Summer Is Well Underway!

I took this picture a couple of weeks ago. My little strawberry patch, after a lot of research and work, is finally starting to produce some fruit.

Fresh picked strawberries are sooooo much better than store-bought.

We have recently returned from our week at Stuart and Emilie's camp on Shadow Lake.

Wayne, who will be a 9th grader in the fall, is taking a summer 10th grade honors level geometry class. He has to be at Lake Region at 8:00 a.m. three days a week. It really cut into that early morning fishing he likes to do, but we did manage to get out in the canoe for one early morning fishing expedition.

He also had a couple of baseball games while we were staying at the lake.

Playing 3rd base.

When Wayne was in the minor and major leagues, he liked to do some pitching. In this older, Babe Ruth League, he hasn't been able to get as much experience. In Saturday morning's game he was given a chance to pitch once again. After warming up, his teammates with approach with some good luck "fist bumps."

He did a great job and threw a lot of strikes. The next day, he said his arm was sore.

It was a hot day for a baseball game. Afterwards, Heather and I went canoeing and fishing.

It wasn't long before we saw Edwin and Elijah paddle up in the new paddle boat.

And Cole came out in the kayak.

A couple of Wayne's teammates came over after the game. That's Mitchel in the canoe with Wayne, below.

Asom caught a fish that was too little to keep.

Heather and Chantel. Chantel is Mitchel's sister. She is a couple years ahead of Heather in school, but they are softball teammates, so they know each other fairly well.

Roasting marshmallows.

One day, Heather's friend, Kelby, came over.

A dove nesting on the porch kept a nervous and watchful eye on our comings and goings.

Cole went for a run almost every day.

Wayne did a lot of fishing.

And remember those strawberries? At one point we had plenty to make strawberry shortcake.

Cole even got interested in fishing.

He is wearing contacts now and is very handsome.

I'm not sure anyone has ever done homework on this picnic table before.

Cole tried a new recipe called Chocolate Lasagna. It was very good!

We saw a loon on a few rare moments, but this little family of geese was always around.

Heather did some fishing of the A-frame's dock.

Estelle and Lena came over. Wes took them for a ride.

They did a lot of exploring...

...catching tadpoles and bullfrogs.

One evening Julie, the girls, Joanie, and Martha came over for smores.

Cole's friend Zephyr came over.

Skipping rocks in the long evenings.