It's a Cotten life: Spring in the woods

Leeks! I feel like I am getting repetitive. "Oh! Bethaney is going to post pictures of them going to pick leeks in the woods. That is a bit out of the blue. Didn't she post pictures of the same thing last year. And the year before that? I wonder if she will do it next year too.... " Well, barring unforeseen circumstances, you will probably see pictures of leeks next spring too. It is just the thing to do in spring. The leeks are one of the first things to poke out of the brown, dead leaf covered ground and for that reason alone, they are worth loving. And too, they taste good. The downside is the fact that they are so hard to pick. But since we only do it once a year, it is a bit of an outdoor novelty just when we are wanting to be outside, poking in the dirt.

The first few pictures are of us taking a Sunday afternoon walk. I dedicate this to Owen, who was thrilled to bits that I was stopping to take pictures every few steps.

Little yellow duck, Hoyt

Elsie getting a little big sister guidance while Mommy stands around uselessly taking pictures.

Walking and talking

Striding Elsie

Spring sky

Investigating the wonder of grass

Talking while Ashley has her baby carrier straps adjusted

Little ferny things

Strawberry plants

Trillium-about-to-be

Dutchmen's breeches

Dutchmens breeches leaves with raindrops

Elsie and Orianna

Apparently birch trees do this--send up a thousand tiny shoots out of the stump to make a new tree for the roots. Clever.

Gilbert loves Owen and Ashley

For some reason, the caption that pops into mind for this one is something along the line of "entering the brave new world."

Beaver holes

Owen showing the girls the beaver dams

Fording a stream

Gilbert had boots that pinched his toes, since he had gone out an hour earlier, splashing in puddles, and soaked his boots through and through. So he had to made do with his old boots.