Ah, May – back when we slept in our real beds rather than on air mattresses on our basement floor (that June heat wave was INTENSE!). Back when we cooked on a stove in our kitchen rather than a hot plate in our basement mud room (in-progress kitchen remodel has further upended our lives). Back when our backyard was filled with colorful spring blooms and we wore sweaters during Saturday brunch.
May was good (though summer still holds plenty of promise). Mother’s Day 2021 was extra-special this year, as Shane and Juliette thoughtfully schemed a day that struck the perfect balance between activity and leisure. After a quiet breakfast and the presentation of a sweet card from Juliette in which she called me “her treasure”, Shane and Jules told me to get dressed because we were headed OUT for a Mother’s Day surprise.Â
Shane tossed a few fancy groceries in a cooler and then we made the short drive to the West Seattle ferry terminal. We were island-bound for a day of bumming around Vashon.
With friends, no-less! It was so fun to see the Chens and the Rusts in the parking lot as we rolled up to the Island Center Forest for a hike (I use that word generously). We sauntered through the woods and spotted salamanders and baby chicks in the pond and took our sweet time winding our way back to our cars.
We ate a picnic lunch at sunny KVI beach, played games, and lounged to our hearts’ content.
Not to gush, but while some moms want a spa day to themselves on Mother’s Day, I’ll take all the bonus time with these two that I can get.
We rounded out a perfect day with rhubarb pie and gin rummy and damn, I felt loved.
With the onset of warmer temps we felt the itch to be outdoors as much as possible each weekend. We drove east one Saturday to drop off Shane in North Bend so he could do a long bike ride with some friends and then Juliette and I headed to Gold Creek Pond for a springtime hike. But…snow? It was 70 degrees out there! The trail was too slippery to navigate in our tennis shoes, but we found a picnic table by the lake where we could still enjoy the view.
Vitamin D joy…
We met up with Shane at the tail end of his 30-mile bike ride and then Juliette hopped on her own wheels to do 12 miles of the Iron Horse Trail with her dad. Their journey started with a two-mile ride through this abandoned train tunnel, which was pitch black and freezing cold – headlamps and jackets required. I’ll catch you on the flip-side, guys…
Shane took this picture of Juliette at the other end of the tunnel – she later told me that she was freezing and scared through the whole thing, but that she told her dad it was fun because she didn’t want to hurt his feelings. Sweet little trooper.
I did a nice little solo hike at McClellan Butte and then offered my weary bikers a ride home.
We don’t head east too often anymore, what with the hassle of getting around the closed West Seattle Bridge, but when we do, we make it count.
We rounded out May with a couple of days on Marrowstone Island with the Chens. There are few better ways to kick off a weekend than with a sunny ferry ride.
Much as she likes a ferry ride, Juliette can think of few things better than settling in for a long weekend with a buddy.
The Chens’ vacation home is tucked along a quiet edge of the island (actually, all edges of Marrowstone are quiet) and we loved mellow evening strolls followed by plenty of kicking back in their water-view Adirondacks.
Jack booked us a tour of a goat farm on Saturday morning and it was a definite weekend highlight. Look at these baby goats!
(But watch your dress, Jules!)
After wearing out our welcome in baby goat pen, we wandered out to the idyllic field to see the grown-ups.
I love this guy – look at his smile!
Our tour guide was a 12 year-old girl who lived on the farm and knew every intricate detail of raising and milking and caring for her animals. She answered all of our questions with striking maturity and then we got to taste the cheeses produced right there at the farm.
Ok, just a couple more baby goat pics, because…baby goats!
The kids and the dads biked to the beach that afternoon while La Verne and I met them there with the cars.
And then the rest of the day was filled with Nintendo-time, some intense Lego-building sessions, and delectable pizzas a la Jack.
Plus, s’mores! With a little pre-game action in which the skewers were wielded like wands by these two Harry Potter fans.
Careful with that thing, Juliette…
Goodnight, guys…
Sunday’s most important agenda item was to celebrate the birthday boy, who turned the big EIGHT while we were there! Juliette couldn’t wait to watch him open the Nintendo game she’d been waiting to gift him for months.
Post-waffles, we drove over to Fort Flagler for a late morning hike.
How do you coax a couple of kids through the woods when they really just want to go home to play Mario Odyssey? Like this:
We spent our last island evening at Finnriver Cidery, sipping cider and doing the limbo and running through the open fields.
And finally, cake and Clue. Such a good day.
Juliette and I were up before the rest of the house on Monday morning and drove into town for coffee and donuts before heading to the beach for an early Mama-Jules stroll.
Back at the house, there was one last hangout on the bunk beds…
One last go at lawn games…
And one last huddle with friends we’ve sorely lacked time with over the past year.
Time to board that ferry.
And say a cool farewell to the marvelous month of May.
