The door opened and there they were!
It seemed like forever since we had been with our Up North family. Late at night from far away, they tumbled in with boxes and bags and suitcases, and with all the pent up energy that had been stowed away during their long car drive. Hugs and kisses and then they, and we, all bedded down for the night and a week of being blissfully busy.
I feel inordinately blessed that our grandchildren feel at home and comfortable with us and that they settle in swiftly while upping the ante of energy, at least as far as this granny is concerned.
Life is grand!
So it was, on that very first day, that breakfasts were eaten, the garden explored, bikes and scooters employed and impending adventures discussed, bringing us all to the Morton Arboretum to track down the infamous trolls guarding the grounds.
Wow! He’s big!
Uh, this one is going to eat Ezra!
Papa rescued Ezra, who found a rather large footrest to settle upon for a bit.
“Yia Yia, do you know that flowers look better in a picture when you show them with your hand?” said Kezzie. Our citizen scientist and budding photographer then proceeded to demonstrate how. .
Such a sweet boy, waiting for his treat to arrive.
Kezzie, the afore-mentioned citizen scientist, noticed something moving in the grasses at the pond just outside the large expanse of windows in the Visitors Center. What’s a gal to do when she sees such a thing? She takes her Yia Yia’s hand and leads her around the pond to find it – and we did! All markings lead to a Black Capped Night Heron. Searching for the heron mushroomed into an enjoyable walk, looking at flowers and for turtles, hearing crickets and spotting dragonflies. Eventually, a search party (Papa and Auntie Jenny) were expedited to search for us – and found us!
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Thank you.
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You’re a good granny, Penny! What a bunch of cuties. ❤
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Awww . . . thank you, Jill, on all counts.
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Penny, that phrase ‘blissfully busy’ sums it up. Joy runs through every available pathway in your blog. It’s a joy for me too, to see your beautiful grandchildren, whom I’ve followed since birth, growing into such delightful little humans, with Ke自责 a nature lover after
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Thank you, Juliet. I am so pleased that you could read the “joy” and even more so with the realization that you have been along on this road with me this whole time. Their parents are the biggest credit to their joy and appreciation of nature, though I’m more than happy to be a supporting partner. It is such fun, as you also know.
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Glad you are able to share your love of nature with your grandchildren. They are growing up so fast. And oh, those curls!
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Ah yes, those curls! 🙂 It was such fun to share the trolls and other adventures with them, Joyce. Thanks for stopping to comment. I was thinking of you just the other day when a conversation came up about Gladys Taber/Stillmeadow.
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How absolutely wonderful and delightful and heartwarming, Penny! I know you felt such joy upon their arrival, and every moment with your precious family was pure gold! I love your photos and the glimpses of the children, growing so quickly and turning into sensitive and curious “nature lovers” along with their Yia-Yia. I think that Kezzie reminds me of our Sophia, in the area of being a “citizen scientist.” I hadn’t used that term before, but it fits our almost 11-year old, and like you, I take a little credit for having at least planted some of the opportunities for that to have emerged as a part of her. I know what you have instilled in your little ones, too, with your devotion to appreciation for nature’s gifts. I’m just so happy you had this chance to spend time with them before they head to school and we roll into the busy holidays. I know this was an important occasion for them–and you and Papa and Aunt Jenny, too. 🙂 ox
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Thank you, Debra. I have thought the same about Sophia when you’ve mentioned her; our citizen scientists! It will be fun to see where their roads lead, won’t it? It had been some time since we last saw the kids, so it was a quite a treat to have them all here, much as it is with your grandson so far away. They were here for 5 full days and I feel like I have that many posts I could write. 🙂 I see you posted a few days ago.
With a little more free time, I’ll make sure to stop by and see what you’ve been up do, dear friend. You’ve been on my mind as we continue to pray for CA.
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That just sounds wonderful! It is so great that your grandchildren have such a wonderful time with you guys and I know you treasure every moment.
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It is wonderful, indeed. Thank you. We really packed a lot in just a few days, but, oh was it worth it! 🙂
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I love to see them enjoying you so much. Kezzie and Ezra side by side looking amazed at the bigness of the Troll is my favorite. I’m glad you enjoyed the visit. What a perfect way to end the summer.
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It was a perfect way to end the summer, Janet. They go back to school in September, giving us this August time to be with each other. I want to tell and show all of you all that we did, but . . . 🙂 Thank you.
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What a special time, Penny. I’m so glad you are able to take your grandchildren out exploring. They will treasure these times with you all of their days!
Ezra is darling!!!
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Thanks, L. Marie. Our time was such fun and I had been hoping to show them the trolls. Yay! We girls also did a full tea while the guys went to a diner with trains. Sigh.
Thank you. He is such a cutie.:)
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I love this post and the pictures, including your beautiful grandchildren. I also had relatives from out of town, and I took them this past Monday to see the trolls. They were all adults and before we went, I had the impression they were not too excited. But once there, they loved it. We drove and parked to see the trolls, which, as you know, still entails some walking. The true test was the troll by the highway. We had only seen the back of it from a distance, and when we asked if they wanted to drive back to get near it and hike to see it up close, the answer was a resounding “YES!”
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Oh, Sue – good for you and your visitors for hiking up that hill to see the tollway troll up close and personal. It is the only one I haven’t gotten to, for it is a bit of a hike, but, you DID IT! We mostly drove to the locations as well, then parked for the trek to the troll. I’ve been there a handful of times now and my observation is that we grownups enjoy them more than the children do. 🙂
Our church is near the Arb. When I drove past around noon there was a slow line of cars backed up all the way to the exit ramp of the tollway!
Thanks for commenting, Sue. I hope you had a nice weekend.
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What a perfect way to spend a day with the Grands! You citizen-scientist also obviously has what it takes to be a nature photographer par excellence as well. Such a joy to see happy healthy youngsters enjoying the out-of-doors!
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It was such fun, Sallie. Both kids are pretty game for walks outdoors. Kudos to their Mommy and Daddy. Kezzie has a good eye and impressed me with her emerging photography skills. I’m sure Ezra will be right on her heals. Thanks you, Sallie?
Are you being impacted with smoke by the fires?
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