Summertime and the living is easy

Because we spent the last school year having school at home, I guess I thought this year's summer would lack that certain sense of ease that comes after nine months of hectic schedules. I thought maybe we'd just continue as usual with our routine throughout the summertime: a little school in the morning after the farm chores are done, a little playing around with horses after lunch, as little running into town as possible.

Maybe it's the weather, but the summertime ease has grown into a full-flowering vine while I wasn't watching. Sure, we still have rabbits and chickens to feed and horses to lunge and a little multiplication table work to dread (Universal cry of mothers-to-elementary-students: Enough with the times tables! Enough for Mom!). We still have to run into town every little while for the mundane: grain, coffee, fencing supplies, coffee.

But the undeniable laissez-faire of the season is upon us. My husband's little brother played his last tournament over the weekend (Isn't he so cute? Also, I think he's past the age where he views "cute" as a compliment. Let's keep it between us, shall we?). The big girls are back from sleepaway camp. Laura's molars are in. The hay too is all in and none of our neighbors lost any to weather.

My neighbor boys pulled all the weeds out of a 30-foot-long flowerbed. I took some pictures of them and teasingly called the two 13-year-olds "mancake" in an attempt to get them to smile for the camera. One was thrilled and one was, well, properly grossed out. I crack myself up.

The deer fence around my 56-by-52 garden is three-quarters done (and I've not done any of the work; sorry, Honey) and the Big Leaf Maples are positively laden with their signature enormous leaves. The shade is thick in the back yard, the wading pool is filled and the afternoons stretch out until I realize it's bedtime.

Yesterday Sarah asked if we could make some doll clothes. I couldn't bring myself to sit in front of a sewing machine while there was still light outside. Then I couldn't bring myself to stay up late.

Today we're off to the lake. I hope you're enjoying an easy living kind of summer, no matter how much or how little time that has to blossom in your life.