return to Yellow Branch Falls

We went back to the Yellow Branch Falls trail this weekend. The rhododendrons aren't quite blooming yet, but the mountain laurels were amazing!

We stopped a little way in for a bit to eat, and then Edie insisted on walking and John on being carried. Which was great, except Edie wanted to pick up every ding-dang stick, and couldn't tell the difference between a stick and a tree root! She also objected fiercely to holding hands over rough terrain, and to falling on the rough terrain, and to being airlifted over all the roots she was trying to pick up. But once we got to the waterfall she forgot about all that.

John and Oscar both took turns carrying the backpack on the way out, and I took turns carrying them. We got rained on a little bit, just enough to make things exciting. And Oscar was such a pleasanter companion than the fall - we've all come a long, long way. All in all, an excellent adventure!

Vine with thorns

The second crossing

Oh, these brothers!

Wait for it...

Cheeseburger!

A euphorb

A handsome leaf

 John says, Uhhhh! My legs hurt!

Can you find the boy in camouflage?

We made it! We almost turned back about two minutes away from the falls! They are so loud for so long, it's hard to know just how far away they are.

She's crying because she hit Eric in the head with her own graham cracker

A celebration!

Not this past weekend but the weekend before, we all loaded up the minivan and drove to Maryland! Elizabeth and Nolan have now been properly feted and can go on with their happily married life.

We had such a wonderful time, I didn't really take any pictures! This is what I've got from the party on Sunday at Carderock. There was a giant field of buttercups that Wilmer and Penny worked hard on clearing, while Oscar dragged a chair in the middle of it so he could go be alone from time to time. All the children had bubble guns for entertainment.

See Oscar, wayyyy out there in his red shirt?

There he is!

Some of Margaret's recent pronouncements.

Seagulls are the cats of birds.

Baby's breath is the cilantro of bouquets.

Bonus: Easter egg hunt! It lasted a frenzied ten minutes.

Oscar at the Mall

Just Oscar, doing his Oscar thing.

Spring break!

The week before Easter, Oscar had no school, so we took a little trip (just the two of us!) to MD. We flew into DCA and took the Metro to check out the National Mall, but it was such a beautiful day that we stayed outside chasing starlings.

Outside the castle, where we thought about eating lunch because how often do you get to eat lunch in a castle?

Golden doors of the Washington DC Bank.

Gremlin in the Metro station

Finally we made it! And Charlie and Henry and Penny were there! Some rude boys were being rude to Oscar and Henry for a while, telling them they were too dumb to know what ten times ten is. And Oscar and Henry both said at the same time, "That's easy, 100!" Then they all started fighting.

All the grandchildren love these dynamic balls.

Baba Yaga and Oscar made and wore important tin foil hats.

Oscar made up a game involving jewels and a divided tray. He called it "Cheat" and the rules seemed to be that whenever it was his turn he got to grab all the jewels he liked. So he always won.

Anole

It has warmed up outside and now Oscar is leveling up his lizard-catching skills. We got out the old aquarium for the first one he found so he could make it a habitat and draw it. Then he let it out and we were sure it would climb up my green pants. But even its tiny brain would not let it be so foolish, and it ran right down the side of the deck.

Oscar

He's very excited to explore all the new tricks he can do, like shooting milk out of the hole, and talking like a snake. I haven't mentioned whistling to him, and don't plan to....

For Four Fore Phor

Hurray for John-boy! He is so old and knows so much! He got lots of good presents and was delighted with his rainbow cake, and with his birthday spent pretty much outside. All I think he needs now is a haircut.