Summertime and...

...talk about livin' easy...

The last day of school was a half day just this past Monday.

And yet.

Already.

On the way home from the beach today.

It took us a couple minutes

to figure out

whether today was

Wednesday

or

Thursday.

Peace.

Toady

The girls caught this handsome toad this week.

As usual, the 8yo was the one to spot it and the 10yo was the one to actually catch it. They caught it very near where we let go the one they'd caught last year.

Is it the same "Toady"? We report, you decide.

Last year's "Toady."

Either way, it's nearly time to let this one go, too.





Peace.

Happy Friday

peony with ginkgo leaves

Peace.

Sunday Adventure

I am one of those people who would love a snowstorm everyday of winter.

So, in fairness to the people who complain about the weather all winter long, I feel like I have to forfeit any weather requests the rest of the year. If I could make one, though, I would wish that most summer days were like the gorgeous day we had yesterday.

Sunny and breezy and clear.

Peace.

Weird Mushrooms

(No, this is not sexting)

Peace.

Happy Friday - Garden Update Edition

The clematis is especially beautiful this year.

fence garden

main garden (before)

main garden (after)

back garden (before)

back garden (after)

My friend Jill came today and helped me finally get some veggies planted. There is still more to plant next week. A late, slow, rainy Spring.

Another fun experiment in growing food.









Peace.

Happy Birthday, Dad!

I love you.

The girls and I can't wait to see you this summer!

Love and kisses!

Peace.

Peace.

Too many words, and so few good ones.


Peace.

I went to a presentation at school yesterday to see the students' final projects in a program that is trying to teach them the meaning of some important words.

Caring Forgiving Helpful Honest Respectful Responsible

Peace.

California Dreamin'

Still almost two weeks left of school
and the girls and I are getting excited
about our annual California visit.

Road trip or fly?





We haven't decided yet.






Peace.

Happy Friday

Peace.

A Snake by any other name...

Yes, yesterday afternoon,
while many people were
watching and discussing
a talking, tweeting weiner,
we went to the beach.

When we first arrived, there was some big truck/machine out front making a lot of noise. It looked like an oil derrick. It was loud. As we walked onto the sand, we saw a long hose running from the machine into the water. Pumping? Perhaps.

For a minute I wondered if it was a good idea to swim while they were working. I assured myself that they would have posted "no swimming" signs if we were supposed to stay away. Right?

So the girls headed for the water and I headed for the beach blanket with my copy of Joe Bageant's Deer Hunting With Jesus (thanks, Dad!) -- which I am really enjoying, well, enjoying the writing, the "dispatches from America's class war" are infuriating and upsetting.

After a few minutes reading, I heard screaming. Then shouts. "Snake!" "There's a snake in the water!" At first I thought they were playing, joking about the hose in the water, but when I got up to investigate, I saw that it was indeed a snake.

Now what? What kind of snake is it? Does it bite? Is it poisonous? How many are there in this water? Did it come to shore because of all the noise and vibrations the machine was making? What should you do if you get bit -- rush to the emergency room or is a band-aid enough?

Can I just say how glad I am that this snake appeared the week after my friends were visiting from California, since we went swimming here twice with them?

Even though I am now skittish about swimming there until I sort out this snake business, the 10yo went back in the water as soon as the snake swam away. Yikes!






Update: Thanks to my friend, Virginia, for identifying this as a Northern Water Snake. I was happy to read this sentence at the link: "Northern water snakes bite people just as often as chipmunks and bluebirds which is to say just about every time they are grabbed." Whew!



Peace.

Happy Friday

Peace.

My Kitchen

An old friend of mine brought her family to come visit last week. I hadn't seen her in more than eleven years, and our children had never met. We all had a wonderful time together, spent mostly at the local beach.

One of the fringe benefits of having visitors is cleaning the house. As I told my friend when she arrived, I almost made it! I didn't get the whole house clean, but it got pretty clean for me.

She sent me this picture of my kitchen this week.

Look how lovely it looks when it's clean.














Peace.