Back to the Choo Choo Farm

Virg has been in charge of collecting our weekly vegetable shares at the Whistling Train Farm for the past few weeks. He takes his responsibilities at the "choo choo farm" very seriously.  Besides picking out the vegetables, Virg likes to check in on the cows, pigs and chickens while he's there.  He has noted that the pigs are very stinky, just as traditionally believed.  Last Saturday, the u-pick pumpkins were ready too, so Virg and Emmett also picked out a couple good ones.  There was a lot of rolling over pumpkins, pointing to this or that pumpkin, and debating over the merits of the white vs. orange varieties.  But in the end, Virg and Emmett were satisfied that they had picked the two very best pumpkins in the whole patch. And they did leave some for Jake and Karla to pick up next week.

Daddy, don't forget the zuc's.

Mommy likes the u-pick flowers the best.  The boys play along

until Daddy comes to the rescue and takes them over to see the really interesting pig pen.

The baby pigs are knee-deep in the mud. 

Clearly, they need some rain boots, too.

Not surprisingly, Virg really likes the tractor.

This one is really heavy!

Ok, Daddy, I think we got the best ones.

Feng Shui - the Virg way

Finally on Sunday, Daddy's plans for a rock garden at the front door came to fruition.  While Mommy and Emmett were inside napping, Virg and Daddy worked diligently hauling big and small rocks from all around the yard to the front porch to become part of Daddy's masterwork.  It may appear that these rocks are defying the laws of physics, and yes they are.  In fact, no super glue or other adhesives or stabilizers were employed.  Daddy likes the idea that the products of all his painstaking labor may be knocked over and annihilated at any instant, in the tradition of the Tibetan sand mandala ceremonies symbolizing the Buddhist doctrinal belief in the transitory nature of material life. In terms of the Feng Shui value, the rock sculptures are funneling the chi energy in all sorts of crazy directions, and keeping the negative energy thoroughly confused at the front door.  Perfect!  

Here I am demonstrating what I like to call the

"crazy-rock-pointing-to-the-sky" pose.

Breathe in for 2, breathe out for 4,

and don't let Emmett bring that bulldozer in here!

The Uke Duke

Virg is really starting to get the hang of the whole singing thing.  He's now the biggest kid during preschool activity time, and he feels it obligatory to sing the loudest in the circle.  He is also becoming a rising star on the ukelele scene.  I bet you didn't know there is a whole underground ukelele movement bubbling just below the surface, ready to erupt violently at any time and take over in a giant wave of flowered shorts and flip-flops.  Well, actually, these folks are mainly interested in kicking back together around the BBQ and  transcribing some old favorites into ukelele tabs.  But, you could imagine, if they ever got really mad about something, things could get KAMEHAMEHA-crazy, in a hurry.

It's time for a little number I call "The Pineapple Express."

This school house really rocks!

It's back to school time, and the buses are back on the road.  Virg has been counting every one of them, and I can tell you, there have been at least "52-30" of them.  Virg can't wait for the time when he will be one of those school kids riding on the bus.  His first word was "bus"  (well maybe it was closer to his thirteenth word, but you get my point.)  He has spent months practicing his "waiting at the bus stop" pose.  He's got his Transformers backpack and his notebook computer, and he's ready to go.  If it weren't for the fact that Mommy wouldn't drop him off at the bus stop this morning, he would have been at the middle school down the street all day long.  But no matter, he will get his wish soon enough.  And the next time Mommy turns around, Virg will be headed off to college.  And then the next time Mommy turns around after that, if the job market doesn't pick up, Virg will be driving the bus.

Don't worry, I'm just using the Little People school bus

as a prop.  I'm really too big to get in.

Now this is what I'm talkin' about! 

I bet you wish you were riding the Fun Bus right now.

 

Watch out everybody!  Virg is gonna take you to school!

Seriously...it's time to rock!

When Daddy found this sweet little guitar and amp on eBay, Virg knew this was what Grandpa had been waiting for.  It was a rare Gretch Electromatic Pro Jet (and you could tell by the serial number it was one of the good ones, made in Korea before they moved manufacturing to China).  It was practically perfect in every way.  Virg only had to lower the action on the low E side a bit and replace the strings with flat wound Jazz strings.  And the smooth-as-cream finish and gold hardware just made it that much better.  You can't even pick it up without feeling all tingly, like rock and roll is flowing through your veins.  Now, armed with this most awesome instrument, it's Grandpa's destiny to join up with a progressive, psychedelic rock band and do some major sonic experimentation.

You've got to give props to the Maker on this one, little brother.  

It's so fine, it practically plays itself. 

Do I look like the lead guitarist of Pink Floyd?

Mini-golf - the way it was meant to be played

It seems like great golf tournaments get the best draw when they boast an exotic location with beautiful weather.  Virg's first game of mini-golf was no exception.  You can't get any better than August in Billings, Montana.  Just across the freeway from the Yellowstone River, and down the street from the Sleep Inn.  Who could ask for more?  18 holes with water features, tiny sand traps and a mini-mountain honey-combed with a maze of golf ball tunnels. Virg was the crowd's favorite, poised to win, with his best golfing outfit, and his faithful caddy, Daddy.  If he could have played past the 8th hole, he would have swept the competition.  But as it was, Mommy, graham crackers, and Nature were all calling...and Virg had to answer.

Ok daddy caddy, I think I can see the green from here. 

Let's start with a nine iron for the first swing. 

And where's my golf cart?

It's the second to last hole before Virg needs to call it a day,

and go back to the clubhouse for a snack. 

Daddy and Grandpa debate which putter to use to get the birdie. 

Is that a birdie in the hole?  Ok then, everybody just walk away

and pretend like we didn't see anything.

Little brother's got the will and the driver to make a great golf game.  There's only one thing missing...

By the power of Greyskull!...(and foam-rubber!)

I have to say, this was to be expected.  When you have two boys coming of age, and Daddy's best buddy in the U.S. Army sends them a birthday package in the mail, it's either going to be something to do with bacon grease (which was last Christmas), or a weapon.  However, frankly, I thought we had a few more years before we'd expect to see anything really interesting in the second department.  Clearly, I was wrong.  Major Rob was so prepared, so resourceful, and so creative as to provide each boy with an age-appropriate tool of destruction within their first three years of life.  And on top of it all, these wonderful gifts are made of foam, so they can be safely used inside the house.  The letter arriving with the package listed the many useful ways in which these tools can be used in creative construction, camping, and farming applications.  However, Mommy is not fooled. 

What amazing new feats of bashing await us?

Virg is starting to fit the pieces together...

By the power of Greyskull! 

(Watch out little brother, this hammer's coming down!)