Saturday morning I awoke to Josh clanging about in the kitchen. A blanket draped around my shoulders, still squinting, I climbed onto a stool at the table as he cheerfully announced, "Brunch at the Arboretum! Get dressed. I've already cooked and packed the food!"
I stumbled into Erin's room to rouse her with the announcement before getting myself dressed and gathering my camera and whatnot. Doesn't matter that I've been there a thousand times, it's impossible to visit the Arboretum without my camera.
We arrived and scouted out a lush picnic spot to sprawl about on blankets in the sun and nosh on brunch. Josh had lovingly whipped up farm-fresh egg sandwiches on beautiful purple toast (China Black Rice Bread, one of my new faves), and a side of roasted cinnamon walnut butter with crisp, green apples. Our sandwiches were each wrapped with foil to keep warm and crispy and labeled with our names ;-) How cute is he?? He has my heart.
As we were eating, Erin started to prep her camera and realized she had no available memory thanks to a slew of videos she's currently storing for a large project. She's going to kill me for posting these, but I simply can't resist...
Upon her realization that she wouldn't be able to take photos she started to pout. Then she made a phone call to make sure she couldn't delete the videos. Then she tried to convince me they might sell memory cards in the gift shop. Then she went on a tirade about how stupid it was that they didn't because she was sure this happened to people all the time. Then she tried to bribe me into letting her have my memory card, arguing that if she took photos on her camera they'd be better anyway. Once the realization set in that there would be no resolving the situation, she threw herself face first on the blanket wimpering and proceeded to thrash and moan and roll about in frustration.
It. Was. Priceless.
I thoroughly enjoyed the spectacle, giggling profusely the entire time, snapping photos. Watching her tantrum was the equivalent of looking in a mirror. She's my creative soul-mate in a thousand ways, and this is simply how we respond when our artistic endeavors are thwarted. We feel as if the world might end, launching us into a dramatic procession of emotions. Disbelief. Denial. Frustration. Manipulation. Hopelessness. Mourning. Etc.
It's fantastic.
Of course when I casually reminded her of the iphone in her bag, she snapped right out of it and chirped, "Oh great! Disaster averted! We're good." And so we were off to stroll and savor the awaiting feast for the senses...
Oh how I adore tulips. My forever favorite.
Red buds, tulips, daffodils... Stunning displays of blooms stretched into the distance.
Oh the colors... It makes my pulse race.
We stopped here and there to sit among the beauties, feel the grass between our fingers and toes. It would be such a travesty not to.
These are Christine's favorites. She loves how delicate they are, like tissue paper. You should see her dancing around them practically squealing with delight and giddily snapping photos ;-) It thrills me. (she's my other creative soul-mate ;-)
Don't you adore how watching someone else love something can cause you to love it, too?? Look at the perfection...
Before leaving we stopped for a final soak in the sun on my favorite sloping hill over the water.
Being a Saturday, lots of families were relishing the day. During the week I usually get this spot almost entirely to myself... it's blissful.
How was your weekend?? Did you get out and soak up the beautiful Spring-time weather?