A Visit with Gramma, Jac, and Brian

Less than two hours from our house, we can drive to the Connecticut coast to Auntie Jac and Uncle Brian's house. The boys displayed their competitive vigor in endless games of Sorry! and backyard games. We took a private tour of the Thimble Islands. Fun facts: The late 17th century pirate Captain Kidd buried treasure on these islands and they are names for thimbleberries (black raspberries). Lachen and Aksel scored great pirate hats and an "official" pirate map. Gramma Margie and Shawn scored authentic pirate beer. Despite a bit of drizzle, it was a great tour and the boys' favorite part of the trip.

We also sampled carnival rides at the Branford Festival. Shawn and I are now both too old for carnival rides. Aksel loves them, Lachen in his youthful wisdom already knows better. A seafood feast at Lenny's rounded out our evening, and with bellies full of clams, crab legs, and Maine salmon, we all slept soundly amidst the myriad of antique treasures at Jac and Brian's.

We strolled down the street to the ocean Sunday morning, and the boys each found shells to treasure. Then, well armed with maps and well fed with homemade baked goods (Thanks, Brian!) we explored the Yale University campus in New Haven. The ice rink is shaped like a whale, but its under renovation, so we'll have to tour it later in the year. After strolling around turreted buildings, grabbing some New York-style slices, and soaking up some erudite air, we headed home for a couple days before the trek westward for our Midwestern July.

We're so glad that we didn't take off for Wisconsin before Gramma arrived on the East Coast. I know of no other little boys with such a jet-setting great-grandmother. Lots of great memories made and no less than 10,000 calories consumed. We Hembergers do know how to eat!

Top of the Order: Laaaachhhhen Reeeeeid!

Lachen's on the home stretch of his baseball season. Enjoy these summertime shots!

Summer Bliss

So it's only the first day of summer vacation, and already I have started two new projects, found a new book to read (Free Range Kids), and I've baked my family's favorite chocolate chip banana bread, harvested lettuce and basil for a dinner salad, and caught tadpoles and crayfish with my boys. Here's the pattern. Mine will have some gathering and piping, so it's a bit fancier than the one shown here. It'll be a diaper bag for Mary.
Mary, her bun in the oven, and I went to Crafty Planet in Northeast Minneapolis over the weekend. I'm currently sporting their t-shirt. Seriously, how can there not be funky textile stores in my nearby vicinity? It's craziness. I am on the verge of opening my own store because there's such a blight of fabric stores and yarn shops in Massachusetts. I am going on a pilgrimage to the Stitch House in Dorchester later this week. It's my only hope. If not, it's time to replenish my stash at the Tangled Skein.

An exciting morning with the local wildlife

For those of you who have visited us, you know that we live near two ponds and we're surrounded by some serious wooded areas. It's great for exploring, finding wildflowers, crayfish, and tadpoles. We have mallards and Canadian geese. My neighbor was really worried about the fisher cat prowling in her trees. (They have inwardly turned teeth, like a shark. They're know to be vicious.) Basically, there 's just a lot of wildlife. So, it should not have surprised us when we can upon a HUGE turtle in the garden this morning on the way to the bus stop. (The photo with Aksel's profile in deceptive. This is a big turtle.) It had traveled through my garden crushing corn, upturning Swiss chard, burying lettuce, wreaking havoc on my burgeoning beets. Admittedly, I was concerned about my vegetables. When a huge turtle travels through, he does not tread lightly. And, from our many trips to the Minnesota Zoo, we all know that they feed the turtles salad. Loose leaf lettuce to be precise.
So, I indignantly grabbed Shawn's big work gloves, and I did pause for a moment looking at the gigantic crocodile-like tail, the huge head, and claws. During that pause, one of the trusty St. Mark's maintentance guys came by. "Oh yeah! She lays her eggs right there every year!"

WHAT? She's laying eggs?!? Suddenly, I'm feeling maternal solidarity with this heaving beast who traveled up a long and steep hill to lay her eggs. And look at the great lettuce just waiting for the babies when they hatch! What a good turtle mom. The shuddering, eye-rolling repulsion left. I left her there. She destroyed my garden. But, this is what mothers do.

This next part I only tell you because it is in the past and danger was indeed averted. This is a snapping turtle, and they are known to be very fast. They can snap at anything touching any part of their bodies except the tail. Aksel needed to pet the turtle on the shell and tail before school... I'M SORRY! He survived, but seriously. We narrowly avoid a turtle bite?!?

Signing off from Animal Kingdom,
Anna