Uncle Josh, we have a picture of “Machu Picchu”. He is the baby caterpillar. We were waiting for him to get big so we could get a good picture for you.
HE HE HEÂ 🙂
He is getting ready to make his chrysalis. He is in the “J” shape hanging upside down getting ready to “spill his brains.” At least that is what it looks like 😉
Here is a picture of his chrysalis.
We got a video of America hatching . Here is the Butterfly Video!!!!
The baby is not a baby any more, he is making his chrysalis and we will post a picture soon.
Today we saw a calf being born!!!!!!!!!
We went to the fair to see if we could fix Daddy’s hat. Audrey wanted to see the calving center. So we went. One of the cows was having contractions when we got there. We stayed for a little bit and Daddy went to get some food while we were watching.
The calf stuck its hooves out a couple of times. Then two of its hooves came out, then its tongue came out, then its head came out. Then it came out the rest of the way a lot quicker! They had to put a chain on it to help pull it out because it was BIG!
When it was born the vet that was there, did a quick check up, gave the mom a shot and checked to see if there was a twin 😕 Then they told us that the calf was a she. Momma cow started licking and licking. We were told it helped with her milk and it removed any trace or smell of a baby being born in the area. Before cows were domesticated, wolves and other meat eaters would smell the baby and come looking for some food.
We saw the baby try to stand a few times. But we had to leave.
We also got to milk a cow, except for Adrian who touched the cow.
We had a really fun day!
On Monday, Redoubt got out of her chrysalis! She emerged around 11:30. All of the other ones emerged earlier so we thought she was slow. Esther, Georgie and Aunt Gerry came to see her emerge. Esther saw the last half, but everybody else was in the car!
After she emerged, we went to the Bookworm and Grandma and Grandpa’s house. They were having a party for Great Grandma.
When we got home we fed her and gently took her out back where we have some flowers. Then we let her free. She landed on one of the flowers and then flittered away to a tree. We all yelled, “Goodbye Redoubt!”.
America should emerge next week, and the little caterpillar is growing.
Enjoy the pictures!
If you want to read about blueberry picking yesterday, click here.
 Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you,
 Happy Birthday Dear Great Grandma Bea
Happy Birthday to you!
This is part of Great Grandma’s family. Aunt Gerry, Grandpa, Grandma, Esther, Momma in the back.
Great Grandma, Andrea, Me, Adrian and Georgie are on the swing. Audrey is on the ground.
Please write Great Grandma a note!
Yesterday Audrey wanted Funnel Cakes at the 4HFair but Mama said, “we can make them at home.”
So here is the
Recipe for Funnel Cakes
Combine eggs, milk and brown sugar in large bowl. Add flour and baking powder and mix until smooth.
Heat oil in large cast iron skillet to 375 degrees. Cover the bottom of a funnel spout with your finger and pour in about 1/2 cup batter. Hold funnel several inches above hot oil remove finger and carefully pour batter in a criss cross pattern.
Fry for 2 minutes per side or until golden brown.
Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar. Let cool just a bit and eat warm.
Wash dishes 😕
WARNING! Do not make these and elephant ears at the same time.
You might get sick.
Today for lunch we made pancakes. Here is Momma’s home made recipe for pancake mix. It is from the More with Less Cookbook Oma gave her when she married Daddy. She says it is her favorite cookbook.
Pancake Mix 
6 cups white flour
3 cups whole wheat flour (or buckwheat, cornmeal or rye flour)
3 cups quick oats
2 cups wheat germ
1 Tablespoon salt
3/4 cup baking powder
3/4 cup sugar (you can use a little less if you want)
4 cups powdered milk
Mix all these ingredients well and store in an airtight container. When you want to make pancakes, combine 1 1/2 cups pancake mix with one beaten egg, 1 cup water and 2 tablespoons oil. It makes enough for 3 or 4 people. We double the recipe and sometimes need more!
Remember when we made maple syrup?  When we opened it, we discovered it was not quite boiled down enough. So we reboiled it the other day. We went down from 4 pints to 2 and Daddy said it could have been boiled more. Momma stopped so it would not go down to sugar. The syrup tasted good!
I want to boil syrup again next year. We already have the tubing. Hint for boiling it inside–Use a dehumidifier!
On Friday we went to First Friday in Goshen. This month they had face painting and balloons! There were lots of old and new cars cruising!
Here’s a close up picture of my rattlesnake that Grandma will LOVE!
On the fourth of July we went Oma’s. We had a picnic. We played outside. We also did some fake snakes. You lit a match under them and they caught on fire. Instead of being pellets they turned into snakes. Adrian called them scat.
On Sunday, we went to watch fireworks at Black Squirrel Golf Course. They had a Civil War encampment were we got to talk to some re-enactors. They told me a lot.
The Civil War uniforms were H O T. Hot! They were made of wool. The men always had to wear a vest or a jacket along with a shirt and pants. Or they were considered naked. They could not say body parts in “mixed company” so they made words for chicken like “white meat” instead of breast or “drumstick” instead of leg.
Most of the soldiers were around 18.
One half of the soldiers died because of dehydration and sickness. When you were marching you would sweat about a quart a day. They had water canteens that held a quart of water. Sometimes they could only get yucky water to drink.
Momma thought it was interesting that more Union soldiers died after surgery then Southern soldiers. The Union used silk stitches because they were supposed to be the best. But the Southern doctors could not get silk so they used horse tail hair. It was to coarse to stitch with until they boiled it. That 
sterilized it and kept the wounds cleaner!
On their uniforms the stripes meant the rank. Three blue stripes with a triangle on the top was an artillery corporal. Three blue stripes with flags on top was a flag corporal. I don’t remember what the white and red stripes meant.
It was a fun weekend!
  
