GROANING UP

THIS IS WHAT MAMA AND FRITHA HAVE MANAGED TO GROW IN THE GARDEN THIS SUMMER.

ONE VERY VERY LARGE ZUCCHINI.

FRITH POSED BESIDE IT SO YOU COULD GET AN IDEA OF THE SCALE.

LATER, MORE UNDERPANTS ON THE HEAD. NEVER GETS OLD.

ASSORTED MINTS

FRITH LIKES TO PAINT HER OWN AND EVERYBODY ELSE'S NAILS.

HERE WE HAVE THE RESULTS OF THE MORNING'S WORK ON PAPA'S FEET.

THE LATEST IN FASHIONABLE HEADWEAR FOR TWO YEAR OLDS.

TRES AMUSANT, NON?

FRITH AND MAMA HAVE DISCOVERED A HOT NEW PARK ACROSS THE STREET FROM IMRE'S HOUSE. WE HAVE DECIDED TO CALL IT IMRE'S PARK.. IMRE MIGHT APPRECIATE THE MEMORIAL IN HIS HONOUR, CONSIDERING HE AND ANNE ARE MOVING TO FRANCE ON THURSDAY.

FRITH INFORMED ME THIS AFTERNOON THAT SHE WAS GOING TO TAKE A TRIP ON A TRAIN.

SHE TRIED TO CONVINCE FATNESS TO GO WITH HER. HE THOUGHT ABOUT IT FOR A WHILE, BUT IN THE END DECIDED NAPPING ON THE DECK WAS A BETTER USE OF HIS TIME.

ASSORTED MINTS

THE RARE AND BEAUTIFUL FRITHA FLOWER, EATING BREAKFAST IN THE EARLY MORNING SUNSHINE

SHUCKING MORE FARM-FRESH PEAS WITH GRANDMA PAT.

FRITH HAS TAKEN TO WEARING MAMA'S SHIRTS AND DRESSES AS NIGHTGOWNS. HOW COULD I POSSIBLY SAY NO?

WE WENT TO THE BEACH FOR THE ANNUAL (OKAY BI-ANNUAL) COMPANY PICNIC.

IT RAINED. QUITE HARD IN FACT. FRITH WAS A TROOPER, BUT EVENTUALLY EVEN HER SPIRITS WERE A LITTLE DAMPENED.

BUT WARMING UP ON THE COUCH AFTERWARDS WITH SOME OATMEAL SEEMED TO DO THE TRICK.

GREAT BALLS OF FIRE

CHANNELING JERRY LEE LEWIS

ASSORTED MINTS

THE FRITH, WAXING POETIC.

SITTING ON THE NEW DECK WITH SOME RECENTLY PICKED MORNING GLORY (MAMA IS HAVING A HARD TIME GETTING THE MESSAGE ACROSS ABOUT FLOWERS NOT LIKING TO BE PICKED ALL THAT MUCH).

READING PATIENTLY WHILE WAITING FOR MAMA TO FINISH HAMMERING.

POSING ON THE NEW DECK.

COLOURWASH

STILL LIFE WITH BLUE UMBRELLA, GREEN BOOTS AND PINK RAINCOAT.

PINK RAINCOAT REVISITED.

ORANGE AND PINK AND PURPLE (WITH PAPA AT THE IT'S YOUR FESTIVAL).

PEAS ON EARTH

WE GOT SWEET PEAS AT THE FARM THIS WEEK..


YUP. THIS IS A LAWN-POO BURRITO.

WHALES ETC

UNCLE KENNY DROPPED OFF SOME MORE OF HIS TAX STUFF LAST NIGHT, AND ALSO SOME BOOKS FOR FRITH. THIS AFTERNOON, WE SAT ON THE DECK AND READ THEM.

THE ONE ABOUT WHALES WAS PRETTY FUNNY. APPARENTLY.

THE COMPOSER

FRITH, PLAYING HER FIRST COMPOSITION - AN ETUDE IN TWO VARIATIONS :


PART ONE : "THE PIANO'S ON MY PAPER"


PART TWO : "THE PIANOS ARE MY FRIENDS"

VISITORS FROM ABROAD

ON THE LAST EVENING OF PAT AND KEN'S VISIT, WE ALL WENT TO CRABBY JOE'S (WHERE ELSE ?) FOR DINNER.. UNCLE MARK (PAPA'S FRIEND) CAME ALONG TOO, AND FRITH BROUGHT BACK THE WEREWOLF FACE FOR ANOTHER GO-ROUND. NEVER GETS OLD.

AFTER DINNER FRITH PASSED THE TIME CLIMBING BOOTHS AND REPEATEDLY VISITING THE BATHROOM. THE REALITY OF A POTTY TRAINED FRITH IS TURNING OUT TO BE CONSIDERABLY MORE WORK THAN I THINK WE WERE EXPECTING.

BREATHE

i have forgotten the science
of how it was
that you were breathing
in an ancient way
on the inside of me

and later
on the outside of me
your breath
between deep cries
so sweet and new and easy

you are
quiet and apart
a kept secret
divided from me

the fact of your breath
more than half my own doing

i claim it
still
born
of my body
you were
borne
in my arms

in the night
my own breath
will be waiting
deep inside

i
need
to
hear
you

breathe