Halloween

Holiday-related activities today were interspersed with a trip to the Cylburn Arboretum, where the Birds of Baltimore are displayed and two or three salamanders can be found under every log.





Each with his own redback salamander.

Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center

We finally got over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge today. While there we visited the Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center, which had hiking paths, aviary cages of hawks and owls, and old bird field guides of small, distant places (Birds of Lebanon, anyone?), which is right up our family alley. Next time we want to rent one of their canoes to check out the "water trails".



This looks to me like Ben posting in a catalog for whatever brand of clothes those are.


Every picture I take of Daryl seems to be this picture.

Watching the barred owls.

And some bonus pics of when they were sailing on the Mozambique channel (white blanket) the other day. Below they are splashing water (blankets) on each other.

At the Smithsonian Natural History Museum

But first, NEW bird shirts-- late birthday surprise! Thanks, Grandma and Grandpa Yoder!


Ben & the bluebird

Their favorite extinct bird, the diatryma


Reading about how kangaroos jump


The Owls of Washington D.C. (OK, Smithsonian, we know you don't have room to show all your wares. But four floors of nature and no extant birds from anywhere but DC? Mammal-chauvanists.)

Birthday Pics

A few photos from present-opening. In the evening our neighbors came over for the birthday pie celebration-- I think they got a couple of pics of the actual pies-and-boys, so perhaps those will be forthcoming.

Yes, they are each wearing one half of the penguin pajamas.

A swan for Ben

A sea lion for Alex

Awesome bird mobile from Aunt Karla

Bird-sounds pop-up book (above and below)


Reading a new book with Daddy

Ben's favorite, a raven from Grandma and Grandpa L. (above and below)

Everybody loves bubble wrap

Balloon play with the neighbor kids

The joys of September

Since June, long-sleeved shirts have been forbidden. But a few days ago, the sanctions were lifted. Immediately Ben & Alex both ran upstairs to change into their beloved bird shirts. And looked ever so pleased afterward.


In related news, bread-baking season is also upon us, and the new kneader on the team is looking good in the preseason workouts. The bread was delicious.

Bad Pictures of Recent Adventures

It hasn't been a great month for photography, but we have been having lots of adventures, so ... here are some bad pictures of them.
Meerkat at the Smithsonian (DC) Zoo
Armadillo at the Smithsonian (DC) Zoo
The Australia exhibit (above and below) at the National Aquarium.

Playing around with animals.
We have tails!
Our new house (above and below).

Alex at Marshy Point Park.
Spotting blue crabs (we must be in Maryland!) at Marshy Point Nature Center.
The nature center has a pet duck.
And all good nature centers have bird books.

New York Report, 2010 Edition

This year's trip to White Plains kicked off with a sandbox conspiracy, moved smoothly on to the generational initiation of the kids' table, and was cousinarific throughout. Lucy is especially skilled at mugging for the camera, and Eric is, if possible, even cuter than before.