A Post-Birthday Post for a Silly Salamander

Once there was a little boy,
Steve would be his name,
Quiet and subtle though he be,
Sneaky was his game!

Before you knew it, he was gone!
"Where did Steve go now?"
Just wandered off to who knows where...
He was often on the prowl.



But in his highchair, there to eat,
Not getting lost, lands sake!
Tough it was to finish all,
Yet keeping him awake!



And then there were the cigarettes,
He tried taking up one day,
Thought they were a thing to eat,
When he saw them on display!

But what can top the experiment,
In Terre Haute he tried,
When juice he poured with both eyes closed,
Oh, the thought of it makes me sigh!

Both eyes closed, he poured the juice,
To see if he would know,
Just when to stop the pouring,
Before it would overflow!

Ah... such an inquisitive little boy,
And willing partner was he,
To big brother Ben's escapades,
Buddies they'll always be!



And now he has three little ones,
Flesh of flesh, bone of bone,
With wonderfully sweet inquisitive minds,
And "sneakies" of their own!

We celebrate your special day,
Though afterward it be,
And thank our God for you to be,
In our Barnhart family!

April Kayak Adventure

April...the month of sun, then snow (and school "snow days"), then sun again, and then some more snow, and then a bit of sun. The month that can't decide whether to be winter or spring, impetuously changing from day to day. Today it decided to be quite spring-like (as opposed to last Friday when we had blizzard warnings and the big kids had a snow-day from school). The temperatures ranged into the 50s, the sun shone brightly in a beautiful, blue sky dotted with clouds, the snow melted with a steady stream of dripping, and the ice continued to break up on the local bodies of water, namely the Portage and the Pilgrim River. Which brings me to the reason for this post.

Our kayak had it's first venture into the water today for the 2008 kayak season. Crazy though it may seem, we were able to kayak while there is still snow on the ground, and even ice on most of the Portage. Steve and I put our tandem kayak in on the Pilgrim River, right near Steve's new office, and paddled downstream out into the Portage, and then back upstream, spending a solid 40 minutes on the water. We were blessed with the opportunity to enjoy a beautiful spring day sans kids, thanks to our good friends Kit & Julie, who had them over to play with Cameron & Olivia (they got to splash in puddles and go for a walk). And since we get to get out and "play" today, we though we'd show you how beautiful it is here in Hancock/Houghton!

Here we are pre-kayaking. The kayak is ready to be off-loaded from the Subaru and put in to the Pilgrim River. I'm wearing my life-vest already so that I don't have another thing to carry down the hillside while helping to haul the kayak down.
And here we are, having completed our kayak journey along the Pilgrim River. The kayak is waiting for a lift back to Hancok via the Subaru, and Steve and I are ready for a late dinner. It was a beautiful day! Hoping to have many more like it!

Ella and the "Big Boat"

Ella got to see the Coast Guard boat the Alder this morning. Steve called us from work (the boat was docked right across the street from his office) this morning and said that the boat was there, and he thought it would be getting under way soon. So, 15 minutes later (minus breakfast, but with enough time for a clean diaper and clothes!), we were out the door and headed to the dock. Steve met us and walked down to the boat with us, and Ella got to see the "big boat"!

Here's a photo of Ella and Steve checking out the Portage right behind the Alder at about 8:45am. It was beautifully sunny, but incredibly windy! Steve had the foresight to tell us to bring jackets. :)

Here's the Alder getting underway, with the Portage Lift Bridge in the background. Steve's office is just to the right of the bridge, so he is able to keep an eye on the boats coming and going and keep us posted. Steve and I actually saw this boat launched from the shipyard in Marinette, Wisconsin, a couple of years ago (before Ella). It's always fun to get to see it again, and be reminded of it's sheer size!

And here's a photo of Ella and me, with the Alder heading west on the Portage, probably on its way to Duluth, MN. (Hey, Ben, you should make a trip up there to see it!) What a beautiful morning it was for us to get out and see a big boat....it made Ella's day! And then we got to go out for a special breakfast, too. (breakfast pasties and pastries)

Compare and Contrast

Here's a simple exercise to help keep your brain fresh and squeaky clean:

Compare and contrast the picture shown here with the one below. Simply comment on the content of the two pictures for the sheer exercise and for the fun of it (sure is fun).

I recommend the following guidelines:

• Limit your comment to fewer than 18 items. Do not attempt to cover every detail.



• No fashion critiques, please.



• Be as descriptive as possible, because nobody wants to read "the thing in this picture is more ordinary than in the other".



• Don't forget to compare and contrast.



• If you're having a hard time picking up details, use your imagination.



• Use an action verb, if possible.



• Be sure to proof your comment before you submit it. If it seems boring to you, re-write it in Pig Latin.



• Your birthday is just around the corner, David, so watch what you say.



• The same goes for you , Daniel.



• References to sensitive personal data will be kept in strict confidence here.



• Try to write in iambic pentameter or haiku. If that is not possible, make good use of alliteration. If that is not possible, free verse will suffice.



• Go fix a snack before you start.



• Number your comments and, if you are fluent in html markup, color code your observations by type.



• Observations about the photograph subjects should remain positive, unless they are about Ben or me.



• Have fun.