Summer party

at our dear friend Miranda's parent's house in July.

I love going to Lisa and Bob's house because they have been kind and welcoming to us for all the years we have showed up at their house, enjoyed their company, hung out with their friends and family and devoured their really good food.
























A fresh Mojito upon arrival. It was all so beautiful: tiny limes juiced in green lime press then lush mint leaves and sugar muddled together. YUM!
I wanted to squeal; I was so excited.













put in a tall glass
with some rum











then some seltzer



So wonderful; I just wanted to be alone with it and enjoy each sip.

























Some art









Look at this blueberry cobbler!
And the pies!
One Strawberry Rhubarb and Rhubarb custard.

Amazing.

I had some of each.









Nice friendly seating on the porch with a sweet dog wandering around.




Oh the corn! the bowl! the butter!













When I go here I just enjoy looking around and taking in all the precious imperfect beauty that is everywhere.

Here's me in the bathroom. It's even interesting in there!















I wish I had more photos of the food, but it was a party and I didn't want to be a total freak, taking close-ups of the guacamole.
But in talking to Rob I realized that their fresh lively cooking has been an inspiration to us and Lisa's guacamole recipe and astounding baba ganoush have become our favorites at home.

I aspire to have parties like them.
And have been a bit intimidated to give it a try.
So welcoming, so delicious, so perfect.




Here's a cozy RV where Miranda's cousin was living while she had a cross-country adventure. The girls loved exploring the tiny space.






















The view from the garden.
















Big old trees to climb!


















and races in the nearby school-yard.











Sweet patient dog and blooming rose.


























Evening came in and it was time to go.
















Mullein blooming






Pears and Fuschia overflowing


















Georgia with a huge pink Zinnia she picked from a potted plant.






















Rob and Georgia looking for fish in the pond.


Such summer fun.
So glad to have been there!

Brattleboro Farmers Market

Our first time this year.

So many beautiful things to see.




















We got lemonade and orange juice. It was hot out. The fruit was so gorgeous and bright.







Mango and sticky rice lured the children to come. The rice was dense and sweet; the mango was juicy and ripe.

(When this is sold out, we are all very grumpy.)



Super sweet Asian pears were pricey, but we didn't quite get how pricey until we paid!


Rob and the girls gobbled theirs up and I put mine in my purse for later.
























We went to the river and Georgia and Lily climbed a tree before we went home.


























A sight when I got home.
My apple wearing a bracelet like a crown.
I felt guilty eating it,
but I did!

Love this!

words of wisdom from "Shit My Dad Says" http://shitmydadsays.com/


"Don’t focus on the one guy who hates you. You don’t go to the park and set your picnic down next to the only pile of dog shit."

Lily's week at summer camp

ended with a closing circle at Woolman Hill's meetinghouse.
The parents were invited and we got to go sing songs with the campers.
So fun.

It was Lily's first time and it was wonderful.

I had to force her to go and she sobbed when I left the first day. It was so traumatic.
I wondered if I was making her do something because
I wish I had done such things as a young girl
or because it was really good for her.

I felt terrible.

When I walked in the door that first morning after dropping her off, at home Sarah Pirtle, the camp director and a magical singer and storyteller, was on the phone leaving a message saying Lily was doing great.

Lily loved it.
Loved it.
She spent alot of time with older teenage girls who gave her piggybacks and taught her how to finger weave.
It was relaxed and open; powerful and sweet.

I feel so happy she went and wants to go back again.

Lily attended Girl's Week
http://www.sarahpirtle.com/CampSession3.htm

I was hoping it would give her some confidence about making new friends and be in a girl supportive environment. Her last month of school was very difficult with fighting bullies and trips to the principal's and big changes to some of her primary friendships. I wanted summer to be a break, but also give her some idea that there a plenty of other groups of people out in the world and that school isn't her only social group.

I think it worked.
She felt liked and made cool older girl friends who were startlingly sweet with her.
She hums the songs and tells funny jokes she learned.

Some of the quotes on Sarah's website articulated what I would love my girls to know

“It is a great consolation to know that there is a wellspring of love within yourself.
If you trust that this wellspring is there, you will then be able to invite it to
awaken.” -- John O’Donohue, Anam Cara, p. 28

and

"You are never alone or helpless. The force that guides the stars
guides you too." - Shrii Shrii Anandamurtii

Fawns!

in our neighbor's yard.
I stopped the car and Georgia cried, "I want to get out. I want to see them!"
I told her, "No sweetie. They won't like it; they'll run away."
She replied, "No they won't Mama. No they won't!"
So I got out of the and unbuckled her and carried her over to them, knowing they would run.

But they didn't.

The one in front twitched and rotated its enormous ears toward us and then took a step closer.

Georgia's body was stiff with excitement, but she was quiet.

We took another step closer and they waited.

Then another step.

So close.

We could see her beautiful curious eyes.

Then the one in back made a sound and trotted off.

Her sister turned and followed.

Georgia gave me a hug and we went back to the car.

It had only been a few moments, but it felt like we had been away for a long time.
It made me think of the Mary Oliver poem.

The Place I Want To Get Back To

by Mary Oliver

is where
in the pinewoods
in the moments between
the darkness

and first light
two deer
came walking down the hill
and when they saw me

they said to each other, okay,
this one is okay,
let's see who she is
and why she is sitting

on the ground like that,
so quiet, as if
asleep, or in a dream,
but, anyway, harmless;

and so they came
on their slender legs
and gazed upon me
not unlike the way

I go out to the dunes and look
and look and look
into the faces of the flowers;
and then one of them leaned forward

and nuzzled my hand, and what can my life
bring to me that could exceed
that brief moment?
For twenty years

I have gone every day to the same woods,
not waiting, exactly, just lingering.
Such gifts, bestowed,
can't be repeated.

If you want to talk about this
come to visit. I live in the house
near the corner, which I have named
Gratitude.

"The Place I Want To Get Back To" by Mary Oliver, from Thirst. © Beacon Press, 2006.

Smoothie with frozen kale!

inspired by Jessica.

It was good!
Frozen pineapple, raw milk, greek yogurt, frozen strawberries, protein powder and the secret ingredient? frozen kale.

We all drank it up. Couldn't really taste kale, could just see small green leafy bits.
Something else to do with kale bounty at farm!

The Queen of Cups

is a British tea shop that just opened in Bernardston, the town next door.

It has been in-the-works for over a year and I had given up hope that it would ever open.

Then I wasn't sure if it would be uptight and dour or frilly and foolish but, marvelously, it was none of those things; it was lovely.

Really lovely.

It is comfortable and elegant.
It has a huge working fireplace that will call to me in the winter.





Georgia had I had date there while Lily was at camp.
We got lemon cake and clotted cream (Hooray! that was dearest hope that they would have clotted cream. Georgia didn't like the whipped cream whipped to butteriness so I got to eat it all!)











And also crumpets and strawberry jam.

Delicious.


I drank my jasmine tea in a sweet pot while Georgia climbed on the big comfortable couch.









I can't wait to go back!