to the river

We took Claire and Wolfie for a little walk down by the river one late afternoon last week.  There's a trail that runs along the river and adjacent to the farm on the Warren Wilson College campus, and about a mile or so down is a fabulous swimming spot, complete with beach.

Mike wants to get Claire swimming as soon as possible and this place is just perfect for some papa swim lessons.  I much prefer it to the community pool, and I think she does too.  Instead of an overwhelmingly loud and busy scene with loads of screaming and squealing kids and water splashing everywhere, there is this:

We weren't the only ones around, but most of the time it was just us and it felt like our own private swimming hole.  It is deep enough that in places I can stand with my chin just above the water.  It is clear, cool but not cold, just far enough of a walk to keep huge crowds at bay but close enough to make it a simple journey with a baby and a dog who has lost a bit of the pep in his step.

Close to perfect, really.

Claire quite enjoyed her 'swim lesson'

And then yesterday, Claire and I went back to the river for another round of swimming with our good friends Michelle and Keegan.

Michelle and I met in a Mamatime group (thank goodness for the support of other new mamas when you are just getting going on this grand adventure) when the little ones were about 3 1/2 months old.  They (and we) have become pretty good buds~

They love to throw rocks in the water, and are pretty good about throwing them in appropriate directions.

And then, on the walk back, they held hands.  Sigh.

As we were getting back to the cars, Michelle asked me if I knew whether or not the apples were ready yet.  I had no idea what apples she was talking about, so she told me about an abandoned factory that we passed on our way out to the river that had some apple trees on the property.  So, always interested in free fruit and the like, I stopped on my way back and was happy to see Michelle pull into the drive shortly after.  Yes, the apples are ready.

If only we'd had an apple-picker with us (you know, those long handled wire basket things?) we could have reached a bunch more way up high.  Instead, we grabbed what we could find off the ground in good condition, and I climbed a little way up and gave the tree a quick shimmy and shake and down fell another dozen or so.

Enough for us each to make a couple pies or crisps.

Maybe Mike and I can go back.  With our clam rake.  It isn't exactly unlike an apple picker.  Though of course I suppose it would just knock them down right on top of our heads.

We'll see.  He does like to climb trees, so maybe I can convince him to climb up high to get us some......