A Happy Little Zoo

Yesterday Eli and I spent the day at a friend's farm. I refer to it as a "happy little zoo" because you never know what creatures you'll find there when you visit. The purpose of our visit was for me to teach my friend how to make soap.


Before we started our work, I checked out the honeycomb on the counter which contained a few baby bees from the new hives the family had just started. My friend told me they had enjoyed some fresh honeycomb on their toast the other morning. In the midst of our soapmaking, the lambs had to be fed - two sweet, three-week old babies whose Mama abandoned them to a third baby. Eli ADORED giving one its' bottle. It took absolutlely no time at all because those lambs sucked down their bottles quicker than you could say, "Jack Rabbit!" Another break in our soapmaking came when the post lady came to the door with a box of peeps to add to the crate in the living room which already contained a handful of older chicks. Such peeping and delight from chicks and children all around! Amidst all that, the telephone kept ringing off the hook as the two older girls took calls about the horse-riding lessons they are planning to give on their farm this summer. And, last but not least, a neighbor came to call about those lessons as well as a family member to use their computer for awhile!


We did manage to get our Sweet Orange & Clove Soap made and have a delicious lunch of veggie soup, sandwiches, fruit and Rice Krispies Treats. After tidying up, we looked through soap books and chatted about homeschooling over a cup of mint tea. We shared what we had heard at various seminars from the recent homeschool convention and made lists of books that the other recommended. Then E. and I headed home - eagerly sharing all we had seen and learned that day and proclaiming how much we always enjoy a visit to that happy place!