recent events recounted through photographs
picnicking in the park
Independence Day saw us enjoying the music and food at the Picnic in the Park in Concord, just like last year (and every year!). I find that in the linked post I talked about Fourth of July as a joyous summer festival to be celebrated regardless of one's precise feelings about "patriotism"; the same subject is covered with more style and at greater length in this post from the New Agrarian blog, which I highly recommend.
This year Harvey was big enough to go in the bouncy house:
excited AND scared
He didn't bounce except when he was impelled upwards by the motion of the bigger children around him—he didn't even manage to stand up, in fact!—but he had a great time.
Recent days also saw the first Parlee Farms blueberry picking expedition of the summer.
he even put some of them in the bucket
We met friends there, so it wasn't the hard, focused work experience our picking trips are usually (but we did get some serious picking out of the way before they showed up). Six quarts should take care of the blueberry jam production needs for the summer, if we ever get around to making it; so far our busy social calendar has prevented.
We also saw some animals at the farm.
fuzzball
80s styles are coming back
seriously last minute gifts
I emailed some friends this afternoon, all like "It's been a long while since we've hung out. You want to get together over the weekend?"
Minutes later I got a reply: "We're leaving for Germany tomorrow. Dinner tonight?"
As in, leaving and not coming back. They're German, these friends, and I kind of knew they were leaving some time this summer but I had thought, well, that it would not be so tomorrow-ish. Of course I had two immediate thoughts: 1) Thank God we found out in time to get together one last time, and 2) What kind of a going away present can I make for two kids in one hour?
Luckily, I know of a toy that can be completed in a single nap time with moments to spare for wrapping and packing a diaper bag. I'm talking about a bunny ruby.
a traveling companion
This one from a sock that wasn't so much used as sat in the bottom of the drawer for a year being too small. This little bunny will head off with 2-year-old Noah to Germany tomorrow. If he finds a place in the luggage, that is. If not, he only took 45 minutes and after all it's the thought that counts.
And for the baby girl born on the same day as Zion?
in case they get any sun in Germany
A pink sunhat, completed a few days ago, and luckily too, since this 4-hour project wouldn't have fit into this afternoon's sewing allotment. Okay, so this hat was actually supposed to be for my niece, but I have a whole nother week before her birthday and more of this fabric. Baby Nala's boarding a plane tomorrow and I wouldn't want the sun to get in her eyes.
We traveled to Cambridge this evening to picnic on the floor of our friends' empty apartment. It's sad when people go away. I cope by making presents and Dan copes by making food, and if my silly little gifts don't do enough to say 'we'll miss you' then I can absolutely count on his brownies to do the trick. But golly, it's hard having international friends.