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This was our last weekend while Sarah is away at camp.  We ate lunch in a restaurant, watched a matinee of an R-rated movie (Trainwreck), gardened, and practiced law.   We didn’t both do all of those things however.

We had a rare sighting of Herman, the bachelor muskrat who plies our pond.

Daisy struggled to remain cool on a steamy weekend.

We planted this copper beech to replace the dead dogwood in our field.  Maybe Sarah will enjoy it in her middle age.

While Sarah is away at camp, we can do whatever we like.  And we do!

In Jen’s case that means making immoderate quantities of jam.  Here she is wielding her new 11.5 quart Mauviel copper jam pot.  Everyone should have one.

Daisy has the run of the pond.

We are able to tour various Hudson River houses fancier than our own – here, Montgomery Place.

While there we saw this frog in the elliptical reflecting pool.   I’m not sure why we don’t have an elliptical reflecting pool.

Back at home, this Meadowhawk seemed to be enjoying Sarah’s mint plant.

This weekend, we took Sarah back to Hidden Valley Camp, in Freedom, Maine.  As is customary, she was promptly given a kitten.

We once again stayed in Belfast, Maine, where they have lovely sunsets.

We drove eight and a half (but who’s counting?) hours back to Rhinebeck, where black cap season is in full swing.  Jen has big plans for jam.

I had a very nice Fathers Day, with a good breakfast, a trip to the farmers market, and Sarah’s last soccer game of the season.

Unfortunately, the Fireballs came up short against Red Hook.  We did, however, have a season highlight when assistant coach Spike (left), after a particularly dubious call, drew a yellow card for asking the ref whether he had sunstroke.

Which is a good thing, because they have only one game left to try to eke out a win.  Here they are after a somewhat lopsided encounter with the Carmel Cyclones.

We had a busy weekend.  Sarah graduated from Caedmon on Friday, with attendant ceremonies and parties, and we headed up to the farm Saturday morning in time for soccer practice at 10:30.  On Sunday we hosted the Landsman Kill Trail Association’s Spring Trail Ride.  We had many horses rolling around on our lawn.

If you’re wondering what’s in bloom these days, we have Mock Orange.

Foxglove.

Burdock.

It was peak Peony season this weekend, which unfortunately Jen missed in in favor of her high school reunion.  On Saturday Sarah had soccer practice, we attended an art show opening in Red Hook, and we watched American Pharoah sail to a Triple Crown victory.  On Sunday the Rhinebeck Fireballs fell to the Cornwall Copa.  There are just two games left in the season.

We had the Diz family visiting this weekend.  We planned a festive dinner for Saturday, but Daisy ate five veggie burgers before we could sit down.  We rebounded Sunday with a fishing trip with Graham and his mom.  Graham caught two bass and two sunfish.  Later on Sunday, the Rhinebeck Fireballs were shocked by the Yorkville Lightning, although the Fireballs did score.

Before we left for the weekend, Sarah received the (fridge-worthy) results from her last Latin quiz of the year.

We had a splendid Memorial Day weekend, with all of Jen’s family visiting.

Sarah marched in the parade with the Rhinebeck Soccer league.

The locusts were blooming.

And we celebrated Lew Burleigh’s 75th birthday.  Happy birthday, Lew!

Sarah would not let gray skies, low wind, or high grass deter her from trying out a new kite on Saturday.

She got it pretty far up there.

We celebrated Mothers Day in customary fashion, with breakfast in bed for mom.

This year, we decided not to burden Jen with another tree she would need to plant — although the Redbud, Jen’s 2009 Mothers Day present, is now thriving.  Here it is in 2011.

On Saturday, Sarah, for reasons best known to herself, decided to dress up and fly a kite.

The Rhinebeck Soccer League does not pause for Mothers Day.  The Fireballs took on the Red Hook Storm, and lost seven zip.

During the game, this Red-tailed Hawk soared above Baptist Field.

Afterward, we stopped by the Rhinebeck Farmers’ Market, which opens on Mother Day and gives complimentary seedlings to moms (Jen got a snapdragon and a daisy).  After a falafel lunch, we headed to Northern Dutchess Botanical Gardens to buy flowers for various urns.  Sarah got a peppermint plant, which she planted by the back door.