Sunflowers as far as the eye can see

Sunset over the Berkshires

Merrit Clark Day

Today was Merrit Clark Day (read huge bar-b-que and picnic in the middle of a freshly mown field with live bagpipes, bluegrass and country music and lots of nice people. Oh, and an authentic stagecoach giving rides. Fun!

GREEN!!!

Our darling Miss Julia has dyed her hair green. GREEN!

14 July 2007

The fireworks were held down on the shore tonight. We went for a long drive to see them, braved an hour of walking through crowds to score a seat close enough to see the pretty sparklies and feel the booms.

Bubba and I enjoyed the heck out of ourselves . . .

Today I did this:

After mixing up the flax seeds, lavendar and cloves, I stuffed the muslin bag I had sewn and then sewed it shut.

Then I stuffed it into the sack I had knitted, finished up the closures and test-heated it. Spiffy new heat pack!

We went for a long ride today with some friends, and some people we didn't know, down to the shore, and then took a boat ride out amongst the Thimble Islands. It was a hot and sunny day, perfect for riding the bike.


When I came home tonight, I found this waiting for me

Bubba and Boy had baked a cake from scratch, and then made buttercream frosting, from scratch. And then the two artists, Bubba and Miss Julia decorated it with buttercream flowers - so beautiful, so sweet! I feel very blessed.

Doing things differently . . .

I don't usually come out and ask for specific things for my birthday - I'll drop a hint if I see something I like, before my birthday. Throughout the years, those hints, (for some reason I have as yet to understand) have never been heard.

This year, I did something different. DH asked me for a birthday list (something we always have the kids do) and I actually grew some balls and sent him a list of several things, asking him to get me just one of those things.

I was surprised, and grateful, to receive all but one item from my list:







I am really enjoying reading through my books and I haven't taken the earrings off since I got them. I feel so spoiled!

Today was my birthday, so Boy, Bubba, DH and I began the day with a hike up to Squaw's Peak and Devil's Pulpit. Last night, intense thunderstorms with heavy rains and strong winds swept through, so there were many areas of the trail which were washed out. Along the trail, we met many of these little guys



Once we reached the summit, we lay across rocks on for a while, chatting and resting from the rather steep ascent. The view was spectacular, the sun was warm and a light breeze cooled the sweat on our bodies.


In the distance a storm began to build and we headed down the trail once we heard thunder. We made it all the way down and nearly back to the Blue Elk before it began to rain lightly. Once we got into the car it began to pour. Did I tell you - Bubba named her car the Blue Elk, because trying to drive the old blazer is rather like trying to ride an elk - it wants to go its own way.

We celebrate the 4th by hiking

Bubba and Boy celebrate it by opening a can of whoop-ass on each other.

No, but really, it was a beautiful day for hiking - low to mid 70s, overcast, not too humid. I think the haziness made the view prettier: