Life on the homestead just got a bit livelier—we’re happily dog sitting our grand dogs for the next two weeks! With two more pups joining our resident duo, we’ve officially shifted into pack mode. Four dogs, two humans, and one busy patch of land—what could go wrong?

Lucky for us, nature is putting on a bit of a show this year. Our maple trees have outdone themselves with seed production, and the local wildlife has noticed. At one point, we counted six squirrels (both gray and red) and two chipmunks swarming the yard, cheeks stuffed, tails twitching, and fully invested in the feast.

While our “big dogs” (our full-time, farm-raised labs) have seen it all and mostly shrug at the activity, the “little dogs”—aka the grand dogs, lovingly referred to as the city dogs—are over the moon. Imagine having your entire day defined by the movement of rodents. That’s pretty much their current reality. Every squirrel scurry is a full-blown event.

Three out of the four dogs know the boundaries of the yard like the back of their paws. But the youngest of the little dogs is still getting her bearings. With the summer evenings settling in and our firefly population lighting up the back field, we’ve switched to what we now call “lightning bug mode.”

We found these fantastic light-up collars that help us spot the little ones as they dart through the dusk. Total game changer. Plus, they’re adorable—tiny glowing orbs bouncing through the grass, blending right in with the fireflies. It’s one of those small things that make you stop and smile.

To order your own light up dog collars, give these a try!

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Whether you’re wrangling dogs, watching squirrels from the porch, or just enjoying the glow of a firefly-lit evening, homesteading reminds us that joy often shows up in the chaos.