Our Three Sons

Heather got to celebrate her birthday with family this year with our oldest son Josh and his family. For many years we've been away during April.  And every year is a milestone year now - she's 81! From left Scott, Jonnie (old friend), Jonathan, Josh, Maya, Michal, Shira, Heather and Daniel in their dining room.

Over the next several weeks we schlepped back and forth between our three sons and their families.  Our youngest had asked us to babysit their 2 year old, Rowan, while he and Will went to New Orleans. It was too early to get to Boston with the RV, so we flew down from Washington DC. 

Rather a gloomy rainy Easter but it didn't stop the 5 kids from
their Easter egg hunt!

Kolya diving into his Easter basket
with Mom looking on.

But first we spent a long Easter weekend in Washington with our middle son, James, daughter-in-law Morgen and grandson, Kolya who is 7.  Easter day itself was with Morgen's parents and sister's family. Despite the rain there was a successful Egg Hunt and then a wonderful holiday meal. On Monday we spent the day at the National Aquarium in Baltimore with Kolya. It's one of his favorite places and a remarkable building and location on the inner harbor as well as, of course, an excellent aquarium.

The live version of the stuffed alligator we brought
back from Florida for Kolya.

Kolya added a Moray eel to his collection at the
Aquarium Gift Shop. 

Our time in Boston with Rowan was great as always. We got to see son Sean the first night and he and husband Will the night they came home. Two days were with daycare so very easy but then two full days over the weekend. He is so much fun but keeping up with him was exhausting. One day we went to the Franklin Park Zoo. A huge success were the groundhogs, cranes, and especially the giraffes, which includes a baby one! The second day we stayed close to home. There is a terrific playground and park at a nearby beach. 

It was a windy day at the Franklin Park Zoo -
as you can see from Rowan's hair!

He loves to climb and is pretty fearless - he
keeps us on our toes!

After returning to Washington we spent three more nights including our 47th Wedding Anniversary with James and family. We went to dinner at a local Trinidad Restaurant and it was great. We spent many months there on 3 different times on our boat, including two summers and the 2 months of Carnival preparations and events. We also had another fun day with Kolya at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History - another big favorite of Kolya's, especially since it includes another gift shop. This time a beautiful butterfly. And Scott had a day visiting politicians for a bit of lobbying. He talked to staff at Chuck Schumer's, Senators Bernie Sanders and Peter Welch. One of Bernie's staff took Scott on the underground train over the Representative Becca Balint. He was really sorry he didn't get a photo of that!

Lunch with a butterfly at the Natural History 
Museum.

James, Kolya and Morgen

Scott at Chuck Schumer's

The Capitol District's gardens were fabulous with
spring flowers and trees. 

Last, we took the Amtrak down to first, South Orange, NJ for a night with Scott's brother Brent followed by 3 nights at our oldest son's home in the upper east side of NYC. Josh, Michal and 4 of our grandchildren were at home. They had a wonderful birthday party for Heather, who turned 81!.  Several of their friends joined us for that. On Sunday we visited the Frick Museum and saw the Gainsborough Exhibit. We're usually away for my birthday so it was a treat to celebrate this year with family.

Michal and Daniel look on while I
attempt to blow out the candles.

Then back to Washington once more to pick up our RV at the Virginia State Park and head home James kindly offered to pick us up at Union Station and drive us. We decided to break up the long trip with 2 nights in Pennsylvania seeing Longwood Gardens. That will be my next entry.

Last times in Vermont (for now)

It has snowed pretty consistently since mid November and we've never lost our snow cover. I'm sure glad we moved our RV over to Saratoga RV Park before then. 

 

Leslie, Rowan and Gail getting our Thanksgiving Dinner ready

November and December seem like non stop holiday time. We alternate having our family between Thanksgiving and Christmas. This year we went up to Middlebury to have Thanksgiving with our friends the Smiths and welcomed our two younger sons home with their families for Christmas. They both came for a week. James, Morgen and Kolya drove up from Washington DC and Sean, Will and Rowan from Boston. 

Christmas Eve Dinner: from left: Sean, Will, Rowan, Heather, James, Kolya and Morgen..

Everyone enjoyed the snow with lots of play and sledding. Visits to the Montshire Science Museum, King Arthur Flour, and Wonderworks kept the kids happy. Plus of course tons of presents, food, drink and conversation (and lots of hugs). More photos from Christmas at the end!

Usually it's the other way around!

Opening presents - Rowan enjoyed the opening
almost as much as the presents.

But Kolya is at an age to appreciate the  
presents, especially his new tablet.

I made Maple Pecan Sticky Buns (NY Times)
for the first time for Xmas morning Yum!

Scott having fun at Wonderfeet in Rutland

Lunch at King Arthur Flour

And here in Shrewsbury and Rutland there were so many holiday events. We couldn't attend them all! Some of that was due to our both getting colds. I got mine just before an appointment with my primary down in Boston so got tested for COVID and the Flu. Happily it was neither although the cold has hung on forever. Scott got his a little later and we're both need some warmth and sunshine to fully recover. In Boston we had our Holiday Open House, this year hosted by Sean & Will. I started this tradition when I was single in 1970 - so 55 years. Pretty amazing. In Shrewsbury we had the annual Cookie Swap and Silent Auction. The library was beautifully decorated with live music, lots of cookies and other treats and tons of friends. The Rutland Garden Club had a festive December Holiday Party and earlier I attended a workshop to make a holiday centerpiece. Our friend Barbara was visiting us and came too. 

Barbara and myself with a few of the Rutland Garden Club members at the holiday centerpiece workshop. 

My eighth Cooking Class to benefit Pierce's store was so much fun. We did Appetizers and Desserts which included two hot and two cold appetizers and two fruit tarts and a layered Chocolate Cake. The eight students were invited to invite a guest for the meal and we raised $460. As usual I worked shifts running the store (as a volunteer) and made the appetizers for one more wine tasting. Our last event was last night when my Book Club had a Potluck dinner here.

My students and myself pos in from of our dessert table. This was my eighth Cooking Class to benefit Pierce's Store.

But our sons left a few days ago and we're now packing up everything to leave. Tomorrow we close up the house and drive over to our RV "Baby" at the Saratoga RV Park in N.Y. Then Friday morning we head south. The sunshine and relative warmth is beckoning to us!!!

Will and Rowan 

Making corn bread with Sean and Rowan

Kolya and Rowan enjoy the new tablet

Reading stories with Morgen

Grandpa has a turn pulling Rowan
to the top of the hill.

Building things at the Montshire Science Museum

Home At Last

My line up of herbs on the railing.

Window boxes brighten up the deck

Vases of peonies - they don't last long!

Spring has meant a lot of rain and quite cool weather for us since our return. But yesterday and today summer finally arrived with bright sunshine and warm temperatures. The garden is really beautiful this time of year with the peonies, rhododendrons, phlox and poppies adding lots of color to the various bright greens. I planted 5 window boxes with annuals and a large herb collection on the railing in front: parsley, basil, thyme, mint, oregano, and rosemary. 

Heather, Sean and Rowan - out for a brew

Gary, Will's Dad, also came for a visit on his way
to Spain.

Rowan loves to laugh and Scott really gets him
going!

Will and Sean

We've been kept really busy with community events and social occasions. But our first weekend we spent down in Boston with son Sean, son-in-law Will and our youngest grandson Rowan. He has grown up so much in these last six months. He'll be 2 in July and chattering away already. We even understand most of the words! He's a darling. 

I'm back at work doing 4 hour shifts at Pierce's Store, volunteer of course. And we had a huge turnout for our spring wine tasting. I made 4 different appetizers for sale - all goes to support Pierces, a non profit co-op. We had a 7 piece band too! Scott is now attending his many board meetings in person and now can return to his Quaker meeting on Sundays. We had their annual meetings and dinner at our house one Sunday. There are a variety of concerts too - here in Shrewsbury and around our area. The bluegrass group, Green Mountain Boys, performed at our Town Hall to a packed crowd. My book club met to discuss Where the World Ends by Geraldine McCaughrean. The meetings are once a month at a member's home and this time we all stayed for a pot luck dinner. 

The food and wine line. We had 8 different kinds
of appetizers. I made 4 of them.

A view around the room. The events are held in 
the renovated garage behind Pierce's Store. That
me on the left.

There were seven musicians overall but they
weren't all on stage at on every piece.

The Green Mountain Boys (and woman) at the
Town Hall. 

We both joined our local MINT, a Makerspace facility. "Makerspace programs provide space and resources for individuals to design, experiment and invent, fostering creativity, problem-solving and collaboration." Here in Rutland it's in a huge former warehouse with a warren of activity. I've rented a 8ft by 8ft space as a studio and Scott uses the variety of machines, like 3D printers and woodshop machines. Their funds ran out and they had to let go of their paid staff so now it's all being run by volunteers!

My last living first cousin on my father's side, Judy Halburg, celebrated her 90th birthday in June. That's her in the center with Heather on the left. Over 100 guests attended a beautiful luncheon in her honor. Most of them were descended from my father's sister, Judy's mother, Edna. 

Scott has returned to baking sourdough bread!

 

We both volunteer at our local library and I'm a member of the Rutland Garden Club. We maintain over 16 gardens around the city and mine is the local Senior Center. Scott helps me with is along with 2 other members. I must admit this is getting to be difficult for me, along with my own huge garden, but it's OK for now. I'm not walking as much as I should but we do Bone Builders twice a week. It's an hour of weights, stretches, meditation designed for Seniors. But we are sure keeping busy as you can see from this write up! 

And on the 1st of July our family and friends start arriving for our annual Fourth of July weekend. More about that in my next post. 

2024 - Finishing up the Year!

Scott and I took some long walks in nearby 
Central Park and got to watch the runners in the
NYC Marathon.

Daniel and Shira contemplate one of my 
chocolate chip cookies. I brough tons of 5 
verities and they were all gone in a few days!

 

Cookie, Uzi and Maya pile up on Josh

Uzi, Heather, Maya and Shira at the Museum of
Modern Art.

Before our trip to Ireland we went down to NYC to visit our oldest son Josh and his family. Michal and their two younger children moved to Manhattan in September. They joined their oldest three kids who are all at Columbia University: a Senior, Junior and a Freshman. Their Coop apartment is on the corner of Park Ave. and 84th and has room for all of us. So we'll be visiting NYC more often!

Heather with Jessie and her son.
Mollie's 3 children and Rowan were
there as well, but somehow I only
took 2 photos!

And here's the other one: Doug, Carol, Julie and Gene.
These are both at the Holiday Open House

After returning from Ireland we had several parties to enjoy. First, Pierce's had a dinner for all their volunteers and staff - great fun and excellent food. Then our annual Holiday Open House in Boston which this year was hosted for the first time by Marty Wolf and her daughter and son-in-law, now living next door, Molly and Patrick. Scott and I stayed with Marty for the weekend to help out with the preparations. We had a big turnout with lots of family and friends. Last was a pot luck dinner for my Book Club members and their spouses at our good friends and neighbors, Lily & Eldred French.

Everyone dressed and ready for a day on the slopes. Michal, Maya, Daniel, Shira, Uzi & Cookie.

It was Daniel's 22nd birthday and we
made a three tier chocolate cake
filled with s'more ingredients!

Michal, Cookie, Shira, Scott, Uzi & Daniel - lighting the 
Menorahs

This was our year for Thanksgiving so the rest of our family was celebrating Christmas with their in-laws. But Josh's family accepted our invitation to come visit us for the week and celebrate Hanukah with us. Yeh! The only sad news was that Josh could not goin us. He was stuck being the doctor for his partnership during the holidays. Michal, my daughter-in-law drove up from NYC with our grandchildren, Daniel, Cookie, Maya, Uzi and Shira. What a great time we had and the weather cooperated with lots of snow. They skied two days at Killington, made snow forts and snow men, sledded, and roasted a LOT of marshmallows. 

Also in November Kolya got to go on his first
real tent camping trip on the AT.

And now we're on our way south - more on my next post.

And I couldn't resist adding this
fun photo of Rowan and a pair of
outsized boots.