mid-week getaway to the beach

Last week the kids and I had the privilege of taking a mini-vacation in the middle of the week to Leslie and J's beach house on Hood Canal. It was 28 hours of adventurous beach combing, laughter and relaxation. Uncle J rowed the kids out onto the Canal twice. They enjoyed seeing Blue Herons in their nests, and an Osprey feeding it's babies a snake. J is good about sharing his knowledge with the kids, and they are happy recipients of this first-hand education.

Eva found this piece of Sea Lasagna (I don't know what it's really called) and, after noting all the other life growing on it, decided it was best suited as a fashion piece.

Jellyfish are always good to find- fun to gross out the squeamish. Eva said, "I was going to make some eggs, anybody want some?"

Here Josiah is contemplating and discussing with J the pros and cons of letting his crab go. The cons, of course, being that he loved it and he wanted it as a pet. The pros included the fact that the crab would be free and could live. While thinking about it's fate, he spent a little time training it, "No pinch! No pinch Crabby!" He finally made the decision to release it, but the main thought was that he had trained it so well, he could let it go and it would grow and then come back to him years later, much bigger and better to eat.

Bo had an awesome time roaming the beach and carrying clam shells and driftwood here and there. He did not have much success befriending the two little old lady dogs Zoe and Katie, but he gets points for persistence! That's a puppy for you.

Naomi made this balance game out of a half-hollow log.

For dinner we went to pizza in nearby Belfair. Leslie and J gave the kids some coins for the vending machines, where some major decisions were made. (Each kid came away with a gumball in each cheek, among other things.) Naomi was pleased with the little pink monkey that came out for her- the last time she was there, years ago, she came away with an ugly little man complete with a mullet, mustache, sneer, keg with hose and beer stein. She had wanted the pretty princess little girl. She named the little man Lemenen, and despite his unloved status, he is still at large in our house. He turns up here or there every few months.

After dinner we went back at played a little, then the kids went in to watch "Dennis the Menace" with Leslie. I took Bo out for some exercise before bedtime, and I could hear them all laughing from way out on the beach! The evening light was beautiful, and the sunset so calming. I was finally able to get a "looking" picture of Bo! Usually he runs at me to get the camera strap! I insisted that he stay, and he did, though he looks rather mystified...

Maybe no one else will see this, but I saw a lion and a lamb in the clouds above.

I was enjoying all the contrasts the fading light provided- bright flowers and flags against the dark clouds and last sunlight.

We all went home relaxed and refreshed by our stay at the beach. It was just the thing.

currently happening- abundant life

On Saturday it rained for a few minutes, and then cleared to a nice light for photos. I thought I would take the camera out and capture all that is changing around here.

There is new growth everywhere around our place... The puppy, the plants, the insects... Even the kids are growing at an alarming rate... I cannot keep them full!

Below, one of the many Borage plants that seeded itself from last years single planting....

The theme of this garden bed (above and below) is all shades and textures of green, and a bit of orange and yellow- also know as "always room for one more."

Creeping Jenny streaking through the Woolly Thyme

The strawberries are blooming prolifically...

Artichoke- a repeat performer from last year too.

Three little zucchinis

An organic lettuce mix... looking forward to trying the freckled leaves...

Kale with beautiful magenta stems. At least it looks good- I'll be the only one eating it, chances are...

Lily, keeping us in suspense

Peas, starting their climb

Lupines, spread beyond their plot from last summer...

And below, lovely dogwood blossoms. These always remind me of my Grandma Millie as they are some of her favorite flowers. The first photo was taken a few weeks ago- the second two just last week... I love their transformation- I'm not sure which stage is most beautiful, but the whole show is amazing.

The first rose blossom of the year, on my "Julia Child" rose bush.

A good old standby Rhody- the neighbors say this one used to be as big as a small house!

My herb garden- totally wild this year. Naomi's chives, which she likes to snack on and subsequently torture people with her onion / dragon breath, are nearly squeezed out by the aggressive oregano and thyme. They will have to be moved so she can continue her sinister tradition.

We have been studying invertebrates, and most recently, insects. I ordered Painted lady butterfly caterpillars, and we receive d them in the mail and watched them eat, grow, change into chrysalises, and the emerge butterflies. They whole process was incredible, and awfully fun to watch close up. The children enjoyed it immensely, and had a controlled situation in which to observe what they'd learned first hand. Of course they often find and observe bugs on their own, but having them for such a long period and watching their life cycle was quite different. I would highly recommend this activity for anyone- child or adult!

Two chrysalises are still hanging- three have emerged butterflies.

Time to release the butterflies outside. The kids decided they would like the small herb flowers. They were correct.

Naomi helped one to come out of the container- she was so thrilled to be holding it, ever so gently, a few minutes before it flew away.

Look closely above- you can see the little black proboscis (straw-like tounge) reaching out for a thyme flower.

It would be so exciting to come across Painted Lady caterpillars in the yard somewhere, and to think that perhaps they came from "our" butterflies. Of course it may not be so, but you never know. I know at least three little people who would have no doubts!

a party for our Si guy

Josiah's birthday fifth birthday party was a total blast... He had such a great time running around and being crazy with his buddies- I don't think he remembered that it was his birthday party for most of the time, but he certainly enjoyed himself.

Can you guess what happened to me and my camera right after this picture?!
Fortunately it still works. I guess posing for the picture was just bothersome enough for Josiah that he had to exact a price for his trouble.

A few of the things that made Josiah's birthday party outstanding...
-a hot, super-sunny day
-the six super-soakers Grandma Flavia brought, and her willingness to play with them too!
-loads of friends, cousins, aunts and uncles and grandparents
-two big sisters gung-ho to make lil' brother's birthday a hit
-two malte-poos, a pugle and a sweet chocolate lab- all under a year old and happily frisky
-a campfire for a smores buffet- try nutella or peanut butter... Yum!

Josiah was spoiled with all sorts of great gifts, including several pairs of his favorite style of shorts (long basketball) a cool Star Wars coloring book, and his own walking stick from the Cedar River. He was thrilled with every single thing he got, even though he didn't show it right away.

Timmy was the die-hard pool fan... There is no such thing as an inappropriate time, or inappropriate apparel for the pool for this guy. He's a fanatic.

Why aren't pot bellies as cute on everyone as they are on these little guys?
I was concerned that Josiah would be unhappy that his cake was unfrosted- it was a pound cake, and I made strawberry rhubarb sauce to go with it, and had some vanilla ice cream on hand too. Very good, but not as glamorous as the usual food-colored affairs. I waited for him to give a look of dismay when I brought it out, but instead he gave a little smile and said, "My very own cake!" Whew...

He seemed to like it quite a bit, actually.

I'm going to share the recipe because it was awesome... Sadly not healthy, but delicious. (If you want to find it in a better format to print, search on epicurious.com; that is where I found it.)

Elvis Presley's Favorite Pound Cake

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened, plus additional for buttering pan
3 cups sifted cake flour (not self-rising; sift before measuring) plus additional for dusting
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups sugar
7 large eggs, at room temperature 30 minutes
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup heavy cream
Special equipment: a 10-inch tube pan (4 1/2 inches deep; not with a removable bottom) or a 10-inch bundt pan (3 1/4 inches deep; 3-qt capacity)

Preparation
Put oven rack in middle position, but do not preheat oven.
Generously butter pan and dust with flour, knocking out excess flour.
Sift together sifted flour (3 cups) and salt into a bowl. Repeat sifting into another bowl (flour will have been sifted 3 times total).

Beat together butter (2 sticks) and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes in a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment or 6 to 8 minutes with a handheld mixer. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in vanilla. Reduce speed to low and add half of flour, then all of cream, then remaining flour, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down side of bowl, then beat at medium-high speed 5 minutes. Batter will become creamier and satiny.

Spoon batter into pan and rap pan against work surface once or twice to eliminate air bubbles.

Place pan in (cold) oven and turn oven temperature to 350°F. Bake until golden and a wooden pick or skewer inserted in middle of cake comes out with a few crumbs adhering, 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Cool cake in pan on a rack 30 minutes. Run a thin knife around inner and outer edges of cake, then invert rack over pan and invert cake onto rack to cool completely.

Thanks to all the wonderful people who helped make Josiah's celebration so memorable. As he said when he came outside early in the morning, before any guests even arrived, and saw the balloons hanging all around... "Wow!! I've never had a party like this before!"