When Summer Begins to Wane...

...you should take your sister and her passel of wonderful children on a picnic (preferably at a park with a creek).

What a fine brood, yes?

It seemed like every time I turned around, James was morphing into a Chip Monster and asking me to take a picture. Audra wasn't too scared of him, though. I agree, Audra--every monster needs bunny ears to take him down a notch.

Nick was awfully sweet playing the protective older brother.

After lunch we headed down to the creek, which is more a collection of puddles than a true creek at this point. We could use some rain. Thomas started us off by catching a minnow ["with his bare hands," no less].

Such a little, little fish...

...deserves a little, little grin.

We grow children in the creeks around these parts. They start climbing up out of the mud during the dry spells.

Cassie, second mother extraordinaire. (She's a good big sister.)

I loved watching Candida with arms and legs all akimbo, determined to catch some fish.

Thomas sat on a rock above the creek watching all of the creature-catching going on below. He looks like he's about to unleash some major kung fu moves, but really he's just hiding from my camera.

Note the position of Thomas' hand. He was gleefully throwing rocks at the spots where his siblings were trying so earnestly to catch creek animals. He's just your average big brother.

I told you he was gleeful (especially when he heard his sisters emitting exasperated squeals).

"Abby, Abby, I mean, Debbie. Can you help me catch a fish? A medium fish..."

"This is where they like to go."

Note Nick's expression.

Finest creature-catching implement in all the land.

I love James' posture. It takes some intense concentration to keep a cup still when a salamander has just taken up residence.

The frog didn't have a chance with so many hands poking about.

"We caught a lobster! A lobster!" I was almost sad when Nick realized they were called crayfish.

I told him to give me his I just caught a crayfish look. Evidently this requires a great deal of manliness as well as having one's hand on one's hip.

Jessica-munchkin.

Candida the Fish Catcher.

She had the most mesmerizing way of moving the cup underwater. It was like a dance.

Hannah-boo. I love to see her smile. 

I like to call this piece Lobster, Salamander, Grape.

Fossil study.

After a full couple of hours, we older ones sat and chatted. It was a fairly serious conversation, until Thomas attempted to sit down with us, that is. His lanky six feet and four-ish inches settled onto the picnic table only to tip it over and send the soda and cups sitting on top of it flying.

Ha. Caught you red-handed, Tom.

I'm a pretty rich girl, you know it? God gave good, good gifts when he gave me my family. Thanks for a lovely day, Becky and Co.!