Final days of summer

I am hearing everywhere how people are leaving their usual work by the wayside to embrace the final days of summer.  This is what is happening here too.  To such an extent in fact that I have neglected this space a little as well!  Also, I am not much in the habit of bringing my camera, so many times I have no photo mementoes.  I guess I'm just too busy living life these days to document it.  

Peaches are where we're at these days.  Ripe, fuzzy, juicy, peachy-smelling peaches.  We don't grow our own of course, at least not yet, but we do so love our Ontario farmer's market peaches!  

We got out to Rockpoint Conservation Area last weekend, which we really loved exploring.  It was a nice treat to spend time there with some dear friends as well.  Barbecuing in the park is always more fun with more!

Our balcony garden is actually not winding down like I expected.  No sir.  We will be starting up our fall radishes next week.  Also hoping to get in some garlic sown before the winter sets in.  Our spinach keeps sprouting no matter how often I cut it.  I love that plant.  Honestly.  One of my favourites.  Also, the parsley seems to be loving the cool spell we've been having.  I've had to face the jungle and given both pots a good trim several times.  Peppers are popping off the vine pretty regularly.  Tomatoes are slow, but every couple of days, a kid will wander outside and harvest a reddened globe.  It's a slow, satisfying harvest.  Even if we don't make pots of salsa, sauce, diced or crushed or roasted tomatoes.  We are beginning.  That is enough for me.  

We went to the library this week to finish off the last summer reading club visit.  If I've never said it, I'll say it now: my kids love the library.  I love the library.  Anyhow, we took out a book which I was a little apprehensive about initially.  It's called "The Day Louis Got Eaten" by John Fardell.  It's not classic lit or anything profound, but I wasn't sure how they would take the plot.  (Basically, a boy gets eaten by a fictional "Gulper" who gets eaten by something else, who gets eaten by something else, etc and his sister goes after him to save him.)  Can I just say that my kids LOVE this book.  They've memorized it.  They ask for us to read it to them every day, multiple times.  It's hilarious to them in some weird way.  And here I was afraid they'd be scared.  Anyone else have an experience like this?  It's my first.  

On Friday we are off to Michigan for a last family trip to Dormition before school starts.  I think this is fast becoming tradition in our family.  Soak up quiet beauty in prayer and meditation, calm the soul so tossed about, refocus.  They seem to come naturally at this time.  As if a timer goes off in our heads: "Ah yes, time to dust out the cobwebs, nourish the soul and prepare for Fall."  

Well, I have one more day to pack and a to-do list the size of my washing machine.  Which, incidentally has been running smoothly and regularly for the past few days.  (In my house, no laundry = death.)  I would love to get my house cleaned before leaving, but that might be biting off more than I can chew.  We'll see.  Loving this summer and hope you are too!

PS - My kids like to take turns experiment with the camera when I let them.  Sometimes we get some weird photos.  Like this one.  My son took this shot.  (Gotta love that dear-caught-in-the-headlights expression.)