Saturday was the big, blowout party and people continued to pile in. We spent a pretty lazy day roaming the property. We took a couple hikes in the nearby hills (I guess they are mountains too, just not as steep as the AT). B&C bought property next to N&P so we scoped out their new digs. Land is for sale on the other side so we hiked up the property line to check it out. C considers, though I'm hoping it is a fleeting idea in the excitement of the weekend, since it is a 12 hour drive from our house, but I digress.

I caught up on some reading, awoke the slumbering pup for a few trips around the pond and down the driveway. I worked all weekend trying to get her in the water. We tried from the one side of the pond where the water is a little more shallow. The most progress I made was belly deep. I dove off the pier and swam over, hoping to coax her in, but she wasn't buying it. That said, she was everyone's favorite guest - her smile and happiness with being outside contagious to all.

Music played all day from the various guys on their guitars. Horseshoe tournements marked the passing of time with reigning champs challenging a new group to take them on. We lit boxes of sparklers by the campside, first time for O who is just eight years old.

And just like that we pack up to leave. The trunk is piled high with tents and gear. We roll down the hill and anticipate turning our cell phones back on with equal dread and curiosity. Stella sleeps in the backseat, snoring all 12 hours, dreaming of Jackfest '09.

Friday morning began with Stella whining at the tent entry, pleading to get outside and run. I unzipped us and set her free while I headed to the outhouse. Back up, I mentioned this is camping right? I guess we could have literally been going in the woods but the outhouse was enough of a departure for me. I am still a city girl afterall...The coffee is poured strong; bagels, fruit and lox are waiting on the table already. There are just about a dozen of us at this point and the morning is quiet.



I checked out N's gardens because they are amazing. She has huge plots filled with lettuce, spinach, asparagus, potatoes, I could go on forever. Amazing display. The flowers are wild, the pond filled with fresh mountain spring water. It is so wonderful here.



Several of the girls headed out for a big hike with N as our guide. She has expored all the trails in the area and took us on a great seven-mile trip along the AT, straight up the mountain during the first leg. Stella tapped her canine instinct and played the perfect role of hunting, trail dog. Running ahead a 100 yards to check things out and then return to ensure we're all still following her up the trail. It was tough but beautiful and when we came out at the top the clearing showed mountains and countryside as far as the eye could see - cheesy but you'll see for yourself in the pictures.



Upon returning home we took a dip in the pond and commensed eating and relaxing. New guests continued to arrive and populate Tent City. The core crew has been friends for probably 20 years. They are a totally different type of people - they compost, grow and hunt their food, have no TVs and are happy being an hour from cell service. The pace is relaxed, but this is how they live. It is refreshing, totally liberating, to be so out of touch, but at the same time I think I'd go crazy with just a couple more days. I woke Saturday and was surprisingly thrilled to see a newspaper. I picked it up to catch on the news only to realize it was dated February 28...

Driving home from Jackfest with 426 miles left to travel before hitting Chicago...so a few updates from the trip. It is completely remote up there, lost cell service about an hour from Jackfest so unfortunately no live blogging. I'll start backwards with the rundown in a few posts.

Jackfest is the annual celebration in the mountains of VA that we've been lucky enough to be invited to for the last three years. Connection to N&P is just two degrees of separation - great friends of Carrie's PIL. It is a big camping weekend filled with gourmet food, hiking, backyard games and campfires -- with HQs being N&Ps property (see picture of day).

Thursday - picked Carrie up in Cinci so we could make majority of the trek together. Long drive down, pulled up to the house about 11ET (12-hour drive) but they were ready for us. We poured out of the car and headed straight for the cooler and campfire. It took Stella about 10 minutes to realize she was leashless on 10 acres of land. As soon as she did, the wild loops around the house and pond started. She'd return every 10 minutes covered in dew and panting like crazy.

Tent managed to be put up with no input or labor from me, probably as wonderful to me as C. The guys did a great job getting her up and the upgrade from a two-man to an eight-man tent can't really be appreciated fully unless you're sleeping inside yourself but it was basically like moving from a studio apartment to SFH. Spacious!

We fell asleep with frogs croaking outside our tent and woke to the same Friday morning...

Did you see Sex and the City this weekend?? Well I haven't. Nor have I seen the final episode of Lost, yet. In the span of 48 hours I've officially moved myself under a rock and am unable to converse with anyone without prefacing this fact so the spoilers stay away. At least I have a decent chance with Lost, it is tivo'd. I'm talking with the girls about seeing SATC tomorrow but the likelihood of getting myself to the theater this gorgeous weekend is pretty slim. Early reviews are excellent though...and of course there is popcorn at the movies.

We did girl dinner last night for my b-day dinner at Takashi, new place on Damen. This morning Stella and I got up bright and early to make our first trip of the season to the dog beach. K&J were there too with C&Z (and of course gorgeous Q). Super fun. Stella went right back into the water, big success (she was scared much of last summer).

And I finished the front yard, finally. Hopefully everything thrives and I never have to plant there again.

Hubby gets home tonight from work trip in JAX and we're hitting the local street festival. Going to make some lemonade!

Happy weekend!

I bought the cutest canister for my herbs this weekend. The previous plot was the typical burnt orange ceramic pot which was left outside over winter and came through spring cracked and pretty ugly.

This little guy looks like stone but is actually plastic. I am semi-obsessed with it. I'm sure the plants are going to grow like gang-busters in there.

AND did you know that curry is a plant you buy and it looks pretty much just like rosemary? I realize this may be obvious to some of you but I had no idea and I am totally fascinated. You can see him (I guess the herbs are 'hims' and the veggies will be 'hers') on the right in the middle here. For those curious, we also have: basil, rosemary, thyme, catnip (for the cats) chives and oregano.

To be honest, I don't even cook with curry but obviously I'm going to have to start now. I am just fearing the day I pick a bunch of what I think is rosemary and get the curry instead...

The most exciting renovation I didn't know we needed?

Finishing off the fence on the side alley.

I had been preoccupied with a little hole under the deck on the other side of the yard, left unfinished last summer when we had to move the entire fence in one inch (still kind of ruffles me when I think of this but I digress). Chris boarded it up Saturday and I was thrilled with the result. It has annoyed me since last year, especially when I recently looked up and found Stella in the neighbors yard, having shimmied out when the jerry-rigged blockade came free.

What I didn't know was that he had a far more ambitious project in mind for the next day. Previously the fence ended about 5 feet shy of the access door to our side alley. There was a short chain link fence there - enough to border the property but easy to jump. The problem was (outside of safety from bad guys of course) when anyone walked through to the apartment building next to us, Stella would tear down the patio stairs and bark like cujo at innocent passersby. Not to mention Moby, one renter's little white puff dog. OG - the barking...

Anyway, Chris built out the rest of the panels, reversed out the door, and it looks totally awesome. If you've never been to the house, this is unimpressive to say the least, but to me it was the most fantastic improvement I didn't even have on my radar. Thank you!!

At last, we rest. I write with my token summer drink (grown-up lemonade) in hand, the flower-filled yard in my view and the smell of BBQ in the air. A wonderful end to a great weekend.

I finished up Peace Like a River yesterday, SIL recco, and it was really good. A warm, humorous story of family and faith. My only regret is that I didn't read it sooner.

Tonight we're celebrating our anniversary (earlier this week). Steak and salmon (I made a big batch of Carol's secret marinade today) on the grill, caprese salad and three types of cake and pie! All to be enjoyed on the patio.

Likely the last word on our little robin family, all three babies have safely fled the nest (we took it down this weekend). They have been hanging out in the apple tree learning to fly and look happy and healthy. Remaining are just the regular customers at the bird feeder: purple finch, sparrows, cardinals and the occasional woodpecker.

Happy Memorial Day!