Holding on to summer

For one last weekend!

Last week, Jameson was trying to hold on to the taste of summer, as he picked his own green pepper from the garden and started eating it!


Stefan quickly grabbed and the camera and took a few pictures, and then settled down and "assisted" Jameson in finishing off his snack.

Meanwhile, best buds Sylvie and Alex were entertaining themselves in the yard.

On Saturday, we went away for the day. As many of you know, Stefan is involved in Volksporting--which we started doing in Germany. Essentially, a "Volksmarch" (or Volksbike, or Volksswim) is a family-friendly non-competitive walking event. He and his club in Ann Arbor have hosted several events and convinced hundreds of people to get out and go walking.

Stefan convinced me to go to another club's event at Sterling State Park near Monroe, Michigan (about an hour away). The biggest draw is that it is right on Lake Erie. And, it got us out of town for the craziness of Michigan football. (which turned out to be a great idea, given the sad state of affairs in Ann Arbor!) Stefan has made quite a name for himself in the world of Volksmarching; as we hiked along, we ran into several people who know him (or know OF him!).

Alex got himself dressed for the weather (and showed his support for Michigan football!) as you can see here. I personally like the gloves best:

We did our duty as faithful Ann Arborites before heading out of town: we went to the farmer's market. We had our coffee and our baked goods and then purchased provisions to survive the hike!

While Jameson and I finished up the shopping, Stefan and Alex stopped to play on a bench and discovered this creature:


Jameson didn't want to miss out on the fun, so I let him down and he climbed up and down some small steps for a few minutes. You can see Alex in the background, still helping Daddy take pictures.

Then we were off on our adventure!! Jameson and I grabbed naps on the way out, and so the ride seemed short. We had barely gone a quarter mile into the hike, and we found a playground!

Once we convinced the kids to continue on, we quickly came to the beach. Alex had a great time wading in the water. I enjoyed being near a big body of water again. It really brought back all the great memories from the summer---travelling, swimming, and experiencing new things. The sound of the surf, the smell of the air... if one could ignore the nuclear power plant in the background you could think you were at the "real" beach!

See the towers of the nuclear power plant here:
Jump!!

Then the walk continued along the water for nearly half the 6K distance. We were on a cement path with large rocks all around... I missed the sandy beach! But it was a beautiful, mild day, and we really enjoyed our walk. I enjoyed holding Alex's hand and listening to his monologue about climbing up on rocks, about swimming, and about how jedi knights would climb the rocks. The worries of work and the thought of the messy house drifted far away.

Jameson, with three teeth simultaneously pushing through his sore gums, was probably the least happy out of the four of us. We tried the sippy cup, we tried food... eventually raisins proved to be the food of choice.

We observed many signs of wildlife!

Then, after completing all 6K and watching a model airplane club, we returned to the playground for a few more minutes...

Reprise: spin, spin, spin!

I love spinning!
So our wonderful walk was a great way to remember our wonderful summer... and somehow come to terms with the fact that it is ending! Where did the time go?

Next on our agenda is the start of KINDERGARTEN for Alex. Talk about time passing quickly! We look forward with excitement and just a little bit of regret as our little boy starts his first day of school tomorrow.