the forest, the plan

We finally cleared the path that leads from our backyard to an oak-pine preserve. There was something so captivating in walking through trails where all the nighttime grunts and growls, cracklings and weep-woppings that we hear from our bedroom window come from. We hiked a few yards through a soft carpet of pine needles until we reached a creek. Another trail led to an open field -- just perfect for flying kites, playing tag and soccer practice. It sure beats our old fairy spot.
Dave will be at the creek today clearing out some dead branches and thorny vines. He thought he had the reason he's been waiting for to own a machete until I suggested that the garden scissors will do.
Snow's birthday is coming up, we will surprise the children with a small picnic. Raccoons and opposums invited.

shopping in chinatown

four different ways:




points if you can match the goods to the person that wants them ^^
more photos here

chinatown in four different ways

as seen by Snow

by Dave

by me

and by Maku

and we're back

Partially recharged after a quick day and a half's adventure in New York City. The best time of our trip was, of course, seeing Granddad; who is recovering from a recent bypass surgery. And for those of you who are wondering, yes, on the way home Maku threw up on the jetway that goes from the plane to the terminal. Though it didn't get on either of us this time. Having fun is just so exhausting it can make little tummies sick.
We spent most of our time walking. We walked across the Brooklyn Bridge, around Chinatown, through Little Italy, down subway stations and all over airport terminals.
Snow, on the other hand, did a little bit of flying:



Next stop: Chinatown

hello?

"Hi, it's me. We are going to New York tomorrow. I don't want to go on the plane again, last time I was so tired I threw up. We went to the county fair yesterday. It was a lot of fun. Mom didn't sort the photos yet, she has to pack. Okay. See you later."

anthony

birds on anthony

maku's best friend anthony - he calls him brother.

bits of joy

one of the only two recipients of the Einstein award

having a container handy to house an inchworm

green socks for St. Patrick's Day

dave bakes a brownie

a heart-healthy brownie. it looked cool but it didn't taste good.

a whole lot of greens

The other day we picked up our first share of produce from a local food co-op: pounds and pounds of leaves, most of it fresh from the farm. Although I cannot tell my spinach from my chard or my arugula from my dandelion I think I have fallen deeply in love with freshly picked vegetables (and fruits).

We did not subscribe to this co-op, but with the harvest season approaching, I'll definitely be trying out other types of farm/food subscriptions in the coming weeks. Ideally, the best thing is to join our local CSA, but they are asking for season subscriptions and I am not sure I am ready for that commitment. $700...I mean, c'mon.

I love the idea of picking up a weekly mystery bundle of leafy things, washing them, identifying them, eating them. The ones that don't make it to the table raw are either blanched, steamed or sauted. Anything too bitter or peppery I simply toss in a hot pan with a splash of grapeseed oil, some garlic and pepper and it gets eaten in seconds. The children now have a love affair with veggies too. Anything to make them eat their greens right? I suppose $700 with the risk of a poor harvest season and some farm work is worth it then.

version 2.0

yesterday's post in pictures

the incident at the beach

and how a granola bar saved the day...

NOT A CLOUD IN SIGHT. We arrived a little after 3, it was a cold and crisp Florida winter day, the kind where you see locals in sweaters and tourists in bikinis. Yup, we were cold and they were warm.

SNATCHED. Snow found a little yellow scooper buried in the sand, she gave it to Maku who kept tossing it in the air. Seagulls gathered around him trying to get the scooper, he was having so much fun until a seagull finally got the scooper in his bill and flew away with it.

THE THRILL OF THE CHASE. The children tried to get it back. They chased the bird as he flew away...far away over the ocean...then PLOP. Little yellow scooper was dropped in the ocean. Good-bye little yellow scooper.

MINUTES LATER. "Look! The scooper! The seagull with the scooper!" Bits of shells, sand and granola crumbles were tossed in the air, but all to no avail. A flock of seagulls feasted on the granola but the one with the scooper didn't stay.

A PEACE OFFERING: Then something yellow fell from the sky. No, it was not the scooper, I think he planned to enjoy that and had no intentions of giving it back. He dropped us a big yellow shovel instead and then stayed for granola.