Insecting

It's rainy out tonight and I could so go for a few more days of this.

It is a blessed breath of fresh air to the heat we've been having (and the fires!).

It's humid, wet, windy, and rainy -- and cooler (hallelujah).

As part of our summer activities, the kids and I have been insecting.

I bought the kids some bug nets and ordered a couple insect books online.

Since then, curiosity (and hunting) have abounded.

We went thru a pretty serious bee stage at the house.  Benji was catching wasps at almost every opportunity.

We would all have to stop what we were doing in the beginning to rush out and aid in the capture of whatever had been sighted.

I thought I may have to encourage the looking and studying at first, but no.

They are all about it.

A few weeks back, we headed into the hills earlier on a Friday afternoon to spend the night at our family's cabin.

We ate taco salad for dinner, and headed off, walking along the road, inspecting lots of ticks in the grasses on the sides.

I loved this: watching these boys with nets over their backs, watching and waiting.

It was quiet with no one else around.

Afterward we made s'mores in the big firepit at the cabin, came in and read Little House in the Big Woods, all cozy together on the sofa, sitting in the low light from one small lantern.

It was perfect.

We've had some really lovely finds.

Isaiah's big, beautiful butterfly from flowers in the backyard.

This large moth from the porch at the cabin, already injured and dying when we found it (hence the damaged wings).

See this dragonfly I stumbled upon during my run the other night?  When I got home, I grabbed my keys, got in the car, and went back to find him.  Also injured and unable to fly, but so stunning.

And here's our collection of crawlies, including this big black beetle (right here in the foreground), found by the cabin:

 I'm signing off to go lay low now, enjoy the cool air and smell of rain.

Hope you are having a lovely July.

Over the Weekend

On Friday we went to a family cabin tucked away in the woods a ways from our home. I grew up going here just about every year.
It still has that quaint old feel, equipped with an old wood-burning stove, rustic kind of homestyle decorations: binoculars, an old radio, antique lamps, a drawing of one of the family's dogs, cast-iron match holders mounted to the hearth for your fire-starting endeavors. In recent years, the plumbing was completed on it and there is now a functioning toilet and warm! water. Growing up, we always went to a spring for water and used the outhouse, and I always wanted someone to go with me in the middle of the night with a flashlight -- just because, as a little girl, the mountains were dark and what if we saw a bear???
It is a simple place: a small, tidy kitchen with a coal-burning stove for cooking (which my dad always used growing up -- they also have an electric two-burner you can use on the countertop); a family/dining room combination with a fireplace and blower, couches, table and chairs; a small, simple side bathroom; an upstairs with olive green carpet, three twin beds with old quilts on trunks at the foot of each bed, and charming cotton curtains. One separate bedroom with a full-size bed, a rocking chair, a yarn basket, a trunk, blankets, and readers digests on the night stand dating back thirty years ago.
I love it here.
My aunt and uncle generously let us use the cabin, and my children now love it here, too.
We were nice and warm with a cozy fire,
reading books,
hot soup and hot chocolate, and down comforters. ;) After the kids were in bed, Scott and I both snuggled up with our books by the fire and enjoyed the quiet in the mountains. In the morning Scott took the kids to go exploring and I got to go for a run by myself. I left my iPod behind purposefully and went out into the quiet. The fog was down on the mountains, it was snowing lightly, and all I could hear was the muted roar of the river down the valley and my feet as they came down on the ground.
It was so lovely.
By the time we left, it was warming again and the snow was beginning to melt and the coloring in the trees seemed more vibrant and beautiful.
I hope you enjoyed something beautiful over the weekend, too.

My Not-So-Labor-full Weekend

Dear Cabin,

Here is what we did when we visited you over Labor Day Weekend.

Being in the mountains was heaven.

Made cold lemonade for my dad and dear Mr. C. while they hauled, cut and stacked wood.

(Isaiah and I sat on the porch and ate cookies and drank lemonade and Benj was sleeping.)

Went for a run and got soaking wet in the rain and hail. I don't know if you can tell in the picture, but I am drenched.

Enjoyed Lazy Mornings

Ate big, fat ice cream (my ultimate temptation and joy) cones at the general store in town

Gloried in beautiful nature and fed chipmunks

Delighted in delicious food (including fresh sliced peaches with a bunch of fresh whipped, sweetened cream on top and hot chocolate at night with amaretto cream)

Spent time with family

Got time with this darling (we went on a long, beautiful walk one night while we were there and I felt like we were on a date)

This place is a mixture of memories, warmth, peace and joy to me.

I didn't want to come home.

I am sure you can all see why.