Vacation Week: Museum Musings Part I

We took a crew to see the exhibit of miniatures at the Fleming Museum.

This group of boys sure knows how to take in a museum.

Goofy as always.  

Vacation Week: Owl Musings

On Sunday we took the boys to VINS, Vermont Institute of Natural Science.

There was an Owl Festival with owls from around the world.

We got there later than we wanted, but it was still in plenty of time to see the owls.

Here are just 5 of them...a barn owl, barred owl, snowy owl, Asian owl, and Saw-whet.  

Vacation has kept us in town, but there's been plenty to do.  

The Butler Did It

… and the butler was Kuba.

Kuba played Edward the Butler in a Very Merry performance of 

the Aristocats.  His friend Oliver was Edgar the butler.  His friend Sam was an Alley cat.

This was his second performance with Very Merry, and OH how he loved every little bit of it.

His facial expressions and gestures were hysterical,  and according to Aunt Sandy, 

he stole the show.  She is just a little biased. 

Honestly, what we are so proud of with Kuba and his drama

is his high level of engagement.  Who could ask for anything more?  

Everybody Down!

Today Kuba and a bunch of schoolmates launched winter break at the bowling alley.

Seven boys throwing balls down the disco lighted lanes.

Serious fun.

I SO LOVE these boys.  

Click the link to watch 'em bowl.   Everybody down!

 

Happy Birthday Anders

Anders turned fourteen on a bright blue Tuesday this year.

The sun was shining and it was a cloudless winter sky.

Just like the day he was born.  

We celebrated with a birthday wake up, and later a delicious dinner with family.

Roast beef, mashed potatoes, roasted asparagus, 

followed by a yummy sponge cake with whipped cream and berries.  

Anders thirteenth year was a year of growth.  

7th grade firmly under his belt, 8th grade almost finished, and 9th grade right around the corner.  Next year when I write his birthday post he'll be in high school.

Highlights of the year?   

He aced his school work, especially Mr. Battail's class - an honor student all around. 

He ran cross country for a third season,

took afterschool tennis and sailing lessons, joined the school play, 

played in the orchestra for the third year, and maintained a passion for 

 his favorite video games in his available spare time. Roblox and Minecraft?

This was the year of GROWTH.

Anders grew 5 inches this year!

He needed a constantly changing bigger wardrobe to accommodate his 

longer arms, even longer legs and giant feet.  His voice is changing.

He attended 24 weeks of  OWL (sex ed) classes at the UU church this year.

He got asked to a school dance for the first time, by a girl.

He said no.

He skied on Fridays evenings with Ben and Finley for a second year.

He lost all of his molars and needs braces.

He got a dog. 

He made some new friends, but maintained his loyalty to his chosen few.  

He had a happy year.  A good year. 

He remains our steady, unassuming boy.  

Kind, dedicated, self guided and motivated.

Happy birthday Anders!

14 is going to suit you well. 

We Are Most Alive When We Love

Valentine's day has been my favorite holiday for so many years. 

I remember as a child my mom having a special Valentine gift on my dinner plate...my favorite being a sparkly rhinestone butterfly barrette in a plastic heart shaped box.  

I remember the cards and the chocolates my dad would get for my mom.  

I remember roses and excitement.  I remember watching my dad give my mom these gifts.  It must really have made a lasting impression.   I remember the passing out valentine cards at school, and the gazillion Valentine crafts I've made over the decades.   I remember taking photos of Anders when he was a year old, dressed in red corduroy overalls holding lots of red hearts.  I remember making tons of valentines each and every year with the boys for them to give to their classmates.   We've used the printing press, the sewing machine, linoleum blocks, watercolors, construction paper, you name it, we've probably used it in some way.  This year was no exception in the creating department.  We made lots of valentines cards, valentine gifts and even valentine food.  Heart shaped cookies for teachers,  heart shaped pizzas for dinner.  All in the spirit of love.   We received delightful cards from friends - even hand made felt fortune cookies with love quotes, a hand carved black walnut home from Anna, and a delicious box of valentine messages from the boys.  I love this holiday for so many reasons, but mostly, because I do feel most alive when I am actively loving and expressing my love.  

Valentine's 2019

  

               

  

 

Delerious about the Ice

We've had a run on icy weather around here.  One week after another, snow, then rain, then snow, then rain, and then ice: thaw, refreeze, thaw, refreeze.  This has created a lot of ice.  Thick ice, slippery ice, polar ice, bumpy ice, jagged and fierce, as well as smooth as velvet and oh, so glaring.  Ice to marvel at and also to fear.  Walking like robots, carefully picking out the best spots to step on, so as to not smash a head or break a limb.  But when you have a puppy you must still venture out - into the cold icy northern Vermont landscape.  And we have.  Almost daily.   With fantastic - utterly gorgeous landscapes to explore and ponder and enjoy.   We've discovered some isolated, secret skating rinks, where the water has flooded the plain, and surrounded small groves of trees with rings of water that extend generously out and beyond the woods.  Inviting enough for us to return again and again, with friends, with family, with hot cocoa, with pastry, with pucks and sticks and cameras to record, simply because to be away for too long causes grief in the soul because it seems that we need to know what exactly has changed today.  This place is solace.  This winter is mighty.  Who would not partake?    

Kuba's Homage to the Ice 

February 6 and 51

It is Anna's birthday!

We woke up early and greeted her with a tray of coffee, fruit smoothie and avocado toast, each of us taking on a bit of the birthday offerings.  We had a box full of gifts and Anna chose one to open, a pair of black binoculars. Tonight we are having a family dinner with Barbro and Dave - manicotti, meatballs, garlic bread and seared bok choy with garlic.  We will also have cake. In fact, we will have two cakes.  Anna's favorite Tosca Torte, made by her mom, and a Prinsesstarta cake.   Our friend Hazel surprised Anna last night with this  classic Swedish Princess cake.  I've inserted a photo below - just so you can see the amazing layers of this crazy delicious dessert. It was quite the surprise - given that the cake was made by a 15 year old friend who got the recipe from the Great American Bakeoff.   It was such a nice birthday!