PIGLETS

It's been a big week at the Tilted T Ranch. We added parakeets and piglets to the mix. Dad put up the pen, the electric fence, and pulled out the old watering system. Then it was off to Brookfield to pick up the piglets. This year we are raising 6. We plan to keep two for ourselves and sell off the rest. Bacon, cured ham, it's all in the works.

We have been camping out on the land. Watching daddy teeter on the rickety ladder as he fills the watering pole has been some free entertainment out there. The kids love playing in the grass and winter rye we planted last year. It makes for great hidden trails and perfect hiding spots to jump out and scare the humans. Nootch always wears her camo clothes for the added effect. Now if she can only get her friends out there to play with her...it would be perfect.

We are still working on hooking up the right pump to our well so daddy doesn't have to climb that rickety ladder anymore.

PARAKEETS

The day came.... She made the purchase. Say hello to Lemon and Lime!

First Tooth Fairy Visit! : Cape Cod

CAPE COD FISHING

POWER +
POLES +
SOME STRATEGY =

BIG FISH (Striped Bass)

CAPE COD

We had a little vacation with some of our best friends. The beach and the swimming at the pool were highlights for the kids.

We stayed at in Falmouth. At the home of our friend's mom's house. The kids loved playing with their friends and having a 72 hour slumber party! We all enjoyed our time at the cape.

Can you see the mating horseshoe crabs? That was pretty cool.

BOSTON AND CAPE COD

We went on a small trip to Boston and Cape Cod toward the end of June. We and 4,000,000 Bruin fans thought it would be a great idea to take the train into the city the day after the Bruins won the Stanley Cup. It ended up being quite a day in the city. Thankfully the North End Italian Markets and Mike's Canolli's made the adventure worth while.

We had a nice visit with the aunt and uncle and cousins. Then off to Cape Cod to visit with our friends.

Scrapbooking

These rainy days are perfect for getting those odds and ends taken care of. Daddy has been working hard on the scrapbook project this weekend. It's fun for all of us to remember little experiences from our trip. This is where all our tickets and scraps get displayed. It's quite a fancy project. It's awesome!

Touch A Truck!

This is one of our big June events here in Montpelier. It is a fund raiser for our city recreation department. Big trucks.... fire trucks, ambulances, cement mixers, highway snow plows, school bus, dump trucks, fuel trucks, taxi's, police cars, bull dozers, excavators, 18 wheelers, etc. all park on the high school track and open their doors for kids to climb in. It's a fun horn honking experience for the kiddies!

There was a surprising turnout of trucks this year despite the pouring rain. It was kind of cold too.

Capital Picnics

This was the first of many summer picnics on the state house lawn. We live walking, I mean biking distance to our state capital. It is one of our favorite summer spots. Soon the Capital City band will start performing on the lawn. Dinner picnics are fun too.

FORT BUILDING

This is still a Team T favorite! This time the kids had to use their own room. It was quite a project. It kept the parents out of their room for sure!! Lots of fun!

Kids Track Meet

This was our third year at the Kid's Central Vermont Track Meet. What a great activity for kids here in Montpelier. Every year kids preschool-5th grade can participate in this four event track meet. This was our little guy's first year participating. They started with the long jump. The 1/4 mile (1 trip around the track) was the highlight event. Little Nootch ran quite a race. She squeezed past an older girl to finish 2nd. Then the softball throw and finishing out with the 100 yard dash. Something happened right off the start to Little man T at the beginning of his 1/4 mile race. He ended up falling 5 sec. into the race with scuffed knees and it ended his track meet experience for the day. The smiles finally came back when he heard his name called. He limped up to get his medal and wore it proudly the rest of the evening.

Saturday June 4th Montpelier's Annual Fashion Show

A big annual event on State Street. Zumba demonstrations and lots of fashion!! Montpelier shows it's cultural diversity!

Calais Projects

There has been a lot of wood to be cut and stacked the last couple of weeks.

BIG STORM MAY 27,2011

Many people have heard that we had some severe weather here last week. Our FB pages have some photos from the aftermath.

East Montpelier, Plainfield, Barre, and Montpelier were hit pretty hard. Roads washed out all over the area.

The storm started around 7pm and lasted into the night. Violent winds, thunder, lightning, torrential rain and hail.

Fortunately, our property is not in the flood plain. We watched the storm from our third floor. Well, some of Team T braved the conditions on the deck until they could no longer keep a handle on the kiddie pool.

It was a pretty tense storm. The rivers rose and flooded the town. Mostly basements were effected of the local businesses. We continue to be slammed with T-storms.

WELL IN EAST CALAIS,VT

We are excited to have water out in Calais. This was our big land improvement over the last few weeks. We will no longer have to haul water out to camp.

This will be important, especially later in the summer when the piglets come.

We had our own little well christening ceremony. We still need to add the pump. Style and design are still being assessed.

Yum! It is good stuff!

Riding Bikes and Hot Wheels

This is what we do every nice day we can. We ride all over town and stop by some of our favorite places.





State and Main St. in the heart of town
















La Brioche for muffins and cookies













Positive Pie 2 For slices and see daddy

















Our neighbors house

LETTER D is Funny

D is for Dots!

MONDAYS ARE GREAT FOR PAINTING

This week we were inspired to paint.

ALLOWANCE

Here is one responsible kiddo....

She's saving for some parakeets.

CAMP: PROJECTS

It is the peak of Black Fly season. The kids and dad don't seem to mind. We did take refuge in the camper this week. It was cleaned out. The kids enjoyed the camp toys which include Z- cards.

Daddy freed up the remaining blueberry bushes and built this lovely patio outside the camper. The kids braved the cold stream and black flies. Some big rocks were freed in the blueberry patch that made a great hole for a "tiger" to hide in. It was covered with branches and bushes. Think Swiss Family Robinson. Needless to say, we are all a bit scratchy this week.

BLACK FLY FESTIVAL, Adamant, VT

It's that time of year again! Why not celebrate these little pests! Dad and daughter were judges for the pie contest this year. Mom bought a new "netted jacket so she could tolerate camping out on the land this weekend. These little flies bite and they always come out in May. The season is short, thank god! The little town of
Adamant (part of Calais) always has a festival every year. A tiny parade, some homemade food, and a pie making contest is all part of the fun. One activity unique to this festival is swatting black flies. It's free!

PRESCHOOL AT HOME

It's time.... With help from big sister, he's learning those letters and sounds!

CHRISTMAS IN MAY ??

For kids that have been away from their toys for 6 months!!

Camping in Calais....

We have a new set up on the land. Walls and a make shift bunk bed for the kids!

Team T will probably spend a good chunk of the summer out here.

Our kids need a lot of time to play in the woods.

SPRING IN VERMONT

WILD RAMPS YUM! These onions are so sweet! Steam them, stir fry or bake them into bread! All you need is a good eye, a shovel, and a bucket. Go out and forage!