Run Fox Run

Today Big Brown is racing in the Haskell at Monmouth Park, so there’s a big crowd to see the Derby/Preakness winner and his peers competing.  But the REAL race fans were there Thursday to see lesser-known ponies take a spin ’round the track.  Leda shared Uncle Gary’s affection for the grays, but her most powerful preference was for the horse/jockey combination wearing the most pink and/or purple.  Nevertheless she was the day’s big winner, picking two winners in six races.  Her selection methods at the paddock were even displayed on the track Jumbotron, as you can see in the Monmouth Park photo album.

Sicily, it turns out, has seen everything. Everything and everyone, from the ancient Greeks and Romans to the Islamic so-called “Moors” to the Normans. Everybody left their mark, architecturally at least, so in two weeks we saw a bit of everything. There’s a cathedral in Palermo that has literally seen it all — it was built as a mosque and has been added onto, remodeled, and “improved” by everybody since. The ancient sites at Segesta, Selinunte, Agrigento, and Villa Casales pretty much knocked our socks off.

Yep, we did the traveling with kids thing again, once again aided tremendously by our partners in crime, Lynn and George. They were more than willing to take a gelato break whenever we needed to recharge the girls between temples. Leda picked up enough conversational Italian to order her own snacks, and corrected Papa’s pronunciation. Cleo became even steadier on her feet, perfecting the gait necessary to cruise down the beach to leap into the onrushing surf Our homes were both well-appointed and well-situated for our explorations of the island, and we even managed to see Mount Etna!

Photos are in the two Sicily albums — start with Part I to see it all in chronological order.

At the end of a day at the Shore, there are rituals. If you’re Erica, you head to the end of the dock and throw bread to a lucky duck or two, and hope the swans don’t swoop in. If you’re Rocky, you follow Erica because she has food. If you’re Leda and Cleo, you’re still savoring the taste of the crumb buns you had for dessert after dinner, tired from the sun on the beach and the wind in your face on the boat ride, and you follow Erica because she’s Erica. If you’re Toby, you’re cleaning the grill and kibitzing with Ray and Pat. If you’re the Raybird, you’re gazing out at the island looking for osprey. If you’re Jenn, you have internalized your mother-in-law’s guidance about the light at this time of day, so you rush to the end of the neighbors’ dock with your camera.

And the light wasn’t bad before dinner, either.

Time once again for the annual pilgrimage(s) to Newark’s Branch Brook Park.  For the few weeks each April when the cherry blossoms are in bloom, this park is fantastically photogenic.  A great spot to picnic, stroll, or just sit and marvel.  This year we were delighted to have Grandma and Papa with us for the fun.  Many more shots in the April 2008 album.

Speaking of holiday traditions, we’ve gone two in a row! That is to say this is the second year we’ve gone to the New York Botanical Gardens (in the Bronx) to see their annual train show. The focus isn’t really on the trains, but rather all the New York Landmark buildings created from plant material that the trains wind around. It’s like a really mini Pasadena Rose parade, but without the million or so spectators. It’s housed inside the conservatory with some very beautiful tropical plants surrounding. In addition, Leda and Cleo got to “learn” about ginger bread, make a holiday smelly sache, and jump around the holiday festooned flora. 

Cleo in the Gingerbread house

Leda with the botanical version of the Metropolitan Museum of Art

Soon to be replaced Yankee Stadium