"Patrick and Abigail Visit........"

Last Friday, Patrick and Abigail drove up to visit......."and do some work".  We needed a few trees cut down, mainly some dead ones on the outside edges of a couple of clearings in the woods that Don wanted to have cut down before they fell down on anyone walking his trails.

The kids arrive (Julie had a meeting to attend for the Manistee Library) and after getting out of their truck, Abigail immediately begins checking out flowers, taking photos with her camera she got from us for Christmas, and collecting.......

We all followed Grandpa Don to the first of his clearings, where his "Ceremonial Circle" is, which had a couple of trees that needed to be felled.  Abigail lays her "collection" of items already picked up on the short walk to the 1st clearing, in the center of the Ceremonial Circle, before we all head to the other clearings to see what else Don wanted cleared.

As you can see, she has quite the collection of various "finds".

Off we go to the other clearings.......

We have a total of 3 natural clearings that Don is cleaning up.  His 1st one, the Ceremonial Circle, his 2nd, a larger clearing where he will be erecting a large tent with large screened porch for immersing himself in total "woods" and not being eaten alive by mosquitoes, and the 3rd, where we have set a deer lick.  Each clearing needed a couple of trees felled.

The photo below is clearing number 3.  Once Don sets up his tent, I will post a few photos.....

After showing us what he wanted cut, Don and Abigail leave to go exploring (Abigail does not like to be around the noisy chainsaw), stopping off at their truck first to change into a short sleeved teeshirt.  It was beginning to get warm.....

Patrick hard at work........

We worked our way back through the clearings until we were back at the Ceremonial Circle where several trees needed felling.  Patrick is now cutting the last one down, which was going to come down through the middle of the Ceremonial Circle.  Some good clean up was required afterwards.  ;)

After the last tree was down, we called out to let "our explorers" know that it was safe to come back and check Patricks work.

Abigail had found more items to set in the center of the Ceremonial Circle.

Abigail and Grandpa Don found all sorts of interesting items.

Even some of Grandpa Dons property marking tape......

Abigail definitely is NOT scared of bugs or other things found in the woods.  Here she is opening up one of those "thin skinned puff balls" that are found on some oak branches.

Back we go to the house so her Dad can shower and change before we go out to lunch.  We ate in Karlin at the restaurant/bar, the "Karlin Inn".  I'd forgotten I wanted to send home with them some Zucchini Relish that I had made, plus I had some fresh Deviled Eggs, too, so back to the house we went.  Abigail LOVES Grandpa's Deviled Eggs.  :)