Embracing Extremes
Posted: 10.18.2011 Filed under: parks and rec Leave a comment »
After our hayride, Rachel was simply not ready to go home so we made a pit stop at Fairmount Park. It was a breathtaking day and we took the opportunity to watch the ducks and look out at the river and see if we could run faster than bike riders. Rachel can. I can’t.
There were a lot of weddings being photographed out there too. Rachel convinced me to walk all the way up to the tallest point of the path, to one of the gazebos that’s perfect for picture taking. We pretended we were in a wedding party just long enough to snap this photo, then she wriggled out of my arms and tried to cheat death, running down the hill as fast as she could, trying to catch as much wind in her hair as possible. She’s lucky she’s got good balance…and that I am actually fast enough to catch her after all.
It was a nice juxtaposition- a silly and dramatic hayride around a major city’s convention center, then some meandering and playing at a beautiful river-bound park. I can embrace both extremes.
A Nap and a New Playground
Posted: 10.03.2011 Filed under: autumn, parks and rec 2 Comments »This was the kind of weekend to be breathed in deeply. The kind of weekend that calls on you to take a nap in the grass and do lots of playing outside at a yet to be explored playground. The kind of weekend that is filled with good news and giggles. Our weekend was all of these things.
We stopped by the Celebration of Play at Smith Memorial Playground, which we had heard so much about. It did not disappoint- Rachel and I had The. Best. Time. It is a playground like no other, with modern takes on traditional playground toys like swings and merry-go-rounds and see-saws. And if when you arrive your child is asleep in the car, that’s no problem. There’s a beautiful field of grass and fall leaves out front, with trees perfect for napping against and keeping your little one shaded.
What a beautiful weekend. Hope yours was delightful too.
Why Every Farmer’s Market Should Have a Playground
Posted: 09.19.2011 Filed under: autumn, parks and rec 1 Comment »Happy Monday! How was your weekend? Ours was splendid. We fried a lot of food, made some new friends, went to a birthday party, and introduced ourselves to a new farmer’s market. Fun. Simple. A pinch of indulgence. My kinda weekend.
I have been dying to go to a real farmer’s market recently- one that has food vendors, grass-fed beef, baked goods and ice cream, as well as produce. One that’s pacific northwest-like, but within driving distance from our house. This weekend I finally found one that has some of those things, on a small scale, plus something even better…a playground!
I am now convinced that every farmer’s market should have an accessible playground nearby. Bell peppers, carrots, and even a girl’s favorite creamy organic yogurt can only occupy her attention for so long. Give me a playground, please, and we’ll be there in a heart beat. Every week.
Hope your weekend was lovely too. Here’s to a happy week.
R&R
Posted: 06.01.2011 Filed under: family time, inspiration, motherhood, parks and rec 1 Comment »This is a big week for the Maddens. Jim starts his summer internship today, Rachel begins daycare tomorrow (agh!) and I am celebrating my 7 year anniversary with the city of Philadelphia. Yikes! Lots of transitions and lots of reflecting going on…
I definitely needed to clear my head and, as Jim always encourages me to do, just relax. Luckily, I scheduled a vacation day with Rachel today and we went to one of our favorite places, the Tyler Arboretum. It is such a gorgeous day and despite the heat Rachel and I explored and marveled at the surroundings for almost two hours. It was so peaceful and so inspiring.
They had all of these interesting bridges and treehouses throughout the arboretum as part of their spring exhibit. Rachel was fascinated by all of it – so many ramps and steps to climb. We visited nearly all the “Totally Terrific Treehouses.” Some of them had amazing views, others had surprises inside, and a few looked more terrifying than terrific, at least with an 18-month old in tow. These shots are of two of our favorites:
We made sure to have plenty of water and lemonade along the way. It was ridiculously hot. And I carried Rachel a little more than I expected I would.
The entire place is so calming. All the plants are native so there’s a wild look to everything – it’s not very landscape-y, which I admire. They also have a little pond there, which of course no one can swim in. Rachel is obsessed with water and when she approached the fence around the pond she looked so disappointed and she just stood for a while. I just had to get a shot over her shoulder. Then, she would wander away from the fence and re-approach it, hoping the rules may have changed.
Such a splendid day. It was just what I needed and I know Rachel enjoyed it too. As the rest of the week unfolds, I will think back to the ease of this day and relax.
Happy June!
