Nights with a small child in a tent. My almost three-year-old does not want to go to sleep right away—she wants to go outside and play with the flashlight, or read a book. She does not want to sleep inside her small orange sleeping bag. In the middle of the first night, she sat up and said, “I’m cold.” She’s never cold, but it was freezing. I asked her if she wanted to get into her sleeping bag or join me in mine, so I ended up with two people in my bag. Consequently, we were both warmer.

We also had great time in the corner of the pond where the small stream that feeds it has brought in sand and mud. We paddled the rubber boat over there, daughter sitting on my chest; she played happily in the wet black mud, busy and creative.

My brother and I paid another visit to Heise metal sculpture as part of our trip to Burlington when I needed to pick up Connie at the airport. As a result, we are now both owners of additional found metal art.

Dad, working away at gardens. Mom, taking advantage of the pond.

Daughter and I (and my sister and her son) visited the neighbor’s one-half-hour-old lamb. Tiny, and cute. Children were fascinated. Mother sheep still looked yucky.

There was much fun with the cousins, including the much-anticipated birthday party for Oliver, and adventures involving up to three kids in one hammock.

Great strides in potty-training. Nothing like an environment where you can run naked without consequences and get more in touch with your systems.

Got to visit my Aunt’s awesome house. Beautiful huge solid wood beams and flooring fashioned from ash, pine, butternut--all cut at my uncle’s sawmill. Butternut cabinets hand-built by uncle in his own shop. Shaker-style pegboards running around the second floor. Lovely place. Lots of work.

I also got a chance to exercise my carpentry/home improvement skills. I worked a lot on the shed, finishing a job our tenant had said he would complete. I framed the outside of five windows, fixed electrical outlets and lights, built two ladders for the lofts, covered an insulated wall with wood, installed baseboards. Did not have a chance to do the inside trim on the windows.

We also played multiple games of putt-putt at Mr. Puttz. And my sister for the first time was competitive with my brother and I. Abandoned a game of disc golf mid-round due to mosquitoes.

Took one cousin and one daughter on an expedition to the stream for an extended session of throwing stones in the water.

Had one real hike with Connie, involving unexpectedly precarious footing, brambles, and daring.

Went strawberry picking and was disappointed in strawberry quality.

All in all, good fun.

 Leave a Comment