Fun with friends

I suppose that I ought to finish my Canadian trip series but I just HAVE to share with you about Prairie Days which was at the Mark and Lynette Dagley farm this past weekend. It was wonderful, as usual, and here are some of my favorite photos from the event.
I had volunteered to teach a puppetry class.  Lynette has been asking me to get folks started with puppets for years so I thought, "Well, I really DO want Christian families to know how to share the love of God through puppets," so I agreed to do it.
In the morning I taught the simple steps of how to make sock puppets.  It was a ball to see the creativity of everyone!  This is my friend, Louisa, who is married to my friend, Tim, modeling her cute creation.  Lynette, our hostess, has on the black hat.  Lynette is always interested in what is going on.  She enjoyed the puppet making process even though she had her own puppets--one from girlhood.
In the afternoon, I taught basic puppetry and we practiced our songs.  After supper, young and not so young, gathered together under the tent to praise God with our hands.  Puppets are sooo much fun!!!!  It made me so happy to see the children walking around that evening with their puppets on their hands.  One even had her puppet on at the campfire! 

Andrew had made these huge feet for races.  Three people are needed and it really is quite difficult, and a whole lot of fun, to try to coordinate efforts to move forward.  Turning around to head the other way is a HUGE challenge.  Thanks, Andrew, for this new contribution to Prairie Day fun!

As usual, the zip line was a very popular attraction.  This little girl found the courage to give it a try knowing that her grandfather was waiting for her on the other end.  Hang on tight!

I so love being with children.  I must have spent an entire hour listening to this group of children from 3 different families.  They were sheltered in a little tree fort that somebody had built just for little people.

Can anyone guess who this is?

I enjoyed visiting with Liz Dagley who was selling home made lemonade and goodies.  I had to chuckle when she said, "I'm not a very good business woman.  You'd not believe how many little people have begged me for free lemonade or cookies and GOTTEN them."  I chuckled but noticed that some of them were proud to pull out their wallets and shell over their quarters like this fine gentleman.  ;)

These 2 sleeping beauties lay beside Liz's lemonade stand totally impervious to all of the activities going on around them.  :)  I told Liz that they reminded me of Cora and her cousin who is 40 days older than her.  We have several pictures like this of those 2 precious girls.

 This was our neighbor in Dagley Park, Carrie.  Now Carrie's family are dear friends of the Bartletts so it was very nice meeting them.  It sort of made up for the Bartletts not being able to attend, but not really!

Now, these 2 young ladies with Cora are our new neighbors.  Cora had, at the last minute, invited them to come along with us.  We were pretty surprised when they said, YES, but totally delighted.  Loretta and Sarena are from a home school family about 150 miles from here.  Both girls added much to the weekend.

 The boys and I slept in the tent because all 3 girls wanted to sleep in the girls tent.  We camped far enough away from them this year so we didn't hear them giggling half the night.  The only problem was that I was coooooooold most of the night and woke early to warm myself by the fire.  Kristi--I MISSED YOU!!!

 There was a time to dress up like someone special from the past.  Can you see Dianna and Anne here or is it really "Just" Miranda and Cora?

 Here I am with "My" old friend too.  Nancy Balyeat and I are Prairie Days friends for 10 years now.  I was so excited when she shared with me how to make water keifer.  I got really inspired to make my own probiotics instead of paying a dollar a piece for the "Very best," from the health food store.  Thanks for sharing with us all, Nancy!

 Andrew snapped this of me right before he asked me to take over the picture taking function using his camera.  In other words, my iPod camera is a piece of junk in his opinion.  ;)  Why should I complain?  I had great fun playing around with his VERY expensive camera all day.

 I wonder how many happy hours I've spent in this lady's kitchen?  The answer to that question just has to be, "Not enough."  Thank you Mark and Lynette for opening up your home to all of us every year for Prairie Days--and at other times of the year too!!!  I am so happy for you to have such a lovely home and so greatly blessed that you share it so openly!

I always enjoy visiting with my old friend, Steve.  He was living up at Paulette's health center when I was up there convalescing 6 years ago and has been a special friend ever since.  Steve is FULL of ideas to build community and to sustain life in an emergency.

 Jacob, Chris, and I enjoyed visiting and listening to Steve.  I was sad to have missed Chris's herb walk this year but I was busy in the dining room helping everyone who wanted to learn how to create a sock puppet buddy at that time.  Maybe next year?

Lynette begged Cora and I to play some piano duets on Sunday morning--so we did.  Playing with Cora is like jumping into a swimming pool on an immensely hot day OR drinking a cup of hot chocolate after freezing during chores in the Winter.  Either way, it is IMMENSELY refreshing!

There was lots of good wholesome music outside! Here are our friends, Tim and Jonathan, who have played together forever.  They did some really awesome songs and some really corny ones.  Either way, I loved them.  I especially enjoyed bidding with Andrew in the auctioneer song. :)

Are there ever pretty girls at Prairie Days and many of them love to sing praises to the Lord.  If you know me at all, you know how much I love hearing the Lord praised through singing.  Something about hearing young people praising the Lord gives me hope for the world.

To summarize then-- the men visiting together;

the women of all ages helping with the food duties;

the children of all ages playing together for 2 whole days,

This is Prairie Days to me!

Maybe next year you all can join us at Dagley Park for more wholesome family fun and fellowship?
From what Mark and Lynette tell me, EVERYONE IS WELCOME!  Thanks Mark and Lynette, and  your awesome family, for all that you do to make us feel special in your lovely neck of the woods!!!

 In the words of Tiny Tim, "God bless us--every one." 

I would add, "He already has!"