Barns and Boats

As elsewhere in the country, Colville has experienced higher than normal temperatures for most of the summer.  It's been in the mid to high 90's for several weeks now, and we will surely welcome the cooler autumn weather.  The heat, however, has only slightly impeded our construction of the barn.  Our progress has been slow, but not for lack of help (if that's what you want to call it!)  As always, Thane prefers to be in the thick of the action.  Here he is digging for fossils, er, helping shovel rock for our concrete.

He also decided to suspend his fear of riding the tractor for this project.  Thane is all Lentz:  two minutes of riding with Pappa and he was practically driving the tractor himself!

 

By the end of the day, Thane was a big, dirty mess!  (I'd show you the rest of his filthy little body, but we aren't that kind of blog!)

Luckily, our friend Tom invited us all out for a boat ride after spending a particularly hot Sunday working on the barn.  Our first stop was a small beach on the Columbia River,

where Annabel got to practice her swimming.  She's been taking lessons in town, and it's great to see her confidence grow along with her ability. 

Later in the evening, we meandered up the Kettle River - a first for me.  The Kettle is still and serene.  We saw lots of wildlife, and the kids had the time of their lives.

We hope that you are beating the summer heat, too!