Monday

As I take Sparrow out for a brief stroll along our rural road (wishing so much they would hurry up and put in sidewalks in the neighboring development so I wouldn't have to veer into the mud by the road every time a car passes -- a precaution on my part since I always assume drivers are especially distracted on empty roads), I pause to say hi to our one neighbor.
Weird weather... I comment.
We are in a monsoon climate!

Indeed. It stormed and rained all night and now it's warm and humid again. There will be more storms, more rains this week, more humid weather. Wet monsoon weather.

Sparrow is with us from early morning. I'll say this much -- the sudden return of warm weather allows us a little more time outside.

(The cheepers look at him curiously. He is a bit taken aback by their presence. Who are these strange looking beings??)






We eat breakfast, taking turns juggling the little guy as we down our oatmeal.











He is his morning cheerful self. Want to head out? Sure!






As I push Sparrow up the driveway, I give a quick look a the flower fields. I must say, the front bed looks the best these days. The strawberries and cream hydrangea is fabulous as it moves from creamy white, to deep pink, to bronze. The false sunflowers are still at it and the cosmos adds that needed punch of color.






Looking out across the road, to the south, I can finally take in the beauty of this season.






To the west, north and east of us, the development slogs on. A half a year of digging and moving around dirt and all we see is mud and puddles and ponds and more mud.






We turn in toward the farmette again. Oh, let me use this moment to throw out a thanks to my friend, who gifted this awesome purple double stroller that her own kids recently outgrew. Sparrow likes it and so do I!






In the afternoon, we pick up Snowdrop. And here, things get a little crazy. Oh, the little one is happy to see us alright...






And she is intensely happy to come back to the farmhouse with her brother...






But at the same time, I get a call that my mom has had a slight mishap. This introduces a bit of drama, or at least uncertainty. Still, she is okay for the moment and so I return to my focus on the kids, even as the weather outside turns just plain wacky. I mean, it's starting to feel like true summer. Bugs and all.

It's a good moment to bring out the watermelon! (The girl loves her perch on the garbage can, though even at this elevated position, she looks small next to the big guy.)






(Snowdrop finds a toy fish I had purchased for Sparrow. It becomes the focus of her story about feeding a pet fish. Sparrow goes along. He always goes along.)






We all sense the weather change. Snowdrop wants to be out. Well, okay. Sparrow, are you up for more stroller time?

(Ed goes to clean the coop, Snowdrop follows. With Sparrow.)






(Along the way, she picks flowers. Might as well. I understand by the end of the week, we'll have a killing frost.)






Can I feed the cheepers?
I love how she knows the ropes. The feed first, then the bin with the corn. Scattered. 






Where are you going, ahah? Sometimes he is grandpa Ed, mostly he is just Ed, sometimes he is still good old ahah.






They climb the wood chip pile. Total happiness.
Ahah, you are the queen, I am the princess! (In her mind, a princess has the rule of the land.)






Look! You can see the clouds everywhere!






Not done yet. She blows bubbles. And then she does what she claims is her "very favorite thing:" she works the hose.






At some point it spins around and soaks her solid. She feigns being upset...






But in fact, she is delighted to spend the rest of the afternoon playing in her undies. While Sparrow looks on. Sparrow is nearly always happy just to look on.


In the evening, the happy duo goes home, I talk to my mother. Things are looking good. She'll be out and home tomorrow. We'll take it from there.