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.