Here’s my kiddo reading to us on the dock.

As a parent (and a huge fan), I was really torn about how to approach Harry Potter with my kid. I wasn’t sure if he was too young for the stories or if I should make him read it himself or how far apart to space each book. I think each family is different on this (which is totally fine), but for us, I decided I would read him book 1 when he was five, book 2 when he was six and then he had to read the rest himself (but I would read them at the same time so we could talk about it all).

Also, I would read the first two to him to answer all the questions (What is a corridor? Why do they call a trashcan a bin? What is the boot of a car?), and then I also bought them on audiobook so he could listen and re-listen after (I find audiobooks to be better than screen time for this kiddo). And yeah, don’t talk to me about how much money I’ve given to JK Rowling.

Anyway, he loved the first book (obviously). And then when Covid hit and we were trapped at home, he was begging me to start the second book. So I gave in. But I held firm on the fact that if he wanted to proceed from there, HE ha to read the books (thinking that would put No. 3 off a year or two). Oh, how I was wrong.

This child read us the entire book 3 at the cabin last week. I was stunned. And then I realized if my own parents had issued a challenge like that, I too would have done it. I don’t like being told what I can and cannot do, and it looks like I passed that right down, didn’t I?

But don’t worry, no book 4 for us until next Christmas. I told him it’s just too scary, and I think after this one he agrees that maybe he should wait. Thank God.

One of my favorite things about this trip up north was Ezra’s age and his sense of adventure. He loved exploring the lake with us and noticing the nature around him.

We found frogs and snakes and dragonflies and butterflies and deer and eagles and loons and their young. I have a strict no screen time rule at the cabin, and the child didn’t ask for it once. It was all about nature and books and stories and exploration, and I don’t know if it will ever be this good again. But man, it was fantastic.

One of the nights this week (I no longer remember days or dates… partially because I’m on vacation and partially because of the pandemic which has erased all sense of time), I decided to attempt a few shots of the stars from the dock.

The milky way was hidden behind the trees, and I didn’t have the motivation to drive to the other side of the lake to try a new shot because 1) It was bedtime and I’m old and 2) Axe murderers.

Anyway, I snapped this and then, as requested, I woke the kid up and carried him out to the dock so he could see full on stars at night (his bedtime is so early that it’s a rarity for him in the summer). I asked him what he thought of the night sky and he responded by saying it was sorta creepy outside when it was that dark out. Yup, he’s my kid.

And back to bed we went.

Side note: How is it that March and April seemed to be approximately 400 years long and June has passed in 72 hours? Seriously.

Last night there were some loons hanging out by our dock, and as we headed out for a boat ride, we got pretty close. I’m not gonna lie, their red eyes freak me out a little, but I do love the water droplets on their feathers and seeing their markings.

We came up north for my birthday weekend and father’s day, so I’ll be sharing some of those images this week.

One of my favorite things about this particular cabin is 1) how easy it is to get to from Minneapolis and 2) how it’s surrounded by pine trees and 3) that reading gazeebo you see on the left. Many, many, many hours have been spent on that screened in porch sipping coffee and reading my own books along with Magic Tree House and Harry Potter books with the kiddo. I wish you could smell the trees in this image.

On Memorial Day weekend… before George Floyd was murdered and part … 2? 4? 11? of the craziness that is 2020 began, I took some photos of my backyard coming to life in the springtime.

And then the world fell apart and I just let them sit on my computer. I almost don’t want to share these images because they seem to come from a different era at this point, but I’m also afraid I’ll forget about them if I don’t post them now.

This is not to say that things are “back to normal” in our corner of the world, but rather let’s just take a moment to enjoy nature — as it’s the one thing that’s keeping me grounded these days.

In case it isn’t obvious, the kid does not want a haircut. And things are getting more and more entertaining in the mornings. But really, who can complain when he wakes up and brings down a book and starts reading to himself allowing you to sip your coffee and catch up on the news of the day. And yeah, I love those banana jammies.

We finally felt like the memorial site would be quiet enough this week to take Ezra. This kid has been to protests and such before, but not during a pandemic. We wanted to talk to him more about what happened to George Floyd and how the community was reacting to it.

Early this morning, there were maybe 30 people there, and everyone was in a mask, which felt safe for us. Again, we are more cautious than most due to our exposure with our nanny family and my exposure to newborn clients, but I was so glad we made it there. It was silent. It was powerful.

I didn’t want to bring my big camera to the site, as I felt that would be disrespectful, so I snapped a few of these images discreetly with my phone instead.

If you haven’t read this weekend’s article explaining the 3rd precinct in Minneapolis and why it was the target of the riots, this lays it out pretty clearly.