record

we have been enjoying the more bittercold days by cranking up the ol' victrola...

a dance party inevitably ensues.

we bought it years ago, with an eye for lovely furniture, and an ear for musical history.

a few 78s came with it, and my dad found some more for us; operas, jazz, big band...

this disc is one of campfire songs...like blow the man down, charlie is my darlin', and clementine.

the kids connect immediately with the magic of the scratchy, strident sound,

the magic of how a crank of the handle

brings voices of the last century back from the dead,

and how those voices enliven the limbs of our dancing children.

an archive of a taste of spring...these pics are from tulip festival, may, 2007.

 a teeny tiny esther.

blooming.

snow business

after a very long and patient wait, snow has come to town.

snowman sentries were finally raised in the back yard,

and the street (directly in front of our driveway) was transformed overnight into
an himalayan base camp.

 

icicles were served at the canteen,

and our intrepid neighbour was among the first who braved ice-burn

on the swift slide down.

it has started to attract the on-the-way-home-from-school crowd;
daily, at 3:20 p.m., they scramble and chitter over the mound like squirrells.

~

with an estimated 15cm of more snow arriving today, the mountain-of-fun

isn't going anywhere soon!

~
the question is no longer "where to play?" but instead, "where to park??!!"

go ahead...

make my day.

the first thing i saw when i returned from a gruelling grocery run.

thanks, girl...i love you too!