Bird Takes a Survey

These Two

...can fight like barn cats indoors, but cover them with face tattoos and put them outside on a beautiful spring day, and even I'm convinced that they always get along.

You Move Through My Dreams Like a Trout Moves Through a Pool

John and I don't make a habit of recognizing Valentine's Day every year, but St. George's Day is another matter, entirely.  I'm happy to give up the forced hooplah of V-Day, and I always forget St. George's Day, too, but each year John faithfully surprises me with the customary rose and book.  It's the best custom ever!

I don't usually talk about all John does on shotsnaps, because it's a fluffy blog of snapshots and little else, plus, in spite of all the blather, I'm pretty private, preferring to strike a happy medium, but he consistently bolsters me with gifts of service, showing Love and kindness in actions harder to deliver than roses and books.  I hold these close. The truest Blue.

Sweet Babes

A month or so ago, we moved Zeke into the girls' bedroom in preparation for Cozykin's ensconcement in our bedroom.  He sleeps on the crib mattress cozily tucked in the corner, but sometimes I find him sleeping other places, too.

Grubby Fingers

It's always a good idea to include your not-yet-two-year old in the seed-starting process.  (Wait, what dummy thinks that?!)  Anyway, with Zeke's help, I was able to start a couple hundred cells in a day without completely losing it.  Thanks, Ezekiel.  You're a peach.

By this point, they're in need of bigger pots and transplanting, but here were the first slender sprouts stretching sunward.

Don't Think of These as Late Gifts, Because They're NOT

In addition to that pesky nesting instinct forcing me to feverishly wash grubby walls that haven't been scrubbed for a couple of years when I should have been leaving for a doctor's appointment, it's also knocked a few gifts off my to-do list.

Several of these gifts were ready for mailing by December 25th, but since they were all going to the same family, I compulsively waited to mail them until I'd finished them all in...May.  Even though these were technically Christmas gifts and one could view them as shamefully late, I choose to think of them as early.  I'm actually giving "Christmas in July" gifts to recipients a few months early.  Hurrah for me!  Way to be on top of things, Abby!  Hip, hip!  (That's me cheering myself on.  Someone has to do it.)  They're all for my brother Andy and his family, which explains the animal theme.  They live right next to a bay in Alaska and often see seals and beluga whales.

Bathmat #1.   You knew I had to decorate a bathmat, right? (Yes, I think my habit of bathmat and potholder decorating is comical, too.)  Harbor seals under  the midnight sun.

Bathmat #2.  Beluga whale.

 



(with hasty hand-embroidery)

I made more of these little, zippered pouches using the same helpful tutorial.

And, yes, I'm still completely enamored with the zipper tabs.

I made these funny-looking Star Wars bowls back when I made the mugs,

as well as this mug for Andy.

And, just because this is a stitchery post, here are the potholders onto which I appliqued fowl for my mom-in-law for Mother's Day.  What's a stitchery post without bathmats and potholders?

Following the Masters

This is an oldie, but I just uncovered it during my nesting (i.e. crazed, headless chicken) phase.  Pip painted it last fall, and it remains one of my all-time favorite pieces of children's art.

It's a scarecrow, flying with the help of a friendly balloon, joined by royal bird and the exclamation, "Soopot." [Soup pot.]

And just because it was in the same stack of papers to file away, here's a note I found on the coffee table one morning.  I didn't try to unravel the mystery of how, why, or wherefore.  I think it's better that way.

The Circus Rolls in on Painted Wheels

We're getting accustomed to this spoiling, but John got free tickets to the circus through his work again this year, and off we spun.  John met us downtown with a picnic lunch and, after eating, we headed across the bridge.  Millie was the only girl who'd figured out the secret ahead of time, but when she chose to wear her t-shirt that says "Circus" on the front, I think a few of the other girls guessed, too, 'cause Susannah immediately changed into her matching circus shirt. 

Necessary bathroom mirror portrait.  (Zeke was with his Papa.)

This was the first evening show we've ever attended, and it didn't begin until after 7:00.  Zeke was overtired and whelmed and screaming*, so a few minutes in, John walked (an hour!) to his car in the adjoining town to drive him home while we enjoyed the glitzy veneer of the circus.

* I just remembered that one of my last circus posts was from when Zeke was a week or two old.  John stayed out with him that time, too, so I've been getting more than my fair share of circuses, I fear.

 

We had a few extra tickets, so Deb drove 45 minutes to join us, too!  Her presence helped fill John and Zeke's gap, and she even walked with us to the van afterward.

One of the highlights of the night was crossing the bridge to discover the late-night fireworks display that was lighting up the post-game festivities at the local baseball stadium.

It was a fine way to end a fine night.

May Day, or, Thank Goodness Some Daffodils Bloomed in Time

This year's May Day basket-making and delivering was made more fun by the presence of guests!  Titi, Caleb, and Deirdre were enlivening our day on May 1st, and they were game to join in the fun.

I forgot to get a snapshot of Luci and Annika until they were nearly back to the van after running away from Great Aunt Mae's house, and the one I did snap is blurry.  Oops.

Here's Millie fleeing down a driveway in the rain.

Susannah lucked out when Caleb agreed to accompany her to this scary house.

See?  Service with a smile.

This was the funniest drop-off.  Right after Annie and Caleb hopped back in the van, our neighbor of several minutes down the hill came driving up the hill on her way home.  She saw our van parked by the side of the road with its hazards on and drove past her driveway to make sure all was well.  I stammered a few awkward hints, trying to let her know that we were fine without either completely giving away the secret or seeming like eccentric people who pull over to stare at the emptiness of a wet hayfield.  She later got my cell number from my parents and left the sweetest message of thanks to the girls.  I felt like I'd gotten a gift!  (Because, in truth, I had.)

Deirdre and Pip braved our closest neighbor's door and were caught red-handed.  She was smart enough to pretend it never happened once she saw what brand of mischief they were up to.

Deirdre also celebrated her birthday on May 1st!  She was a great sport and let us sing to her.

I sincerely mean "great sport," too, because she had to endure singing that sounds an awful lot like bellowing and screaming.  Thanks, Deirdre. We'll totally understand if you spend next year's birthday barricaded inside your house.  :)

Apologies in Advance

I've never put a bare belly of my own on shotsnaps and don't intend to make a habit of it, but I think this is funny and want to remember it.  When I'm lying down, Zeke will often pull my shirt up to reveal the baby and proceed to smooch it over and over again.  Usually, it looks something like this:

But last week, I was lucky enough for him to both leave jammy kiss-prints on my belly and feed his sandwich to the baby, too...