Life in Lyman: Orphan Anne

“I’m an orphan!” my youngest said to her friend proudly.

“No your not!”

“Yes I am! My mom and dad said so!”

Life in Lyman: Lost & Found

We just stopped at my parents for a minute to pick up 2 children. Surely Pria would be OK in the front yard. As we planned to leave we called for her and she didn't come. Then we heard the fireworks from down the street. She hates fireworks. We looked and called and looked and called the police and looked until dark. It was no use, she could be anywhere and fireworks were going off all over town.

Pria likes Brenda the best and so Brenda was missing Pria the most. It was a tough night. I made a lost dog poster and first thing in the morning we went to the store and made copies. We hung up a copy of the poster in the store and went to my parents home to pick up the children so they could help hang up posters. I began trimming a small version of the poster to hand out at the fourth of July parade if necessary. As I trimmed away there was a joyful scream "Pria! Here girl. Here girl. I found her!" yelled my son. Pria had returned a bit damp but in one piece. The relief cheered everyone up and I discovered something about myself. I make good Lost Dog posters.

Life in Lyman: Sit

After 10 years the rope finally breaks and our swing is a sit. I am so glad it didn't involve a visit to the emergency room. This is how it went down.

Dad! Dad! We get a new swing. Isn't it funny? Can I be on a stamp now?

Life in Lyman: Not Math

Bad grades in Algebra. How can that be? It can be because she reads all day. We had to ground her from books.

It still didn’t work she kept reading in class. So Brenda set the plan into action. She gave the teacher permission to take the book and then sing (to the tune of If your Happy and You Know It) I am the meanest mom in the world.

Life in Lyman: Scattered Sunshine

As we left for our doctors appointment/wedding/family reunion last week I locked the front door and walked past out front flower bed on the way to the car. We have been getting complements since the flowers started to bloom. I would take some credit, but all credit belongs to a kind neighbor who planted it for us when we were in Salt Lake recovering from Liver Transplant. The neighbor is the kind of gardener that plants with a ruler. All of the plants are just the right height and just the right distance apart.

That is why I was curious about the 50+ little green sprouts about one inch high scattered throughout the flower bed. I could tell that they were sunflowers. So on our drive I asked Brenda about the sunflowers in the flower bed she smiled and blamed it on my daughter who immediately gave her the credit for the idea. Scattered sunshine is growing among the meticulously measured and planned. I guess some randomness keeps life interesting.

Life in Lyman: Kids

Goats can climb trees. I’ve heard about it, but now I’ve seen it. It makes sense, they climb mountains. Well, goats also like more than anything else, the one thing that is just out of reach. They climb and strain and struggle when right around them is all they could ever want. I guess there is a good reason baby goats are called kids.

Life in Lyman: Mt Everest

When everyone comes home from camping trips they bring a mountain of work with them. I never knew we had so many clothes. I helped fold and fold and fold. Just when I thought we were making progress another mountain would loom up before us. The white flag at the top is not a victory flag, it is for surrender. I think unlike Everest, laundry is a mountain that no one will ever finish climbing.

Life in Lyman: Chicken Hypnotism

It’s not dead. It is just hypnotized. I can't believe it myself. All it takes is a chicken, the ground and a stick. Gently lay the chicken down on the ground. Draw an arch in the dirt around the head of the chicken and after a moment you can let go and the chicken will just lay there. My two oldest daughters are great hypnotists.

No animals were harmed in the creation of this stamp.

Life in Lyman: Lone Man

Whenever Brenda hears about a man not treating his wife well, she says that he will be a lone man in the Garden of Eden. You should know, I did not do anything to deserve being a lone man.

The older girls are at camp and Brenda took the others to Island Park. I have been home alone for the past two days. It is very quiet, except for the goats. I have been working on several projects and have be productive. But, it is very quiet. Hard to sleep quiet. So while I am not a lone man, I am alone man.

Besides, If you really want to know the truth, I just wanted to show off my scar.

Life in Lyman: Parrot Piñata

Two days before Halloween and the costumes are done. The kids wanted to be parrots and Brenda sewed long strips of material onto a sweatshirt to simulate feathers. The kids loved them and wore them all around the house. They did end up looking a bit more like a piñata than a parrot, but the kids didn’t care.

We went into town to the grocery store and the children were still wearing the costumes. Brenda and my 13 year old daughter happily dressed in her costume went in to the store.

Let’s review: 2 days before Halloween, 13 year old girl, costume made with bright colored fabric cut in long strips, waiting in the check out line. That is why it confused the young hispanic boy. He stared at her in disbelief and kept saying ¿Por Qué? ¿Por Qué? ¿Por Qué?

I want to know why myself.

Why would a 13 year old girl dress up like a piñata and go to the store? ¿Por Qué?

Life in Lyman: Drawing Dragons

My 12 year old likes to draw dragons. Here is her favorite, Flower. Flower is a nature dragon that breathes flowers.

After seeing the drawing, Brenda said she wishes that when she opens her mouth that flowers would come out, but that just isn't the case.

Life in Lyman: Pretty in Pink

"What if everything in the world were pink?" said my five year old. "The Flowers, and grass, and trees, and clouds. Would you like that mom?"

"No." said Brenda.

"Oh yeah," she said, "Then boys wouldn't like it."

I agree.

As a boy I have vivid memories of pushing my Tonka Truck around the block. Ku chunk, Ka chunk, Ka chunk, as I ran over the cracks in the sidewalk. I could feel the vibration in my teeth the whole time hearing the grinding of metal against metal and the grit of the plastic wheels on concrete. It is such a good memory that it makes me think in order for life to really be good, some things just have to be yellow.

Life in Lyman: Going Postal

What was the postman thinking when he post marked this? Postal and pretty uptight that someone might try to use a lightly post marked stamp. It should be obvious that there was postage on this. I can't believe they would send it back for more.

I have run out of stamps and won't be able to get to the post office for a few days and didn't want anyone to worry. Life in Lyman, is pretty good right now and I am going to enjoy some time with my family outside of Lyman for a few days.

I think I need to give our local postman a chance to cool down.

Life in Lyman: Toothless Fairy

Tooth number three came out yesterday morning. She is so excited about loosing teeth that she really worked on this one and it still had a pretty good root attached.

Now, you know the drill. Under the pillow, money in the morning. But the tooth fairy didn't come. Shame on the tooth fairy! The tooth fairy's spouse must have been out of town visiting family. That is the only explanation for a botched tooth heist.

" My tooth is still under my pillow! The tooth fairy didn't come. Oh well," said my Toothless Fairy with a smile. "Maybe the tooth fairy will come tonight."

Life in Lyman: Eden

I think we live in the children's Garden of Eden. Every day there is something new to discover and scare your little sister with. My oldest daughter caught a snake today. It spent a half an hour in a jar and produced a satisfying scream from her little sister. There is a little bit of evil in that smile.

Life in Lyman: Fish Farming

Brenda was talking to the neighbor and he mentioned that he was stocking his pond (aka gravel pit) with fish and wondered if she wanted to buy some fish and fish food. And just like that, we are fish farmers.

I have known about our new farming venture for a few weeks now, but I wasn't too surprised or even very interested. I really am a city boy who likes a little more space. So becoming a farmer isn't high on my list of dreams. A dog, 10 chickens, 3 goats, and now 25ish fish.

Last night we stopped by to feed the fish and it was really cool. The best part is when it comes time to eat them, none of them will have names.

Life in Lyman: Click-ity-Click-ity-Click-ity

We have great new neighbor. They moved in almost a year ago and remodeled an old shop into a dance studio and started teaching clogging lessons. It has been wonderful for all of the children. A big concert was the grand finale for the dance season. All of the children did a wonderful job. My oldest daughter received an award for The Most Improved clogger of the season. When she dances you can tell she is having a great time, the wide smile on her face never fades.

Life in Lyman: Time Flies

Time flies, but should it? I guess that it depends on if it is made of gold , is connected to a chain and is flying around your head. SMACK! right in the middle of her forehead. She didn't cry as the bump grew but her entire face silently said out loud, "That was pretty stupid, huh."

Life in Lyman: Whiteout

It rained, it poured and I found out that goats can scream. I thought that they usually made a fair amount of noise but they can make more. I was in the house and heard them. Whiteout was on a leash that just let him put his head under some play equipment. So I went out and made each of them a shelter just in time for the rain to stop. At this point we were all wet and quiet. I decided to show the quiet Whiteout in his wet coat instead of the screaming Whiteout because it might make some people afraid of goats. Goats really are very nice people.

Whiteout is a LaMancha/Nigerian Dwarf cross and yes, his ears are really that small.

To make this fit for Illustrationfriday.com: A goat craving sunshine.

Life in Lyman: Flax

In "Life in Lyman" I choose flax as our national flower. Everyday, fresh in the morning, the flax is in bloom dripping with dew. During the day the wind removes the petals and the sun bleaches the few that remain to white. But, The next morning they are back and ready for a new day.

The first time I remember noticing flax was on our Honeymoon. I picked a small bouquet of it for Brenda. Since then I have loved it. It is a roadside reminder filled with great memories.

We have had a pretty good patch of of in the back yard until this year, but FYI,  goats love to eat flax.