Summer Brings Visitors

Ithaca during the summer is very pretty. Peaches are in season, and so are blueberries, and raspberries.

Another Baby Announcement

Blame it on high gas prices if you want to, but my family seems to be brimming with pregnant people.

Congratulations are due to my nephew, aka Tymes Skware, aka Mr. Bright Lights Big City, who will become a new father in January. That would make me a grand-auntie, and my mother will happily become a Great Grandma for the first time.

Tioga County Fair

So, like I was saying...














A white tiger at a fair...why not?

Berries Anyone?

We were happy to discover that we have tons of wild black raspberry bushes. They are also known as Black Caps, and they are sweeter than raspberries and tarter than blackberries.




Second picking, and we've already eaten a ton by this point.

August 10th will be our One Year House Anniversary

It's been a whole year almost and I feel very much like I've been "on vacation", and then it happily occurs to me that this is actually just my life right now.

Arbor Update

I wanted very much to have a tiny hidden children's play space built out of nature for meditating and other mischief, and voila, Randy used some of his good old Boy Scout tricks to make it happen.

Bug Girl

Today, despite light rain, was the "Ladybug Blitz" a Cornell/IC research project that allows people to help hunt for the elusive nine spotted ladybug. They gave us a net, a field guide, vials, supervision, and a patch of grass. Emy was frequently photographed by the local newspaper and the channel 10 newspeople on the scene.


When not at blitzes, Emy is a frequent bug collector.

The pond is a veritable playground for a girl and her net.

Backyard Snapshots

Click on Photos to Enlarge.


Photos by R.L.H.

Countrywide Ladybug Hunt

How coincidental that Cornell should want Emy to hunt for ladybugs when its already one of her favorite things to do.

The Great Ladybug Project

What to Do While Visiting Us This Summer.

Hike at Wildflower Preserve.


Hunt for crawfish.

Let us take pictures of you.

Skip Stones.
Take a Dip.

Meet the pregnant lady.

Take pictures of the sweetie.

Sculpt.

Work outside.

Hunt for frogs.