It’s been raining a lot here lately. The other day there was sunshine outside our window and we sprang into action. There were so many outdoor projects we wanted to accomplish, we hardly knew where to start, but just got to work all over the place. Jeff cleaned leaves out of the gutters, then swept leaves off parts of the roof and removed some moss from the roof as well. I worked on some garden clean up and then while Jeff trimmed the huckleberry bush next to the house and pulled up ivy, I took wheelbarrow loads to the burn pile.

Bracken’s slide now had sidebars along the sides, the ones my dad and stepmom brought when they visited for the slide project. They make it easier to grab ahold when little ones are first getting on the slide and make the slide a bit safer too. It’s about the only thing I took pictures of, since my hands were so busy most of the time. I must say, I hoped Bracken would enjoy his slide, but I had no idea how much he would. He goes on it again and again and again. Climbing up the hill and going down again. Jeff and I join him and slide down a few times too. Jeff and I worked on outdoor projects for hours the other day and Bracken spent so much of that time having a blast on his slide. It makes him happy, it’s great exercise outside in the fresh air, and after a good period of time spent sliding and climbing he seems to fall asleep pretty quickly for his naps. I’m always thinking of things we can do in our yard to encourage more outdoor play, not that he has a hard time finding things to do out there (he’s always been much happier outside than in the house), I just love to make our yard a fun place.

Oh, we can certainly work on outdoor projects in the rain too. We can bundle up and it still feels great to be out there in the fresh air. But when the Oregon weather turns rainy, those sunny days here and there feel like such a treat and we can’t help but want to be out in it for as long as possible no matter how much work for the business we have to do inside. I hear sounds of our neighbors all around doing the same thing- chainsaws going and lawnmowers at work, it seems everyone steps out their door to see the sun’s face after those long rainy stretches.