The Weekend: Listen, Seek, Find

[Eagles, sighted]

Piano Camp Psychology

It's really very simple:

Create a safe space, where the children know you love them.

Set up some healthy antagonism, however,

to which the children cannot help but respond.

Talk a lot about how there is a history of pranking 

between you and Mrs. Noll.

 Fake a very public and elaborate peace treaty

 with the one you have repeatedly called your enemy.

 Make sure Mrs. Noll crosses her fingers behind her back, 

so the children think she is just as untrustworthy 

as you've been telling them she is.

Make sure everyone rejoices when peace has been declared.

On the final day of Camp,
have Mrs. Noll the finger-crosser convince those little devils to sneak up on you while you peacefully eat your lunch,

in order to dump a little water on you.

 Be waiting.

 And then get them,

good.

There's nothin' to it really...

and it wouldn't be Piano Camp without it!

Oh Well...

First rule of canoeing: Don't tip. 

Second rule of canoeing: 

Don't lose favorite (just purchased) flip. 

Third rule of canoeing: 

Sometimes it's just more fun to break rules 1 & 2.

Hashing Out Life, the Cottage Edition

Since my little cottage feels like a vacation destination,

L & G and I decided that Summer HOL should take advantage of  it.

Hence, they arrived, to talking late into the night,

and breakfast, late in the day.

Unlike other HOL's however, 

this one could claim a very special moment:

Our 15th Anniversary.

Yes, exactly 15 years ago (according to Lisa's memory) we two arrived at a camp in the middle of the mountains, were assigned a room together, and changed the course of history.

And so,

in a field 

 full of strawberries,

we rejoiced in our long friendship,

had a bit of fun,

and gathered up a few of these tasty beauties.

Then, 

we returned to the cottage for a 15th anniversary photo session:

In typical style, I worked really hard to smile, 

while another of us ate up the camera:

And then, in typical form, things just got ridiculous:

After a while we hustled inside for other HOL necessities:

 the making of the yummy food,

the partaking of the yummy margs.

But this year, 

we also had a thousand strawberries to process,

because we'd invited guests!

and wanted to feed them treats.

Since one of my favorite things to do is to gather my favorites together, I was a bit more than delighted as these friends mingled together and soaked up cottage atmosphere. 

 After chatting up a storm in my kitchen

 we headed yard-ward

and had ourselves a lovely time, well into the dark.

Glad to see these dear ones once more before they head out of town for their next adventure,

 these kids from different corners of my life
were pretty pleased to discover

they have a mutual friend.  [Life can be so weird.]

After all had departed, 

 there was a little bit of clean up to do.
And though tradition has it that those who cook do not clean; those who clean do not cook...this mess called for all of us, working and talking late into the night.

Which meant we slept late,

and awoke in time for Waffle Shop

before wrapping things up and saying good-bye.

15 years ago,

 I'm not sure we saw this long and fruitful friendship on its way;

but ask us today and we'd quickly say: 

We're awfully glad it arrived.

Breathe in summer, through the eyes of a child

By now, you know I love my cottage.  

There is one, however, who quite possibly loves it more than I.  

[Her frequent statements of 'I love this cottage' 

are what gave it away...]

 Last night's summer evening called for 

some exploration of the surrounding area:

We picked up my mail,

 scoped out the newly opened local Thai place, 

and then?

 We returned home to these farmer market beauties 

I'd scored earlier in the day,

 melted up some chocolate,

and delighted in them over a few fierce rounds of Mancala,

tucked inside my cozy kitchen.

And when all was said and done, I walked away with this:

To breathe a summer evening in through the eyes of this,
my favorite girl, is reason enough to breathe at all.