river + marcos = the best

summer changes everything. it comes suddenly, always, like a snake in the path, like glancing up as you cross a sticky parking lot to see the fat hot full strawberry moon rising over the mountains. now fans must be placed in the windows at night. the pool must go up, and the filter, and the little twinkle lights on the patio. everyone is ready, suddenly, to hang out all the time. people gravitate together; laughter is frequent and loud. i don't know why summer makes such a difference on the social scene; many of us don't even have youngsters in school yet, but somehow once it is 90 degrees out we have to eat together outside on blankets and plan outings to watering holes and then hang out late into the evenings with tired kids just getting wilder and wilder.

with summer come my favorite days. it's a simple equation. spend a day at the river. then pizza and beer at marco's. nice, long, easy-breezy, perfect river days.

we've had two such days in the past week, so yeah. summer's officially here.

lucy is learning to hike. but if she MUST walk on her own, the going is very slow. she stops to see everything. lizard, pinecone, wildflower, noise in the bush, rock in shoe. all must be investigated thoroughly. 

we brought watermelon and cheddar bunnies. met up with our buddy seth who tells hilarious stories and is a gold panner and can spout little tidbits of knowledge about the flora and fauna of these gold rush hills.


two water sprites. (she's learning from the best.)



moved to another, sunnier spot with Jorden and Becky, where we made a baby beach tent.



i could just stop writing my silly captions because i only really want to say one thing: this. is. summer. (anditfeelssogood)



we met up with darin and zack at marcos, shared a couple pitchers and just enjoyed the lingering evening light.




felt like a rivery sit-com: seth peeks in to tell us some meteor just hit the foothills and he's off to find it.


addie, utah, and pops even showed up there! toot about lost her shite to see her favorite boy in all the world.




running down the hill, full tilt. over and over and over again.


so i had to take joey and em back to that same river spot yesterday.


i always need a helper. this time pops drove us down in his car, and darin would meet up with us later. 

sweet pops, always carrying a baby, doing a task, holding a hand. 


We brought along a little picnic and set up camp for a couple hours.


It blows me away how much Toot loves the water. She does not want floaties or water wings or anything at all between her and the water. (I have to watch her so carefully.) She rushes right on in;  nowadays it might be accompanied by a "too Toh!" although it's more a statement, almost of admiration, than a complaint. She never, ever wants to get out.


and I think Polly's headed in the same direction! She didn't even mind the cold. I would stand up and then bring her down splashing into the water with a whoosh, up to her waist, and she would kick her chubby little legs and giggle with glee. It surprised me!

So glad my little naiads love the river as much as I do! 


And lo and behold....more Marcos!

These cousins adore each other. They like to smile at each other now, grab at each other and just generally be seated close together.

(and check out Scout's absolutely beguiling little rat tail!)


It was Lucy's dream day. Jojo, Memmy, the river, and then some cheese pizza and running around at Marcos where she can climb up on barstools, drink water from dixie cups, and just run amok. Somebody's been having a blast for about a week straight....


I'm so proud of these two little beans we've got on the scene this year. Polly and Scout, Scout and Polly, sunsuits and rolly polly thighs, curiosity and big toothless grins.



Things start getting crazy, we herd them up, head home. Lucy says "hoh-om, hoh-om,"as we drive up our hill now. Even after marvelously fun and exciting summer escapades, it's always nice to go home too.



Hope your summer's off with a bang! What is quintessential summertime to you?


Comments

Unknown said…
heather, this is one of my favorite posts ever. Maybe it's beacuse i love summer so much too. Or maybe because I feel like our days are sort of similar, just replace river with bay, and sub out Marco's since our food scene is almost non-existent. But the comings and going of babies and family and friends all along the water's edge--- that binds our days together.
Cel said…
You really hit the nail on the head. My ladies and I met for a goodbye since I'm heading off to work on an island for 9 weeks, drinking iced tea and smoothies by the local river docks and then sharing beers in our greasy local tavern in muggy air. It just felt right. Your kidlets are so lucky to have cousins their own ages to grow up with, their adventures will just keep getting better!
anne said…
darn it! i just lost my comment.

your summer looks like it's off to a great start! nothing compares to rivers. i know i have the ocean a mile away but it's just not the same. thankfully i'll be in a river very soon when we go camping. i can't wait!

Jessica said…
I love your description of summer! That's exactly what it is all about!! My favorite part about summer are our evening walks right before the sun sets. Everdeen loves to run and run and run and we sit and watch her and breathe in the sweet smells of summer! It always feels so familiar, nostalgic and just plain wonderful!
Teeny said…
Say what?! Even though I love Autumn and Winter for their slow ways, I'm now finding myself haunting your Summer photos. Isn't just so cool to have cousins for your babes? I love cousin time, and I know my kids do too. Gosh how grown up is Lucy? Every post you write, she seems to have gotten bigger. No surprises that you have water girls, nup, none at all - they've probably been swimming gleefully in utero everytime you yourself were- joy by osmosis. I love reading your blog Heather, it is a transportation to your own wonderful adventures. x
Milla said…
Oh I really really would like to jump into the screen and arrive at your backyard with a cool beer in hand (or maybe Ice tea?) and have a chat and watch the kiddos enjoy the sun and the water. Love it! We just went and picked 50lbs of strawberries (I just did the math and damn!) and the house smells like sweet sugar berry wine! It's sunny out and our chickens and cats are rolling around and I'm wearing just the slip of a dress. I might go swimming too. Oh summer!
Tera said…
Are all those babies for real, teehee, such cutie pies, oh my!!! I can't believe that lil tuft of hair, love it!!!!!
Unknown said…
I love the summer by the river! It's so peaceful and refreshing. My concern now that I have a little is the rattlesnakes by the river. I'm not so worried about myself, but nervous my 2 year old will encounter one in her path. We have warned her to go the other direction and tell us. Do you have any advice you guys follow in preparedness? Be well!

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