Autumn Breezes

On Friday prospects for sailing looked bleak: rain & small craft advisories Fri PM through Sat afternoon, but we prepared anyway. Mid afternoon, Reece spiked a fever of 103, and our plans were sacked, but without sufficient enthusiasm to ensure unpacking. We woke to a still, gray, dizzly Saturday and a boisterous, fully recovered son. We enjoyed Mom and Dad's breakfast hospitality: pancakes on the dock, while we reviewed our options. The small craft advisory/rain/cold front was moving through slowly, but expected to clear to a beautiful fall afternoon. Reece remained fever free, so we optimistically set sail around 1:30 expecting the breeze to fade. The wind stiffened instead, but maintained a favorable direction. We ran out the Severn and rode a beam down to the Rhode where we tucked in at dusk while the breeze finally stilled. The kids have excellent sea legs and bright dispositions for cruising.

Another Female Eastern Box Turtle

We found her on Thursday in the back of the house while clearing kudzu vines. She stayed with us for a few days. We identified her as a female, but were not successful coaxing her to eat. They are basically omnivorous, eating anything that they can fit in their mouths, but fruits and berries are favored. We released her on Saturday morning before setting sail for a 3-day weekend.

Swimming with Mr. Mark

 

Swim Buddies

And Birthday Buddies: Kallan (5.5) and Karly (7.5) born 2/17 two years appart, but inseparable in the pool.

Sunday 10-4 PM: Another Way to Make Ice Cream

Fun and tasty, but low volume: 1 pint. We made chocolate using the other method.

Sunday 10-4: Uncle Rick in from Moscow

We had a brisk sail on Popati and fried fish at the dock.

Saturday 10-2: Cruise Up River & Back to Meet the Moon

 

Cooking with Apples

The Action: Peeling, coring, slicing, mixing...

The Results: Apple cake & apple sauce

The Reception: Well, enthusiastic from the adults at least. 

Will It POP?

The "it" being cranberry red, on the cob popcorn sold as seasonal decor. A quick on-line search provided the experimental methodology: microwave 1.5-2 minutes on high, enclosed in a paper bag. After about 40 seconds popping began and continued for about 1 minute while our own little kernals bounced and sputtered with delight. The 3 cobs yielded about 2.5 cups of small, colorful pop corn that was quite palatable with or without melted butter and salt.

Discoveries Tucked in the Trees

 

More Friends at the Orchard

 

Apple Picking and Eating at Larriland Farms

 

Visiting Grandma & Bumpa

 

Sushi Beads

We inherited a Sculpy kit from friends with a book of project ideas. Kallan and Reece chose frogs and sushi. The limbs of the frogs, a red-eyed tree frog and a blue and red poison dart variety, were detached a few minutes out of the oven, but the maki, which we pierced before baking to form beads, proved much more durable. Both kids are excited about their suchi necklaces. Maybe Asia should be our next continent.

Monday, Sept 26

Group violin with Zach in the morning. In the afternoon, Emily and Isabelle came by to release a box turtle they found. She (according to the shape of the plasitron and the brown eyes) stomped off to make herself at home in the marsh out back. Afterward, we went with the girls to fly kites in a nearby park. Kallan was awesome; her butterfly flew high and long.

Sunday Night: Homemade Ice Cream

Chocolate, chocolate chip, but some prefer vanilla (a suspicious characteristic that brings to mind switched at birth scenarios).