River in Gill

Rob practiced riding his bike around a cyclocross course in Gill while the girls and I played in the river with Cookie. Georgia found a tiny snapping turtle in a little pool. You can see it through the refection in the middle of this picture.

It was a lovely day. I am so sad that summer is departing.  I don't feel ready for these cool nights and I am pining for the summer bird song.  Our sweet pair of wrens who had 3-4 broods in our yard this summer were quiet when we got back from Maine. The yard is so different with no constant bubbly song of our wrennie.  I love the hum of grasshoppers but it feels like back-to-school and I am not ready.  Neither are my children.  Rob is ready and excited for his bike racing season, so he's one cheerful family member.

Lily had a great time at her wilderness camp this year where they painted each other with mud and clay from a river in Vermont.

She tried her painting skills out on Georgia and me on a rock in the stream.  She drew a crescent moon on my forehead and swirls on my cheeks in crushed bricks.

Cookie loves a shallow river, She gets nervous about swimming so this spot was perfect

Georgia had a turn, too