In Memoriam

For Memorial Day, we headed up to Gettysburg National Park. Because remembering those who died on the battlefield is sad, but not remembering is even sadder.

It was hot. In the nineties, which was painful but I appreciated it, because from what I read that was about the temperature July 1-3, 1863, when the battle was fought.

When I woke Reuben up, correction, when he woke me up by jumping on me, I told him we were going to battle field. Reuben immediately translated this to corn field. He said "we are going to a corn field? YES! That is what I have been talking about."
Oddly enough he has been talking on and on about corn fields lately which has left Aaron and me baffled. We drove out from the city and Reuben kept asking Where is the corn field? Can we see it yet?

The city fell behind and we finally reached rural terrain. I spotted a corn field, the young crop barely ankle high and told Reuben. He was doubtful then distressed to learn that the corn wouldn't have ears of corn ready to harvest for a few more weeks. Tears were shed. Reuben wailed " I want CORN!!!" Aaron and I considered stopping at a grocery store, but right as we reached Gettysburg we found a lovely little road side stand that also sold really cool pottery. You should check them out here. They were incredibly nice and talented. http://www.thelionpotter.com/

And we were all thrilled to see a big mound of corn. Reuben picked out several ears. We loaded up on ripe peaches and strawberries. We handed Reuben the bag of corn and he immediately tore into it.

Reuben eating raw corn

Mmm. Raw corn.

Miriam eating raw corn.

The visitor center museum was fascinating. Here's Miriam taking it all in with careful measured consideration, or just dancing in circles

Confederate uniform. 

Reuben checking out the Union soldiers.

Miriam and Reuben about to watch a movie about the civil war.   The kids liked it.  Then we went to the Cyclorama (see  the first picture or read more here: http://www.nps.gov/gett/historyculture/gettysburg-cyclorama.htm) presentation which I thought was amazing and Reuben immediately found horrifying. We lasted about two minutes. Then the cannon sounds started and Reuben was convinced the army was attacking and screamed in terror and started crying. We left immediately. I probably should have seen that one coming. Taking your toddlers into a battlefield - bad idea. In my defense, Reuben has been to several reenactments and been okay. But he's finally at the age that he understands what is going on. He can comprehend the idea of an attacking army and has a sense of self-preservation. My proof that he has aged into an understanding is that Miriam liked the cyclorama and was angry to be pulled off the handrail pole she was happily swinging on. 

Instruments of the time. My ancestors in the civil war were Germans and Musicians. So I was interested to see that the top instrument was known as a German fife. 

Reuben's face on this picture kind of kills me.

Miriam took one look at Reuben and immediately snapped up a rifle for herself. 

She then attempted to rifle butt her own mother.  Makes me think she paid more attention to the cyclorama presentation than I originally thought. 

Kids playing at the Pennsylvania monument.


Here they are hiding out in the rocks on Little Round Top.

Reuben and me on a Devil's Den boulder. 

Miriam found herself a good patch of honey suckle in Devil's Den. 

If you want more details, I will talk your ear off. But I've learned that most people only want about two minutes worth of info on civil war history, so I'll stop here.

Hike Day

Our Sunday morning hikes have become an event each of us looks forward to all week.

This morning we shared the Arboretum with Aaron. We'd visited a few times during the week but it's such a perfect place we wanted him to have a chance to enjoy it. Also, that place is huge and deserves days worth of exploring. So explore we did.

Miriam climbed up this stump and demanded I take her picture.

Miriam being a tall tree

A  real tall tree. A tulip poplar to be exact.

Reuben climbing up a tree

Miriam and Aaron following Reuben. I took this picture for medical purposes. If we ended up in the ER I wanted to have a picture to explain how all three of my people could fall out of a a tree. that was on the ground.

Best looking bug we found. 

Reuben on another stump

The flower garden

At Last

This afternoon Reuben started drawing. Really drawing.

We draw every day but up til now the kid didn't do much beyond scribbling. Which drove me a little crazy because I'm obsessive like that and have spent the last 3+ years of his life trying to get him to try his hand at something representational.
Instead of people, animals, shapes etc. Reuben has spent the last year doing blobby swirls of color ( age appropriate, I know) maps and animal foot prints.

So I was surprised today when Reuben finished his map of Africa ( green blob) and Antartica ( black blob) and said hey look Mom I drew a little e. look now I'm drawing a face. And another face. It has eyes a nose and a mouth. And a mushroom growing out of the dirt. The dirt is from a giant who died and the bacteria ate up his body and changed it into dirt.

At last, drawing together is going to be a whole lot more interesting.

Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens

This morning we ventured out to Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, a national park in Southeast DC, which maintains a century old collection of cultivated water lilies from around the world. The kids had fun running around chasing the wildlife. We spotted and pursued turtles, geese, ducks, herons and muskrats. We watched Osprey hover on the wind above us hunting fish and listened to the red winged black birds call to each other. Reuben followed raccoon tracks and examined beaver teeth marks on trees.

I enjoyed watching the wind send shudders through the fields of lily leaves. I found myself reflecting on the ability to see beauty. How could Monet look at a similar lily pond, full of mud and life, and use it to create his water lily paintings? What is that process? It made me think we are all given the raw experiences worthy of making masterpieces.

The kids also had fun shaking the young pussy willows, making them release bright clouds of pollen. We all left happy but sneezing.

Sabbath Strolls

Afternoon church is growing on me. It gives us the time for Sunday morning hikes as a family. I love Sunday morning hikes, they make me feel so peaceful and relaxed.

This morning we wandered around Roosevelt Island. We sucked honey suckle, balanced on fallen trees, made friends with strange dogs, watched rowers navigate the bridge, watched the fisherman catch fish, got muddy, and enjoyed each other's company. It was heavenly.