Turn, Turn, Turn...

Aiden and Kimball at Low Plain

In the one of the blinds

Common Green Darner

Some birding

Well, the seasons have already started to turn in New Hampshire. Days are much shorter, nights are chilly, and the red maples are blazing in the swamps already. We've had a lovely sun-filled summer so it's hard to complain even though it's a bittersweet time of year. I'm looking forward to baking squash and picking apples, making hearty soups and enjoying the fleeting crisp fall days. It could be worse.

These squash grew in our compost bin. They're all from the same plant as far as I can tell, but what are they? And more importantly, are they edible?

Little doo with the mystery squash

Caterpillar of the Spotted Tussock Moth

Weekends have been at home for a stretch now, which has been really nice. We haven't gotten anything spectacular done, just tidying up the house, going for long walks in the woods with Kimball (she's turning into a great little woods dog), watching Aiden play kindergarten soccer, and going to an occasional birthday party. Aiden's friends seem to all have been born in late summer and fall! Zoey had a witch & wizard themed party, and then the following day Molly E. had a baking party, both of which Aiden was the lone boy at. He really doesn't seem to notice (I think it's the age... in two years girls will definitely have cooties but they're blessedly germ-free now) and just does his own thing if the girls get too "girly" on him. Haley's walking all over the place and tiring herself out enough for 2-hour naps each day (amazing for Haley). She's got a little attitude on her though, that one! If she thinks no one is paying attention to her properly she just flat out yells at the top of her lungs, impressively loud for a 1 year old. In the grocery store or soccer sidelines that usually has the desired effect of bringing surrounding conversation to a standstill and everyone's eyes peeled on her. Which is making the habit a bit hard to break...

If you see her and she yells, please ignore it!

Aiden at Zoey's wizard party

The crew at Molly E's cupcake party. They decorated their own chef hats and aprons with fabric markers.

Haley got a chef hat too!