Hawk-Shaming

 Marina and I have become addicted to a little blog called 'Dogshaming'.  Everyday we look at the latest entries into the world of dogs that should be ashamed of their behavior.  Today we have a new entry into the world of shamed animals...

 This hawk made its way into our chicken yard and could not get out.  Vince was coming up from the lower meadow behind the coop when he heard the racket and came running.  Trying to find a way out of the pen was this hawk... angry, panicked, but mostly... ashamed! 

We did some clever maneuvering and were able to release it before it hurt itself or any of our animals.  It was only able to fly across the street before it had to stop and rest.  We continued giving it chase so that it would not think about returning.  This is giving me pause to consider how much smarter a hawk is than a chicken.  His escape tacktic seemed sharp and clever.  And his brain is about the same size as that of a chicken.  Hum...

Meanwhile, all the chickens were hiding in the coop like a bunch of chickens.

And the ducks huddled in the driveway considering which of the hens may not have made it. I thought perhaps they were considering why we let the hawk go. But, seriously, I doubt that.  It is unfortunate that they are much more interested in gossip and the fate of their coop mates than any husbandry philosophy.

McNeil School Fall Carnival (otherwise known as the Halloween Show!)

 The evening sunlight is stretching dramatically over the bay now.  The leaves have all vanished from the trees.  The wind is making those same trees creak devilishly. It is the perfect time of year for everyone in the Greear house to pretend to be someone else...if only for a few days.  This can only mean one thing is coming! 

 

  Halloween!

 

This year Falcom is being possessed by his alter ego:  Sexy Chucky.  The actual 'Chucky' from the Chucky horror movie franchise was not cute enough for his tastes.

As you can see from this picture, the full 'Sexy Chucky' effect is missing the orange stockings.  Orange stockings do not stretch over the thighs of sexy islanders!

Marina is embodying her alter-ego, Hermione Granger.  She made everyone in the family a wand last night out of alder wood.  She is smart, brave, and heroic! 

They have just arrived home with their loot.  Isn't it interesting?   A couple of years ago all she wanted to do at the carnival was work in the fishing booth.  Now, she plays with friends and is not afraid of the haunted house.  Falcom is not afraid of the haunted house either.  He spent his time working in the haunted house as a 'sexy dead dancer'. 

Oh!  How my children have grown.  Oh!  How I love them...

A Month? What the Heck!

 It is a sad situation when every picture taken in a family is work or school related.  That is where I find myself positioned at this time.  This picture for instance was taken on our "Coffee Cup factory tour".  Marina and Iris had a great time learning how paper cups are made. 

 Here is a picture in a dress given to her by Grandpa last summer which I never took a picture of her in.  That is our friend Katy in the background.

 Katy gave us these beautiful dishes so that we could have fun tea parties with the Girl Scouts.  Marina learned how to make rainbow swirls with the frosting thanks to Sharon at Two Sisters.

 Vince came home from hunting and gave Winchester this huge bone.  Luckily it vanished because it gave him terrible gas.

Marina and I took this picture so that we could email it to the orthodontist and show him the part of her gear that was bothering her.  I think it is cool to keep track of all the changes going on in her mouth.

Falcom had a great month of soccer.  It caused there to be a great deal of driving back and forth to town, but was well worth it!  I think he will play again next year.

Willie is Willie.  His job at the harbor is finished.  He is waiting for his next job while looking for the next.  He is wonderful and Marina's best buddy.

My school is taking up a great deal of my time, even though it seems like it should be less...  less units should equal less work, right?  UG!

In two months we will find ourselves here:

And that will make all of this crasiness worth it!