weekending

let's just say that we went out with a bang this final weekend of summer break.  Friday was time at the splash fountain in town, a canning session wherein more dilly beans and some curried zucchini pickles were made, and then a wonderful, lively, and all around delicious evening as a dear friend of mine welcomed a friend of hers to town and wanted to introduce her to some folks she thought may be kindred spirits.  so nice to now call the lovely Beth something like a neighbor.  Saturday started with a bike ride to ballet class only to find out there was no class, so Claire gave papa and I a quick lesson of our own on the deck outside of the studio.  apparently, just about every move is called an arabesque, if you ask her.

next stop: market.  I really should bring my camera to the market (and the splash fountain) sometime, but I always hesitate to pack it in the panniers on my bike, worried that it'll get too jostled.  and so the memories just live in my mind instead.  an almost cool, noticeably-turning-towards-brisk-as-August-winds-down kind of morning, with iced coffee and plums and an apricot croissant eaten in the sunshine with my two main squeezes.  we sat for a bit and then rode back home, where I worked in the garden until papa told me it was time to get a move on so we could get to the fire department picnic.  which by the way was held at a nearby boys' summer camp.  where they had things like a lake.  and canoes and kayaks and stand up paddle boards.  and zip lines and water slides and diving boards and a big thing they called a 'blob' that you jump on and/or lay on and have someone bounce you off of into the water.  but to me it looked like a sore neck, so I didn't bounce.  no blob action for this mama.  but I most enjoyed the stand up paddle board, (what! fun!) both by myself and as I paddled a most often lounging-like-a-queen Claire around the lake.  there was funnel cake.  ours wasn't particularly pretty, but it was tasty.  oh so tasty.  hours later I still could feel the sugary, oily mass of it just kinda hanging out in my belly.  ooph.

so here's something about this man of mine-  he's perhaps what some would call adventurous.  energetic.  this is maybe a bit obvious when you consider the careers he has had (arborist, fire fighter). I'd say a risk-taker, but I stop short there because he's quite smart about knowing his limits (though he doesn't seem to have any, really) and taking necessary precautions.  if someone mentions something fun to him, or he sees someone else do something kinda neat, well he's all about it.  he spent most of the afternoon swimming and diving, swinging off of the rope swing, helping run the zip line, and getting into just about any and everything he could on that lake.  and when the camp director, a friend of ours, mentioned how they occasionally let some of the campers ride mountain bikes off the dock, well....... that was that.  not much time passed before he was getting someone to help him drag the ramp down to the lake.

me?  I just want a stand up paddle board.

Sunday was french toast for breakfast, the happy news that our first renters were extremely pleased with the house, a bit of much-needed cleaning up, and a late afternoon meet up with friends at a local swimming hole that was new to me even though it is not even a mile down the road (what?!).  it took all three of us a loooong time to work up the nerve to get all the way in, but once we did it was wonderful.  so, so exhilarating and refreshing.

we came home after swimming in the very cold mountain creek to a roast ready in the oven.  potatoes and greens from the garden.  ice cream cones.  a fire in the fire pit and why not?  s'mores.  because nothing says the end of the last weekend before a return to work and such like non stop water play and extra desserts.  what with the swimming and the fire and the s'mores, it almost seemed like we were off camping somewhere.  except with a roast, our bathroom, and our soft beds very nearby.

goodbye, summer break.  though you played out differently than how I thought you might have, I enjoyed you very much, and I'm glad I let myself be surprised by you in pleasant ways and go with the flow a good bit.  because there is goodness every, every, everywhere if you are looking for it.


*weekending along with Karen