Under the Tulip Tree

Summer Scrambling

It's the middle of August and it's time for the end-of-summer scramble! You're doing it, too? Soaking in every last bit of summer while trying to keep your plants alive and maybe trying to do actual work? Then you know how it is. But I do want to tell you about Lisa at Polka Dot Cottage and her wonderfully inspiring Morning Coffee series where she interviews fellow bloggers about their blogging pursuits. She graciously asked me to be a part of the series and you can read my interview here. Thanks so much, Lisa! You are one fab lady.

In the meantime, if you need us, we'll be whoopin' it up in our underpants with our socks pulled up to here.

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Pictures from the Park

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Last week when we were driving home from Perry's haircut, we passed by this cool park on the side of the road. The kids asked if we could stop and play and much to their surprise, I said yes and turned around. (They were like, Seriously?) It may have had something to do with the fact that I had my camera with me and hadn't taken pictures of the kids playing at the park since they were toddlers. I followed them around, snapping pictures, just like I did years ago. They stayed over on the older side of the park with the rickety slides and the metal rainbow and the old swings. I love that there are still some parks around here with "vintage" equipment and not just primary-colored plastic. It's refreshing. Seeing "Louden" stamped on each step of the slide took me so far back in time that I didn't feel a day over 12. Next time, I'm going down it headfirst and I don't care who sees me.

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The Girl Gets Her Rat

You knew she would do it. You knew she would finally break me. She was relentless, I tell you! She wouldn't stop! I was running out of excuses and then she had to go and ratsit Jackie who was just about the sweetest thing ever and not ratty at all. Yes, Arden, I called a rat "sweet" (although I realize calling it "not ratty" is kind of an insult, too). After the ratsitting, I started to feel myself crack. I knew it was just a matter of time.

She was so happy when I told her she may finally get a rat. I scored so many brownie points I couldn't even count them. I wasn't talked into two rats, however, as one rat tail was enough for one house at one time. Peanut (her name is Peanut) gets lots of attention and actually had her first play date last weekend with Jackie. Arden said the rats spent the whole hour beating each other in the face but hopefully they'll work it out over time.

In the back yard a few days ago, the rat almost got away. I was gardening, Michael was inside, and Arden was playing with Peanut in the grass. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Peanut dart a million miles a minute across the yard. Arden screamed hysterically and Michael came running out. Luckily the yard is almost entirely bordered by a rock wall so we were able to corner her under a hosta and Michael grabbed her. One thing about those suckers is they are fast, like a snake. Just thinking about what happened would bring tears to Arden's eyes. It was a very emotional day. The girl really loves her rat.

And, you wanna know something? I kinda like the rat too! She's very perky and social and she makes the hamsters seem, well, a little dull. If you can get past the tail and you're not the one who has to let it crawl all over you, it's possible you'll get talked into one yourself.

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For the Love of Tennis

Watching Perry play tennis has been one of my favorite moments of summer—the cool, overcast mornings, Arden and I bundled up in our fleece jackets sitting on the sidelines in our camp chairs, Arden with her rat books, me with my camera—we had such a sense of place there. With the immense, dark trees surrounding the park and the huge, overgrown blackberry brambles that were picked over by passersby, there was no mistaking we were in Oregon. It was a small slice in time that I felt lucky to share.

It was pretty quiet out on the court. The kids were focused. Some kids rushed the ball with a baseball swing and sent it sailing over the fence. Others sort of wobbled to it with their rackets limp at their sides, rolling the ball weakly back into the net. I loved watching each one of them. The only sounds you heard were the teachers calling commands and the bouncing of the balls. Other than that, the kids were silent.

Except for Perry, that is. He was pretty much talking (to anyone who would listen) the entire 45-minute session of every day. He updated his teachers with every single step of his progress and was a running commentary all to himself.

"That was super!"

"YES!"

"WHOA!"

"Did you see that?"

"I'm ready to hit!"

"That was AWESOME!"

"I did it!"

"I beat my own record!"

"WOW!"

"Watch THIS!"

His teachers matched his enthusiasm with, That's great, sweetie! or Great job, Perry! over and over again (you gotta love teachers) while the other kids stared at him blankly (he's used to that). At the end of the class, we thanked his teachers for the fantastic week and they asked me if he was always this enthusiastic. I said, Yes. Always. Unless he's enthusiastically unethused. Either way, you always know when he's shown up to play.

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Summer Garden Close-ups

There is a delicate balance in the garden right now. The colors are vibrant and the leaves are lush, but it's the time of year when there are more buds fading than blooming, and upsetting the watering schedule might be more than the flowers can take.

So I water diligently.

Some mornings, while everything is still damp, I grab my camera and get close to the flowers and record how everything is changing. It's when I appreciate my garden the most.

Like the way the leaves on the lady's mantle look like petals themselves, and how the water droplets look like glitter.

And how the petals of the coneflower look like insect wings, precarious and firm all at once.

And how the crocosmia finally did bloom and how the color of it is much too hot for this garden.

And how this hydrangea will always be one of my favorites—each bloom its own complete little bouquet.

And on these same mornings, I actually stop and smell the roses though I have no idea what types of roses they are. Is it okay to say that I'm not much of a rose person? People love their roses, I know, and they are very pretty but they are also very fussy. Too fussy for me with their black spot, their aphids, their thorny branches…the list goes on. So I leave my rosebushes alone completely and marvel that they bloom at all.

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Well, I think that completes our tour for today. Thank you for visiting!

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