pretty special to see the devotion of the house wren parents. :)

Four tiny eggs in the nest.

Little baby birds a couple of weeks later. :)

Lamb Potjiekos...

Potjiekos is a traditional South African dish cooked in a cast iron pot (the "potjie") over an open fire. The key to a potjie is that you never stir the ingredients once they're in the pot. I recently made a lovely potjie with lamb stewing meat, a drop of wine, and various veggies. I had never cooked potjiekos before and was quite pleased with how it turned out!

The kiddos playing in the garden while the fire burns down.

The potjie on the fire.

The cooked potjiekos! Yum!

Father's Day 2021...

It was a very enjoyable Father's Day for our family this year. Candace made us bacon and eggs with toast for breakfast and then after lunch we went to another one of our favourite state parks for the afternoon. We went to Spring Mill State Park and had a much-needed family hike on a lovely trail. Our kiddos certainly thrive when they are exploring outside! :)

Bacon and eggs - yum!

Father's Day cards.

Family selfie on the hike.

Donaldson Cave.

Riaan was running up the stairs.

Sweet Anya enjoying the hike in the ring-sling.

Hamer Cemetery.

Candace counted the rings of this tree - well over 100 years old!

Interesting growths on these leaves.

A grasshopper sits atop the seed pod of the Jack-in-the-pulpit plant.

Two of our beautiful children!

The dam above the mill.

The old water mill at Spring Mill State Park.

Ice-cream and milkshakes for the drive home. It was a great day!