Kittens, Zucchini, and Cheesecake--Oh My!

Meagan texted me a couple of weeks ago, wondering if I would like to come out to celebrate National Cheesecake Day. I never say no to cheesecake, so I headed right out.

I'm not a huge fan of baked cheesecake, since I generally prefer the light, fluffy rendition like Bill's Grandma used to make, but Meagan had found a new recipe, and tried out the springform pan she inherited from Aunt Ellen. 

The cheescake didn't last long. It was absolutely delicious!

The grandkids were thrilled to have all available grandparents on site when it wasn't even someone's birthday. They had been excited to start homeschooling that Monday, but they still had plenty of time to play with the kittens and create things. They had so much to show us!

The kittens had grown, and were at the cutest stage ever. The two mama cats had produced litters in June, about ten days apart, one on Meagan's birthday, and the other the night before Ari turned three. Surprisingly, the gray kittens in the second litter are bigger than the older, orange kittens, and both Mamas willingly nurse any and all kittens. They seem to be one, big, happy family.

Meagan wanted her kids to experience the joy of watching baby animals grow, so she has waited until each Mama had a litter before scheduling a necessary trip to the Vet. Theo gave birth to five orange kittens, but they are down to three healthy kittens now. 

 
Zippy had two, big, gray kittens. All of the kittens are well-loved and extremely tame.

Who can resist a six-week-old kitten?
 
Meagan grows a large garden each summer. In her quest to keep the raccoons at bay, she has surrounded her sweet corn patch with prickly zucchini and summer squash plants. She tells me that this method works quite well, except for the overabundance of produce. She shares zucchini freely, and her family eats zucchini, in some form, almost every day. Still, she has an excess for the kids to use as they wish.


Tobin introduced his sisters to the fine art of carving zucchinis. Using a plastic sand shovel, they have carved zucchini bowls and cups, and their favorite--zucchini horns.


You can watch this video to hear a unique, zucchini horn rendition of the Star Wars theme song. (Notice the garden and chicken coop in the background.)



Not to be left out, little Ruthie has perfected her crawling skills, and is working hard at learning to walk.

Life in a big, homeschooling family is always busy, and never dull. Right after I got home from celebrating National Cheesecake Day, Meagan texted me a picture of Tobin and Evie, all dressed up in their best flycatching gear, ready to chase down and dispose of any flies that had dared to enter their house.

Flies, beware!

  • Start children off in the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.  Proverbs 22:6
  • I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. 3 John 1:4
  • Children's children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children. Proverbs 17:8




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