Summer to My Ears

I have been very slowly working on turning my past year of blog posts into book form on Blurb. Creating photo books is completely addicting for me. I love it. It's been fun to reread my words and see what we were up to one year ago. Things have changed. I was in the garden like mad by this time last year and this spring finds me quite the slow poke. Seeing the flowers out my windows and here and there on our short walks has been great - but I haven't done more than that. My flower garden is still one giant weed pit with bits of color here and there wishing for attention. I also remember that this time last year I was on the phone a bunch to my mother wanting advice on how to keep tabs on Hugo in the yard. I was terrified that he'd disappear on me down the drive and out onto the busy road. He did, once. The faze was short lived, thank heavens. Now Hugo is my shadow. This season I am searching out advice on how to deal with all the questions and non stop chatter in my ear from the short one. I am a person who likes my quiet. My husband on the other hand, is the opposite. Cesar needs to be plugged into his laptop, radio, and or pod casts all - the - time. He is the King of Info. He and silence don't mix well with one another. I like being alone with myself, the sound of the wind, rain, the birds singing... One of my favorite sounds is when I'm sunbathing and all relaxed and I'll hear a small plane buzz past high in the sky above me. Love it! That and a little Eric Clapton in the background, is summer to my ears.

Hugo's New Bed

Our friend Ms Sheri has given a twin bed to Hugo. He is very excited! I bought him new sheets and a throw pillow with cars on them. Not cars from the movie Cars cars. Super mod lookin' cars from Dwell Studio for Target type cars.

Poppa couldn't wait to drive home from church today, he was itching for a project in the yard. He tucked Hugo into bed for his nap and then changed his own clothes. I made sandwiches which we shared side by side in the kitchen. I love my marble counter top but, this time of year I freeze while sitting at it's edge, resting my arms and body against it. I have fabric placemats but they don't help much.

First Cesar sanded all the varnish off the beds head and footboards. Then he primed them both with his paint sprayer. And then, he laid on the left over pale cream paint I've had stashed up in my craft room. Hugo woke in time to witness the last layer of paint being applied. He wanted to touch it in the worst way. Cesar told him he could have one of the sprayed rocks on the ground. Hugo picked up one piece of pale cream colored gravel, checked it over and chucked it over his shoulder narrowly missing me! He was not impressed.

This morning the pieces were still tacky to the touch so I lit a fire in the woodstove to dry out the damp rain air of the house. I was planning on setting up the bed tomorrow with the freshly washed car sheets and flipping Hugo's nursery style room around but, Cesar wants me to wait for him. Boo hoo. I was almost as excited as Hugo! Now we both have to wait...

A Bush and Three Trees

We have experienced glorious sunshine and warm weather return to the yard! Everything is budding and blooming. The grass is green and the forcythia is brightening up. I walk and drive about the village envying all the special blooming trees and bushes I see. There are two homes which I plan on mustering up the courage to ask the name of a certain bush and tree. They are beautiful. Especially the bush. I want one. It has adorable orange flowers in the spring and this past fall, I swear, it was in bloom again! It isn't blooming yet but, when it does, I'll be a knocking at the front door and hopefully photographing its beauty. Again, I want one. My husband tells me that I have too many wants but, he'll go along with this one want of mine. He likes the yard. He complains about all the work, the never, ever ending work in the yard. He likes our yard. The past few weekends he has been eyeing up our oaks and dogwood which we planted on his birthday last year. He's been worried that they aren't blooming. Finally, tonight he found evidence of life on all three trees. Woosh! He blew out a great sigh of relief over his love of these three skrawnny trees which we planted together as a family. This new planting season he is talking about purchasing a ten year old tree. He wants to see it take off in growth. So now you know, he wont mind my falling in love with want over a bush with adorable orange flowers.

Tiny Flowers

Happiness is in the air. Spring is here and our wood pile has dwindled to nothingness. Reflecting over this past winter it seems to be a friend who has moved away. I remember at its beginning, how I wondered over in what ways my blog photos would change. Since my new love of photographing in natural light had been discovered through this blog, I was scared. Would I run out of subject possibility during these dark months? I worried a dry gulch was headed my way. Happily, that turned out not to be the case. Life changes and continues and this time, I rolled with it.

These pictures were taken today in this neat little nook which Cesar has carved out from the wild with his ancient lawn tractor. I love it down there. It is my favorite spot in our yard. What happiness it was to discover all these tiny flowers covering the ground today! I plopped down amongst the grass and flowers to indulge myself in the sunshine. Hugo ran about. Far from me and close, the pattern was repeated over and over. He soon was intrigued by what I was looking at. Plopped down in the grass beside me, we looked these tiny flowers over together. Time passed and a giant cloud covered up our sunshine bringing with it a stiff wind. We ran for the house and food to fill our tummies!

Yellow and Greens

Yellow-ish is my hair. This morning I had my hair cut and highlighted. Well, it was more like color corrected. I've been bored a few too many nights and have highlighted and all over colored a few too many times. I was box color out of control. Hey, it was fun and I was all alone! The gal tried to match my actual color. I've been letting my roots grow and grow trying to decide what my next hair move would be. She did a good job but, it seems a bit too dark and a little dirty looking. I feel like I've been rolling around in our dusty driveway each time I pass a mirror.

Green is our grass outside. Full is what we hope develops and grows. Green is what is here to stay.

Yellow is vibrant and sunny and cheerful and lovely and much sought after in our home environment.

Hugo and Ole Hit the City

We drove into the City today to visit with my friend Chin Li and her daughter Emily.

Hugo wore Ole on his back and filled him with his new Leapster, two games, a lift the flap book and two Cars cars.

He was curious about everything, just like a little monkey which we enjoy reading about.

This is the only photo I took of Chin Li and Emily. I can't believe it. The day turned out to be cooler than we had planned for. Soon after a late lunch at our favorite spot for chicken broccoli and scallion pancakes, Chin Li began to not feel well and was very sleepy. Emily and Hugo wanted to go, go, go. Chin Li and I were barely hanging on, wore out down to our toes! Our afternoon was cut short by the rain and a desperate need for nap time.

Still curious.

We did enjoy seeing all the flowers and spring plantings.

Emily was silly and kept telling Hugo to call Chin Li Susie. He tried his best which made us all laugh and made him wonder at our happiness.

He saw a firetruck racing down the avenue full speed ahead!

Hugo adored the subway. Once down in the hole, he quickly spied the tracks and said excitedly - train tracks! As the subway approached we drew near on the platform and waited for the doors to open. Hugo had no hesitation. He hopped right in and grabbed onto the pole with both hands. Did not, would not hold onto one of my hands. I was afraid of that first beginning jolt of the train, that it would send him flying into fellow passengers near and far so I secretly held onto his Ole. My mothering attention was not needed, Hugo is a natural strap hanger. Possibly all those months in my belly as an early New Yorker prepared him for this subway riding moment. A natural I tell you. He even attracted attention from other riders and was quick with his reply's. He told all who would listen that it was his train. He made the old men laugh and laugh and beg his pardon of trespassing on his train. A man asked Hugo where he had gotten his hat and he piped up, "From Momma." The train rides were our very favorite part of our wonderful day.

Hugo Turns 3!

Today is Hugo's birthday!! He has been waiting and waiting for his party and some cake. Cake, cake, cake, I want cake! We aren't having cake today, not till the weekend when we visit Vovo's house and have a family party. The kid party is in the works but not planned for another two weeks. This is going to be a long, drawn out, birthday extravaganza. What kid wouldn't want it any other way? Later this morning we are kicking off this birthday celebration stretch by having a few little friends over for some sticky buns.

We were singing Happy Birthday while I snapped this pic!

More to come later today...

Blogoversary Winner!

I disappeared again. Sorry. Spring cleaning is in full force here at our house. Closets and clutter beware! Looking at the above photo you'll see I've been a bit wiped in the evenings for knitting time, not much progress. I am enjoying this lace pattern though, my fingers are itching to knit right now! I will finish it soon, promise. Possibly over this holiday weekend even. No snickering Mother!

Little fingers helped me choose a winner, all very scientific like.

And the winner is...

The paper balancing on his nose was all Hugo's idea!

To be continued...

As I made our dinner tonight, the above is what I spied a happening on our kitchen window. I made Cesar run over and take a look too! Boy, I need to clean those windows. Lora, how soon can you fly in?

Cesar has been busy all day raking and sprucing up our yard. It's a big, big job. Hugo and I watched. We let Layla out and run about for our friend Sheri. Hugo tossed a tennis ball around. He also hammered on everything in sight with his "Pat" toy. Namely Me, the dogs, Evie, rocks, the table, the counter, my car, the oven door, the dinner dishes and the wheelbarrow. I think Pat is going on vacation tonight. An extended vacation.

I spread an entire bag of grass seed on bald patches and the newly raked areas Cesar cleared. Pine needles really do cause havoc on the grass.

This photo is of Cesar cleaning the area where he felled the big ash tree. The past so many weekends he has been busy chopping up the massive truck with his chain saw. He has hauled and stacked the wood to mix it in with the hard woods we purchased back in the fall. It is messy, hard work.

Look closely at Hugo's hands and you'll spy Pat, who is soon to be far, far away on vacation. Any takers on a last minute visitor? He doesn't eat much and is pretty quiet unless played with by an almost 3 yr old little boy.

Hugo spied the moon through the cedar branches while we visited Poppa raking up the last of the sawdust mess from the yard.

I'm off to raid the fridge of the butterscotch pudding I made while cleaning up the dinner dishes. Good Night!

P.S. - Don't forget to comment here if you'd like to enter my blogoversary giveaway...

Rain and Wind

Spring is truly here in all it's Lion glory.

I can't wait for the Lamb to enter the picture!

The Swan

Cesar surprised me by coming home early from work. We decided to make the most of it and drove down to the park to feed the swans. It was a damp, cold day so we didn't stay long. Hugo was completely excited with the chance to feed the very friendly swan but in no time at all, was frozen to the bone. We three ran for the car and cranked the heater while headed for home.