Summer Reading, Reflection

I have been MIA this summer. Lost in a flurry of summer vacationing and activity with my family, just trying to fit it all in. The past couple weeks have been slow, lazy, home bound days in which I've taken up a beloved past time: reading. I've been spending days holed up in my cool, humming, electric guzzling air conditioned house just reading. Some times reading in the solitude of our yard, looking up occasionally at my gardens, and seeing Sophia playing. It's been a languorous summer dotted with travel around Wisconsin, as well as time apart from Sophia, while she spent a week with her Grandmother in Chicago, IL. All the while, I'm reading novels I pick up at the library. I find myself feeling as though my time spent reading is a guilty pleasure; that I should be "DOING" something. I suppose if I spent all my time whiling the day away, and ignoring my responsibilities, I'd have a very sheltered, sad life, but I temper it with trips to the zoo, time at the pool and when possible, time with good friends. I feel very blessed to have the flexibility of time, to plan my days around things that are enriching, and productive. It's allowed me to create a very memorable summer for Sophia and the family.

While I've been enjoying my summer immensely, I have not been entirely inspired to write and I am struggling to get back into the habit of writing the blog. The gardens are struggling, some of it is unruly, and the weeds are winning. I can't be bothered to care too much. I take care of what I can, as I can, and don't feel badly about it. I have enjoyed a bumper crop of lettuce, and feel it's going to be a grand year for carrots and potatoes, but in other news, it's yet to be seen. Our erratic weather (today it's dipping down to a cool 90 degrees. Yesterday it reached 100) and being gone for a 5 day block, reeked havoc on some of the plants. I am using this year as yet another year of learning, and, another year of getting some awesome compost to mix in and I have higher hopes for next year. If I can get the tree pruned back significantly enough to open up some more light, I might actually stand a chance next year.

Sophia is 6 this summer, and it is a delightful, wonderful age. She's making this a summer to remember for me, as much as I am able to do so for her. She is witty, and bright, inquisitive, and always informing me of little bits of information I would have missed without her insights. Each day is a new adventure, even the long, lazy days we spent together at home.

Summer Has Arrived

The weather this spring and summer has been erratic at best. We've had days and days of rain and clouds, and cool temperatures, punctuated by a random 90 degree day, only to plummet back to the high 60's with another lovely cloud cover.

My garden, it started out beautifully and has now succumbed to a variety of ailments and looks rather pathetic. I admit, I am working against the grain, with a yard that's a smidge too shady, but this is turning into a worst year for my veggies, and in some plants, I just can't figure why, in other's I know. They all took a turn this past week, while we were on vacation, and it DIDN'T rain, after it raining too much for too long. Now there's a bunch of yellowing. I will fertilize this week, but it's been very hot, and sunny, and I don't want to cook them.

So, the minute Sophia was released from school for summer vacation, we started "doing". We ran up north to the cottage for a week, and just got into the swing of summer life together, came home to some crummy weather, and a week of soccer camp; every night for an hour and a half....in the cold, and gloom and rain. It was so fun. (NOT, but she loved it) Directly on the heels of that, we had our annual family vacation to Devil's Lake State Park. My very favorite place. I LOVE it there. I have a few days of rest, and then Sophia will get back into her playground program, which is a 2.5 hour play program to keep the kids occupied and give parents a couple hours to themselves. I can't wait to get back to some kind of routine where I get some time to myself. This Mom needs a vacation from the vacation. There are many other plans for trips back up north to the cottage, another family vacation to the Wisconsin Dells, and the regular summer fun days fit in, like trips to the zoo, swimming in the new pool at Hoyt Park, and another family favorite, the Bristol Renaissance Faire!!! Sophia and I look forward to it every year.

Man,  I'm tired just reading it. 

So, the next big event is the 4th of July celebrations here in our little town. It's one of Sophia's favorite, most anticipated things on the planet: The FIREWORKS!!!! The parade at 9am is always fun, but the fireworks is really her big event. She talks about fireworks all year long. She has an entire series of paintings titled "fireworks" and the collection spans over years. This year is the first year that I will be armed with sparklers, AND glow sticks. I admit, the 4th of July was always a favorite day for me as a kid, filled with picnicking, the decorated bike contest, ice cream and just a lot of good kid and family fun. I remember it as a family day, and always having a really great time. I too am looking forward to seeing the parade and fireworks through her eyes.

I admit, with all this running around, and craziness, I have not felt inspired to write the blog. This morning, making my coffee, and looking out the window, I felt inspired as I looked out at my clematis, strawberries, and herbs on the patio. A lovely view with my freshly picked lavender in a window vase. It was a great way to wake up.

 Another thing happened this summer. A pretty BIG thing. My baby girl turned 6 years old on June 26. I don't even have words. For me to be at a loss of words is no small thing. It's a true testament to time having no meaning. I turned around, and suddenly, this tiny baby is this big, smart, funny, charismatic, amazing girl. She's a kid! She's grown so much, and is becoming more and more independent every day. I am humbled by her every single day.

So, I want to take a moment to talk about our vacation, because I think it's a fantastic trip for a family to take, and a great vacation. Being that the area is so close to Milwaukee, and Madison, it makes it easy to do as a day trip or a more extended stay. There are a great variety of things to do in the Devil's Lake State Park area. You are a stone's throw from Merrimac, WI where the free ferry runs people across the Wisconsin River all day long. It's a neat ride. The ferry has been in operation since 1848. We took the ferry across to eat on the Lake Wisconsin and I have to say it was a great dinner, with fabulous views.

The Ferry Ride

Restaurant View

While you're at the park itself, there are over 41 miles of hiking trails, a beautiful lake for swimming, you can rent canoes, peddle boats, kayaks, row boats. There's plenty of fishing. Camping in the park is very, very nice as well. We stayed at a cabin only a couple miles outside the park this year, and it was a fantastic trip.



View from bluff as we hiked the trail. Below is the "chateau" where you can get coffee, beer, soda, food, shop in the gift shop. Every third Saturday in the summer they have a big band play and people dance. Fish fry every Friday night. It's a wonderful place.

More of the vista from the bluff

Lower hiking trail at the bottom of the bluff. The lake is off to the right.

If ever you have the opportunity to explore around Baraboo, WI, please, make it a point to drive into the park and take a look around. It's filled with history, and you surely won't be disappointed with the view of the lake, and it's geology. This year marks it's centennial. 100 years of visitors enjoying the park, it's history, and the lake. We'll be going back again next year. I can't wait!