Thanks a lot, sweetie

An email from Brian, who is on a business trip:

"Forgot to bring Digi cam. But here is view from my hotel room. Guess it pays to show up before they have many rooms cleaned."

My response: "Dude. You suck. :-)"

I knew to keep an eye on the zucchini, but...

I'm pretty sure my snow peas are violating the law of conservation of mass. How else could such quantities of biomass result from water, a little dirt, and a seed?

I've just had to make my first foray into freezing produce, in a desperate attempt to keep up with the tidal wave of peas coming out of my three little rows (one each of English, sugar snap and snow peas). The English and sugar snap peas are producing respectable yet modest amounts; it's the snow peas that seem to have no concept of restraint. Them and the strawberries, profligate floozies that they are.

Reason I love where I live, #14

Fireworks.

Growing up in Oregon, there were heavy restrictions on the kinds of fireworks the public could legally purchase and use, and those restrictions pretty much reduced us to sparklers, ground blooms and fountains. Washington, it turns out, has no such restrictions.

A few weeks ago, our neighbors two houses down mentioned that they were going to be having a "big fireworks show" out of their backyard on the 4th of July. It turns out that "big fireworks show" means a $3000, 45 minute long barrage that was literally bigger and better than most of the city-sponsored fireworks shows I went to growing up. Mom, seriously, this thing went on longer and was showier than McMinnville's shows were back in the day. We set up our camp chairs out on our driveway and had as good as front row seats. I'm still a little bit blown away.

Zoo!

About a week ago, my brother visited us for a few days, and together we took the kids to the zoo in Portland. It was the first time my kids had ever been to a zoo. Here be pictures.

Kids with Uncle Daniel

Eve in front of the sea lion exhibit.

That sea lion was a showoff. And huge. The pictures can't really convey his SIZE.

Bats!

The giraffe's enclosure was being cleaned, so here he is in giraffe lockup.

The zebra, enjoying the lush Northwest greenery.

Hippo

Child's view of elephant (Eve or Isaiah took this)

Adult's view of elephant

Ever since we arrived at the zoo, Isaiah had been going on about wanting to see the dinosaurs. We tried to tell him that there were no dinosaurs at the zoo, but he was insistent that there were.

And wouldn't you know it

...he was right.

goway. lemme lone.

A taste of things to come

In the fall, Eve will start kindergarten at a parochial school which requires uniforms. We recently acquired some used uniforms at the school's uniform exchange, and of course Eve had to try them on to make sure they fit.

That's my girl!

*Sigh* That's my girl.

Pansies, requiescat in pace

"Sing, goddess, the anger of Peleus’ son Achilleus
and its devastation,...."

....

"Must... control... fist... of... death..."

....

"If it's not the rabbits, it's my own children!"

That last quote was from me, earlier this afternoon, in reaction to the carnage wrought upon my poor pansies. People who know me especially well will know that pansies are my favorite flower.

Anyone want to buy a gently *cough* used three-year-old boy? For cheap?

You might think that this is one of those stories that heartwarmingly ends with the child, having destroyed his mother's flowers, presenting his mother with a loving bouquet. Children in those stories, though, usually don't say things like "Kill, kill flowers!" while they're ripping out the flowers and throwing them on the ground. Next time I won't put him in time-out close to any plants I care about. *seethe*

It's June, therefore, no pictures.

At any rate, the pictures will be somewhat delayed. Late May and June thus far have been one long wrestling match with our yard and gardens. As of yesterday I finally have all the vegetables planted, and only a few major projects left in the flower department before the summer maintenance schedule kicks in (wait, water, wait, curse climate, weed, water, water, repeat). All the garden frenzy has left me precious little time to take pictures, and even less time to write blog posts. I hope to put up some pictures in about a week, though.