fresh

I've sort of been gravitating toward more vegetarian dishes this summer. The hot sticky weather, availability of great local produce, and inspiration from online recipes are all to thank for this little dietary change. I love it, and no one else in the house is complaining much either. So I've set a new goal to continue to make at least 2 vegetarian dinners per week. As Ina Garten would say, how bad can that be?

Tonight: Panzanella and Fried Zucchini.

august

Our last week here commences, and I for one am feeling a bit restless. Definitely ready to head back to our home and get back to the business of living among familiar people and places, and finish school (hooray)!
Today we enjoyed a long rainy morning and then, feeling the restlessness pretty strongly, headed out to a nearby park. It's one of the best things to do here. Nicky played on the large playground, we walked around and enjoyed the trees, then rented a canoe and paddled around the lake.

Canoeing was frustrating at first, as we slowly went around in circles, but soon we got the hang of it. I left feeling better: relaxed, hopeful and full of peace. I am grateful for this summer--for the beauty of this place, for the closeness our little family has found here, for all sorts of little lessons that I've learned.

4th of July

Since we currently live so close to the nation's capital, it seemed only right to be there for the Fourth. Ricky's not a huge fan of crowds, so he was probably the least excited one, but he came along and was in a good mood anyway. Because he loves me.
First, we crowded in with everyone else for a bad view of the parade:

Then, to escape the crowds for a bit we wandered over in the direction of Chinatown and found a street cafe for lunch. I glanced across the street and noticed that the National Portrait Gallery was there, so we decided to duck in for a while and take a break from the heat. We wandered around The Presidents Exhibit. It was so interesting to see the different personalities presented, and how the level of formality has really come down since the early days. I like that. The newer portaits capture more of the spirit of the person than the office.
Next we thought that Nicky should probably have a nap, so we walked over to the sculpture garden that has become our default nap spot. It's a peaceful spot--plenty of shade and has a large fountain in the center that becomes and ice skating rink in the winter.
Note the headless folk watching the fountain. All part of the charm.
Also note Nicolas, in dire need of rest. He didn't feel that it was necessary, however, so it took at least 45 minutes to get him to sleep. In the meantime, we just read, talked, and sipped on some iced coffee.
Since it was almost evening, Ricky went to scope out the firework-viewing situation along the National Mall. When he came back, we were rested and ready to roll. So, we packed up and headed down the Mall to find a good spot. We walked down to the Capitol, passing lots of people, a Christian concert (side note, it seems to be very popular for Christian bands to sing John Mayer's song Waiting on the World to Change right now) and the most interesting juxtaposition of the day, a Hare Krishna festival offering free dinner. The bright colors were nice, but we didn't partake.

After this stroll, we settled down with our blanket on a nice patch of grass and found ourselves with less than two hours to wait. We passed the time with hot dogs, cherry ices and people-watching. One of my favorite moments was hearing a man tell his wife and son "this is the ultimate spot!!" They settled down too and played some cards. Then Ricky and I wished we had cards. Soon enough, though, 9:00 came and then we got to see this:

Pardon my bad pictures. It was spectacular, really, and I will never forget the feeling of sitting there on the Mall, surrounded by people we didn't know but feeling so connected. It was worth the hours it took to get home on the very crowded Metro, and the hours of waiting. All in all, a good day.


PS Here's a good view of the Cutie Bug's special haircut that he gave himself.

domestic

Nicky asks for a chair so he can "get taller" and do the dishes. Sometimes I am done with the dishes and he gets very upset.


Good thing it's an easy fix. Can't deny the boy all this fun.

down to the shore-day 2

We spent the morning on Assateague Island. It's an absolutely beautiful spot with grassy marshes, a long stretch of seashore, and wild ponies.


When I was a kid, one of my favorite movies was Misty, based on the book Misty of Chincoteague by Marguerite Henry. It was fun to see the island that inspired the book.


And to see this beauty up close.



A chilly walk along the shoreline ended our visit. The little girl in me was quite happy.

down to the shore

One Saturday in June, we went "over the bridge and down the shore", as they say in these parts, to Ocean City, Maryland. I love days that involve:

a) the three of us together, for the whole day
b) the combination of coffee, a nice drive, and conversation with Ricky
c) a new adventure

and this was definitely that day! We took the Bay Bridge (six miles long!) across the Chesapeake, and continued on through gorgeous scenery. When we arrived at our destination, we first located our hotel, which was surprisingly charming, even though we had picked it because it was one of the few that didn't cost threehundreddollars a night. Whew. Then, we munched on our packed lunch of BLT's and hit the boardwalk.

the Cutie Bug thoroughly enjoyed this:
and we bought some yummy treats:
and ate some while we waited out the rain.

Then it was back to the hotel to check in, and just in time, the rain stopped. Perfect timing to walk to the beach.
We rounded out the day with a seafood dinner and another stroll on the boardwalk.

Summer Away

Our summer adventure in Maryland has almost ended. In just a few short weeks we will trek back to the land of cactus, green chile, and heat! Life here has been.....well let's see, different. I think that's the best word. Different from my expectations. Some things have been wonderful, like the canopies of green trees everywhere, living close to so many amazing sights, and just the excitement of being somewhere new. We've also missed our family and friends terribly, felt lonely, and been frustrated by different attitudes and the high cost of living. Overall, though, this has been a good experience. It has sharpened my ideas of what I want, what is important. What a gift that is. I've realized how much I love our little desert corner of the country, and how precious our relationships there are to me. I feel so much clarity, and I'm grateful for it.
So, just a few more weekend trips to DC. Trying to decide what I really want to see--things high on the list that we haven't done yet include Union Station, the Holocaust Museum, Georgetown, National Cathedral, Ford's Theater, the rest of the zoo, maybe the Lincoln memorial just one more time......decisions, decisions! Since I'm starting to wax nostalgic for this place (funny how that happends) I think I'll devote a post to each of our outings this summer.....more to come.