Last week Jonny asked me, “How adventurous are you?”
My reply: “Not very.”
He had come up with a plan for the Fourth of July that involved hiking to a high point in Shenandoah National Park at dusk and then watching the fireworks in two nearby towns from above. We would hike back to our van in the dark.
I didn’t refuse. I simply mentioned bears and the expense of gas. As much as I would like to be considered a wildly adventurous person, the truth is that I’m really not. The thought of being on a high peak in the dark with my children doesn’t sound like an adventure. It sounds like a recipe for an anxiety attack.
Instead, we stayed home and I baked a wineberry and lemon verbena galette. I followed a recipe in the Four and Twenty Blackbirds cookbook for raspberry galette, and just substituted the invasive but yummy wineberries that are taking over the woods near our house. The kids discovered a little birds nest below eye level while picking the berries. They think it’s an indigo bunting nest. The babies are incredibly tiny.
At dusk we headed out to find a parking spot near the local park where our county hosts a fireworks show for the Fourth every year. As we drove home after the show, Jonny and I both totally beat, I couldn’t help but ask, “Aren’t you glad we aren’t hiking back in the dark right now just to hopefully reach our van and then drive two and a half hours home?” I can’t remember his reply. He may or may not have agreed with me.
(While scrolling through my photos from the weekend, I found several that I didn’t take of Seth holding a black rat snake in my bedroom, sandwiched right between photos of the wineberries and the galette. I included one here for him. But don’t worry, there is no way he’s going to find so many snakes that I can include one in every post as he wishes. As soon as he’s old enough I think my snake wrangler needs to head to Florida to help round up pythons!)
I hope you all had a great weekend full of adventures, whether big or small!
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I always want to be adventurous, but I am also a worrywart and that usually gets in my own way. Looks like a grand 4th of July either way!
before Seth goes to Florida I could use him here in Maine.
we have two garter snakes that have taken up residence in the baseboard heat registers
I suspect they are getting ready to shed as we have found shed skins in there before
the register is open at one end right next to the ground level back door which has been open a lot lately
I know they are harmless but it is still a little unsettling to know they are there
If you don’t want to answer, I understand, I just was wondering if you are still eating gluten-free or not. We are, for my dd, and I just was curious. Blessings!
My son Seth and I usually do. Almost all of our meals are gluten free. I’ll confess that I’ve been cheating a lot lately when it comes to dessert, but so far I’m not experiencing any joint pain or other negative effects like I have in the past. I suspect it will catch up with me at some point though. Seth is pretty serious about eating gluten free and with the exception of a handful of desserts lately, he’s been sticking with it. Neither one of us is celiac or has a serious allergy and that makes it easier to cheat every now and then. Gluten used to really affect Seth’s behavior, but as he is getting older we’re finding that it isn’t as much an issue for him. It does seem to cause his eczema to flare up though, so for the most part he sticks to the diet.
Oh wow! Wineberries! Just the name itself is exciting! Your photography is amazing btw! Blessings.
Beautiful shots!
We had quite a harvest of wineberries this weekend too! Yum, yum!
Love that little bird in the nest and I LOVE Four and Twenty Blackbirds, I just went there a couple months ago and oh my goodness is it delicious! Your galette looks perfect!
I you ever want to visit a little farm near one of those said towns below SNP…
I know just the place.
I, too, thought it would be a perfect recipe for a panic attack, LOL! Thank you so much for posting some photos of fireworks! Seeing them once isn’t nearly enough 🙂 Have a lovely week!
I kind of like the idea of a snake in every single post, it’s a blogging challenge right? I am not adventurous at all, unless there is a yarn store involved.
Those wineberries are making my mouth water, and I’ve never even tasted wineberries. Sounds like you had a wonderful weekend.
Looks like a great day, I wish I was more adventurous, but I’m not.
That gallete looks delicious, I’ll look for a gluten free recipe.
Your photos are brilliant. Now python hunting would be an adventurous undertaking!
Oh that baby bird! And the snake! I must admit, the snake would have been a little unsettling, but he must have a calling! I will be picking raspberries this week and your tart looks incredible. Might just have to try and make one! Glad you guys had a great weekend!
I think you chose well for you 4th of July – as for the snake oh my thank goodness we have none here in New Zealand
There is just no way I would agree to Jonny’s plan either! I couldn’t even muster up the energy to keep the kids awake and take them down to the dock near our house to try to see the fireworks going off downtown. Fireworks are just so late at night!
Hahaha that’s hilarious Seth snuck in a snake photo.
Your 4th sounds like a blast — and way less stressful than hiking and driving after the show.
“Recipe for an anxiety attack” 🙂 that’s exactly what I thought when I first started reading about Jonny’s plan! Glad you were able to stick to somewhere with pavement and electric lights!
Great captures of the fireworks!
Who knows? Your young snake wrangler might end up helping to rid the glades of the pythons, and we Floridians can turn our thoughts to weightier matters! 🙂