What day would be complete without Maya climbing on something? Brave Maya lives on! 

The triumphant golfers pose for their father’s benefit. 

For family night, Nicolai decided on miniature golf at Kimball Farm. With Jeanine still in NYC and Kyle at his OWL class, we invited Nico’s friend Kevin to join us. Naturally, golf would be followed by ice cream. 

We also met this little fellow, although I have since forgotten what type. Speaking of owls, Kyle attended his final session of the OWL course at First Parish. This is the same course on human sexuality that I attended when I was growing up in the Unitarian church. 

After attending a birthday party this morning at a pottery studio, Maya joined Nicolai and I at the Willard Science Fair. Pictured here is a juvenile red-tailed hawk that was part of a birds of prey presentation. 

I found this black cougar perched in a tree outside the Emerson Umbrella (a building dedicated to the arts). After I coaxed it from the tree we attended Open Studio. Painters, photographers, potters, poets, architects, and sculptors welcomed visitors into their studios and discussed their work. Maya was fascinated with them and we spent the better part of two hours going from studio to studio before having lunch together downtown. 

If you click on this picture you should be able to see the eyes on this snail. 

This Australian pygmy hedgehog is named Tiny. 

I was able to get some close ups of the snails. 

The party featured Animals as Intermediaries. The children were introduced to snails, rabbits, skunk cabbage, a ring neck dove, and a hedgehog. Here the use a spray mister to wake up the snails. 

Maya attended a birthday party for her friend Emma Walker. 

Today Nicolai entered the work force as a soccer referee. He filled out his own W4 and is now a tax paying member of society. He officiated three games and did a great job netting a whopping $60 for his effort. 

I have no idea what she is saying, but she sure looks like she knows what she is talking about. Jeanine left early this morning for three days in NYC where she will meet up with her good friend, Monica Frost. I will be holding down the fort with the objective of not losing any of the children and providing them reasonably nutritious sustenance. If your favorite child is absent from the blog next week then you will know that I failed at my mission. 

This morning I awoke to find Maya teaching herself sign language from a pamphlet she picked up at school.