Saturday, 31 May 2008

takin cheep to norfolk via spain, italy, and brazil

dianna's brother chip finished up his exams at davidson and came to visit. we started his visit with a long bikeride to mt. vernon.


chip served a hmong-speaking mission in minnesota. he loves hmong people, and his girlfriend is hmong. so we figured the only place for him was norfolk, CT, with annie and vint.
this trip would also let us see norfolk in the spring, which is the only season we haven't visited in. so it was a no-brainer!



our 8 hour drive to connecticut begins. tomatoes and blackberries as snacks.

we stopped en route in new york city to see heather, eri, and gizele. gizele's surgery went perfectly, and heather is SO relieved and happy. we had a yummy tapas dinner at a spanish restaurant on the upper east side.


gizele does this scowling thing that totally cracks everyone up, including strangers on the street and waiters.

eri imitating her.

NORFOLK!! vint's garden is already fabulous. they're growing asparagus and rhubarb, which we happily ate in pie.



annie picked the rhubarb, and dianna has crowned herself miss rhubarb 2008.

annie decorated jake's place with fresh tulips for our arrival.


miss rhubarb 2008 and the garden.


in vint's greenhouse are the heirloom tomatoes from italy and germany. he gave me two plants, and dianna some seeds. hopefully we'll have fresh tomatoes all summer long and into the fall.

another botany lesson.



norfolk in the spring is so alive. you probably can't see the little ducklings in this photo, but they're there!

vint taking a breather during one of our nature walks.

vint's family used to make maple syrup during the winter. i took this picture so that i can make maple syrup, too. (if only!)


chip and one of the stinky dogs in the great mountain forest.

the rhubarb pie in phases. right now, it's a pasta pie, obviously.

chip on another nature walk. annie and vint are really serious about their hoods-to-woods program.
we spent lots of time talking to vint about the secret war and his life with the hmong. i think chip had fun.
thanks again, annie and vint!!!

1 comment:

robin marie said...

heather hunsaker had a baby!??!?! (we served together) could you please connect me with her?