Returning to the gardens

With all the trips up north and the family get-togethers and the storms we've been having, I haven't been in the gardens in about 2 weeks. I can't believe how fast weeds grow. I started weeding the Maple Tree Garden today because it's the easiest and maybe I would feel a sense of accomplishment if I could finish it. Then this butterfly stopped by to tell me that he still enjoys the garden even if it's not perfectly weeded or beautifully edged. This made me feel a lot better because as we were enjoying each other's company, another storm cloud was rolling in from the west and needless to say, the weeds will live to see another day. Or maybe another week. Or longer.

Can't get enough

We headed up to the Adirondacks again this past weekend for our annual camping trip with Dan's family. This is something I look forward to every year- I think this is my favorite piece of summer. We did some hiking, reading, swimming and took a few canoe rides.
When Dan and I were first married and we went camping, we ate things like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches or hot dogs- you know, typical camp food. That got old fast. It was a part of camping that I really didn't like, but he kept telling me that was all you could bring with you when you went out in the woods. Then we started camping with his family. Imagine my surprise when his mom served fettuccine alfredo with asparagus for dinner. And then the shock of waking up to blueberry pancakes and hash browns. Granted, this woman could out-cook Martha Stewart, but I learned quickly how to improve the campfire menu. That was the end of PB&J on the camping trips, much to Dan's dismay. He claims to find this kind of camping ridiculous and would rather just pack some granola and be done with it. But I didn't hear him complaining over his steamed vegetable quesadilla, or the brown rice and beans with mango salsa.

10 Year Anniversary

Dan and I celebrated our tenth anniversary at the end of June this year. We went to a beautiful lodge in the Adirondacks and spent three days canoing, swimming, reading and being completely lazy. The weather was perfect. I need some lessons in learning how to relax, though. I would read for a little bit and then think, "Oh, I should be painting!" and then "Hmmm, maybe we should take the canoe out again!". Unwinding is hard work.

Happy Mother's Day!

We celebrated Mother's Day a day early this year with a brunch at our house. It was a beautiful day and the tulips were still in bloom, though they have seen better days. Bandit really enjoys having Grandma come to visit. As soon as everyone gathers at the table, he heads over to her chair and plops himself down right next to her.

Nothing says "high class" at a Mother's Day brunch like a dog licking yogurt parfait out of a crystal goblet.

Spring has arrived. I've already started buying new flowers to put in the gardens even though the last frost date is probably several weeks away.
My nephew turns four this month. Dan and I gave him an inflatable basketball hoop. It's a little big- I keep forgetting to check the age levels on the toy packages, but it was a hit with the "older children".
My sister made the mistake of asking Ben what kind of cake he wanted (in our family, "what kind of cake" usually does not refer to flavor- it means how do you want it decorated). He's really into crocodiles, but apparently he is also developing an interest in ants. Never one to back down from a creative challenge, my sister incorporated both in her cake design. I'm thinking of asking her to make my birthday cake next year. So Dawn, I'd like Johnny Depp on a pirate ship in the middle of the ocean. Oh, and see if you can work in a gardening theme, too- I'm really into perennials.

Almost a snow day

We ALMOST had a snow day today. We ended up delayed for two hours, which I should have been grateful for. But how could I not be just a little jealous that he gets to do THIS all day?

Super Bowl Sunday

We have a special tradition for Super Bowl Sunday. Since neither one of us likes to watch sports (or even be in a room where a game is on in the background!), we like to spend that evening trying out a new restaurant. Preferably a restaurant that doesn't have a TV. So this year, after a quick hike in the upper section of Buttermilk Falls, we tried out The Moosewood Cafe in Ithaca. It was a bit of a drive, but really worth it. Our friends Megan and Andy joined us this year. For the first time in the eleven or twelve years we've been doing this, we had to wait for a table. Usually restaurants are practically empty during the Super Bowl, but not this one. But the wait wasn't long and they had lots of great cookbooks to look through in the gift shop. It was French Cuisine night and they had French onion soup, which I love. BUT French onion soup is traditionally made with beef broth and I was pretty sure that Moosewood was a vegetarian restaurant. So I asked the waitress if there was beef broth in the soup . She gasped and covered her mouth and looked completely horrified. "Oh, no! We would NEVER serve beef broth. It's completely vegetarian. It can be made vegan, if you want." Hee hee!!! I have a new favorite restaurant. The soup was amazing. So was everything else we ordered. Well, except maybe the carrot /beet/ginger juice, but guess who ordered that? And we were all dumb enough to try it.