it's sort of unfair of me to go straight to the fair w/o representing some of the other awesome things about this county. i always mean to take photos when we're out on drives, but haven't gotten to it yet. the verdancy is astounding out here. there are so many really high peaks on crazy twisty country roads, that offer this amazing view of the lake. everywhere farms, everywhere grapes, everywhere the most amazing wildflowers on the side of the road. we live in a town, what with the college it's pretty OK, but more and more i am finding myself longing to really live out there in the middle of nowhere, with a few animals and a few kids (mine, not goats'), and a huge vegetable and flower patch. for now, we're close to ideal.
enough said.



in the cow barn, a bunch of rear ends face you. it makes sense since the cows would probably get agitated with all the activity were it face-to-face. but still. ha ha.




these were really the creme de la creme of cows (sorry, puns)-- but they *were* beautiful. (ignore fresh patty in photo)---clean and shiny, smooth lovely udders, expression on the faces. i kept forcing myself NOT to think of hamburgers.



naturally.



this kind of event is SUPER fun again, with kids. can't wait till ramona's old enough.



but i think she had fun people watching.

there were also sheep, which i still want to raise someday, and goats, which were surprisingly cute, and really pretty chickens. (my photos are too big!) i only got a little depressed looking at the rabbit hutches, but i chased away the blues by telling myself rabbits *always* look that way. boots n stew, is all i'd want a rabbit around for.
it was a lovely fair, not crowded, sufficiently redneck-y entertainment (child elvis, jumping dirtbikers, smash em up derby). lots of fun.

some of you may remember the roaring 20s evening of mine, which will forever live in my (ok, *spotty*) memory as one of the most fabulous nights of my life (i do not know who has the photo of all of us on the stairs of some allentown mansion (maybe *the* mansion?), but if you have it can you send it to me? ty)
in any case, i just had to plan something equally 'holy moly' for my sister-in-law. she's coo coo about spiderman, so there you go. i secretly hired an actor on craigslist, Guy, ironically. I rented a super corny spiderman costume. Then Guy surprised the bride to be out at Root 5:


"oh no you dittint!!!"

oh man. it was priceless. people at the bar loved it too. one woman thought the two of them had tied the knot that night. imagine! people have done weirder things for their wedding, tho.



we headed back down the lakeshore in our amazing limo, and all sorts of shenanigans ensued that i probably shouldn't talk about. suffice to say, my MOTHER IN LAW won the naughty girl prize of the evening (and she ain't like that), we all literally rolled on the floor of the limo laughing, and the bride cried a fair amount. i know, babe. it's tough being a bride to be.

but you'll always have spiderman......


because i can't let well enough alone, i am contemplating sending some of these photos to stan lee with a short explanation of her fascination.... think he'd send back an autograph?

after a perfect day, here's how the next decade is going to go:

1. i'm gon OWN mahself.... no more questions, doubting, fussing or fretting over what whoEVER thinks of me-- that's so 'the 20s'

2. curb the 'i want' and just be content with what i got. lovin. is what i got. (i said remember that).

3. lose the petty jealousies, the senseless whining, the righteous comparisons, the unwavering convictions. live and let live.

easier written than done, i think......but 10 years is a long time. at 40, will i be saying, "this decade is gonna be awesome"? hell yeah, i hope so! one ride!

i am taking a cue from my good friend dayner and making a garden post. considering i purchased many herb seeds i was too lazy to scatter, i might as well blog the 1 edible that made it into the ground.




swiss chard.

i mostly put this in for decoration. i'd rather a tomato than a green leafy any day of the week. it's supposed to get these orange, yellow and red thick stalks, but is kinda tiny right now.

because i'm sort of an idiot, i just threw the seeds down in kind of a row, and so i had to thin out the weaklings the other day. it was hard deciding who lived and who didn't. eh. godlike, i suppose. since it is uber trendy to eat baby veggies, i made a salad out of the pickins. but only cause it's trendy, ha ha. mmm-mm. only slightly bitter and a little on the foamy side, know what i mean? like when you eat fresh baby spinach it's kinda foamy textured. i dunno.

in any case, it always amazes me when something that was a seed becomes a plant. it's like, holy shit. if i was a farmer i'd be in constant awe, stupefied by the rows upon rows of whatever was there because * I* put it there.
talk about godlike, sheesh.....

after months, literally, with a significant break in between, there is finally. poop. in the. potty. cue triumphant trumpeting. i didn't think it would ever happen. we begged, pleaded, promised treats, TV time, games, prodded, threatened, bullied, harried, encouraged, jumped up and down, and basically acted like every other fool idiot parent throughout time that has tried to get the kid to do this. IT SUCKED. i am more excited about this than any other milestone, probably because this is the only one *I* actually had to do so much work for.

i love the buggers, but for 2.5 years our lives and household have been FULL of shitty diapers...... at least now we can be half full. there is still a way to go, but the wheels are turning.