June already

Just as you are getting HOT, we're cooling right down.  I even turned the fan off this morning!  It's lovely.  Oh, and if you've been wondering, things seem to have cooled off politically on the big island too.  The President issued a very well put "statement" condemning the attacks and reiterating his support for every person to religious freedom.  We haven't heard about any more violence since!

 The girls wanted mermaid outfits after watching Barbie Mermadia a couple months ago.  I resisted at first, but then thought, hey, there are not many things I can "give" them here on the island?  So, here they are.  I know belly buttons are peeping out, but these are a lot more modest than the actual costumes!  It was a fun project. 

 Every "cool season" the nice hotel up north closes for a couple months.  This year, we were BLESSED enough to get the standing invite to use the CLEAN pool!  It's been so nice for our Sunday afternoons.  Sometimes we take a picnic, always some yummy snacks and friends.  Unfortunately for mama, that water is FREEZING.  Well, gotta be in the 70's at least.

 2 or 3 weeks ago Avery came home with the tiniest splinter in her foot.  She is such a nightmare to work on, I decided to leave it and see what happened.  This past Thursday or so, having not mentioned it since the first day, she showed it to me before bed.  A huge boil had appeared!  We spent 3 days soaking it in hot water and bandaging garlic to it (not effective) and trying to poke it with a needle, to little avail.  But after swimming all Sunday afternoon, it was HUGE.  

We all headed to the car and were packing up when I looked in at Avery who was sitting with eyes wide in fear and dress pulled down over her foot.  She shrieked, "I don't want anyone to see it!!!"  So of course, I pull her dress away and spied a quarter inch thorn protruding from an angry red hole in her foot!  She'd squeezed it and out it popped!  We were all stunned that THAT had been in her poor, little foot!  So glad it's out.

So after the rains pummel us for a few weeks, Butterfly Season hits.  Last year it was simply the caterpillars and then chrysalises everywhere, we actually saw very few butterflies.  But this year we're ready.  We already found the first patch of butterfly eggs, now in Mayonnaise jar captivity, one caterpillar who may or may not have been the one to later make our first chrysalis, now in peanut butter jar captivity.  We also found this dying Cream Striped Owl Moth.  Different species, we know, but still very cool.  

This is a nice distraction since our garden is floundering.  Only two of our sweet corn plants (out of 10 or so) is still standing.  2 of the 4 watermelon plants are growing, though one looks pretty wrinkly.  The green bean plants sprouted fast and hard, but they're just sitting there now.  The green peppers and carrots that we thought were lost, however, are starting to go!  So, mixed results.  I'm not holding my breath to actually eat anything this year.

Thanks for all your love and prayers and support.  It means more to us than we could ever tell you.  Keep up the good praying, we need it!