Where’s the masking tape?

Oh, here it is, holding together a train of trucks.

The flowers were out, showing off. 

Lemon mint?

A dried sunflower in the morning sun.

And these wildflowers make me happy.

New boots and a grocery cart.  Then, pretending the convertible is a riding mower.  Cut it shorter, David, that fig ivy comes right back.

We live a charmed life, and some days are especially so. 

Friday morning the twins and I snuck out for almond croissants and gingerbread men from the French Gourmet Bakery.  The FGB doesn’t seem especially French, and not particularly gourmet, but it’s delicious nonetheless.

Before that we looked for something at the local hardware store and actually found it.  I have two hardware stores within walking distance; I’m in home improvement paradise.

Then we zipped over to the consignment store and found a pair of rubber boots for David, a stack of $5 pajama sets, and a pair of linen pants for David for $2.

While Carmen cried and dragged her feet getting back to the car (she loves the consignment store because it’s full of lovely things and lovely people), a mother in a hurry pulled into the lot and lifted two toys out of the trunk of her SUV.  She ran into the store, and then ran back out.  "I’m sorry to put you on the spot like this, but they said they aren’t accepting toys right now.  Would you like these?"  I followed her eyes to a plastic red convertible and a shopping cart.  I said I would take them, and eventually find a way to donate them to one of the local parks.  That made C&D happy, but they were even happier when we took our goodies to the park to share.  Carmen stood in front of a father and gave a long speech about after 5 minutes he had to say "ding!" and it would be David’s turn, and then he should say "ding" for the other kid’s turn, and then her turn again.  The father just nodded.  Later he and I discussed his grad school thesis.  Taking turns, and then talking physics at the penguin park?  Sweet. 

Later we went back to the consignment store to pick up a handmade 3-piece kitchen for C&D for $70.  It is going to be used to create stations for their manipulatives. It has cabinet doors and a hutch to feel tidy.  Carmen wanted to drive her red plastic convertible to the consignment store, but was persuaded otherwise when I told her Mommy’s car goes faster.

After dinner we played at another playground with our next door neighbors, and just as they left one of the park regulars showed up.  We played and talked until it was half past dark.

Charmed, like I said.

Carmen caught a bug, taking it to a garden

where it can fly around and make some new friends.

Hope it was friendly.