Fruit of the Spirit No. 2: Joy.

Well, the kids were putting me through a mild hell on Sunday, as they coped with their Shakespeare-induced hangover. I attended church at the South Wedge Mission Sunday night, and got a good measure of the spiritual food I hadn't been able to enjoy at the morning service, consumed as I was with wrestling the kids into compliance. South Wedge Mission's service has a nourishing peace and palpable love to it; you should really go, if you're in the area. But by bedtime, another solo battle, I was fried again.

Still, when Leah told me that Monday was a good day for her to adventure with me to Lake Ontario, we packed our bags! This was prominent on my list of Things to Do in New York, you see. Equally prominent was the item: Visit Brown's Berry Patch. Guys, this place is so special, tucked as it is among the apple orchard, corn fiends and dairy farms that line this particular area of the lakeshore.

Somewhere among the goats and rabbits and outdoor play aids my throat loosened and my smile returned and I began to feel alive again.

Water table!

No more injunctions not to touch!

No more impatient Mummy.

The kids' little spirits just flew.

Behold, the Bunny Village!

There is even a Bunny Church! Miles believes the Big Sandy Rabbit is the priest.

Adele is getting better at photography:

Tai-Tai on a tire swing horse.

Look at our symmetrical rows of cousins:

Yet another Adele-in-peril shot, for my series. 

5 year olds on top, 2 year olds doing the work!

GoKarts. I mean, on top of everything else. 

Goat feeding time!

Adele's smile of Goat-Saliva delight.

Do you see this glee? I felt EXACTLY like this most of the afternoon.

And then there was this thing, guys:

We probably spent 30 minutes in there, flipping ourselves upside down and laughing fit to burst. No fear, no worries, just physical PLAY such as I rarely have the energy for as an adult. How have I become too weak to play? Oh children, show us the way!

Playing Attercop Spiders :-)

Classic Western New York sky. 

This calf and I are buddies.

After the attractions closed, it was berry picking time! Last year was blueberry year; this year:

We feasted on raspberry bliss.

Sticky fingers, full bellies, summer joy for the picking.

Thank you God for the good gifts of summer.