The Spillway

My dear friend's baby is a few months old, and we're delighted that he's coming to visit soon. So of course I asked: "You're taking him to see the fish, aren't you?"

When our baby girl came home at a year and a half old, we weren't up for big vacations. We'd had enough grand and transatlantic adventures for awhile, and needed little ones. So we stayed at my mom and dad's, and we took our kids to the park. This included, for reasons I can't really explain beyond the shivery-horror pleasure, a trip to feed the fishes at the spillway. Thus began a family tradition: new family member, welcome to the fish at the spillway.

When my friend's husband first came to town to be introduced around, spillway. New cousin? What will he think of the spillway? Think this might be the guy your auntie wants to marry? Has he ever been to the spillway? etc.

Dear baby A, I don't know why . . . but we can't wait to see what you think of the spillway.

And of course, guests, maps will be provided -- not only to swimming and fishing, but also, and more importantly, to the spillway.

Pymatuning State Park

In the Garden

After much labor on the part of K and Mom, and less labor but more fun on the part of the P trio, Dad's peace rose, a rainbow knock-out (beautiful already), and a bella roma are featured in the front yard. The perennial border will surprise us -- we couldn't tell what each bulb would become. We hope the shade garden thrives once more -- hostas that had been mowed over are coming back, and they'll be surrounded by cinnamon ferns and lily of the valley among other specimens.

I'm hopeful that more planting will follow the painting, still imagined as our project for May. Having ruled a metal roof out (the waste-reduction benefit is eliminated if the shingles have to be removed and a portion of the roof rebuilt anyway) we decided on the Roof in Harvard Slate. There's still time to vote on paint and trim!

Summer 2012

The Pink Palace is booking for the summer! Between families' vacations and a planned reunion, June and August are busy months for the house that once sat empty. We're excited that many of you are helping to fill it.