Andrew and the boys put American flags in the cemetery beside the veterans. Grandpa Gietzen used to do this, then my Dad, now it seems Andrew gets to do it.

And supper and lunch and breakfast… By the time we’re through with this butcher steer our children should be a couple of inches taller and quite a few pounds heavier. I think this just might be one of my favorite things of farm / ranch life… raising our own home raised beef! Bom, bom, bom (play Aaron Copland’s Rodeo Hoe Down).

Now that summer is here I told the boys I’m going to try to at least go 14 days without repeating a pastry at breakfast. Thus far, the breakfasts have consisted of chocolate chip muffins, toaster strudels, and baking powder biscuits. The one common item is eggs.

Once the weather finally warms up we’ll be able to plant these in the garden!

Always a fun time to play yard games.

Simon enjoyed field day! He took first in the 400m dash, the 100m dash, the Gunnysack race, and second in the long jump.

A very patient father indeed with the help of his three sons planting strawberries.

It is much cooler today. Grandpa is taking the harrow and covering the seeds and sealing the field.

Our kindergartener graduated from kindergarten today. What a year!

Andrew brought in some blossoms from my mother’s bushes. They smell delightful!