And when they said the cabin was on the lake...

...they really meant on the lake.

Esti is standing right behind the house -- about 18 inches from the water.

I know - wow!

Unintentionally artsy photo of lake reflected in cabin back door.

Sigh.

Abi and Henry in Maine

Forgot my camera, it's true, but there's always the phone. This is us in a rented cabin in Maine, about an hour west of Portland, Aug 4-11. With us were my friend Mira (for part of the time) and her 11-year-old daughter Abi, who has known Henry since he was three months old. They spent a lot of time together.

Some days it was almost too chilly to swim...

...but they made do. 





(Henry did a lot of paddling, too - soon he even got comfortable taking the kayak out by himself.)

Maine pix after all: a hike

Henry's former ukulele teacher (and supercool role model) Dan drove out from Portland to visit us in Otisfield. We went for a hike - is it awful that I can't remember the name of this little mountain? Bald Mountain? Screeching Mountain? Something.

Anyway it had just the right ratio of ascent

(short and steep)

and handled with great aplomb by all members of our party

to spectacular picnic-worthy summit.

A bit windy, of course.

But no one seemed to mind.

Esti was a particularly good sport about the whole experience.

Makes me think we can really take her hiking, as long as we pick trails that don't involve any plain walking that would let her get bored and whine.

Shall we add that to the to-do list for next summer?

Oh and look!

(Can you tell Dan is a preschool teacher?)

Madison: University Terrace

On our last day in Madison - yesterday I guess, it's just that the days have been kind of long - it was still over 90 degrees, but we went for a walk along the beautiful lakeside biking/walking/running path by UW-Madison. A very energetic walk, as you can see.

Requiring much moral preparation beforehand.

Contemplation of the challenges ahead.

Rest stops along the way. (Trail mix not shown.)

And goofing around afterwards. (Beer not shown.)

A very successful morning, on the whole.

Wouldn't you say?

One more fishing pic

Kak patiently coaches Henry, who 1) insisted on sitting for most of the morning in the spot 10 feet down from where the fish were biting; 2) refused to go home until he caught one.

Madison: Fishing in Tenney Park

We are back in Arlington now. What a month it has been! Quick, record a few summer memories before the semester avalanches them down the hillside.
On Saturday, Roger and Kak took us fishing in Tenney Park on Madison's East Side. We tried Lake Monona first -- way too rough and windy. Here it was peaceful.

The fish were small and obliging. All the kids (Veronica and Philip, Esti and Henry) ended up hooking at least one fish. Too small and spiny to be worth cleaning, so: catch and release!

I think there might have been some recidivism: Henry said Veronica's four fish were really two fish caught twice.

It's a dirty job, but someone has to do it. Preferably Daddy.

Or you could just cut out the middleman and go straight for the worms?

Madison: Dharma Pizza Party

In Madison visiting Ann and Roger.  On Saturday, while Ken was down in Chicago attending the first- and probably last-ever bachelor party of his career (ask him to tell you the story sometime), Ann and Roger and the kids and I had a lovely evening of brick-oven pizza in the backyard of the Eastside Friends of the Dharma house with Chodon, the resident Buddhist spiritual director (center) and several of her friends, including our friends Kak, Sean, Gretchen, Veronica, and Philip. Yes, the latter four normally live in Arlington. They were visiting too.

Chodon, who had built the wood-fired brick oven herself (she said it was her fourth!), was a really gracious host and so patient with all the kids. Gretchen helped a lot too, of course.

The kids got really interested and methodical about making their own little pizzas.

Esti's, need I mention, had pears, parmesan cheese, and a pineapple slice: no sauce, nothing like a vegetable. Henry and Veronica were more adventurous.

Out to the oven...

Only three minutes to wait...