birds of july

We're mostly seeing hummingbirds and sparrow (a LOT of both), but there have been some interesting other visitors this month too.

northern flicker

downy woodpecker

female ruby-throated hummingbird

house wren, singing for us

a murder of crows

the champ

Liam won the final match today to become the Plymouth city league 15U champion. This is his third time winning in the past five years (and at least one of the years he didn't win, he didn't do city league at all because the courts were under construction). Here's our champ five years ago and today (funny how small the trophy looks now), and with his biggest tiny fan. Great job, Liam!

the octo-pod

Henry has long outgrown his stuffed animals, but he couldn't bear to be parted from his favorites, the octopuses. Today I got a brilliant (?) idea and mounted them all to his wall. They look pretty cool in the daytime, but let's wait and see what he thinks the first time he wakes up in the middle of the night and sees them looming over him in the shadows.

rainbows for days

It's been so hot! But late afternoon showers have give us some pretty spectacular views out back two days in a row. The cloud top on the second one was even more amazing in person.

farm fresh

Our little farm (shut it, we've got a barn! with stalls! and a pasture!) is finally starting to produce! Behold the first foodstuff we have grown here:

Henry reports that it was sweet, but the experience was over too soon. Such is life, kid. Such is life.

sunsets and rain

Friends, is it too early for the dog days of summer? I've been nose to the grindstone for weeks now. Summer tennis has been moving along, and Liam and Henry are just about at the end of their respective summer league seasons. Max has been mostly just bumming around the house. Mike's been busy outdoors, and I'm just, you know, holding it all together. I do sometimes get a chance to check out what's happening outside, though, and the past 12 hours have given me a show to watch. It's hard to complain when that's happening outside your window.

quick visit

Mike took the boys to Naperville today to visit with Barb and Kevin and the cousins (I stayed home to work). Erin sent me a couple of pictures, though. That picture of Liam and Lucy will probably never not make me laugh.