While my last post focused on a  ’big’ summer event, this week I thought I would reflect on a small and frequent tradition of our family - the evening walk. The best thing about this tradition (besides its ease) is that it is completely mutable. There is no start and stop time. No map. No itinerary. Very few rules. The kids run and look and shout and wrestle. They point out little things they find interesting – bugs and balls and old coins. They ask questions. They chase the dog. They get tired out. And my husband and I just try to soak it all in. Because this time together seems like it may go by just as fast as their little legs…

Every summer there is an event that reminds me just why we moved to Wisconsin. It’s called the Fishoree and, as the name implies, its a fishing ‘competition’ for kids. (Competition in the sense that there are awards given for such categories as ‘cutest fish’.) It’s a favorite of ALL my boys as it involves worms, tangled line and consequent fish-tales. Oh yes, and a locally brewed beer for my husband (who needs it after dealing with the tangled lines.) Miette loves it as well. This year she spent the entire evening squealing “I wanna catch a beauty!” (As in….“what a beauty!”) And therein lies my focus of the evening – soaking up the sheer beauty of it all.

Its no secret that I adore the farmer’s market.  It make me feel hopeful and inspired and, well, just like that ‘kid in the candy store.’  Most Saturdays we zip over to our local market which is quaint and neighborly and somewhat predictable in its offerings. But when we are feeling the need for the unexpected we load up the car and head to Madison for the BIG kahuna of markets.

My kids love the sights and samples and crowds.  And the man with the bee-hive hat.  And I love seeking out that odd vegetable that will inspire a new recipe and on a good week, may even convert one of my (very outspoken) strange-food-naysayers.

Truth be told, as a family, we’ve been know to blow off parades.  One reason is that, in our area, there are just so darn many of them.  But one parade we LOVE (Mom for the old cars & the kids for the LOADS of candy) happens on the fourth of July in a neighboring town.  The colors alone are worth the one plus mile hike to get there….