Fox and Cinnamon at the Voodoo Museum

Sunday, April 20, 2014

April 7, 2014: Juno pays a surprise visit

When Amon stepped outside to empty out coffee grounds, our neighbor's beagle Juno scrambled up the deck steps and zipped inside. She had a grand time exploring the house.

Juno likes cat food. We thought we had her secured in the back yard until her owner could come get her, only to look out later and see her empty collar attached to the cord! The good news is that her owner's Mom lives down the street from us, saw Juno, and got a neighbor to help her heft Juno back over the fence into her own backyard. In the meantime, I put her collar in their mailbox. Will Juno visit us again whenever she has a hankering for cat food? We'll keep you posted!

Sunday, April 6, 2014

Saturday, April 5, 2014: Neighbor Suzan's annual plant exchange party

Jade and Amon check out the tire swing in Suzan's back yard. Too bad I don't have a photo of the back door neighbor's beagle climbing over the fence to join the festivities!

One of our donations this year was "Scare-squirrel," who's faithfully kept squirrels out of our garden all year. Our librarian friend is very excited to have him except that she intends to use him to attract squirrels: her husband hunts squirrels and makes squirrel stew! Watch out, Scare-squirrel!

Our haul: an assortment of cacti to plant; mint for tea; a beautiful pot and a planter that will go perfectly in the bathroom; and East Texas horse manure for Papa's compost heap, oh my!

April 4, 2014: play time

Amon and Jade get creative with play-doh

April 3, 2014: Amon has landed!

Amon backed into the driveway at about 3 p.m. on April 3 after a 45-hour drive from Portland in which he slept 2 hours the first night and 5 hours the second night, in his car; fought to keep his makeshift sunroof on from Albuquerque to Austin (duct tape, lots of duct tape); and was stopped by a DPS Trooper as soon as he entered Texas for going 80 mph in a 75 mph zone. Only issued a warning though. Welcome home!

The aforementioned sunroof

The Civic got him here safely

He got to snooze about 30 minutes before Fox arrived and woke him up

Mommy, Jade, and Daddy

March 31, 2014: almost Evelyn's 96th birthday

Sadie and Jim discover the playroom during Grandma Evelyn's week early birthday party. We celebrated a week early because Beka and Sadie were in town from Manhattan.

The birthday girl suns on the deck

Happy birthday, Evelyn!

Sadie at Papa's piano

Wasn't room in the car for Kirk what with two baby seats and Sarah and Beka. So Kirk biked over for the party.

March 25, 2014: On our way home on wings and a rainbow

Bye-bye Portland! Do you see the rainbow?

March 25, 2014: Brothers and cousins

One last photo of the brothers before Jade and I left for Austin.

And one last photo of cousins Otis (with his Tech Deck bicycle and Tech Deck skateboard) and Jade

Monday, March 24: Portland

Jade hung out with my purse during lunch at Horse Brass, an authentic English pub in Portland

Amon tried the Walking Man Black Cherry Stout porter

A friendly at joined us on the walk back to the car among the blossoms snowing from the tree

Nap time with the birthday baby like Piper's. Jade fell in love with Piper's baby doll in Asheville. Guess what Aunt Brandy, Uncle Ryder, Mya, River, and Piper gave Jade for her birthday?