Lick Creek Bean Blossom

I know I am not in Southern California anymore when the cities have names like, "Bean Blossom" and streets have names like, "Lick Creek," "Bear Wallow," and "Possum Trot"

There is always something going on in the Miller family.  I guess when you have 5 sons, 3 daughter-in-laws, 3 grandkids, and a 120-person close-as-family church congregation meeting 15 steps from your front door, there is a lot going on.  

I think aside from breakfast, I have eaten very few meals inside.  Mostly we have "cook-outs" because no one "BBQs" in Indiana unless you are actually using BBQ sauce; and no even has "BBQs," but only "grills."  This is what the native Hoosiers explained to me while rolling their eyes at my west coast ignorance.

The grandkids were around the house for a couple days so I also had a few picnics with them in the front yard and out by a small lake behind the house. We have also done a bit of swimming in an above ground 3-foot pool over at the oldest Miller brothers house.  It may not be very deep or very big, but it is so refreshing in the heat of the day.  Plus it is great for making whirlpools and tossing the kids around.

Not the best of everyone, but you can see our little picnic spot sitting beside the lake. 

 This lake is up behind the Miller house where we had our picnic.

 The little guy pooped out after all our playing.  He pooped out literally, and figuratively of course.

Seriously, does it get much cuter than this???  Carson struttin his stuff in his speedo.

I have worked over a full week at my job now and am serving tables on my own.  It has been a bit hectic, but I know it will take a bit for me to get the hang of it.  Plus the restaurant is still working out their system in the kitchen so that they do not hold up the food too long.  It will be an alright job for the summer, but I do not think I would want to work there longer! Its rather stressful serving in a brand new restaurant!

I have had some more "firsts" this past week.  I rode a power mower, the kind you sit in that have a 0 degree turn radius.  I have not actually mowed yet, we just use it to drive back and forth to the house from the pool whenever anyone needs a bathroom run.  I got laughed at the first time I drove it, it was awkward to steer.  And anytime this, "California girl" does anything new the Miller brothers like to poke fun at me.

I saw what a tick looks like, so now I know what to look for.

I rode a donkey named Jill, and I could practically put my feet on the ground while I was sitting on it.  The couple who owns Jake and Jill pretty much treat them like dogs and take them for walks on leashes.  So that was also a first, seeing a family have donkeys for "children."  Oh, and Jill also tried to eat my shorts while I was petting her, it about knocked me over.

I also rode a horse around a bit.  I have ridden them a few times before, but only on trails where I was following the horse in front of me.  So this time I could ride it around the yard and learn how to steer a bit.  I also successfully swung into the saddle without using the stirrups, on my second try.  I am basically a redneck.

This next one looks like I may be falling, but I am in the middle of swinging into the saddle.  Quite attractive I know.....

I played corn hole, a staple at every summer cook out here in Indiana.  Its similar to washers.  You toss beanbags into angled pieces of plywood with a hole near the top.  Sounds kinda lame, but its pretty fun.  But I am quite terrible at it, something which time will fix I hope.