Friends

Neighbor's sand box:

Nina, Ava, y los caballeros, National Mall:

Gian wooden bug at the National Botanic Garden:

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service coloring books, courtesy of Daddy's work:

Mommy's shoes:

Love for neighbor Toto Dog (photo and video from Tina):

Ava and Tina often get together for play dates with Summer and her au pair Kathi.

Reading with Tina:

There was much 2-year-old girl giggling when Tova and her family came for playing and dinner:

The rock phone was Ava's doing.  The amazing braids were Tina's doing.

Watermelon radish from the garden:

 The sink is still awesome:

 Reading waterfowl books with Daddy:

We took the neighbor kids to Patuxent today:

 Fishing:

Wonderful photo from Tina (and wonderful sweater that Ima made):

Apples, Friends, Cats, Deer

Last weekend we visited Grace and Tom in Rock Cave, WV.  Deer are overindulging in their apple orchard, so they graciously invited Erik to hunt for the weekend under their agricultural deer cull permit.  We had a lovely visit and came home with meat.  We also came home with the world's best apple sauce and lots of cool new plants to put in our garden (including some beautiful carnivorous plants from their son Josh's nursery). Ava was very interested in the process but was even more interested in Grace, Tom, gardening, picking and eating apples, and playing with the awesome, patient, affectionate cats.  

Beautiful orchard with browse line.

The cats.

The cats accompany the people on apple orchard forays.

Sharing with the cat:

Pebbles:

Transplanting.

Banana leaf.

Monkeydoodle in the cat's basket.

Deer becomes meat.

Back home, sharing her hat with Tina.

chickens, birthday

Ava turned 2 on Thursday (the 5th).  We celebrated yesterday (the 7th).  The stars of the party were the 3 new chickens (hatched on 4th of July) that Grace brought over.  These chickens are very special to us because they started as eggs on Grace's parents' farm in Snoqualmie, WA, whom we visited last summer.  Grace flew the eggs back to MD to give to her broody hen, who was a good mama to them.

Earlier in the week, Ava, Tina, Summer, and Summer's au pair Kathi had adventures.

Unafraid.

Walking with Summer.

Unsure of the slide.

 Caterpillar love.

Mini eggplants from our CSA box.

Wonderful singer at the farmer's market

We opened some presents on her actual birthday.  Playing with the new animal figurines.

The chickens arrive.

Ava spent long spells in the coop.  During and after the party.

Happy birthday! Blowing the candles out.

Finally got to meet baby Esther!

Ready for a nap, in her princess chair from Tina.

Playing after nap.

New train!

Daddy's and the train's presence were requested in her new tent.

Caterpillar is the beneficiary of the new doll sleeping bag.

Playing with Tina.