Hiking partner

For some reason, a bunch of people stopped to say hi to my hiking buddy when we stopped for a water and play break.

Trail

The weather today was only in the eighties. I celebrated by going hiking at Cedar Ridge along with everyone else who lives in the metroplex.

Cicadas

It's an intense cicada year. Not only are they enthusiastically loud in the evening, but their shed exoskeletons are everywhere.

Picnic

Evelyn and I had an impromptu lunch picnic in a plaza in Southlake while running errands. She was remarkably coordinated with her blue shirt, skirt, and blueberries.

Unbelievable

Every time I try to dry clothes on the line this summer, it rains. Yesterday we got home in sunny, not a cloud in the sky, hundred degree weather, and I put out the clothes. It proceeded to rain and thunder unbelievably hard while it was still sunny out! I really think I should start charging to go do laundry in drought areas.

Summer afternoon

Evelyn and I try to go outside in the afternoon for at least a little while every day. If you stay in the shade, it's really not too bad.

The view from the shade is pretty enjoyable, especially when there's a good breeze.

Home

Just over a year ago, we moved to our house. Moving when you're almost nine months pregnant is pretty exciting, but we have loved being in more space with a yard and a park right out the back gate.

Eventually

When it gets this hot, I start thinking wistfully of fall weather. It will be here in only three short, blazingly hot months.

The trees in the park behind our house are pretty great in the fall.

Cool

With temperatures near a hundred degrees, Evelyn thinks staying cool is serious business, especially with the power out for a few hours yesterday afternoon.

Okay, maybe there was some fun involved as well. 

Big Sky

The summer temperatures in Texas may be miserable, but the sky is pretty amazing.

Trees

The trees in our backyard are flowering. Eventually, I should look up what kind of tree they are, but for now I'm just enjoying them.

Cool

It's been in the 90s all week. Spending some time in the pool is the only reasonable response.

Blueberries

My aunt discovered a blueberry farm out in East Texas, so of course we had to go. Evelyn thought that the dirt-garnished blueberries were the very best thing ever.

Pictured: one of the reasons I haven't been blogging. (Not pictured: laziness - one of the other reasons I haven't been blogging.)

Pink

Celebration

Bluebell ice cream has returned to the stores in DFW, and there is much rejoicing indeed! Ben and I are pretty much ruined now when it comes to other ice cream, so maybe we are becoming Texans...

Screen

Someone decided to hang out on our screen door.

Raking

The leaves may be coming down, and the weather may be a bit more fallish, but I can still rake barefoot, and that's just confusing.

Arboretum

The Dallas Arboretum wasn't all pumpkins and child's tears when we visited it last Wednesday...

Pumpkins

Yesterday, we went to the Dallas Arboretum's Fall Pumpkin Patch so Evelyn could see what fall is sort of supposed to look like. I had a great time!

Evelyn, however, was initially skeptical about taking pictures...

...and then unquestionably unimpressed.

Garden

Evelyn and I visited a nearby rose garden on Friday after dropping off dinner for a friend. While Evelyn was a not particularly impressed, I enjoyed it a great deal.