(cue Sinatra...) Summer Winds....

xoxo happy day WMM xoxo

The world is all abuzz about the start of school and life is a whirlwind of rushing around to get things done. I remember not long ago I would look out at the sand and wish the tourists would go away and that summer would dwindle down to fall, and peace and quiet, at last.

Once again, what a difference a year makes. Or should I say, a farm?

The chores alone have us realizing that there can't be enough summer - how else would we fit everything in? But even more than that, we get to enjoy a summer vacation through the eyes of a 5 and 6 year old. I am so sad to see it end.

The recent highlight was coming home from errands one day to be greeted by Foley, carrying the most beautiful painted turtle I have ever seen. Wandering aimlessly down route 108 (the turtle, not Foley) he was simply going about his day when he was greeted by my kids and their friend from next door - Miss Tessa (a.k.a. the best behaved child in the world and the only one who listens to me, but that's another blog). They scooped him up and brought him home until, as McDonagh put it "His family marches by for him."

My first instinct was to keep him and make him mine! So many stray kittens were turned away at my childhood door step that I grew up determined to let my kids keep any creature they found. My only exception to this has been snakes, a decision that has been solidifed by the discovery of a shriveled up snake tail under Foley's bed. But I digress....

We got some lettuce for the turtle and set about finding a spot for him to call home. We debated about names. I have lost every naming battle so far in this family; my old standby - Atticus Finch (duh) - has been rejected soundly every time. That's o.k.; no one can ever stop me from occasionally calling the cat Atticus. Foley was insistent on Oscillot, or Ossie for short. Not bad, I admit. I gave him that one immediately and Ossie he became. Somewhere between finding him lettuce and setting him free in our pond, he became Churchwig - again not a bad choice and apparently it is a Pokemon reference that I obviously know nothing about.

But yes, it quickly became apparent that our little tank would not hold him...He was just too much turtle for us. We enjoyed him for a few hours, during which time he played on the front porch swing with the kids, went on several walks around the yard and may have even taken a ride in the tree swing. He is a well traveled turtle. We assembled solemly and walked to the pond. Foley did the brave deed and gently placed him in a "good spot." We spontaneously clapped as Churchwig Oscillot Finch (ahem) glided out to open water, occasionally glancing back at the crazy bunch of humans yelling from the shore. It was a good release.

So with each new creature, whether it be frog, turtle, or a field of glittery fireflies, we parents are soaking up summer all over again with the help of our own wee beasties...and desperately looking at the calendar to see how many more days we have for buttercups and spitting watermelon seeds.