Summer Holidays Part One: Kim's Family

The youngest member of the Long clan, my gorgeous niece, Eliora, trying on the Elton John glasses in the doorway of Wazoo Playhouse: A treasure hunt brought all six cousins together (ending in a pinata hid underneath the forsythia bush). Here in front of Wazoo Playhouse: Drumroll please. . .the homemade slip 'n slide! My brother-in-law Luke, and Martin, fashioned it out of industrial plastic, duct tape, and pool noodles for the 'speed bumps' at the bottom. Everyone went down, including my mother, who, after her first trip down the hill, sprang up, covered in grass, laughing, and bounded back up to the top, whooping with joy. Here, Heather shows us how it's done:
The whole ride ends for adults in a roll in the grass. The cousins got more and more intrepid:
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The babies found tamer entertainment than the slip 'n slide:

And we found a peaceful corner in the back of the house for outdoor bathing--hot and cold water, mind you, bubblebaths by the trees and showers in the open air!


Here's a little section of my mother's thank-you e-mail: It may be a while before you have a chance to check email, but I wanted to drop a note to say what a wonderful vacation it was at your place! Every day was precious; Dad and I loved sleeping in the shed, the creek and fishing, the slip and slide, the babies in the pool, meal at night outside, fabulous trip to Deep Creek, card games, lovely breakfasts by Martin, watching the children together. What a week!. . .It was magical and the stuff of memories for years to come. > Sunflower Cottage (aka, the shed), where my parents slept in undisturbed slendor:
Lots of wine, cheese, chips, cards, and conversation:


We all had important summertime jobs. Here, Martin with a corncob:

And Luke with the fly swatter, defending Wazoo Farm and its eaters from natural preditors:

Oh, summertime, family, sunshine, food. What a grand combination.