SPRING

Spring is here in full force. The lake opened up completely in the last twenty-four hours. It looks like summertime from here (sitting on the front porch), but the water is really cold.

We just came back from a Sunday hike (the Grassy equivalent of a Sunday drive). LK and the kids went up the big hill behind the house to take pics. Of course with the Human Bear-Warning System (Jo - who never stops talking, particularly when having fun on a hike) on full volume there were no living creatures to been seen. When they came down around the paths behind the house I joined them for the trek down to the lake.

Jo spotted a foot-long snapping turtle as we arrived down at the lake's edge, but for some reason the turtle wasn't interested in hanging around with the Human Bear-Warning System. So she slipped off into the depths of the ice-cold water. Sorry we ruined your sunbathing, turtle.

In town yesterday I badgered my poor spouse into purchasing we picked up a big plastic bucket for all the outside toys that are always dragging sand into the house, or get left on the lawn for bears to chew (which is how we lost a soccer ball last spring). The bucket is a lovely olive green which blends in with the outdoors nicely and has rope handles for dragging it about. The top of the bucket reaches to Jo's waist which makes for an interesting view while he reaches for the bottom of the bucket to get his shovel. I am waiting for him to fall in.

Quiet Sunday afternoons are the best. A leisurely hike, some sitting on the porch, watching the Sprouts muck about. Fi is sitting beside me working on her Zine. She decided to publish a Zine this morning and is busy filling her "Art Lovers" page with a sketch of the lake. Jo is in the sand pile with his shovel, bucket and truck giving a running commentary on everything he does; his verbal blog, one could say. That apple doesn't fall far from the tree.