IF I COULD BE WHO YOU WANTED

THE BIGGEST HIT OF OUR VISIT TO MARIANNE'S HOUSE THIS WEEK (BESIDES THE PEACEFUL SILENCE WHICH REIGNS IN THIS LOVELY HOME) WAS A BASKET OF FAKE PLASTIC FOOD IN THE PLAY ROOM.

FRITH AND MAMA HAD BACON AND EGGS TOGETHER FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME.

FLIGHT OF THE FRITH

FRITHA'S GOT A BRAND NEW HAT.

THERE REALLY WASN'T ANY POSSIBLE WAY FOR MAMA TO CHOOSE BETWEEN THESE TWO PHOTOS. SO, YOU GET THEM BOTH.

ZIPPER

FRITH LOVES TO PLAY WITH THE SNAKE'S NEST THAT IS MAMA'S SEWING BOX.

SHE'LL NOW PARADE MADLY AROUND THE HOUSE WEARING ZIPPERS AROUND HER NECK. I'M NOT SURE WHY.

MARCH OF THE FRITH

FRITH DRESSED HERSELF THIS MORNING.

I ASK YOU, HAS THERE EVER BEEN AN OCCASION WHEN A GIANT PENGUIN HAT, YELLOW RAINCOAT, STRIPED PAJAMA PANTS AND PURPLE CROCS WERE NOT APPROPRIATE? NO, I DIDN'T THINK SO EITHER.

ZOO

ANOTHER SUNDAY, ANOTHER TRIP TO THE BRANTFORD ZOO. HERE'S FRITH WITH A REINDEER (REINDEER ALSO LIKE TO EAT PEANUTS AS IT TURNS OUT). AT ONE POINT THE REINDEER FARTED, QUITE LOUDLY. IT STARTLED FRITH, WHO THEN BLEW A RASPBERRY RIGHT BACK AT HIM. MAMA AND OMI NEARLY PEED THEMSELVES.

FRITH AND A MAMA LION.

FRITH AND A TIGER (ONE MUST WEAR ONE'S HAT IN THE PRESENCE OF A TIGER).

FRITH AND A LLAMA - IS THAT RIGHT TO SPELL LLAMA WITH TWO L'S? I'M NEVER SURE. (IT WAS STARTING TO RAIN QUITE HARD AT THIS POINT, SO THE LLAMAS WERE THE LAST STOP OF THE DAY.

EXCEPT FOR THIS LITTLE LADY. SHE TOOK QUITE A SHINE TO FRITH, AND WATCHED EXTREMELY CAREFULLY AS WE WALKED PAST. POSSIBLY BECAUSE THEY WERE APPROXIMATELY THE SAME SIZE.

CROC

LAST WEEK WE ALL WENT TO CRABBY JOE'S FOR MAMA'S EARLY BIRTHDAY PARTY. MAMA FORGOT TO BRING HER CAMERA, SO THIS PICTURE OF FRITH IN HER PARTY DRESS, WITH HER USUAL THREE JUICES ON THE GO GOT SNAPPED AFTERWARDS.

ON SATURDAY, FRITH AND MAMA TOOK THEIR USUAL WALK DOWN TO THE CREEK.

IT WAS A LONG WALK..

AND TURNED OUT TO BE QUITE AN ADVENTURE.

ONE OF FRITH'S NEW PURPLE CROCS (HER SHOES, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE NO IDEA) FELL INTO THE RIVER.

WE NOW KNOW, HOWEVER (FOR FUTURE REFERENCE) THAT ALL THINGS WHICH FLOAT FETCH UP JUST EAST OF THE MARKET STREET BRIDGE, ON THE NORTH SHORE OF SPENCER CREEK.

FIFTY FOOT

IT WAS THE FIRST TRULY HOT DAY OF SUMMER. FRITH SPENT MOST OF IT OUTDOORS WITH GRANDMA PAT AND PAPA, SLATHERED IN SUNSCREEN AND NOT MUCH ELSE.

AFTER WORK, FRITH AND MAMA PACKED UP THE BUCKETS AND HEADED ACROSS THE STREET TO HANG OUT ON HOLDEN'S STOOP. HERE FRITH WOUND UP AT THE WRONG END OF A NOZZLEFUL OF COLD WATER WHILE HOLDEN GIGGLED TO HIMSELF. MAMA FORGOT TO BRING THE CAMERA - BUT SHE WON'T BE FORGETTING FRITH'S FACE AT THAT MOMENT, ANY TIME SOON.

FRITH ALSO SAT IN MUD, AND SO SHE WOUND UP IN A NICE LONG BATH, FOLLOWED BY A FOOTRUB WITH MANGO BODY BUTTER. SHE SMELLS YUMMY.

THE PICTURES TAKE ME, TAKE ME

FRITHA SPENT THE AFTERNOON CREATING ART.. ROLL CAMERA :



WHEN THE BACK GATE WAS PLAYED OUT, FRITH TRIED THE CHALK ON OTHER SURFACES AS WELL, INCLUDING THE PAVEMENT.

AND HER RIGHT FOOT.

MARKS AND SPARKS PART TWO

MAMA AND FRITH HIT THE SPENCER CREEKSIDE TRAIL TODAY FOR A MORNING HIKE.

ABOUT HALFWAY THROUGH, WE DECIDED TO SIT DOWN FOR A BREAK (PLUS WE'D JUST HAD A MINOR MISHAP WITH THE WAGON AND NEEDED A MOMENT TO RECOVER OUR COMPROMISED DIGNITY)

THEN, WE FINISHED THE TRAIL IN RECORD TIME. WE SAW TWO DOGS, THREE HIKERS, A HUGE MUSHROOM AND FOUR SIDEWAYS TREES (LOGS). AND WE DID NOT SEE ONE SINGLE PIECE OF GARBAGE THE ENTIRE TIME. BRAVO DUNDAS.

MARKS AND SPARKS PART ONE

FRITH AND MAMA LIKE TO GO DOWN TO SPENCER CREEK TO THROW LEAVES IN THE WATER, AND THEN WATCH THEM FLOAT DOWNSTREAM.

AFTER WE THROW THEM IN, WE HAVE TO WAIT FOR A BIT, BEFORE THEY HIT THE WATER. SOMETIMES THE WAIT FEELS VERY LONG.

FINALLY, THEY HIT THE WATER.

WE WATCH THEM AS FAR AS WE CAN SEE, AND THEN WE WAVE BYE BYE. THEN WE GO GET ANOTHER SET OF LEAVES.

PIRATE BAND

HOLDEN AND FRITH STARTED AN IMPROMPTU PERFORMANCE ON HARMONICA AND RECORDER BEFORE SHABBAT DINNER TODAY.

THERE WAS SOME SIGNIFICANT TALENT GOING ON HERE.

ALSO SOME SIGNIFICANT GRABBINESS ON SOMEONE'S PART.

SHE DIDN'T SEEM TO MIND TRADING THOUGH.

FINALLY THEY TRADED BACK, AND THE SHOW WENT ON AS PLANNED. NOTICE THE MATCHING PIRATE T-SHIRTS. CUTE HUH?

GRAVEL REVISITED

SOME EXTRA PICTURES TAKEN DURING A VISIT BY FRITH'S GRANDPARENTS THIS PAST WEEKEND. THEY TOOK FRITHA TO THE PARK - THE ONE WITH WITH THE GRAVEL.

THIS PROBABLY COMES CLOSE TO BEING FRITH'S FAVOURITE ACTIVITY. SHE SCOOPS UP THE GRAVEL WITH A SHOVEL AND EMPTIES IT INTO A PAIL. THEN DUMPS IT OUT. LATHER RINSE REPEAT.

BECAUSE I'M FREE

THIS AFTERNOON, IT THUNDERED, THEN IT RAINED, THEN IT HAILED, THEN IT RAINED AGAIN, AND THEN IT SLOWED DOWN FOR A MINUTE. SO FRITH WENT OUT TO DO HER LAUNDRY IN A PUDDLE.



PERHAPS SOME VIDEO WILL HELP CLARIFY THIS A LITTLE

EVERY TIME A THUNDERCLAP WENT OFF, SHE LOOKED.

BUT SHE WASN'T SCARED.

NOT EVEN A LITTLE BIT.

AFTERWARDS, WE WENT INSIDE AND WRAPPED UP IN BIG WHITE TOWELS, AND THEN SAT ON THE BED TO DISCUSS THE GRAY WOLF, WHO GOES AAARRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOO. AAAAAARRRRRROOOOOOOOOOO. AAAAAARRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.

TIPTOE

FOR SOME REASON THE TULIPS GOT FREAKISHLY TALL THIS YEAR.

THIS IS WHAT FRITH WOULD HAVE LOOKED LIKE IF SHE HAD BEEN A PIGGY. FRITH AND MAMA BOTH FOUND THIS TO BE EXTREMELY AMUSING.

WE HAD CHICKPEAS FOR DINNER, AND UNTHINKINGLY MAMA SERVED THEM WITH A FORK. FRITH LOOKED AT THE FORK FOR A MOMENT, AND THEN SAID POON-SE (FRITHESE FOR SPOON).

THEN SHE WALKED OVER TO THE KITCHEN, REACHED UP INTO THE UTENSIL DRAWER AND PULLED OUT A SPOON. THEN SHE BROUGHT THE SPOON OVER AND ATE ONE CHICKPEA WITH IT. THEN SHE SAID POON-SE AGAIN, WENT BACK TO THE DRAWER, GOT ANOTHER SPOON, BROUGHT IT BACK, AND ATE ANOTHER CHICKPEA. SHE DID THIS AS MANY TIMES AS YOU SEE POON-SES.

SNOUTS AND HEINIES

HERE WE HAVE FRITH AND MAMA'S LATEST OBSESSION. AS IT TURNS OUT, OUR BACKYARD IS THE EPICENTRE OF FOSSIL AND ARROWHEAD ACTIVITY FOR THE DUNDAS VALLEY. ALONG THE BOTTOM ROW YOU'LL SEE THE ARROWHEADS. TOP RIGHT, FOSSILS. TOP LEFT, TWO MORE BLACK WALNUT PIG SNOUTS. IN THE MIDDLE, THE HEINIE OF A CHINA PIG, CIRCA 1956 - BUT DOESN'T IT LOOK LIKE A SABRE-TOOTHED TIGER FANG?

ANYHOW, SNOUTS AND HEINIE THROWN IN FOR DRAMATIC EFFECT.

BUT, JUST BECAUSE THIS WHOLE SCENARIO IS EXTREMELY UNLIKELY, DOESN'T MEAN THEY AREN'T ARROWHEADS AND FOSSILS, FOR CRYING OUT LOUD. SO WE'RE TAKING THEM TO THE DUNDAS MUSEUM TO TALK IT OVER WITH AN EXPERT. WE'LL GET BACK TO YOU.

DUMPLING

THIS IS A TYPICAL FRITH AFTERNOON THESE DAYS - DIGGIN IN THE MUD IN THE SPRING SUNSHINE, ONE SHOE OFF AND ONE SHOE ON.

AT THE ZOO

FRITH, MAMA AND OMI CELEBRATED MAMA'S DAY AT THE BRANTFORD ZOO. FIRST WE SPENT SOME TIME WITH THE TURKEYS - OR RATHER THE "TU-KEEEEES".

THE BUNNIES WERE A BIG ATTRACTION.

FRITH WAS VERY GENTLE WITH THEM - THIS LITTLE BROWN AND WHITE ONE WAS HER FAVOURITE I THINK.

THESE WERE THE CAPYBARAS, WHO CAME RUSHING OUT OF THE RIVER UNEXPECTEDLY WHILE WE WERE BUSY ADMIRING SOME PEACOCKS.

BUT OF COURSE THE GOATS WERE THE BIG HIT OF THE DAY. ALTHOUGH WE WERE ALLOWED TO GO RIGHT IN AMONG THEM, TO FEED THEM PEANUTS, TODAY WE STAYED ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE.

FRITH HELD BACK FOR A BIT, BUT FINALLY GOT UP THE NERVE TO FEED ONE PARTICULARLY NICE GOAT A PEANUT. THEN, SHE STOOD BACK AND NODDED TO HERSELF WITH GREAT CONVICTION, AS THOUGH KNOWING SHE'D JUST DONE A VERY GOOD THING.


(SOME QUICK FOOTAGE OF FRITH WITH THE GOATS)


WE DIDN'T MAKE IT TO THE LIONS AND TIGERS TODAY - ALTHOUGH THE ZOO IS QUITE SMALL, WE WANTED FRITH TO TAKE THE LEAD. WHICH MEANT LOTS OF BUNNY TIME, PLUS ABOUT TWENTY MINUTES ON THE SLIDE IN THE PLAYGROUND. I THINK WE'LL BE SPENDING A LOT OF TIME HERE THIS SUMMER - MAMA IS GOING TO LOOK INTO GETTING US A SEASON PASS, IF SUCH A THING EXISTS.