MacNeil visit

Joe's first cousin, Sam, his wife Eleise, and their two children came for a visit this past weekend. Here's Eleise and Joe with the little guys.... 2nd cousins Nathaniel Ethan & Nathaniel Levi. Just 4 months difference in age.

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Face to face.

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Happy Summer Solstice

Visiting with Aunt Carrie

Silly smiles

Levi & Carrie

Tryin' to get a bite in...

It's hard to get a bite in around here sometimes... battling a small pirate for my leafy greens.

Extracting stolen chickpeas.

So instead... he goes after a tasty wrist.

Joe's First Father's Day

Kisses from Daddy... he sure gets tickled!

Two buddies on Father's Day

Balloon Flower

Lemony yellow daylily

This is our somewhat disabled chicken. She's very docile except for occasionally springing a surprise attack on our already very nerveous wienie dog.

the lantanas are just really starting to go... check out the tiny ants in some of the flowers

Around the garden

We had a little rain tonight & a nice long shower yesterday too. The garden looks so nice & fresh... full of promise.

A little garter snake found while digging in the compost pile. Joe, the biology nerd, of course reminds me this is a Thamnophis sirtalis.

Almost ready...

My pumpkin, slowly creeping down the hill...

A volunteer Jerusalem artichoke.


Little green romas


Our first eggplant bloom.

Our first tomatoes

Driving home on Saturday, I was just as excited to see the garden as Joe was to see Levi; we were both delighted. It's amazing the difference a week can make.

I came home to a multitude of tiny cucumbers, squash, & zucchini. My most favorite plant in the garden, an heirloom pumpkin, had vined out several feet. And, my basil plant had doubled in size (I'm a basil junkie).

The Russian-variety tomato had its first ripe fruit.

These fresh beauties have already been minced & mixed with a little olive oil & fresh chopped basil (and are mingling overnight) - sauce for pizzas tomorrow night.

Wildwood vacation

Levi & I took a week-long trip to Wildwood; we just got back last night - Joe was more than ready for our return (after a week alone with the dogs). Levi was a real trooper & endured some long stretches in the carseat. Much to my relief, he slept a straight three hours while I battled gridlock on I-75 when making the drive on Monday from Grandma Huckin's house in Kennesaw up to Mom & Dad's in Wildwood (a trip that usually takes a hour 'n a half).

We took it easy, did some visiting, helped Beth plant sunflowers out in the garden, & went swimming.

The day we planted the sunflowers.

Coming & going, we made stops in Kennesaw & visited Grandma Huckins. We were all very excited when she got rain there on Friday night, her first in weeks.

Right before bedtime with Granddaddy Joe.

We stay at Granddaddy's house while we're in Wildwood - he lives right next door to Mom & Dad. He went in for surgery on Friday - having a stint placed in a kidney blockage - it went very well & he's back home already.

Some trick photography on my part - snapping pictures behind me while driving. Beth & Dad getting some laughs from Levi, on our way home from a Mexican dinner out, yummy.

First cousins once removed. Levi & Tivoli.

In the pool with Beth... he is a little fish, kicking & splashing for most of an hour.

Baaaaah!

We went & grilled out over at Max's last night & his roommate's goat, Buttercup, had finally given birth. This is Daisy & Levi checking each other out... both seem unamused.

At the Pittard's

We went over to Sam & Nicole's the other night & finally got some pictures of the little men together (actually these are "borrowed" from their blog). To quote Nicole "these two are going to be some serious trouble in about a year. On a side note, it is almost impossible to get a 5 month old and a 3.5 month old to look at the camera at the same time, much less smile too." This is Grady & Levi...