Slip n' Slide

Before slip and slide

  This week was a wild one at Camp MacIsaac. We unfolded the tarp and made a HUGE slip and slide. The results were fantastic. Kids running everywhere, screaming, slipping, and sliding. Us adults pulled out a rope and gave rides to the kids. All round great time.

After slip and slide

You may have noticed the hops growing in the background. They are over six feet tall and since this is their second year in the ground I am expecting some buds this year.

 Next was lunch, picnic style.

First Day of Summer

OK, it is not really the first day of summer. It is the first day of having friends over. Today we had a very busy day. Bella waited anxiously at the window for her friend Orange to arrive. She was so excited, it had been a while since the had play time. The girls set to destroying their room as quickly as possible. Orange was transformed into Dorothy and Bella into a knight. Not sure where they went with that but that is the power of imagination. 

  
After lunch we made pretzels.I had prepared the dough the day before so all we had to do was make shapes and bake.

Bla Bla Bla

Peggy's 18th Annual Irish Festival

This was another great event put on by Tom and Peggy at the Realty Center in Oak Ridge. The girls had a great time. They made friends immediately as usual. Pat Kane put on a great show featuring great traditional music and sharing some Irish wisdom. We always enjoy time with the Hanrahans, they are part of our extended family. The only thing that could have made the event better would be if my generation of Hanrahan could have been there.

My non stop eater with evidence on her face...

Pat Kane

Pat Kane & Peggy Hanrahan

The girls need to explore everything & everywhere.

Dancing sisters.

Pat Kane, a talented & versatile musician.

The girls do know how to get people dancing, I being their usual first victim.

Rocky Fork State Park, OH

We spent Memorial day weekend at Rocky Fork State Park with the girls grandmother, Mimi. The weather was perfect for such an outing.

Girls out exploring together

We spent a lot of time on the water. The first day there I took the girls out in the canoe and we discovered some wetlands that were home to a bald eagle. I failed to capture a photo of it but it was still one of my more memorable moments of the trip. The wetlands were abundant with wildlife. There were great blue heron just about everywhere. The sounds of bull frogs was constant. We also came across a small flock of egret. I was amazed at the number of water moccasins. The girls enjoyed touching the lily pads and seeing the water bead up on them.

Canoeing through the lily pads

Not so sure about the water moccasin

Great Blue Heron

Family of geese finding safety in the water

The girls chased the geese every chance the had

Although they did not get the whole goose they did collect a few feathers

Egret above the wetland

Weenie Roast 

Girls playing War

This is what happens when SomeOne turns the interior lights on..  

Card Shark in training

More of camp

The garden is producing loads of radishes. We have discovered a few ways that the girls will eat them. By either turning them into a radish dip by chopping them up and blending with cream cheese or by pickling them. Both methods turned out to be super simple.

Another photo at Ijams, we love this place. We are going to miss it when we are gone.

Mead Quarry Outing

We visited local Mead Quarry located in South Knoxville. The girls loved exploring the new trails that opened up last year.

The girls got adventurous and climbed out of the dry quarry, with some help of course.

Mead Quarry is located at Ijams nature center. Ijams is a great area for hiking and exploring. A local outfitter has set up shop and offer canoe and bike rentals at the water filled quarry. The fishing is not too bad for the little ones but all we have ever caught have been a few brim.