On Mount Desert Island, the book

Here's a project I'd hoped to finish on vacation.

A big board book for Lucy, about our annual vacation.

I'd packed the blank book, glue, and double-sided tape,

bought new markers...

gathered souvenirs throughout the week...

and found a place where I could send my photos for next-day pick-up.

Their machine was down (after an hour and a half choosing and uploading and registering...).

So it didn't happen on vacation.
But I was able to get to it last night, and Lucy loves it all the same.

I get my blank board books here (I have no connection to this company, just love some of their products).

I am not a scrapbooker (as I'm sure you can see). What I am is a teller of the stories of children's lives. Lucy loves to hear her days told back to her. I designed this book around the stories I thought would stand out most to her about our trip (tossing a seagull feather into flowing water and watching mama run to bring it back, collecting treasures, watching seagulls smash mussels on the rocks, staying in a cottage...). I envision reading it again and again now, to revisit the stories, and then reading it again and again next year, in preparation for that year's trip. My best review would be her demand for "more!"

Treasure, revisited

What happens to all our treasure once it comes back from the beach?

Mama sorts it on the ledge of the cottage's front porch.

And re-sorts, and re-organizes, every night.

(It's kind of like therapy.)

Lucy un-sorts it all each day. And dumps. And pours. And throws, and drops, and scatters. And delivers some to us as gifts.

And re-sorts.

And examines.

And shares the joy with Mama all over again.

Friday's Flowers: lupines in Maine

We're on vacation on Mount Desert Island, Maine this week, and the lupines are blooming! We come each year at this time, but haven't seen them yet; I heard on the radio this morning that the flowers are three weeks ahead here this year. (Bad news for bees and blueberries, though good news for early tourists.) One thing that fascinates us about this area is how all the flowers seem to bloom at once--things that each have their own season at home bloom here all together. Right now, there are:
lupines, everywhere!
lilacs
beach roses
irises
daisies
buttercups
tulips
day lillies
and so many others!

This bunch of lupines has graced our table in the cottage all week. I'll be sad to leave them behind; the roadsides are full of them here, and it's such a glorious sight.

Check out all the other Friday's Flowers here at FIMBY.

(p.s. It's my birthday today. 41! It just doesn't sound right!)

Hiking with toddlers 101

Choose a beautiful place with intriguing terrain (thanks, Julie, for the recommendation!)

If you come to a bridge, be sure to trip-trap over it both ways, again and again, before moving on.

Go slowly. Very slowly. Have no expectations in mind other than having fun.

Take a rest whenever you need one. Maybe a nap on a rock step.

Stop to admire the view (remember that the toddler's view is smaller and lower than your own).

Be prepared to give a boost when needed.

(We hiked some portion of the Emery Path in Acadia this morning. It was perfect for Lucy right now--almost all stairs!)

Treasure pocket

(Lucy and I looking for treasure at the pier in Bar Harbor, Maine.)

I finally made something crafty again...and I've been dying to show you! But we're on vacation with a lousy internet connection so it had to wait until today.

Lucy takes after me when it comes to picking up "treasures" on her journeys. Both of us stop frequently to pick up a special stone, an acorn, a feather, a stick... And just recently, Lucy discovered pockets. What a wonderful thing--a place to keep your treasures! But most of her clothes don't have any pockets. So I wanted to sew her a "pocket" she could wear at the beach (I knew we'd be doing lots of beach combing!)

Two days before we left--when I should have been packing or cleaning before our trip--I quickly sewed her a pocket. I used recycled linens for the bag (pinky-red ticking for the outside; orange and pink paisley for the lining) and a scrap of lace from an old pillowcase for the edging. The luckiest accident was the strap; I'd wanted something wide so the weight wouldn't dig into her shoulder, and when I sewed on this wide twill tape to this tiny bag, it made the bag stay open when hanging on her shoulder--perfect for a little hand to reach in easily.


Lucy loves it! Now if I ask her "do you want to look for treasures on the beach?" She says "Yeah. Poc" (pocket) and puts her hand down where her pocket should be.

(The best picture I got of the inside, as she's always on the go!)

(Looking for the perfect rock.)

(Tucking something into her pocket for safekeeping.)

(A collection of her treasures.)

I really can't imagine anything quite so wonderful as sharing this passion of mine with my equally passionate daughter. Now...what am I doing writing?? There's beachcombing to be done!