Saturday, December 20, 2008

Inbetween

-On my way downstate for Christmas, I saw a sundog in Gaylord.
-I wouldn't necessarily recommend taking pictures from your car on the highway.

-It was freezing so all the trees were frosted over.
-Mullet Lake in the morning.
-My backyard.




Thursday, November 13, 2008

Maps



After going 4200 miles on the van, several hundred miles while on the cape and 500 miles back and forth from "up north," I figure there were at least 5000 miles of driving for this latest trip. And because I like maps, some area maps of where we went.


Tuesday, November 11, 2008

The Cape, Part 2

-Alex showing off Grandma braids.
-Justin and Bradley and the big apple (from Michigan, of course).








-Bradley in the fall.
-Since the older ones are at school, we took day trips with the younger two...Bradley at the Sandwich Fish Hatchery (notice the trout behind him).
-We got to feed the fish and they came jumping up to eat.
-Sandwich is a nice truly quaint town...the old grist mill here.









-We went to Hyannisport and saw the more leisurely life of JFK and the Kennedys.
-We also made it to Orchard House in Concord, where the Alcotts lived.







-The father's school of philosophy in back.








-And the Wayside where they lived previously, along with Nathaniel Hawthore among others.

-Just is now in Cub Scouts.













-And he and his dad had a long discussion about how to salute properly.
-The last day (Halloween) we went to the very appropriate Edward Gorey Museum. Bradley liked the gigantic cat. Apparently Edward liked animals, especially cats, but also let raccoons live in his attic.
-G is for George...hmmm, how tragic.
-Grandma and Mackenzie standing in front of some of the original sets from PBS' Mystery.
-He loved yellow and used to wear fur coats (before the love of alive animals came out).
-For Halloween they had many of the Gashlycrumb Tinies book's names outside, just underneath the biggest magnolia tree on the cape. Probably in New England.


-Then Halloween...




-Justin and Alex working hard on the big pumpkin...and we toasted the seeds after.

-Then the dressing up started, Alex as a bride and Bradley as Lightning McQueen from Cars.












-Mackenzie as a pumpkin, chubby cheeks and all.
-Justin as a World War I bomber pilot.
















-All four of them together before the big night.
-I love this picture! Confusion, excitement all wrapped up in one.
-The oldest and the youngest (they also look a lot alike).
-The happy baby.
-And just before we left, one last picture.
-And just the kids.
-One last dance recital of the dancing queen!
-Heading across the Bourne Bridge over the Cape Cod Canal - 1933-1935.
-Stopped at Saratoga NHP, where the tide of the Revolutionary War started to change.
-And our last part in Canada over the Blue Water Bridge in Port Huron/Sarnia.

The Cape, Part 1

-After leaving Canada, we headed through Maine to get to Cape Cod. We stopped at Freeport for the L.L. Bean extravaganza and for a bit at the Minute Man NHP, but it was onward to the family.

-And the first thing we did the next day was go to the soccer games. Alex striking a pose here.
-And throwing the ball. Very interesting watching the kindergarteners versus the third graders!
-And a boy Bradley with excellent coordination for kicking.
-Started getting intense for the Justin's team.
-A little lamb, Mackenzie, is pumped up with everything going on about her.
-Grandma didn't let her go too much.
-Bradley having fun while his siblings played.
-We went to the beach later that day. It was pretty windy and cold.
-But it still was nice.
-And we still dig gigantic holes for fun.
-And we'll hide in them when a big wind comes.
-The kids always get wet and sandy. Grandma helps pull off Justin's boot.
-Mackenzie, who just got to watch earlier, was all eyes later!
-Grandma reading to Bradley.
-Sunday we went for a woodsy walk at a nearby trail to an inland lake.
-Nice colors and a chance to play by the lake. Also saw a lot of dogs.
-The kids at dusk.
-The annual picture...now he's in third grade!
-After checking out our favorite spice shop we found the tallest point on the cape (120 ft. above sea level) and went up the Scargo Tower. Sherry and Bradley.
-If you see it close up you can see Provincetown and the sand dunes even!
-The tower built in the early 1900s.