I think this must be the hottest summer of my Virginia life. My obsession with the ten day forecast has only intensified, as though I believe that if I just keep checking, there will be a break in the heat in the foreseeable future. I’m still trying to take a walk every evening, and it seems that I have entered into the middle-aged bird watching phase of life. Is that a thing? I think it must be. The other night I spotted a Baltimore Oriole next to our driveway, not very common at our house, so you can imagine my excitement. Later, mentioning the sighting to one of my kids, he looked at me with confusion and asked, “Like… a baseball player?”
(Giant Yellow Herold foxglove)
Keats has transferred to the university in our town so he’s back home for another few years! He’s decided on a double major and I think it’s a good choice (computer science in addition to music.) I am trying to muster the energy to help kids rearrange and shift bedrooms to make room for everyone (and their stuff) before school starts in August. There are 13 of us here for the next year or so, which is just crazy. But also, really fun to have everyone home including our grandbaby!
(Monarch caterpillar on milkweed. I haven’t seen many on our property this year.)
(There are a handful of large lavender and cedar sachets listed in my shop along with soap and a bit of calendula salve.)
Mabel turned eight end of June and had a fox themed birthday at her request. We still talk about the baby foxes Jonny rescued early this summer. Mabel wanted a stuffed fox and a fox coloring book, and because we really love field guides at our house, I found a really nice one on Canids of the world for her (amazon links are affiliate links). Now I want to collect all the guides in this series. The photos are wonderful. I also bought her this movie and a copy of Fantastic Mr. Fox.
Next it was time to start thinking about Ambrose’s July birthday. I decided to knit him a triceratops but realized quickly it wouldn’t be finished in time and I set it aside to finish his sweater. (The book above is The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady. I recently found a cheap used copy! It’s a gorgeous book.)
I did finish the sweater in time for Ambrose’s birthday and I am almost finished with Anna Karenina as well. Both of those feel like good summertime accomplishments. Now if I can get my boys’ rooms situated I think I’ll be ready to start thinking about homeschooling this fall! This summer is flying by…
I really like the grey sweater you made for your kid. Where did you get the pattern.?
Hi Sheila, Here’s a link to the pattern: https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/breather 🙂
What a blessing to have Keats home again!
I am always in awe of all things you accomplish.
And lovely photos, as always!
I love all your book recommendations Ginny, so would love the chance to read this one and sample your products. Happy to pay for shipping if, by some miracle, I am picked!
Agreed – I think there’s definitely a middle-age birdwatching phase!
How I love your posts! I feel like I’ve not read one in a while….life has been so busy, but I always love the beauty and real life in them.
The heat this summer is no joke. We’ve only been back in NOVA for two years, but the time we lived here before and the past two years were nothing like this summer! I too seem a bit obsessed with the forecast! I don’t want to wish away the summer as it feels like it is already going too fast, but I do look forward to the cooler weather of the fall!
Enjoy having everyone home – that sounds so lovely! In three weeks I send my oldest two off to school. One is entering her junior year and the other his first year. They are only an hour away, so not bad at all…..and they will be at the same school which I love. Spring will be a little more difficult as she will be studying in Rome. Anyway, thank you for the peek into your beautiful life – as usual, the pictures are gorgeous!
Oh the flowers are beautiful. Baltimore Orioles are gorgeous. I’ve actually always loved birds. Guess it was passed down in my family to have bird feeders out the kitchen window and watch the birds while eating meals. My oldest son, now 25 is getting his Masters in Biology and has been gifted in identifying birds (sight and sound) and he has taught me so much. We homeschooled and he would keep his yearly and life bird lists. An online site called Ebird helps you to do that and a persons input helps Cornell University with migration. So he was addicted to the hunt and his ever growing bird identification list. So enjoy Gods creation of colorful birds- I know I do.
I have that same book. It’s a beautiful book. I love the gray sweater you are knitting for Ambrose. Wow the little elbow patches are adorable. You do have a house full. 😯
Your photography is absolutely beautiful! Your colors are magnificent, and I especially like how you captured the movement of your daughter running between garden beds–just lovely!
While it sounds as if it must be hectic – it doesn’t look hectic at all. The very fact that you can take those photos says something!
Do you have a pattern of the sweater that you are working on! Thanks!
Ginny, the Wes Anderson film of Fantastic Mr. Fox is also hilarious for the whole family… my fox-loving daughter started watching it when she was so small, she called it “Merry Foxes,” and all of us still do, years later. Please keep us posted about organizing a house for 13 people… I need all the help I can get for just 4!
Thanks for the family update Ginny. I can’t believe that Mabel is 8 years old. Boy, time really does fly. I live at the south end of Vancouver Island and so far, the weather here has been fairly good. I too, follow the seven-day forecast. Only one day in the 80s so far. We are very close to the water (Pacific Ocean) so there is always a pleasant breeze. It is said, that the foxglove flower is so named because the little crafty foxes would put the flowers on their feet so they could creep quietly into the hen house.
I always feel so content when I see your updates in my mailbox. Thank you for the constant reminder of peace, happiness and a bit of crazy life trials. I have one older book for you to put on your list of possible reads. It was one of our family favorites when my boys were young. It is unfortunately no longer in print but maybe a bookstore could keep their eye out for you!
“Newberry: The Life and Times of a Maine Clam” Newberry even wears a knitted scarf!
Thank you for your Beautiful Pictures, Pros and You.
Thank you for you beautiful photography and the update on what is happening with you and your family. I don’t know how you do all that you do. Your superpower must be capability!! I am reading Dickens, specifically Nicholas Nickleby. Some of the characters and scenes make me laugh out loud.
Beautiful post! You are having a busy summer! It’s HOT here in Colorado, had several days above 100deg. I am not a summer gal to begin with and this has been tough.
Kids look great, Happy Birthday to Mabel and Ambrose. Nice that Keats is home again.
hi Ginny;
It is nice hearing from you. Your posts are always a welcome delight
Ambrose and Mabel are so cute. That was an usual birthday theme. The weather has been so uncomfortable.
I am finishing “Theatre Shoes” later tonight and will start a middle school series “Sleep Over ” Reading light books are my majority choice in the summertime.
Keats choosing an additional study is a good move. Stay cool
Marion
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Lovely post as always. I LOVE that your sweet daughter wanted a fox themed birthday rather than whatever is “trending” at the moment (Barbie, etc). She’ll always remember that. I too monitor the ten day forecast, I’m outside of Atlanta and we’ve just had no rain which is unusual and everything is so dried up here but finally we’re getting rain!!!!! And yes it’s been miserably hot here too. Blessings!
How nice to have Keats back home. He is smart to study computers. along with his music. Ambrose is getting so big as is Mabel. I am almost finished with The Shell Seekers. I am enjoying the book. Take care and try to beat the heat. God Bless
Marilyn
Thank You for the update Ginny. That is a nice theme that Mabel chose. It is hot here in new York. Keep cool.
Joan
I am totally envious of your garden, Ginny! Those foxgloves!!
What a great idea for a birthday party theme! What fine imaginations your children have!
My mind doth boggle at the idea of knitting a triceratops – your amazing, that’s all I can say! Doubly in regard to having 13 at home! I hope you don’t end up doing all the cooking!