The Girls at Plain View Farm

The First Annual Girls' Retreat at Plain View Farm was a smashing success!  For Sarah and me, it began with the arrival of the Coats girls (Mary and Rahila) for lunch on Friday.  After Pete visited with his sister for an hour or so, the four girls piled into the Coats van and headed for South Dakota.  Catching up with each other's lives, Mary and I chatted the whole way while the two teens entertained themselves with a movie on Rahila's portable DVD player.

We strolled through the further-updated Barna Velkommen - impressive!  Much of the siding is on; the cupboards (without doors) grace the kitchen walls, and all the windows offer beautiful views of the surrounding countryside.

I had volunteered to serve Friday's supper, so after hugs, unpacking and the tour of the Barn, I rolled out the biscuit dough and scorched their bottoms a little.  We feasted on Chicken Divan and biscuits, gabbed for a couple of hours, and turned in.  Summer has definitely arrived, and we could feel the heat in the upstairs bedrooms, but slept anyway.

Saturday morning brought eggs and sausage, served by Mary, and a "red-hot mama" talk as the aunties shared their accumulated wisdom about the facts of life with the nieces.  The perennial flower beds received attention from most of us, followed by a delicious salad lunch prepared by Judy.

 In the afternoon we napped, had facials and nail paintings,

 scraped the Spyse Hutte, and yakked some more!  After a feast of fried vegetables with couscous and quinoa, and a little more discussion about the upcoming PVF work reunion, the Coats and Crown Farm girls took off for Minnesota, chattering and watching another movie the whole way.

Much as we love our men, we thoroughly relished their absence.  I don't think we need fear becoming an auntie-dominated clan, as the Stadems were when I joined the family 27 years ago, since the entire older generation was female except for Dad Leroy.  The four Stadem men, plus John B, Bernie I, Todd S and several more, ensure that the male perspective is heard and seen.  It was pleasant to just have "girl talk,"

eat only vegetables, and not worry about clothes, hair or makeup.  I hope there will be many more!