Summer digging

Sitting on the back porch with a bowl full of strawberries, a glass of cold water, and my current favorite cookbooks... listening to the boys playing, realizing that they have many conversations between themselves... loving summer and all it brings, including the dirt.

It's the compromise of each season. In winter, I spend my time trying to come up with things for the boys to do indoors since the cold and wet only allow for short bursts of outdoor play. In the summer, I spend that same amount of time making sure they take off their shoes before coming in and sweeping up the trails of dirt that follow them all around the house. It's a worthwhile compromise.


For the past couple of weeks they've been archeologists, digging and digging, hoping to find treasure. A quick trip to the thrift store and I found an endless supply of archeological equipment: spoons, forks, ladles, sifters, pots, tongs, and spatula. They work perfectly and can stay outside when not being used.



There's a lot of celebrating when a treasure is found deep in the earth, previously hidden. It takes a place of honor on our nature table and then the digging continues.


I am almost as excited as they are when they discover something. I'm in my own world of archeology and fiction. Thanks to my sister, I've been lost and absorbed in the Abigail Peabody mysteries and just in time too. I had tossed 3 popular fiction books out in a row, never making it past the 3rd chapter because the writing was awful. The more I read, the pickier I am. I can't bear to waste my time on drivel. Thank you Elizabeth Peters for devoting your life to writing, my vivid imagination and my precious spare time greatly appreciate it. (Dreaming of a trip to Egypt now....)

A mouse in the house

A little mouse showed up last week.

I had a little quiet time in the afternoon and grabbed a knitting book and some needles.

Isn't she darling?

Ian named her Goga.

A friend, in green and yellow, is on the knitting needles now.