Every season has a story, and our story this summer is all about abundance: abundance of laughter and family time; of travel and time spent on the farm; of intense winds, rain, and heat and bounty from the garden. It has been a season of celebrations.
At times, the summer felt like a whirlwind — but every swirl was made up of delightful present moments. Moments that I don't want to forget. So, (mostly to jog my memory) here's a round up in photos of our summer season. Please indulge the abundance of photos.
May
Jack traveled to Farm Dover from Berlin for a couple of weeks -- and we put him to work (and play). It was so very good to have him home.
Just as Jack was winding up his visit, I flew to Philadelphia to tour seven botanical gardens with my girls.
June
We kicked off June with a day at Huber's Orchard picking strawberries.
A train ride in French Lick, IN with an overnight stay in the West Baden Hotel and a day exploring Turkey Run State Park was next on our agenda.
June also found Hazel at sleepover summer camp, Norbert helping me pick elderflowers for a cordial and both pla
ying soccer for Team Spain while Ed and I cheered them on from the sidelines. Our lilies bloomed and the garlic harvest was epic.
July
Two big trips took up most of our July: Madison, WI with the whole family and Montreal, CA with our nieces: Molly and Katie.
Maggie and Nate both went to university in Madison and were eager to go back with the kids. We asked if we could tag along, and then Mary asked if her Brooklyn family could join in and then Jack and Kasia decided that they wanted to come too. So we rented a big house and piled in together for a very special week together.
The end of the month found us in Montreal, one of our favorite cities, for a long weekend with our nieces. We ate well, showed the girls our favorite places, and headed to bed at 9:30, just as they headed out to checkout the nightlife. It was a perfect visit; we love traveling with these two.
Meanwhile, back at the farm, there were half birthdays to celebrate, playdates, creek walks, aronia and blackberries to pick, onions to harvest, and wildflowers to admire.
August
Mary and Roscoe flew in for a visit in early August and we celebrated "Cousin Love" all week long: morning snuggles, playtime in the mud kitchen, trail hikes, a trip to Owensboro (Ed's hometown), family visits, garden snacking, and a sleepover at Hazel and Norbert's.
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| Cousin Georgia Mae |
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| Owensboro cousins (on right): Blair Bennett and Shep |
Last Thursday, Hazel started second grade, and this Monday, Norbert started kindergarten. (Roscoe starts pre-school after Labor Day.) In my mind, the start of school marks the end of summer. So I bring this post to a close. I recognize how blessed we are with all the prosperity in our lives and can't wait to see what the next season brings.
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Notes
French Lick/West Baden/Turkey Run
Train ride: a 90-minute journey through the hills and forests of Southern Indiana
State Park:
Spring Mill, features a settler's village with a working corn mill
Madison, WI
House on the Rocks: A sprawling, eccentric tourist attraction build atop a massive column of rock; a massive, labyrinthine complex filled with bizarre collections and whimsical exhibits.
Montréal, CA
Breakfast:
La Binerie, a counter-style restaurant specializing in traditional Quebec cuisine, including it's signature baked beans.
Dinners:
Casa Minhota, a Portuguese restaurant specializing in tapas and seafood
Oysters:
Jean-Talon Market, located in the heart of Little Italy, it is one of the biggest and oldest markets in North Ameria
