When we weren't figuring out how to stay cool on this muggy hot weekend, we were...

going to the farmer's market,


playing dress up,



bringing in the harvest,


and watering the garden.

Good morning, South Sister (that's the mountain in the distance)


...and goodnight. It was pretty cold at night (we were at about 5000 feet elevation), but the days were hot and sunny.

We took the row boat out for a spin, with momma at the oars. The dogs were pretty good until a chipmunk sighting on the shore--and even then reigned it in pretty well, seemingly aware that they shouldn't rock the boat. I really like boating and asked for many more boatrides after this initial Saturday morning excursion.


There were lots of musicians camping with us, so I got to fall asleep each night to the sounds of guitars, mandolins, banjos and many beautiful voices singing some of my all time favorites.


Reading by the fireside...
Singing songs on what I affectionately referred to as "Pirate's Island."
Painting on the beach...

Perpetual wedgie...
Collecting firewood
Hot cocoa before anyone else wakes up...(well, except for mom)

Just rolled in from a long and wonderful camping weekend. More pictures coming soon...

Tree Hugging Dirt Worshipper in the Making.

Hop On Pop just wasn't gonna do it for me tonight, so I turned to a book that my mom is reading and seems to find enjoyable. Turns out it has a rooster, a D, a little W, some elephants drinking water and Mary Poppins, among other things, so I can see why she's so into it. Don't know why it's taking her so long to get through it, though.

Some days you just need a snack. Other days, you need to put your toes in your ear and eat a carob-covered frozen banana. You just never can tell what kind of day it is going to be until the moment is upon you...




"Shh, it's saying something to me, Daddy."

The Simple "Bear" Necessities of Life... Went to see a Theatre in the Park production of The Jungle Book this morning. Mowgli was a girl, which I loved, and the monkeys were super silly. We had to make storm sounds to scare away the tiger Shera Kahn, which was fun at the time, but I woke up from my nap saying, "We scared the tiger. That's not nice." These morality plays leave much to be pondered....

Hey Wisco... this one's for you.

Swimming is very serious business.
Not for the feint of heart.
Nor the fashionably timid.

Sunday at the swimmin' hole... (Turn your speakers down-- I forget how close my mouth is to the mic on this camera. Sorry.



If I knew the phrase "Duh, mom", I totally would have used it there.

Let's see.. we've baked it, fried it, steamed it, diced it, sliced it-- how about we grate it? It's zucchini season, apparently, and I am not the biggest fan and neither is mom (unless it's baked into a bread). So.... Daddy, want some? (This "You want some?" thing of hers is our fav these days).

Lucy is a good friend... she understands the need to eat, chill and be a spazz at sporadic, unpredictable intervals. She gets me.

It's just so fun to be silly...

After a full weekend of parades, music, dust, sun, fairies, puppets, acrobats, ice cream treats and wagon-ride naps, I am one happy, sleepy kiddo.



I performed with the Lemon Drop Fairy on the Youth Stage today. Seen here claiming my place at the mic while the other kids foolishly run for maracas and flutes. We'll see who gets discovered.


This is a mission I can get behind... Until next year, sweet fair!

Happy Fair! Here's a shot of home-sweet-home for the last couple of days...
Ready to roll to the fair.... Oh my GODDESS!
Little fairy exploring...

Look at her hold the fret board hand correctly. She learned on her ukulele.

I celebrated this national holiday by paying a highly personalized tribute to the word "Independence." There come times in one's life when you just know that it's time to do things a little differently and this past week or so has been my time to explore new emotional and physical boundaries. In other words, I'm trying to climb higher, swing faster, make bigger decisions, assert more opinions and just DO more all on my own. It's fun and exciting and a really really REALLY big bummer when I don't quite make it or get my way. Ex: We have been waiting all stinking season for these blueberry bushes to fruit. Now, here they are in all of their juicy blue glory and mom and dad won't let me get up at 7 am, put my boots on and run out to raid all the bushes. They are ridiculously picky about the subtle shade differences between dark purple and bright blue and say things like, "They are not all quite ready yet, Nona." I disagree. I communicate my dissent by shrieking NOOOOOOOOOOOOs and IIIIIIIII WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANT IT while trying hard to conjure real tears. (Mom suspects that the neighbors are particularly fond of my Sunday morning 7 am, er, explosions). On a final note of independent ranting: I do not like fireworks. (Which sounds more like "NOOOOOOOOOOOO! I DON'T WAAAAAAAAAAANT IT!")

I do, however, like going to the theatre to see a live performance of Green Eggs and Ham, helping mom repot plants and eating the berries that mom and dad have deemed "ready-to-be-picked." I also like tree climbing-- pictures forthcoming.