Tuesday, April 29, 2008
A very good man
Our family is working through some very sad news…a dear friend of Erin’s family, Steve Parks, was killed in a car accident on April 13th in Austin. The Parks family has been part of my Austin ‘tribe’ for almost as long as I can remember. I babysat their daughter, Sarah, for years. Steve and Louise threw my high school graduation party and helped arrange Jake and I’s wedding. The list of their involvement in my life so long and personal that I can’t even list it here. Steve was a kind, generous, and intelligent man. He is well loved by my whole family and famous on the Sewall side for being able to sing the Maine county song by heart. We are crushed by his early death and heartbroken for Louise, Sarah, Ursi, and Rob.
Monday, March 24, 2008
Happy Easter!
Elena's first Easter in the US (that she can remember).
Yes, the Easter Bunny came...not after some apprehension. She had nightmares about the 'crocodiles that come with the Easter Bunny' the night before and had to spend the early morning sleeping with us for protection (which worked out well for her, not so much for my sleep!)
The Easter basket was waiting for our PJ clad monkey. Then the egg hunt started!
Finally we got dressed for church in the matching outfits (dress for Elena and Doll Baby) with new watch from Gram & Opa to accesorize.
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Another Easter egg hunt at church. The Easter Bunny had left dried apples in the eggs at home...at church there were kit kats. How did that happen?
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We wrapped up the day with an authentic Greek recipe of roasted leg of lamb on a bed of rice, spinach, mint, and spring onions. I forgot to take a picture because once it was out of the oven, we carved it right up! It was tasty and lamb isn't even on of my personal favorites.
Yes, the Easter Bunny came...not after some apprehension. She had nightmares about the 'crocodiles that come with the Easter Bunny' the night before and had to spend the early morning sleeping with us for protection (which worked out well for her, not so much for my sleep!)
The Easter basket was waiting for our PJ clad monkey. Then the egg hunt started!
Finally we got dressed for church in the matching outfits (dress for Elena and Doll Baby) with new watch from Gram & Opa to accesorize.
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Another Easter egg hunt at church. The Easter Bunny had left dried apples in the eggs at home...at church there were kit kats. How did that happen?
<
We wrapped up the day with an authentic Greek recipe of roasted leg of lamb on a bed of rice, spinach, mint, and spring onions. I forgot to take a picture because once it was out of the oven, we carved it right up! It was tasty and lamb isn't even on of my personal favorites.
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Prepare the Bunny
This year we decided to bake a 'bunny' cake for Easter. In honor of The Bunny, it was of course, carrot.
What a face:
Elena decided that the bow tie should be blue:
One for Elena, one for the bunny:
All finished!
when is dessert?
Elena, of course, sampled a few of the jelly beans. She popped a black one into her mouth and made a face-but not quite what you would expect...'Momma, that is TOO SWEET! I don't like it.' The Dutch remains, she eventually settled on the black wiskers made of Dutch licorish ropes imported from Utrecht.
What a face:
Elena decided that the bow tie should be blue:
One for Elena, one for the bunny:
All finished!
when is dessert?
Elena, of course, sampled a few of the jelly beans. She popped a black one into her mouth and made a face-but not quite what you would expect...'Momma, that is TOO SWEET! I don't like it.' The Dutch remains, she eventually settled on the black wiskers made of Dutch licorish ropes imported from Utrecht.
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Writer's Strike
You might think that this blog suffered from the same fate as the talk shows in recent months...no we are not professional writers on strike, we are two overwhelmed parents!
It's been a crazy few months. Travel and job stuff has been pretty overwhelming, not to mention the pile of laundry. I've taken to not even unpacking between trips. Here is a snap shot of the last month or so - so, I was in Chile for two and half weeks. Jake and Elena (ably assisted by Nana for part of the time) went it alone. At the end of my field work in Chile, I learned the exciting news that my Nature article would be featured on the cover. I celebrated with an intestinal chilean friend and a week of antibiotics and minimal work. Then the whole family got the flu (in this order, Jake, Elena, Erin - but Elena rallyed with a follow up ear infection bring her total of 5 days out of daycare and being a sick little monkey). I learned about what they mean by 'press push' for nature and spent two days sucking on cough drops, talking to reporters, and faxing 'permission forms' to various agencies. Then I was off on another trip for three nights. Back for a week of 'recouping' as the family recovered from being sick. Then we packed up the ski gear and headed for a week holiday to Utah on the slopes. It was great. But the laundry fairy was such a slacker and didn't do a single load, she is so fired. Back to the 'Burg and I headed out last week to Houston.
We have many blogs - skiing, and other exciting things...but for now I will leave you with a few Elena-isms from our little monkey:
- Elena has picked up saying 'shoot' if something isn't right. Then she started reading a couple of books with parachutes in them so now she yells, 'oh parachute!' when something goes wrong.
- Last night at dinner, she asked why the dinosaurs all went extinct. I said, 'well, a big rock smacked into the earth.' Elena (rolling her eyes) says, 'Momma, I believe they call that an ASTEROID' (well, sheesh, then why were you asking me).
- She has taken up little puns and word plays like 'Honey starts with B's' and 'Trip starts with Fall'
- Elena is also a 'coach in Alabama' (how she picked Alabama we don't know) and she has taken to yelling 'rotondo!' When asked she explains it is a word that means it is time to start coaching and 'listen to the coach.' She will yell it on the playground and then her friend will run around mimicing (or making fun of, we aren't sure with those tricky 4 year olds) Rotondo!
So there you have it.
It's been a crazy few months. Travel and job stuff has been pretty overwhelming, not to mention the pile of laundry. I've taken to not even unpacking between trips. Here is a snap shot of the last month or so - so, I was in Chile for two and half weeks. Jake and Elena (ably assisted by Nana for part of the time) went it alone. At the end of my field work in Chile, I learned the exciting news that my Nature article would be featured on the cover. I celebrated with an intestinal chilean friend and a week of antibiotics and minimal work. Then the whole family got the flu (in this order, Jake, Elena, Erin - but Elena rallyed with a follow up ear infection bring her total of 5 days out of daycare and being a sick little monkey). I learned about what they mean by 'press push' for nature and spent two days sucking on cough drops, talking to reporters, and faxing 'permission forms' to various agencies. Then I was off on another trip for three nights. Back for a week of 'recouping' as the family recovered from being sick. Then we packed up the ski gear and headed for a week holiday to Utah on the slopes. It was great. But the laundry fairy was such a slacker and didn't do a single load, she is so fired. Back to the 'Burg and I headed out last week to Houston.
We have many blogs - skiing, and other exciting things...but for now I will leave you with a few Elena-isms from our little monkey:
- Elena has picked up saying 'shoot' if something isn't right. Then she started reading a couple of books with parachutes in them so now she yells, 'oh parachute!' when something goes wrong.
- Last night at dinner, she asked why the dinosaurs all went extinct. I said, 'well, a big rock smacked into the earth.' Elena (rolling her eyes) says, 'Momma, I believe they call that an ASTEROID' (well, sheesh, then why were you asking me).
- She has taken up little puns and word plays like 'Honey starts with B's' and 'Trip starts with Fall'
- Elena is also a 'coach in Alabama' (how she picked Alabama we don't know) and she has taken to yelling 'rotondo!' When asked she explains it is a word that means it is time to start coaching and 'listen to the coach.' She will yell it on the playground and then her friend will run around mimicing (or making fun of, we aren't sure with those tricky 4 year olds) Rotondo!
So there you have it.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Dashing through the snow!
Elena's greatest wish for this holiday season was to go "Dashing through the snow". That seemed like a fun, immaterial (i.e. we didn't have to pack it home) holiday wish, so Erin hit the ether to find a place in Maine that did sleigh rides. She found one, down in the lost middle of Maine (home of Norway, Paris, Sweden, China, etc.). Northern Heights Farm.
So with a foot(ish) of snow on the ground and more falling, we set out on New Year's Even for sleigh ride. Actually morning of the eve as the team and sleigh were booked for a private party on the actual "eve". Thanks to Big Opa's expert piloting we made it over the snowy roads without mishap, until parking at the farm required pushing to gain traction on snow covered ice.
Once there we met our team, Sheri and Grace, and watched as they were harnessed and then led out and hitched to the sleigh.
Sheri and Grace are Belgian mares. Northern Heights Farm breeds working Belgians so they maintain a herd of mostly mares, although many workers prefer geldings as a working team. Belgians are, according to the farm, the largest (all around, height and weight considered) of the draft horses and the sight of a team of them in harness makes you wonder exactly who though a John Deere was a good idea (honestly, green and yellow? Even _I_ know that's not the hottest color combination in the world).
Particularly as we had an absolutely perfect day for a sleigh ride. Feet of fresh snow on the ground, the latest storm just coasting to and and so we had snow laden trees and a few flakes coming down with the occasional ray of sun. Hard to beat.
Once the time was hitched up, Jeff turned them around in a flurry
and we loaded up, bundled under blankets and were off. We had a wonderful ride through the snow covered fields and woods behind their farm.
Along the way Jeff answered questions about Belgians and explained that a good team, Grace and Sheri not quite there, could be controlled entirely by voice and that with one such team he and a friend had won a sap gathering contest. Northern Heights also shows their Belgians at fairs in the fall, driving them in front of one very spiffy wagon.
All in all we had a wonderful time and were all quite pleased that Elena had just this holiday wish. If you are ever in need of a sleigh or wagon ride, or a registered Belgian, look up Northern Heights Farm!
So with a foot(ish) of snow on the ground and more falling, we set out on New Year's Even for sleigh ride. Actually morning of the eve as the team and sleigh were booked for a private party on the actual "eve". Thanks to Big Opa's expert piloting we made it over the snowy roads without mishap, until parking at the farm required pushing to gain traction on snow covered ice.
Once there we met our team, Sheri and Grace, and watched as they were harnessed and then led out and hitched to the sleigh.
Sheri and Grace are Belgian mares. Northern Heights Farm breeds working Belgians so they maintain a herd of mostly mares, although many workers prefer geldings as a working team. Belgians are, according to the farm, the largest (all around, height and weight considered) of the draft horses and the sight of a team of them in harness makes you wonder exactly who though a John Deere was a good idea (honestly, green and yellow? Even _I_ know that's not the hottest color combination in the world).
Particularly as we had an absolutely perfect day for a sleigh ride. Feet of fresh snow on the ground, the latest storm just coasting to and and so we had snow laden trees and a few flakes coming down with the occasional ray of sun. Hard to beat.
Once the time was hitched up, Jeff turned them around in a flurry
and we loaded up, bundled under blankets and were off. We had a wonderful ride through the snow covered fields and woods behind their farm.
Along the way Jeff answered questions about Belgians and explained that a good team, Grace and Sheri not quite there, could be controlled entirely by voice and that with one such team he and a friend had won a sap gathering contest. Northern Heights also shows their Belgians at fairs in the fall, driving them in front of one very spiffy wagon.
All in all we had a wonderful time and were all quite pleased that Elena had just this holiday wish. If you are ever in need of a sleigh or wagon ride, or a registered Belgian, look up Northern Heights Farm!
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Momma saw a Llama
Hello from Chile! As Jake mentioned, I've been doing field work in Chile for the past two weeks. We have been driving from Antofagasta to Iquique, from Iquique to Calama, Calama to San Pedro de Atacama, and finally a return to Antofagasta. We have been driving around 400 km a day through the desert. It has been an amazing experience. We have been observing the formation of current fans in the desert and examining the deposits of old fans. I've been on top of the altiplano and along the pacific in the southern hemisphere. The landscape is striking. In places there is absolutely no vegetation...no a scrub brush all the way to the sea. It is truly a land of desert with a few oasis. While the geology is amazing, it is a little exhausting to be so far away from vegetation.
One of the highlights of the trip was that on Sunday we 'took the day off' and drove the 'old road' from Calama to San Pedro de Atacama. It was an amazing traverse up to the altiplano where we saw the volcanoes draped over the altiplano in Bolivia. As we drove higher we found the ruins of an Aztex fortified village and drove through herds of llamas, mules, and alpacas.
I'll close with some thank yous - this trip would not have been possible without the encouragement of Jake, the patience of Elena, the support of Dinny, and my parents who taught me to drive a stick shift and Grammy who taught me to pee in the woods (although there are only rocks to pee behind here!) - and finally a few pictures.
One of the highlights of the trip was that on Sunday we 'took the day off' and drove the 'old road' from Calama to San Pedro de Atacama. It was an amazing traverse up to the altiplano where we saw the volcanoes draped over the altiplano in Bolivia. As we drove higher we found the ruins of an Aztex fortified village and drove through herds of llamas, mules, and alpacas.
I'll close with some thank yous - this trip would not have been possible without the encouragement of Jake, the patience of Elena, the support of Dinny, and my parents who taught me to drive a stick shift and Grammy who taught me to pee in the woods (although there are only rocks to pee behind here!) - and finally a few pictures.
Friday, February 1, 2008
When does this drive through open?
Yesterday Nana, Elena, and the pigeons had a bit of excitement. This hawk, a female Coopers Hawk I believe, decided to take a look and see if she could get into the aviary for a bite to eat before the ice storm.
She walked around and around the aviary and loft, even went _under_ the loft, for about 15 minutes before Nana and Elena decided enough was enough and went out to scare her off. The birds were none the worse for wear by the time I got home after dark to close them up, but Elena was excited enough to still be awake!
She walked around and around the aviary and loft, even went _under_ the loft, for about 15 minutes before Nana and Elena decided enough was enough and went out to scare her off. The birds were none the worse for wear by the time I got home after dark to close them up, but Elena was excited enough to still be awake!
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