UMass Haitian Creole Institute

I could alternately title this post my three weeks of self-imposed insanity. I love the Kreyol course, but juggling two jobs and a husband while taking a 3 1/2 hour class that is every evening M-F can be pretty stressful. But yesterday I think I found a way to recharge.

UMass never has chalk for the classrooms, there is no food on campus after 3 PM, and the architecture is stern brick and suspended walkways. But the views are spectacular. The campus is on a peninsula that stretches out into the harbor. A harborwalk winds its way along the edge of campus, providing a space to run, bike, or just relax.

Across the way you can see what I think are expensive apartments.

And here was my little study spot. Sea breezes fought off the summer heat, sea gulls played tag in the air, and waves created an ambient backdrop to studying.

The only thing that marred the scene were the airplanes flying in towards the airport. They get so low you can make out which airline they belong to. Still, it is a lovely space to study and just spending thirty minutes there works better than any coffee. That is, if I could find coffee on campus.

Beaverbrook Nature Center

The next day, Wythe, Rebecca, Dan and I followed my aunt and uncle to the Beaverbrook nature center in NH. My aunt works there during the week teaching classes, but on the weekends she and my uncle busy themselves building a wigwam.

Before walking out to the wigwam site, we explored some of the beautiful gardens at the nature center. And of course took lots of flower photos.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rebecca and I each took a crazy number of photographs.

Uncle Jon and the poppies.

After exploring the garden to until the boys almost exploded with boredom, my aunt and uncle headed out to the wigwam and the rest of us went for a short hike. We walked down a fairly easy path to Bouchard Bridge, which overlooks a swampy area. 

Then we walked over to the wigwam construction site.

They had already gathered saplings for the frame, but Uncle Jon needed to cut some of them down to size.

Then, after digging a post hole, they set it in the ground and one of them holds it in place while the other person bends it over the structure and secures it.

 

Both Wythe and Dan helped out a little. 

 

 

And then Wythe took a break to pet Lily.

Lily was the happy camp dog.

After a bit, we hugged Aunt Kap and Uncle Jon goodbye and headed out to a local farmers' market before heading home. 

They had beautiful plants for sale.

And a cute little ice cream place by the parking area.

After purchasing more things than we needed, we headed back to the highway and went home.

Weekend in the Countryside

This past weekend we went up to Uncle Jon and Aunt Kap's and brought along Wythe and Rebecca. Though the weather was rainy all weekend, it was still great to get out of the city and relax. The rain also perked up all the plants, so Rebecca and I went a little crazy taking photographs of flowers, the garden, and chickens.

But first, my aunt and uncle took us on a tour of the yard, showing us all the new plants and catching up.

We strolled around taking photographs, talking, and enjoying the break in the rain.

Their garden in the backyard was green from all the wet weather.

Uncle Jon couldn't resist working in the garden a little before we moved on.

We went to the barn to look at the chickens and horses.

The horses were pouting that their favorite hangout was roped off to dry.

And then I took tons and tons of flower photos from all the blooming plants in my aunt's gardens.