Bird Experiences

I like to capture so many of our experiences through photographs.  Sometimes though, I just can't.  

Recently we were out on a hike with a bunch of kids and our friend Cathy.  As we were eating our lunch on a ridge overlooking farmlands and woods below, we saw a bird of prey soar into view.  It was big and we all excitedly tried to figure out what it was.   A hawk?  An eagle?  A falcon?  As we watched this beautiful soaring bird, we noticed another smaller raptor coming in from the opposite direction.  To our complete and utter astonishment, this second raptor dove at the first, and the two birds put on an air show for us. Aerobatics. rolling, dipping, diving, stalling, spinning and dropping.  It was fantastic to watch.  Utterly one of those moments that captured us completely.   We later learned they were two red tailed hawks that put on the performance for us.   

The next bird experience that was super cool was when we were biking on the causeway.  This time it was an osprey that had captured a baby bird and was flying overhead with the baby in it's talons.  The mother bird was chasing the osprey - shrieking, hysterically over and over as she madly flew after the osprey.   Her desperate and frantic were heartbreaking.  We think the osprey ended up dropping the baby bird into the water.  

Both of these bird experiences were so amazing to witness.  No photograph could come close to capturing the beauty and thrill of being there.  

Rewards

And the simple reward of ice cream at the end.

Anders, Kuba, Charlie and I biked 25 miles the other day. 
It was fun, it was long, and it was totally a fabulous ride.

(Minus the fact that Kuba fell and hurt himself!) 

 

Boogie Boarding

This is probably the boys favorite thing to do at the ocean.  Luckily, Anna likes it too.

 

Boys at the Ocean

Walking the Jetty in Provincetown

Playing with the tide 

 

Provincetown Selfie in Front of Marilyn

We've posed in front of this Andy Warhol like painting before.  But now the boys are bigger and taller than us.  And we have masks on due to the pandemic.   All the same, it was fun and we like the tradition. 

Beach Stones 2020

 

Spelunking

We took a hike up in Charlotte the other day - 7 boys and a few adults.

We hiked up to a ridge with a beautiful summit and a cave.

The most brave of the batch entered into a narrow cave and came out at a new location up and through a tiny opening in the rocks.  Here are the boys on the way down to the cave, and climbing their way out of the cave.   it was a pretty awesome experience.

At the summit - while taking a lunch break, we were lucky enough to see an air show by 2 red tailed hawks.  Just like airplanes in an air show they were spiraling and dropping and dipping.   It was spectacular to say the least.  

 

Boatworms or Bookworms?

Who would have thought that reading on a boat could be as cozy as it is. 

Both boys are reading The Hunger Games - Book 1 and Book 3. 

WATER

For the third year in a row we have entered art as a family in a themed art show at a local cafe.  This year's theme was WATER.  Though we made these paintings months ago (before we even thought of getting our sailboat,) the theme could not be more fitting or perfect for 2020.  This year we used watercolor and chalk to create our quadriptych. 

 

The Best of Summer Club

Eating lunch on the ridge

Swimming at Cathy's Pond 

Hiking up to Charlotte Ridge and Cave 

Hiking the long trail to the Richmond River 

Bike Ride to Airport Park

Suspension Bridge in Richmond 

At Kyle's Camp 

Riding to Gus's House 

Slippin' and Slidin' 

 

All of our Hands on Deck

 

Taking on Lake Champlain

 

Blackberries

I cannot even begin to explain the joy of picking blackberries.

I think I have picked at least seven times so far this season.  With Anna - in the thick brambles of the Intervale, and alone.  It has been worth every single tear in my clothing and of my skin.  The beauty in the struggle to get them makes me feel triumphant.  It is NOT EASY to fill a bucket with blackberries. Picking is not for the weak or timid. I have felt so covetous of and in love with these blackberries, that I have imagined being a bear.  I have even imagined hearing a bear nearby, breathing heavily on the other side of the thicket, as I pick yet one more glossy purple clot.  I didn't feel afraid.  I just felt kinship.