Was it really that long ago?

This week has seen a temperature shift. It is chilly, overcast, rainy. And that means I'm baking and making soups. I wish my family loved soup as much as I do.


So it seems odd to look back at these pictures to a warmer time. With sunshine, shorts and sandals, sans socks.

The boys spent a morning preparing a tea party - denuding the yaupon holly bush of red berries, smashing them, mixing with water, straining and then serving.




I just liked this one. This boy has a sweeeeet tooth.



Ghoul & The Gang





Previous years we treated (because who tricks anymore?) with friends in a "planted" neighborhood. (i.e. we sugar-careful parents selected healthy treats to leave at the neighbors' houses for when we came to the door. granola bars, pretzels and nuts galore... It's really all about the process of costumes and friends, right? right? I haven't damaged my children irreparably?) This year it was full-on door to door chocolate. And as they lorded over all that they conquered, I was astonished at my candy repertoire; there were literally dozens of different types of packages of candy before me and I could identify with complete accuracy and clarity the contents of each; deftly singing "sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don't. almond joys got nuts, mounds don't."





The boys have had the habit lately of picking up the camera to capture something to remember, so when I dump the camera bits onto the computer I am met with several shots of something unexpected, like this playdoh turtle. I wonder if she had a name.




And speaking of remembering things, In Nbear's class they set up an altar for Dia de los Muertos, the day to celebrate and remember those who have died. I decided we should have our own altar at home.



Contents:
Photo of Grandma Hubbell at the beach
Photo of Me & Bruno in San Diego
Photo of Betsy & Bailey
Photo of Grandpa Alden
A postcard from Salt Springs because it is near Quaker Lake where my Great Aunt Mabel and Uncle Gene lived in the summers
Lilies because Betsy liked them, in her crystal vase
A trivet from Grandma Hubbell
A paintbrush from Grandpa Alden's workbench
Bruno's purple leash
Lace doilies from somewhere in my family
A tin of guava paste, scavenged from Betsy's pantry
A cup from my great Aunt Ann and Uncle Dick for me when I was born
A small dish of pine nuts for Betsy because she really liked them (the squid ink that she was always searching for to make black pasta was respectfully in absentia, because I can't find it either...)
And marigolds, because that is traditionally part of the Day of the Dead altar and they are growing in my garden.