Kuplink, Kuplank, Kuplunk!

We visited a blueberry farm in Washington to pick our own blueberries.

The boys were just like Sal in Blueberries for Sal, dropping them into their buckets, “Kuplink, kuplank, kuplunk!”

Owen and I decided that our plastic buckets made more of a “Kuthink, kuthank, kathunk,” sound actually.

The boys loved going off on their own down the rows to find really good bushes.

My dad was the one who footed the bill for our family reunion farm adventure, paying for the berries we collected. . .

All TWENTY FOUR POUNDS of them!

And what did we do with 24 pounds of blueberries?!  Well, that will have to wait until tomorrow.

Hydrangea

We have two hydrangea bushes.

One grows pink and purple blossoms.

The other grows only blue.

I know that the color of blossom has to do with the acidity of the soil, but our bushes are only 6 feet apart. The beauty and variation in nature is amazing, even among things that are supposed to be exactly the same.

We’ve actually had people in past years stop while driving down the street to ask about our bushes, and what I do to get them to grow so beautifully. The truth is–I do nothing special. But I love to feel like something in our yard gives people a moment of awe on their journey through life–or at least down the road.

What Makes Me an Urban Pioneer?

Yesterday we took our boys down to the swimming beach at the local state park. It’s mostly too cold for swimming, but they waded and played in the sand and had a glorious time. I thought about how much more sense it made to come here than to the overpriced public pools in town. Not to mention the pools are more crowded, and I just loved the feeling of being out in nature in the water. On the way out we bought an annual vehicle pass so that we can return frequently this summer. And I was so excited.

In the evening we were out for family dinner, and were close to the plaza of a new public regional ecological education center that is opening soon. We remembered having seen the fountains on previously this week when driving by, so we took the boys to check it out. There was a fountain spring, and a river of water with jumping fountains all along the edges, ending in a splash pad whirlpool with LED-lighted water spouts. Every 15 minutes or so music would begin and the fountains would start interacting with the music. My boys had a ball. They were in and out of the water, and by the time we left they were soaked up to their waists, and we were all talking about attending the grand opening of the center. And I was so excited.

This is why I am an urban pioneer. I love the ability to commune with nature in a one-on-one fashion, and I also love well-designed public urban spaces that exist to enrich the masses.

In the same vein, the other day I watched my son playing with our wooden blocks.

Our blocks are a collection of new and old, homemade and factory made, purchased and thrift-ed.   I could be a purist and make them all at home.  I could be a purist, and buy them all second hand.  I could be a purist, and only keep natural/unpainted wood blocks.  But the truth is, I like the collection all together.

I like that blocks are an open-play toy.  I like that the blocks are made of a natural material that feels good in the hands.  And then, I like the pops of color, and I like the shapes of some of the machine-hewn blocks that I never would have been able to create on my own.

And so it is that I am a walking contradiction.  I love the good things designed by God, and I love the good things designed by man.  I am an urban pioneer.

 

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What makes you an urban pioneer?

Wildcrafting

The weather has been so beautiful lately we’ve been spending so much time out of doors.  Accordingly we’ve been working on some outdoorsy projects.

Two fun projects, actually–one which required. . .

. . . wild violets–a delicious wild edible (I thought Jeremy was nuts when he handed me his young newlywed bride a violet to snack on from someone’s lawn but I’ve since changed my tune.),

and another project requiring moss.

We’re currently in the midst of both projects, and hopefully they turn out well enough to merit our current excitement level (which is very high).  It’s exciting to have projects pop up for us to do from our own backyard.

Surprise!

Jeremy’s parents came into town yesterday evening, and brought with them a surprise.

This is the earliest we’ve ever had snow in the five years of living here.

I hope it won’t end my fall gardening plans–think I can still put garlic in?

Fall Leaves

When we walked out in the backyard last week Owen my eldest exclaimed, “Oh, It’s Fall!”

Yes, it didn’t matter that we had talked about it being fall, that the temperatures have necessitated more layers, that our fall holiday celebrations have begun. . . Owen was waiting for the visual cue of fallen leaves on the ground.

And this week we got those leaves. Plenty on the ground.

And more that keep on falling from the trees.

And luckily, we also go some days that weren’t too chilly to go out and enjoy it.