Memorial Day 2012

Great sites, sounds, conversations. Thanks to those who keep us free...
We went to the cemetery (did I mention some of my inlaws work at Mountain View in Tacoma)? A special field. And watched a huge fireworks show on the eve of the holiday. Like rocking your rib cage. Experience included ice cream and jazz band. And golf cart rides.

Then we stayed the night and had some quality, silly billy family time.

Then we enjoy the typical and traditional, including for this family, the annual dutch oven bonanza. Two side notes for next year: 1) It is truthfully a little better when the weather was a bit cool, as was this year. I'm more apt to eat all the comfort food a la cast iron pots. 2) Ted had the best idea, muffin tins to keep the buffet selections orderly... plus like five other reasons for metal ware over paper plate. Seriously.

The whole experience made for a fun, safe, peaceful weekend. What more could I even dare ask for?

Downtown Day

It's a great time to be down in the thick of our tourist town,

before the tourists all arrive. No offense whatsoever.

In fact, we looked like the tourists that day, I'm sure. But I needed to take a few pictures of pretty girls and what looks to be a great warm summer in our futures.

Allison picked out a fragrant geranium for the girls' garden, Danielle was a buzz about honey sticks.

Farmer's Market, the beach park, the Marine Center, the Pier.

Running free and spitting lessons. What it's all about.

And a lovely chat with our back fence neighbors resulted in some peony clippings for the table. My favorites.

Sweet. Sweet. Sweetness. I'm sure by the end of the summer, we'll be well prepared for our Baby Sister, too.

Mount Pleasant

I don't live on Mount Pleasant Road, Washington, USA but you need to drive on it to get to my house.  I'm absorbing a few things around here, not just the laden rain and dampened breeze. It's still spring, I'm sure of it. Somehow we wait patiently enough...

Good thing it's entirely pleasant to watch unfold.

Tummy growing, little kicks, yes...

New things. Like cheese making. How's that for "gluten free?" Plus, it's simple and fun. (See one of many tutorials here and here. Left over whey can be used to boost protein in recipes and as plant fertilizer.)

Re-gifted bulbs tossed in the ground a whole *last fall* ago are worth a second look in the buoyant but drippy fog...

Don't get me wrong, my spring's not without its slug sloshing and Humming birds crashing against the window like they don't even see it. We're waiting patiently to get over our third bought of flu, too. Also signs  of spring.

"Nature Does Not Hurry Yet Everything is Accomplished." -Tao Tsu

Birthday Danielle

What happens when you're Danielle and it is your birthday on a Thursday and you are turning Three and you've only been to a couple of different emergency rooms in that time? And you're Cute, you have a huge vocabulary but still shy and love the color yellow, etc. etc.?
A happy-fun-rainbowy-flower-four-day-celebration...