Is it summer yet?

Summer has come to Ithaca.  The laundry is on the line... often getting rained on, the campfires have begun, the garden is booming, and the grass feels good on bare toes.  Almost every morning Emmett drags me to the front door.  He likes to check on the birds and then go outside and check for rain.  He puts one arm out first and then walks out into the grass.

Sarah is working her tail off getting the garden secured from pests.  The tulle worked so well last year that she put it over the cabbage again this year.  Hopefully we'll be able to remove it without ruining it this time around.  We put up a new fence as well.  The chicken-wire had gotten too ratty.

Some of my favorite fires start out as daytime brush burns.

A random walk.  We don't walk as much as I want to, but we're doing pretty well.  We'll keep trying to improve every day.

It's funny to watch how Emmett learns what his toys represent and how to use them.  He has definitely figured out what wheels do.

Reading with Mama.  His reading endurance is increasing, which is nice.

Not a desert tortoise, but she's pretty cool anyway.  The red eared sliders and snappers and painted turtles all like to lay their eggs in the cinder along the trail.  In a few weeks, it'll be littered with the remains of the shells and the next generation of turtles will waddle into the pond.

A hot day at the market!

Self feeding is still in its infancy.  It's definitely more theoretical than practical.  Still, the little dude does like to try.

A brisk dip in Cayuga at Becky and Phil's beach house.  We had such a good time grilling and chatting and hanging out with Becky and Phil and Moe a couple times last week.  It was so great to catch up and hang out and eat good food.

Summer time brings mountain biking.  I woke up early Saturday morning and watched the moon set while I loaded the bike onto the Subaru.

Everything is so lush and fecund.

On Saturday the trail was pretty slick and washed out from all the rain.  It was a stressful and dangerous, and not that fast.  It was more like the trail rode me that the other way around... still, it was a better day than one without a bike ride.  Sunday's ride was much better.

Hanging out at our friend Heather's birthday party.  Next month, her daughter, Lara, will be one of the babies at the Brooktondale Babies Birthday Bash.

We finished up the evening at Zach's new place.  Lots of kids, lots of good conversation.

OCMS

On Sunday we decided to go to Cooperstown to see Old Crow Medicine Show perform Bob Dylan's Blonde on Blonde as a 50th anniversary tribute to the bard.  The concert was 2 hours away and at Brewery Ommegang, so we decided we'd camp out.

Emmett helps Mama pick the right shoes... Foreshadowing: the right shoes were galoshes. 

Little Man was super helpful setting up the tent.  He held it down so it didn't blow away while I staked it in.  Later he held it down so that it didn't raise too fast.

Everything looks up to code, Papa!

The once and future king.

Bow to Sir Emmett of the House Bassington, first of his name, King of the Brooktonites and Wobbly Walker

Is that an air guitar I see?

Time for a little stompin and hollerin!

Driftwood!  We first saw them by chance playing in a little bar in Trumansburg many years ago.  Now they open for Old Crow at Ommegang?!  Amazing.  They deserve it, too.  Fantastic instrumentalists with great energy.

Dancing to the music.

Wrestling with Mama.

What a handsome guy.

"Guys, quit with all the pictures.  You're missing the show!"

Old Crow.  Ketch, center stage on the mic!

Is someone getting tired?

Missing the encore.

Old Crow played both albums and then came back out and played some greatest hits; Tangled Up in Blue, Knockin' on Heaven's Door, You Ain't Goin' Nowhere, and then Midnight Rider by the Allman Brothers, and of course Wagon Wheel.

The night was a little rough, with lots of yelling and singing and drunkin conversation, then lots of rain and leaking tent.  Not much sleeping happened.  Oddly, the area that we were planning to camp in, up and away from the main field, was closed off.  It's too bad.  There were lots of families.  It's a lot to ask, but it seems possible that there could be an area set aside for drunken revlery and another for families...  Anyway, we survived.  Emmett actually slept pretty well, all things considered.  I wound up sleeping in a puddle and acting as a dam to prevent Emmett and Sarah getting wet.  Sarah was on the side most subject to stupid conversation.  

My camping buddies sleeping it off on the drive home.  All in all, we had  agreat and memorable time.  Emmett won't remember this, obviously, but we think it's pretty cool that his first concert is Old Crow.  As far as camping goes, at least we know that it's doable.  We've still got a couple trips planned for the summer.  Hoping to get out to Long Pond outside of Whitney Point and Forked Lake in the Adirondacks.