I spent the first weekend of November visiting my family in MA and NY. I flew into MA and was greeted by my sister at the airport (and an awesome take-out dinner of a falafel pita). The plan was to spend the weekend with Christina's family and Monday-Wednesday with my parents before flying back to WA. Even though we were all together in August, it just didn't feel like we spent much time together - so this weekend was needed and just wonderful.
Jackson and Henry leading the way up Mt. Sugarloaf
Quintessential New England right at the end of the peak colors
Christina and Sara had Sara's parents babysit Henry and Jackson one evening so the three of us could eat out on the town. We went to Hope and Olive, a favorite restaurant of theirs I've been hearing about for YEARS. Finally, I was able to go! I wish Jay could have been there too! The fried brussel sprouts really are the best thing ever and I ordered a cocktail called "FeelTheBern" and they donated $1 to Bernie's campaign. That is my kind of cocktail!
Christina and I spent one morning together exploring the fun of the
Franklin County, MA CiderDays. We went to Clarkdale Fruit Farms for a cooking demo and cheese tastings. I ended up buying pear cider, two different cheeses, and making apple pickles when I made it back to WA as a result of this awesome hour in my life.
Cider sisters
Worshiping squash and apples in the fall
Christina's turn!
Those crazy awesome nephews of mine finally dragged me out on their trampoline. I never advanced beyond the up and down jump - but you can see they have no problem with crazy flips and moves.
On Monday we met up with my parents at the
Smith College Fall Chrysanthemum Show. It was like walking into The Lorax - awesome!
Such a rare and wonderful treat to have all four of us together...and it looks like we are in the tropics! Ha! Fooled yah! Just western Massachusetts.
My parents in our lovely town of Kinderhook with the old school (that my sister went to) which is now converted into an art gallery.
While I was visiting my family back east, Jay took off for Carrie Bow Caye in Belize - a Smithsonian research station he has been conducting research at (for other projects) for over a decade. It was pretty neat for all of us to know that he was there, after all these years, to do his own research for his PhD! Woohoo! This is a rare, rare, rare photo of Jay at work in Belize sorting corals into different bags for, I think, transportation back to the States. He made a video of the work he has been doing there, I posted it
here if you want to see it.....
While Jay was in Belize our friends Scott and Nadine paid me a visit in Anacortes. Boy, I like to spoil guests rotten when they visit.....but Scott and Nadine flipped that switch and spoiled me rotten! Great wine, great restaurants, great food, great farmer's market, great hikes, great beaches.....shoot. You name it and it was great!
Wow! Talk about a big change in scenery! Now I'm in Florida! Jay and I met in Miami at the airport (after a terrifying flight from Seattle for me) and drove up to Vero Beach to spend Thanksgiving with his father and stepmom. Only in FL do you find pink Cadillac golf carts.
Charlotte wanted one.
While we spent more time at the pool in the neighborhood they live in, we were thrilled to get in one beach day!
The boyz going for a swim in the big surf. It was way bigger than it looks, I promise. I joined them and it took some time to get out into the water without getting smooshed first.
Gopher tortoise! Cool!
The girls enjoying their time in the sun!
Jay and I went for a jog down Vero Beach and hung out with this rockin' ghost crab for a bit.
I also dragged him on a buggy hike in the FL scrub forests. Is that what they are called? They are awesome. I love habitats I know nothing about - I still have much to learn in this life.
Photos from November are here:
https://picasaweb.google.com/111221596171793333099/November2015?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCJzQ8fHF1cKHugE&feat=directlink
Stay tuned! The next blog will be about our vacation in Indonesia Papua! Leaving on Wednesday!
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