2013 Summer Bucket List

Big and I a thousand years ago

Summa Summa Summa tiiiiime.
Summer seems to simultaniously drag on and fly by, doesn't it?
Days seem hotter and slower and then you look up and it's October! I can't believe it's Independence Day already. This year, Big and I made a bucket list. A bunch of awesome fun stuff that we want to do as much as possible this summer, my first as a SAHM. She has some summer camps and fun trips planned but I also want free time to go where the day leads and find fun stuff for she and I to do together. She'll only have one summer as a ten year old and Little is still small enough that she can't get into TOO much trouble if we're out and about. So, without further ado, here is our bucket list.

~Cosca Park- A great large park and playground with shaded areas for picnicking, a big pond with paddle boats, a skate park and a nature center. We've already gone once.
~Great Waves - As it sounds, a water park. It's close and fairly reasonably priced.
~Cove Point -Another water park. Further away but cheaper.
~Library - Ideally we'd like to go once or twice a week. We recently went a little crazy in a used book store so haven't had a reason to!
~Colonial Farm - I've been meaning to check this place out for years, this summer it will get done! It's close, it's free and it's educational. Win Win Win
~Go to the Pool - What would summer vacation be like without frequent trips to the pool? This one apparently. It's been raining so much we haven't gone!
~Visit the monuments and museums - We live about 20 minutes from DC. We need to take advantage of it more!
~Visit Polyface Farm - If nothing else gets done, this will get done. Polyface is Joel Salatin's farm and it's about 2 hours from here. They have an open door policy - you can go down and look at everything, anytime.
~Visit friends - Luckily, we live in a neighborhood with lots of awesome kids for Big to play with.

That's our list. Big wrote it up on pretty paper and it's on the refrigerator for quick reference. What do you have planned for the summer? Have you made a bucket list?

Garden Walk Through the Eyes of a 10 Year Old.

Last week we went on a garden walk at the Museum Garden at the Accokeek Foundation. The Accokeek Foundation is 200 acres of park on the Potomac River that, “serves as an outdoor classroom for educational programs about land conservation, historic preservation, sustainable agriculture, and environmental stewardship.” It’s open dusk to dawn 365 days a year. They have a colonial farm, heritage livestock, an organic Ecosystem Farm, walking trails, cool activities – it’s a pretty interesting place.

We went for a Garden Walk of their Museum Garden which holds a variety of plants – native beds, a small permaculture bed, sundries, medicinal and culinary herbs etc. The idea is that each bed is supposed to convey an idea in gardening – an exhibit if you will. Farmer Dan led us around, explaining everything well with the help of Molly, The Community Outreach and Education Coordinator. Molly is amazing. I need her to come to my wild backyard and tell me what all the things growing back there are and how I can use them. I’m afraid to get rid of anything because I’m pretty sure everything is SOMETHING and I’d hate to find out too late I ripped out something incredibly useful!

So we’re walking, we’re learning. Ten minutes in I’m wishing I’d brought something to take notes on because there’s so much to learn. First off, I’m doing the three sisters thing all wrong. I planted everything at once. You’re supposed to plant the corn, then the squash, then the beans. Oh well, we’ll see how it goes. Also, comfrey. Need to grow the comfrey. It’s BEAUTIFUL!

Isn’t it pretty!

So anyway, we’re walking, we’re learning. We’re ooing and aahing and sniffing and tasting and asking. It’s awesome. But then Little decides she’s DONE. So, while trying (unsuccessfully) to calm her, I handed the camera to Big. She took some nice pictures. Enjoy and let me know if you spot anything familiar!

For more information about the Accokeek Foundation visit http://www.accokeekfoundation.org

Kindly and Gently

I am the mother of the two most interesting, amazing people that I have ever met in my life. They are 10 years and 7 months old and positively adore one another. My big girl loves to play with her little sister, carry her around, do her hair, all the fun stuff. My baby girl lights up when her big sister walks in the room and leans over for her to take her from Mama’s boring old arms. She plays with me all day – I’m old news when Sissy gets home.
But sometimes Sissy plays too rough. Sometimes baby girl pinches or pulls and doesn’t know what she’s doing. They both need a reminder – “Are you treating your sister Kindly and Gently?”
How often, as adults, do we need that gently reminder? Are we treating those we love Kindly and Gently? Do we get wrapped up in life and our needs and play too rough? Do we forget that sometimes, just a hug will do?