Graham, Graham the horsey man!

Julia, Daddy and Graham

Julia and daddy

We went to a wonderful picnic at a farm, where Graham rode a pony for the first time. There was a petting zoo, cows, hens, goats...you name it. Julia would have nothing to do with riding horses, but she had a good time, nonetheless.

Summer 2011 "Oh Beautiful, for Spacious Skies"

Graham, on the plane, returning to DC

Graham, Clifford, Truck book and trucks...GR-DC
Seasoned traveler

The usual suspects

Julia, GR-DC. So tired from her Michigan trip!

It's that time of year...sand, beach, fresh tomatoes and cherries and blueberries...unlocked cottage doors, gentle neighbors, no traffic, lines or the rudeness of city life...sounds of wind fluttering the many many Michigan trees, the silver maples shimmering like the sunlight on water...sunsets at 9:30 p.m....Lake Perch lightly battered...boardwalks connecting 80 - 100 year old cottages...deer in the woods, on the beach, in the street, old friends...family.

Michigan summers are, by far, my favorite. Well, along with our annual summer Italian trip...

This year, Gramma Grace stayed at Aunt Annie's cottage with Graham and Julia and me for 9--NINE!--days! We were so, so lucky to have Gracie there. At 86, she is with it, up on the news--a huge fan of Jon Stewart and sharper than most people 1/2 her age when it comes to current events, a habit honed from her own Danish/Irish Chicago upbringing, with three brilliant brothers chewing on the politics of the day--and, mostly, brilliant with her grandchildren.

Nothing could ruffle Gracie with Graham and Julia--who are in the Age of Imagination...and Gracie, who taught school for 30 years, understands developing minds and feeds them beautifully. Well, maybe we both got a bit ruffled when Graham had a ball under his arm, ran up the stairs at Aunt Annie's (which leads to a road), and was utterly chuffed when I stopped him.

"I was going to play basketball, mommy."

"There's a street there!!"

"Huh. I wasn't going to play in the STREET mommy!" -- as if I were truly clueless...which, for anyone around 3 year olds, is, well, perhaps true...their brains are churning at every turn.

Cousin Annelise helped babysit--even spent a night at the cottage so I could pack up, then she joined me at the airport to keep an eye on the wee ones...Judy and Tom and Trey helped tremendously as well...

Julia's great joy was singing "America, America" -- excuse me, BELTING it out! -- from her book on America the Beautiful, in honor of July 4.

Enjoy the pics, when I return from Italy 3 weeks from now, there will be even more...

Julia, Annelise, and Graham

Gramma Grace, Aunt Annie, and the rest of the gang.

"Happy Birthday to..." anyone...as long as there is a cake or cupcake or candle, it's a party! Aunt Annie, Julia, etc. At Aunt Mary's Stickney Ridge cottage.

Uncle Tom and Aunt Judy

Gramma Grace, 86 years old.

River Series 2011

A highlight of our summers is to attend the River Concert Series each July in Southern Maryland, where our friend, Jeff, conducts and his two sons play trumpet and french horn in the orchestra...
The setting is sheer Norman Rockwell--outdoors, a full orchestra under a huge white band shell, the St. Mary's river in the background, children running around (and around and around!), crab cake sandwiches, bullfrogs making music to compete with the orchestra ... friends, family...
and amazing, beautiful music. Graham shows Maestro Jeff -- a trumpeter in addition to a conductor -- his moves on the trumpet...

All dressed up and...where to go?