Little & Big

a little early-morning apricot picking

                          millet porridge with just-picked apricots

There are three apricot trees that line the driveway.  The original owner of this dear house told us that they had produced last summer -- a small but tasty little crop.  But we wondered about this summer.  The trees are growing this way and that, with leaves only at the very tops -- we understand that they are in need of a stout pruning.  But we were hopeful -- at the start of June they were packed with tiny little fruits. And then they began to drop.  And drop. And next the birds seemed to be enjoying them.  Or maybe birds were enjoying bugs that were enjoying fruit.  Would there be any left?

There were. Just enough. And today the boys decided it was time to pick what was left. I spied them out the window early, dragging the ladders from the barn.

The apricots aren't big, as you can see, but they taste lovely.  And with a little more ripening (off the tree) we think they will be perfect.  The Daddy claims he's going to turn them all into jam.  I say we eat them fresh. 

What would you do?

playdate

                                            the costume chest

These 2 ruffians came out with their swords and guns and threatened me through the window. I just had to come out and snap their picture before they went dashing off again.

gifts from the garden: cucumbers

There's a local joke about how this is the time of year that Vermonters begin to lock their doors, because if you don't, someone will come in and leave piles of yellow squash and cucumbers on your kitchen counter.   Everyone has more than they know what to do with!

This evening, after dinner, little brother and I went to visit the neighbors (like the other week), and we came home with an armful of cucumbers from their garden.  (Thanks, L!)  This is our second gifting of cucumbers this weekend; the first batch was happily consumed with breakfasts and lunches (Thanks P!). 

Tonight we decided to plop down in the grass and eat them like apples.  Fresh picked and deelish.

bbq

                              and waiting for friends to arrive.

paper airplanes

Paper airplanes are back!  Big brother found a book he'd been given long ago; it was tucked in a cabinet after our move here and has been hidden there ever since. He spread it out on the floor and got to work.  And I had the impulse: grab the camera.

Here is the last big paper airplane frenzy on record.  2008!  I'm sure we've been in and out of them since. But look at the difference in complexity.

And now my little engineers are designing their own.

Here's the latest by big brother: it flies better than any of the ones from the book!

Amazing.

(It's even more amazing to watch his designs develop!  His first design incorporated a small battery-driven propeller; needless to say, with its paper wings, it was a rather grand and frustrating flop.  But an educational flop.)

garden gifts: berries

Tonight, a carton of berries: black raspberries, red raspberries and blueberries.  We had them for dessert with gluten-free silver dollar pancakes and syrup.

Thank you again N.R. for the growing you do, and you T.W. for sharing such a perfect summer treat!

garden gifts: lettuces

We've been part of a CSA* every year for the past 9-10 years. We joined our first CSA soon after we moved to Vermont. 

But not this year.  When the time came to join in the early spring, we didn't feel we could afford it. 

And now we're really missing it.  The boxes of lettuces and kale and fresh tomatoes!  The cucumbers and peas right off the vine!  And the berries! 

But the Garden Goddess has taken pity -- or just wants to reward us for years of faithful commitment to local farmers:  we're regularly being given gifts from friends' gardens!

Today I came home from work with a bag full of lettuces.  Gorgeous lettuces.  Thank you N.R. for being the abundant gardener that you are and for sharing the wealth with us!

(We added daylilies from our own yard, cranberries, walnuts, goat cheese and a red wine vinaigrette.  The boys love fresh salad; particularly big brother.  With the right dressing, he'll practically lick the plate!)

 

*CSA: Community Supported Agriculture.  Usually one buys "shares" in the farm, and then in turn receives a portion of the farm's produce (and/or milk or meat) each week during the growing season.

a little post script on yesterday

Created by the boy who got frustrated with making invites and designed his own cartoon instead.

Neighborhood Pancake Party

this morning!  A bit impromptu.  In our neighborhood, there had once been a tradition of monthly  potlucks in the summer.  And now, with several new families in the area, everyone has been talking about reviving it.   And (of course) awhile back we volunteered:  "Let us host the first one!"  But then weeks spilled into weeks -- when were we going to host this first neighborhood event?  And then it seemed Sunday (today!) held a window.  And if we didn't do it now, we might never!

But then it meant we had to clean the house.  Really clean the house.  Get it ready for a party!

It was now or never.

So yesterday we...

                                        (the delivery boy)

(we stuck them on door where no one was home)

                                                (huge helping)

                                        (and not so much helping)

And then today....

OK I can hear you from here.   "WHAT?"  Well, we had bats in our playroom last night.  In the middle of the night.  Two of them.  And we got them out.  Really the Daddy got them out.  I just danced around and tried to keep from shrieking.   But this morning we weren't sure if there were more.  And we just couldn't deal.  So big brother made a nice big warning sign. "bats!"

As for the party:

                                            (fresh mint tea)

and finally:

Wonderful.  We had twenty-one neighbors stop by for pancakes with something sweet on top (take your pick: cherry syrup, blackberry sauce, or peaches and rasperries!  And a little fresh goat cheese too.  All home-made neighborly contributions to the event.)

And as I was doing the dishes (and the dishes and the dishes) I was saying to David, "Shouldn't we do this again NEXT weekend?"

wood for the winter

Three cords were delivered, and within 4 days -- I do think it was 4 -- we had it all stacked.  Everybody helped. 

It's a good thing to look back in your yard and see all the wood you'll need for winter, stacked in tight rows.  Very satisfying.