Cars & Combines; Beer & BBQ

{::Die-cast combine::}

For all intents and purposes it was my boy's fourth birthday yesterday, and my husband's --th birthday. Yeah, they may have been born on the 5th and 12th respectively, but a birthday, in our household, is marked by the gathering, and gather we did last evening. The house was packed and the kids ran like a pack of wolves, here, there, and everywhere in a loud flurry. The weather, which had been hot, grey and muggy, broke around dinner and a fresh breeze kicked up and swept the mosquitoes away, making the back porch a viable social space. My boy was blessed with a fresh insurgence of toys on wheels. His favourite. Along with other various and sundry boy-delights. And my husband now has a heavy set of Lagostina pots, beer and campfire paraphernalia. All set.

Certain yearly gatherings trigger a trip of nostalgia. For me, this July bash is one of them. And what kept giving me a jolt of incredulity yesterday was the fact that this time last year, 45 people gathered here in a shell of a house: no fixtures, no water, a bit of drywall... And yet it was as beautiful a gathering then as it was now. My Aunt Gladys made her way over to me as we were preparing salads last night; "You know, it isn't the house, but the people that make it special." True. very true.

{::Homemade waffles & Berry patch berries::}

{::Brewery Buggy::}
{::Triple Berries::A Ruth-smile::}{::Dad in the looking-glass::Porch time::}
{::Zoo-ology! Aunty Karin knew I would be just as pleased as Elijah::Fancy pots::}
{::Sunlit boys::}