a Wednesday in August

In every season, on nearly every day, I can think of a thousand things to do with Snowdrop outdoors at the farmette. But there are a handful of times when I'd just as soon not step outside at all. For a few seconds -- maybe, but even that seems excessive. 

Today is one such day.

Oh, it's a pretty sky -- partly cloudy, warm. Well, perhaps too warm. The problem is that the bug swell has reached tsunami proportions. We live close to the wetlands and there will always be days during the summer when you just don't want to be outside.

Tell that to Snowdrop!

I fret about this as I take our breakfast out onto the porch. (The fan blows the air around -- it's not unpleasant. The screens do their job!)






I make a few forays into the flower fields to do some spot maintenance -- no, it's just not fun out there today. Pretty to look at...






... but better still to take that photo and run back inside.






I text my daughter -- pack a swimsuit for the little one. I'll be taking her to the park.


You may remember that Ed and I went for a swim in Lake Kegonsa not too long ago. I wasn't sure if it would be buggy today. I decided to chance it.

I changed the little one into her beach garb and zipped us both down to the La Follette County Park (a mere 13 miles down the road from us).

It was heavem there by the waters of the lake.

(A beach! Like in the books? What do you do on a beach?)






Snowdrop had played on Madison's beaches earlier in the season, but once summer rolled in, the lakes became so unappealing that I stopped taking her to them. She always wanted to step into the water and the look and smell of it made me want to get her out as quickly as possible. And so this is the first time where we actually go to the beach for the sole purpose of playing in the sand and swimming in the water.

(Get wet, play!
Okay okay okay!)






It's a big stick. You can make a tower of it...






Happy!






(A time release photo, just because, here we are, gaga and Snowdrop, at the lake...)






Ah, but what a beautiful world it is...






At the farmhouse again:








And then, I have a whirligig of chores, of errands, outings, of wrapping up the summer in the tight blanket of memorable moments. 

By the evening hours, we all pack up our supplies and head out (with Snowdrop of course) for the Capitol Square, for the last of the evening picnic concerts there.







It's a beautiful night to be nibbling on foods, sipping wine and listening to the music (or eating popcorn and dancing to it, if you're, say 19 months old).







The evening breezes did their magic and by the time the concert nears its end, I really do wonder if the heat wave had been a thing of my imagination. Hot? Was it hot today? I can't remember...






A day full of summer. But of course, this is what you want on a Wednesday in August: warmth. Music. Good foods. A night out with the young people in your life. And Snowdrop. You really do benefit from having a Snowdrop at your side.