Beachcombing

The weather has been amazing here on the Cape. Its like summer weather, but way earlier then normal. Today we topped out at 90 degrees. So, I took mom and Taylor to the beach to soak up some sun and find some treasures. The beaches in our area are not what you would call "sandy". I would categorize them as "rocky". So I was a bit disappointed at first that we weren't seeing any good finds, but once we squinted our eyes a bit and ran our fingers into the sand the treasures started to shine. Taylor left the beach with a bag of "good finds" and we ended up getting a refreshing beverage and a snack from a local little restaurant.

Vermont

Our 2010 Camping Season Opener was to the Green Mtns. of Vermont. It was an amazing weekend that we will remember for a long time. We are always reminded how much we miss the mountains and trees when we return to them. Our hearts belong in higher elevations or at least at sea level that allows for great smelling pine trees and mountains to take in. We took the kids and Gammie with us and camped along the Battenkill River. We chose this spot for its great canoeing and we were not disappointed. We canoed on Friday and Saturday and the rest of the days were filled with dips in the river at the swimming hole and trips into Manchester and the surrounding areas. We enjoyed ourselves tremedously and look forward to going back for more paddling and relaxing.



My view from the Canoe...its so peaceful!


That kid loves to chop wood...or perhaps its the fact that a hatchet is involved.










Arlington Covered Bridge

Looking down the Battenkill River



Views from Mt. Equinox...Highest point in Vermont. We were looking out over Vermont, New Hamp., New York, Massachusettes, and Montreal.



Lincolns Hildene is the summer home of the Lincoln family. It now belongs to a Non profit Organization who maintains it and keeps it open to the public. It was a beautiful estate and so rich with history.


~"The smell of pine trees, the campfire glowing, the marshmallows cooking, and the breath of crisp cool air are some great things I like about camping but my favorite one of all is camping underneath the stars with lights so brilliant it brightens up the deep blue sky making you feel a sense of peace and tranquility amid the great outdoors."~
Author: Unknown

Birthday Boy!!

So our boy turned 8 last weekend. We took him camping up in Vermont. It is what he loves to do and he prefers this over a party and all that traditional birthday stuff. He fished, chopped wood, swam, canoed and got filthy dirty. He was in total heaven. I made him a chocolate cake and we sang to him on our site picnic table. Very fitting!! Travi is getting so big and isn't my little baby boy any more. He is his own little unique personality. We love him to pieces!


~“All the world is birthday cake, so take a piece, but not too much.”~

Coonamesett Farm

Travis' class had a field trip last Wednesday to Coonamessett Farm. Taylor and I were lucky enough to tag along on this trip. I was personally very excited because this farm is local to the Cape and grows 100% all natural, organic crops for their Co-op and also for the people to come and pick. I was able to ask a few question but also enjoyed watching the kids see the Alpacas, chickens, Donkeys and goats. They also viewed greenhouses and learned the basics of a growing cycle and how plants and animals adapt to their surroundings.

I think Taylors favorite part was the baby chickens and feeding bread to the big ones. She also loved transplanting her own Marigold seedling. Travis on the other hand preferred the guard dog "Scruffy" who was a bit high strung and known to bite.


View of the farm from the hill.

Chives with Blooms

Chickens in the pen

The kids feeding the chickens.

The farms wind turbine which powers all of its greenhouses and store.

My Kitchen Window friend...

So I wanted to introduce my new kitchen window friend. He found his way to my back deck a few days ago after Trav hung up my feeder. He is beautiful and his little mate is just as stunning. He is a Ruby Throated Hummingbird and I basically do dishes while staring out the window hoping to see the two of them dining out together.

Chirp, Chirp, Chirp

A few weeks ago while in the bathroom I noticed I was hearing noises up in the roof. I thought perhaps a bird was in the attic or something and mentioned it to Trav. He did a bit of investigating and determined that there was no bird in the attic, but that there were birds living in the vent from our bathroom ceiling fan.

So progressively over theses past few weeks we have heard the pitter patter and flutter of birds busy at work to what now sounds like a bird sanctuary in the bathroom. The eggs have hatched and all day long we hear the little babies chirping for food or their parents. Unfortunately, Trav has also had to discard to dead babies that fell from the hole.

We had no idea what kind of birds they were so today I became an official spectator to try and determine their species. After much observation and looking through our books I am proud to say we are the host family for "House Sparrows". Seems fitting right?

Here is a picture of the daddy bird. He flies in and out all day feeding those little babies. Also, I have included a picture of the entrance to their humble abode!





"True hope is swift, and flies with swallow's wings."
— William Shakespeare

Mother's Day 2010

First off to our two mothers...Thank you! We both feel so blessed to have two amazing women be a part of our lives. You have each molded us as your children and guided us through life. You each still offer wisdom and guidance as we make our way through life as adults with our own children. We agree that without our mothers we would not be who we are today. So Thank you and we love you, Always....




Today I was awakened by Travis, the kids and the dogs at my bedside quietly yelling a very big, "Happy Mothers Day"! Two smiling faces from my babies were the first thing I saw, along with the fact that Taylor was wearing a tube top and it wasn't quite pulled up enough to cover her little chest. I started the day off with a laugh, which is always a good thing. Down the stairs I went to an amazing cup of coffee, courtesy of my husband and an overflowing of love on the kitchen table. Two roses, a card, a homemade calendar and gift coupons good for chores around the house. I always get so choked up when I realized how loved I am, today was no exception. The kids are always so proud of their preparation and I can see it in their faces that they love how excited I get at all their hard work.




All proof that I am a very loved Momma!


After a breakfast of sliced fresh fruit with yogurt and nutella served to me on a tray we decided to head out for some hiking and geocaching. The woods were especially beautiful today as the sun shone through the leaves that are still working on getting to their fullest potential. Travis and I always enjoy these hikes. We take the opportunity to teach the kids about loving nature and respecting it but we also love those moments were we stand next to one another on a bluff overlooking something beautiful and can just take it all in. Today was one of those days. Its all those unspoken moments that I adore.





As we rode home in the truck and I enjoyed holding Trav's hand...I know, I know...its gushy but I love it I was treated to the local fish market to pick out some delicious lobster for dinner. Trav prepared me Lobster pasta and garlic bread. It was delicious and we decided it would be one of his signature dishes. Shortly after that, the day came to a halt as he was called into work to continue the search for a missing kayacker. So I will go to bed along again tonight, but not before kissing my little babies and tucking them snug into bed. They are the reason I was able to partake in all the glorious minutes of this day!!


The moment a child is born, the mother is also born. She never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother, never. A mother is something absolutely new. ~Rajneesh

Spring has sprung...

This past weekend we saw temps. in the 70's. It was absolutely amazing weather and so we set out to soak up all the warm rays of the sun hiking. We heading into "Old Sandwich" off of route 6A for and area called Marshview. We had never been here before but in doing some research online it looked like a good spot for a hike and there were 5 geocaches hidden along the trails. Spring has officially hit the Cape, as its evident by the aboundace of blooms and leaves sprouting everywhere. The Cape makes a transformation from fall golden leaves, to brown and white winter days to the progressive green that brings everything back to life for another cycle. It felt so good to breath in the warm, fresh air and feel the warm sun rays on our faces. We even broke out the sunsreen on this day.






"The human spirit needs places where nature has not been rearranged by the hand of man". ~Author Unknown

Making Wishes

As a little girl I remember looking for those flowers that you could make a wish on and blow. If you blew all the little feather-like blooms off, your wish would come true. As is often said, some things never change.

“My wish isn't to mean everything to everyone but something to someone.”