cold morning

We set out to find our tree on a cold crisp December morning. This is our favorite event each year as we head to a friends farm in York and pick out our wild and untamed Christmas tree. After a lot of walking, lots of talking, and a few quietly intense moments of disagreement we found our tree and EVERYONE agreed it was the perfect and best tree ever.

Spring at the Pollaro's. Our little apple tree has it's first blooms, and the garden has had it first weeding and removal of dead leaves.

And my asparagus is coming up...next year we get to pick and eat it.

My Grapes are in their third year and I hope, hope, hope to see big purple bunches hanging from the vines this August.

The Garden.....

My half hearted attempt this year has still produced some beautiful vegetables for us. The zucchini is going crazy and I'm not sure how much longer we will be able to keep up. How many ways can you disguise zucchini in your meals????

My first ever bell pepper is almost done....and the wee little watermelon is my favorite. Last but not least is ASPARAGUS....it would seem we have to wait two more years to pick and eat it....but it is very pretty this year.

Yesterday I found out I was moving to a new room at work. Picture a deeply rooted tree being pulled up and set down again just a few feet away. I think it will take a bit of energy to ground myself again and wonder if I will bloom.

aaah....the problem with blogs and myself is that I can never find my way back to them....even my own. But I think I am here now and will take advantage of the moment...lol

Emily finished 9th grade making honors the entire year.....and is now getting private lessons for volleyball in hopes of making JV or Varsity next year. She is really quite decent as usual (she is a bit of a perfectionist) and I do think she will make a team.

Paul Henry is 10 and such a little man. He is spending his days at the farm again, playing, working, and on a good day swimming at the pool to cool off after his busy day. He can tell you anything you want to know about cows, chickens, garlic (pheweee....), and CSA's. What an independent and thoughtful little person he is.

Jackson is the baby, will always be the baby, and if we are very lucky will stop acting like a baby some day soon. He has just discovered the addictive power of the Nintendo DS and we are watching this activity carefully hoping it loses it appeal quickly. He loves to ride his bike and looks as though he was born on it even though he just learned how to ride (with out crashing to a stop) less than a month ago.

Paul continues to work passionately toward his show in NYC. And I continue to say that I will lose 20 pounds and look fabulous at the opening. I wish I had his strength and determination. lol

We excitedly await the arrival of our dear friend Rachel and can not wait to meet her boys. I can not believe I have never met them. It is going to be a wild and wonderful week.

Jackson

Paul, Jackson and I are on our way home from school and talking about friends of ours who just bought a house from new friends and commenting on what a small world it is. Jackson is sitting quietly between us as we talk. When there is a pause in the conversation, Jackson thoughtfully asks, "How do they buy a house?" and before either of us has time to answer adds, "It's so big, they can't even carry it". When we start to explain, he pipes in with, "but where will the people go when the other people come to get their house".

I love those little glimpses into their thoughts and how what seems to be clear and the only way to see a situation is in fact only one of many ways to view the world.

Emily

My daughter is graduating from middle school (8th Grade) today. It is hard to believe that she is already that old. I remember when she was just a little sparkle of joy running around with her piggytails sticking straight up when we lived in San Francisco. It is so strange to have a teenager now who sometimes acts like the 2 year old I remember, and sometimes acts like such a delightful and funny young woman. She makes me madder than anyone in the world, makes me laugh harder than anyone else does, brings me sadness and joy, and fills up our lives with DRAMA.