Today, on the way home from work, I decided I deserved an ice cream cone and stopped in at my favorite shop. I rarely feel guilty about anything I do but must admit that I paused in the garage to finish my cone and to dispose of all evidence of my purchase before entering the house. Delaying this post by five days should satisfy the statute of limitations on being pressured by the kids into a return visit.
Here is a close up featuring an apple, corn, and fish next to the anatomically correct male and mother with baby gathered around a campfire.
Maya is putting the finishing touches on her diorama depicting the Maliseet Indian tribe. She used left over hardened epoxy from the kayak to form a river.
Spring in New England is over in the blink of an eye but the reward is spectacular if subdued color. From my morning commute.
My art shot for the day. I was drawn to these beaver gnawed and weathered branches which were on the verge of falling into the river.
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While Kyle was warming up, I wandered over to the Oxbow Nature Reserve for a little photography.
Kyle was cleated in the ankle during his game. I pointed out that my shin pads include ankle protectors which would have spared him this injury. He told me that I was a baby and that real soccer players don’t wear such bulky protection.
Today the Calabria men had to settle for draws. Kyle’s team was down 0-3 at halftime but worked hard to win three goals in the second half to tie the score with minutes left to play. It was a very exciting game to watch and Kyle is shown here winning a header at midfield. My match this morning also ended in a tie. I scored our only goal in the opening minutes and our opponents equalized late in the second half. I played 90 minutes and almost scored a second time on a direct kick which hit the crossbar. In action yesterday, Nicolai’s team won 5-3 (Nico scored on a header and had several assists) and Maya’s team won 2-1.
With Jeanine away, I held down the fort and delivered the children to their various sporting events. On the way back from dropping Maya at her game, I came across this mother and baby horse which I know she will be thrilled to see.
Jeanine spent Friday and Saturday in Burlington, VT with her sister Susan who was celebrating her birthday. The Roche family chipped in to buy her a bicycle which was put to immediate use on the fine spring day.
A bonus Nantucket photo from Jeanine’s camera of me teaching Nico to drive the moped.
A quick ride on the moped and I was on the other side of the harbor for a parting shot of the Brant Point lighthouse.
This morning I went out before sunrise so I could be in position for this photo at the right time. In a few weeks Nantucket will be crawling with tourists and the beaches will be packed. Our off season visit really gave us a unique opportunity to see the island for what it is most of the time. A quiet and serene home for people drawn to the sea.
Jeanine is really in her element when we go to Ferry Beach. She gets to cook in an industrial size kitchen and play games in the evening. This year she introduced a new coffee cake recipe which was a big success.
My favorite photo of the weekend. Kyle with friend Chris (who joined our family for the weekend). I took this after sunset and asked the boys to stand motionless while I made the long exposure under a sodium street light.
Nicolai loves to play volleyball and demonstrates here his willingness to take on even the most intimidating opponent. Photo courtesy of Stoney.
Although I enjoy the challenge of shooting birds, my real passion is for portraiture. I was pleased this year with the results of my efforts which can be found in this web album.
Everywhere time you turn around, if you take the time to look, there is sure to be a rabbit near by. I counted dozens of the furry critters and was quick enouh to capture this one before he dashed away.
After lunch I returned to the osprey nest with the right lens and am treated to this image which includes what appears to be the tail of a rather large fish.
My art shot for the day.
It is really not difficult to predict how this maneuver is going to end. Nicolai seems to believe himself able to defy gravity indefinately.
It is unclear to me why my children seem incapable of going to a beach and simply admiring the beauty. Every visit will predictably result in soaked shoes and clothing resulting from races lost with the sea. Nicolai employs his crutches to good advantage but even he succumbs to a total drenching in the end.
Nico and I shared this moped so we could keep up with Jeanine, Kyle and Maya on their bicycles. When we arrived at Surfside Beach I let Kyle take the moped out for a spin in the vacant parking area. The size of the smile on his face does not bode well for his future with motorized vehicles. That said he demonstrated excellent control and looked like a pro tooling about the lot.
My interpretation of Kyle’s setup.
Today begins with another portrait session. This time Kyle has selected his paired siblings as a subject. He is shooting black and white film while I shadow him with my digital camera.
Many of our friends have summer homes on Nantucket. This evening we are invited to dinner with the Himinez family who we bumped into on the ferry ride over. They have four girls and Maya was in her element with so many little friends.
Kyle plays around with his shadow on the beach. Click on the photo to see what he is holding.
We encounter a pair of osprey and possibly a chick in the nest. I make a mental note to return with a longer lens for a closer shot.
Beach combing turned up many treasures including this horseshoe crab shell.
We biked out to the Nantucket Field Station for the University of Massachusetts which includes a fresh water lake, ocean beach, and salt water marsh.
Jeanine is always her most beautiful when she is relaxed. It only took a few hours before we had all forgotten the worries of the mainland.