Michigan strawberry season is here. I look forward to these sweet little berries all year long. They're only around for a couple of weeks, and you have to stalk the farmers markets and specialty stores for your chance to get them, because I'm not the only one who knows. Thankfully my mom and dad are expert strawberry hunters and they've been keeping us in strawberries for the past week. Yum.
summer, traditions We're lucky to have many wonderful field trip type opportunities in our area. Detroit, struggling ghost town that it is, still draws crowds to many events each year, not to mention a wide variety of stage shows. The North American International Auto Show is just one such event, spanning two weeks in the second half of January, and every year we try to make the trek to join the crowds.
In years past the show included non sequiters like circus performers and vocal acts, but since the economic fall-out car companies limited themselves to hot chicks in spikey shoes. This year, for some reason, even those were short supply, and most of the cars on display were the same standards you would find on show-room floors. Without the usual strange prototypes and cars of the future we decided that this year was somewhat lacking. But there are always things to enjoy, like studying well-labeled engines of all kinds, or watching engines at work, or seeing the skeleton of a car on its side. We also made a music video, tried getting the feel of being a tire, designed our buttons and had them made, and ate candied almonds.
Some favorite moments from the show? We spotted some of our favorite period actors from Greenfield Village giving tours in the Ford display, which made at least Jon and myself strangely happy. For Calvin the highlight was probably riding the monorail to The Detroit Beer Company for lunch, and I'd venture to say that, with the show's slim pickings, my dad's favorite moment was the delicious beer and pizza he had for lunch.
field trips, traditions Coming north for new years is a beloved tradition of ours. This year's trip was full of all the usual goodness, like great company, fattening foods, hilarious gifts, and even plenty of snow. We visited all of our favorite haunts and cooked our favorite dishes. We laughed, we had fun, we got some rest, and we came home ready to tackle the new year.
I didn't take the camera out as often this year, and several of these shots are actually from my phone. I think reinvigorating the camera hobby will be on my list of resolutions.
Noggin Room
New Year's Eve
"Duck, duck, MOOSE!"
English party poppers
English party popper hat
Dessert with Chambord infused whipped cream for adults...
...and possibly a couple of kids as well
Key Hole
family, holidays, traditions All of last year we waited for snow fall like this, the kind of snow that required shovelling and welcomed sledding, that burried the grass and the plants and cried for a fire in the fireplace. It would have been nice of it to arrive before Christmas, but we'll take it even after.
The holiday season calls for family time. Jon worked from home today, and while he did so Calvin played with new toys, I straightened up and went for a run. But the snow and the sunshine are a beautiful combintion, and while I shoveled after my run the boys came out and joined me there, then continued their play with sleds in the back yard. Calvin's only disappointment is that it was not good snowman snow.
And another great treasure that was missed last year, the family dinner with my extended family with all my cousins and their children present. The years go by, but they just seem to keep getting better. Like wine.
family, traditions, winter 
