Camping!

Monday, August 6th, 2018

We went camping! It was delightful, but I failed to take many photos. We borrowed a tent & lucked into the best site in the park due to a last minute cancelation. Martin went camping once before in his life & it rained, so he swore off camping forever. But we brought him nonetheless, kicking & struggling, & it was almost completely delightfully sunny excepting a 15 minute delightfully light cloudburst in the middle of breakfast on our final day camping. Martin had to swear off camping again, forever and ever this time. The kids had a blast, tho, so if the kids are still cute next year, there’s a possibility that we can convince him to sleep in a tent once more.

 

This is our campsite.

Remember, the camera has an amazing ability to frame that which is most beautiful.

That which you don’t see: scalded plants from where people poured out boiling water, toothpaste spit, mangled saplings, trees with every reachable limb broken off, and the general camping junk.

This is what I have framed: this is what I will remember—

 

 

 

Down below, we have our own tiny, private beach. 

 

 

 

It is a good place to go when one wants to share secrets.

 

 

 

The water invites them in.

 

 

 

Much later & getting late, my children watch the fire.

A fire is sometimes just for watching.

 

 

 

Proof that Martin came with us. He may have even enjoyed himself. Who knows.

 

Biking Top

Wednesday, August 1st, 2018

I made a cute little top for cute little Iris to wear on her cute little bike. It’s nice and short, so now she can bike all fancied-up without worrying about getting mud on her ruffles! Naturally, all that measuring and marking and cutting and pressing snipping and sewing calls for a photoshoot, so I took her down to the picturesque backdrop of greenery and water along the Massawippi River.

 

Iris: “Goodness gracious, not another photoshoot with adorable me wearing a cute outfit in a picturesque area along the Massawippi.”

 

 

 

Mama: “Fine. If you don’t feel like showing off your adorability, please at least hug your brother.”

(This almost always works.)

 

 

 

Iris (to Akiva) “Cheek-cheek?”

 

 

 

Akiva: “Are we cute?”

 

 

Street Painters in Waterville

Friday, July 27th, 2018

 

 

Run to me!

Tuesday, July 24th, 2018

Swimming in the Massawippi River

Wednesday, July 18th, 2018

Gretel & Hansel

Monday, July 9th, 2018

The Reading of Peter Rabbit

Wednesday, July 4th, 2018

Rip van Winkle

Tuesday, July 3rd, 2018

When we get to the place where we stop,

 

 

 

Dad (Gramps) falls asleep.

 

 

 

Close by, Mom (Gramma) demonstrates the use of a magnifying glass.

 

 

 

Iris looks closely.

 

 

 

 

Akiva watches Iris looking.      

 

 

 

The old woman sits in dappled shade—

 

 

 

the little ones wait patiently—

 

 

 

the old man sleeps.

 

 

 

Toy Store (Val Estrie)

Friday, June 29th, 2018

At the rope, Iris climbs—

 

 

 

up & up—

 

 

 

& up & up—

 

 

 

& up & up!

 

 

 

Akiva watches. He is studying.

 

 

 

Further on, there is a fort of branches.

 

 

 

They say it is a toy store. You see? This is a toy.

 

 

 

“Will you come in to our store?”

 

 

 

An exchange.

 

 

 

A way to go.

 

 

 

A place to be.

 

 

 

 

 

Unenthusiastic Model, Take IV

Wednesday, June 20th, 2018

 

This is the last time I will attempt to photograph Akiva modeling his new shirt.

 

 

 

 

Gone is the perfect lighting of the covered bridge.

 

 

 

 

Gone is the smooth, unwrinkled linen.

 

 

 

 

Here we have a very round boy with luscious lips wearing an unpressed linen shirt.

 

 

 

 

He his posing for his mama in sub-optimal, dappled, late morning sun light.

 

 

 

 

He is doing his very best to follow all of her complicated requests.

 

 

 

 

He did a wonderful job.