Life Goes On

Where have I been?! Well, typically I get up at 5:30 in the morning to have my steaming hot cup of coffee in peace before the whole house wakes up. During the last school year I had until 7 a.m. to pound away on my computer but THIS YEAR ... my Benjamin, now in middle school, has to wake up at 6:00. Gone are my relaxing mornings and . . . my blogging. I know, I need a new routine -- that doesn't include waking up at 4:30 a.m.! But meanwhile, life has gone on . . .

Here is a sampling of what we have been up to:

My garden is winding down, but the bok choy, arugula, parsley and celery is still going strong.

The bees are put to bed for the winter, and we are hoarding our small honey harvest to try and make it until next summer.

The hens are now all laying. We get 1-5 eggs a day. Helloooooooo Quiche!

My nephew Spencer learned how to walk . . .

The grandkids enjoyed a last northern romp on Gramp's boat (a motorkat) before it headed south for the winter . . .

We saw our last unmarried 'Seinfelder' (long story) tie the knot . . .

(In the photo: The entire Seinfeld Clan L-R: Lori, Jeff, Annie, H.O.G. aka: Bob, Sue, Steven, Tanya, Scott, Victor and me (the photographer) minus 3 -- the two newlyweds, and 'Hand' aka: Jeff Fink, the hand surgeon.)

The Original Seinfelders ... The 'Core Four' minus 'Hand'

We went to a Harvest Party with the classic sack races . . .

and doughnut on a string eating contests . . .

Note to self: avoid the powdered sugar doughnuts-on-a-string . . .

Ripley turned 5, and we threw a party . . .

on Halloween, so it was a costume party!

Later that day, we celebrated Halloween . . . it had been a full day for the chicken . . .

Here is a picture of the chicken in better spirits . . .

Ripley learned how to Rollerblade . . . it took him all of 5 minutes to be on his own . . .

Ripley completed his first Soccer Season, words cannot express how this kid can excel at sport. It's borderline embarrassing. But as his parent, it's also thrilling.

And we've enjoyed quieter moments like listening to Daddy reading a book at the end of the day . . .

Be well, and I'll do a better job keeping in touch.

Sole Sisters

(before)

(A group of the Sole Sisters, after running the Willow Tree Half Marathon this spring)

The running group that I'm apart of made it on television, featured to highlight the upcoming Caremark 5K this weekend. As my mother (and husband) stated, I sure know how to "hide" from the camera. Really I wasn't hiding, that's just how it worked out. In the video at first I'm wearing black running shorts and a black running jacket, with my hair down. When we start running (a four mile run apparently, but when you're running with friends, and being filmed for a news piece it sure goes by quickly!) I'm wearing a blue running top and my Princess Leia buns (because my 'pony tail' looks like a small powder puff).

Here is the link to the video:

http://www2.turnto10.com/jar/lifestyles/health_med_fit/article/health_check_cvs_caremark_downtown_5k/23314/

Enjoy! And all of you local aspiring runners out there -- join in!

If you're feeling intimidated, start out with our walk / run group.

You know where to find me . . .

Where to begin?

It was a lovely summer. We have been away all summer, removed from wifi, facebook, cable t.v. (we receive one network channel and one PBS channel via rabbit ears), shopping, highways, schedules and the rat-race. June and July were rainy, as in record breaking rainy. But finally when August rolled around, the sun decided to come out and we made the most of it. Here are some highlights to get you (and me) back up to speed:

Our Beautiful Summertime Seaside Town

Blowing Bubbles Late into the Night

Chatting by the Bonfire . . . Spontaneous Evenings

Life Long Friends Going For a Sail

Teaching the Small Ones

A Handsome Boy Embracing his Boyhood

Friends on a Rock

Wine after a day's Festivities

(and lessons on the decision to stick your tongue out at the camera)

Beauty

Good Clean (wet) Fun

Sailing School End of Season Cookout

Badly Behaving Bees . . . but that's another L O N G story for another day.

The Month in Review

Family:

Every Tuesday night is "Family Night". At my parent's condo there is a kid-friendly event and buffet dinner. It's a low maintainence evening that gives us all the chance to spend time together and if the weather is nice, catch a swim in the pool before hand. It has become a tradition to take a picture of all of the grandchildren sitting together on the couch. It's quite a production -- getting all of those kids to smile at the same time. I should video all of the adult shinanigans we go through and post it on You Tube for a good laugh.

Reese, Ripley, Rosalie, Benjamin and Spencer

An impromptu back massage chain. I think Mom is enjoying hers the most.

The Beach:

We are blessed to have a tiny "bungalow" a short walk away from the beach where we stay all summer long.

The best part of our summer is when friends come to visit and enjoy the outdoors along with us.

Isn't it lovely?

Ripley and Ian

Michail and Benjamin

Victor and Sandy

Victor

Sandy and Michelle

The traditional ending to a wonderful summer evening with friends . . . The Roasting of Marshmallows.

Our Friends Vivian and Jacob rented a little place close by for several days . . . It was wonderful to have dear friends around town to "play with".

It is a photograph like this that keeps me at home. I love that my children have time in the summer to read, relax and play -- unstructured, creative.

The Fourth of July

Cousins:

Ripley and Rosalie

Road Race:

Benjamin, Ripley and I ran in the local Road Race.

The kids ran the "Fun Run" and I ran the 4.8 miler.

Here I am with some of my running buddies.

Courtnee, Susan, Chris, Vivian and Sandy

The Garden:

It has not been a banner year for gardening. We have had record rainfall for both June and July. July's record was blown away by 2 inches. We just haven't had a lot of hot sun.

I was however, able to harvest a bunch of carrots!

I harvested the balance of my garlic, braided it and allowed it to cure hanging up in the garage.

It tastes great! Success!

The Bees:

Although I don't have recent photos of my bees, I'll give you the brief low-down.

My right hive is thriving. In spite of the weather. I have a full box of honey on top of my right hive, it's busy and packed full of happy honey bees.

My left hive is not so happy. I put some sugar water on last week to give them an extra boost, because up here a lot of people have had to feed them all summer so far. They are starving. I have my faithful bee friend Diane coming over to take a look at this hive. I want to be sure the queen is in there and laying well enough. I'm concerned that the pattern of eggs being laid was poor -- but I certainly can't profess to be an expert at this point! Fewer bees, less progress building out comb in the honey super, and a lot less activity in front of the hive. Stay tuned!

Regrets:

Sorry for being out of touch. Where we stay in the summer (I visit our Rehoboth home once a week and race around like a mad woman trying to get things done) we have only our cell phones, no cable, no internet, and only one t.v. station through old fashioned rabbit ears. The good news is, we are all doing a lot of reading! I've just finished: The Reader, Sarah's Key, Empire Falls and The Help. Our book club picked a 'light read' for August -- so I've just started Twilight albeit a bit half-heartedly. It's quite the rage, so there must be something to reading about vampires . . . right?

Here's to Sweet Briar, Hola! Hola! Hola!

This weekend I joined with about 25 other women (some managed to escape the group photo) to celebrate our 20th year College Reunion. (And many other women celebrating their 5th, 10th, 15th and so on.) 

Twenty-four years ago, from California to Alabama to Massachusetts all of us were preparing to begin our college years at a very remote all women's school for the liberal arts nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. All of us followed different paths to get there. Some out of tradition, some for a quiet personal alternative to the large university (with less than 1000 students total), some for scholarships and grants, some for a safe place to grow and excel, some for it's commitment to empowering women, but certainly everyone appreciated Sweet Briar's beauty. It is a gorgeous place to behold. And this weekend, we took it all in, again.

A view of Sweet Briar from Daisy's grave in whose memory the College was created.

There are 3250 acres of land at Sweet Briar.

Sweet Briar has an impressive equestrian program, so the resulting horses put out to pasture for those of us who ride, but don't ride is a welcome massage to the eye if nothing else.

Need I say more? It is truly lovely.

The boathouse at one of the two lakes on campus.

Until recently, there was a working dairy at Sweet Briar. As we went on long walks around 'the dairy route' which is a 2.5 mile trial that appropriately passed by the Sweet Briar Dairy we would see charming Holstein cows grazing on the rolling hills. At the dining hall we would enjoy our own milk and yogurt (whole, thank you very much). It was sad to see it go. Many of the buildings have been revamped and refitted to house the Fine Arts (of which I was a major) including drawing, painting, printmaking, photography, ceramics and graphic arts. It is a first rate facility - wow!

The new Fine Art buildings (in dark red)

Peony garden at the President's House

I believe someone thought this was a indigenous magnolia tree -- it was stunning.

L-R: Brooke, Latane, Susan

L-R: Michelle, Monica, Brooke, Kathy, Margaret, Latane, Laura

Laura and Latane walkin' the dairy route

More eating

Chatting, Chatting and more Chatting

More Walking L-R: Monica, Sandy, Susan, Laura, Brooke

We all wondered before going how it would be between us all 20 years later, and what we found were the strong roots of friendship, love and admiration that have withstood the test of time. 

All of us are glad we choose to go and made an effort to get there, though time and finances were sometimes pulling us back towards home and the present. 

We have a renewed appreciation and love for one another and the experience we shared at Sweet Briar.

Hola! Hola! Hola!