Nature Connections (07.11)

 
This goldfinch has been peck, peck, pecking at our kitchen window for days.
We've had plenty of opportunities to closely observe him and his mate.
They like to pluck seeds from our black-eyed susans.

This month we also harvested our first carrots and went canoeing with friends.

Gerrick had a great time at Sea Star's Gym and Swim day camp; 
he went during the pirate-themed week and got to canoe on the lake every day.

What was your family's favorite nature connections during the month of July?

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A Quick Trip to Charleston

This week we went on a six-hour road trip with friends
to visit some of their family in Charleston, West Virginia.

While there, we browsed Capitol Market,...

 

picked up some treats at The Purple Onion,

and tried Holl's Swiss Chocolates.

We explored The Clay Center for the Arts and Sciences.

 

 

 

  We enjoyed Ellen's Homemade Ice Cream
and were also treated to swimming and a couple of nice dinners while in Charleston.
We really had a great time and are very grateful for the generosity of our kind hosts!

--Happy Travelers--

Mohawk!

Gerrick Gets Glasses

Gerrick has been complaining of his eyes being tired for a few weeks. I've noticed him blinking a lot and covering one eye or the other while he reads or works on the computer. Many times he has stopped reading when he clearly wanted to continue.  He was not happy about the idea of glasses because they "disguise your eyes". Nevertheless, today we went for an eye exam.  He is slightly farsighted and was prescribed glasses for reading and close-up work.

He tried on several pairs, but loved one specific pair the second he saw them. He likes them so much that he says he's going to wear them all the time and was disappointed that he couldn't bring them home today.

(We upgraded his pair with anti-glare lenses.)

Canoeing the Harpeth River

Yesterday, we (along with my good friends Amy and Shannon and Shannon's mom and son) 

rented canoes from Canoe Music City and paddled seven miles along the Harpeth River.  

It was a great day!

  The boys enjoyed floating along with speedy currents.

This friendly dog followed us for most of the day.

We were blessed with a cooling shower (that included no lightning!).

When was the last time you went canoeing?

First Carrots!