Schumachers' Preserve for Tots and Critters

Here is a shot of the latest project Kevin has been working on; actually, he's been working on this one along with the other projects he's completed this year; Kevin has been quite the busy rascal!
It all began with a swing set for The BoyZ. Who are The BoyZ? Well, Evan and Eric, our favorite grandsons, of course. In anticipation of the first visit where they could actually play outside, Kevin began construction on a huge play set that consists of two swings, a slide and a 'climbing wall'. That swing set now boasts a gigantic black "Captains' Flag" (it is really a pirate flag but Evan and Eric call pirates captains and pics to follow soon).
Out on the other side of the garage is a little boys' dream; a humongous (is that big enough?) dirt mound with plastic shovels and rakes and hoes and even a big yellow Tonka truck. Their mother tells me that long before they pull up into the driveway, Evan and Eric are talking about "playing in the dirt" and going to the park at Kpaw's and Beema's house. It has been so much fun to show the little guys something new every time they come to visit. The last visit Kpaw had a little three-ring pool set up and ready to go. When they boys came in the house, I took Evan over to the dining room window and told him to look outside. "Ohhhhh! A pool, Beema!! It's a pool for me!" The exclamations, the excitement, the absolute happiness of a 3 and 4 year old are priceless joys.
And this is my opportunity to save and savor all of that.
Now, back to our little chippie there. We seem to have two sizes; large and TINY. The big guy is probably about as big as a cell phone and the TINY guy, who's name now is Tiger, is half that size. They scoot and scamper all about the front deck and all over the property looking for the seeds and peanuts that Kevin puts out for the critters. Tiger has burrowed his way under the house somehow and made himself a little home over in the master bedroom corner. I guess we'll leave him there as long as he doesn't chew himself into the house, he's rather warm and protected where he is.
So yesterday as I was standing on the front deck with Kevin, he was enticing Tiger up close by rattling a peanut. Tiger wasted no time coming in for a treat that is almost as big as he is. I stood very still as he came up and took that peanut right out of Kevin's hand, it was just too cute. And off he ran, rattling down the stairs to his secret lair to stash another prize.
Happy summer!