Wilder’s Angry Face

Is pretty adorable

Bluet the painter

We got Bluet an easel for her birthday, and this weekend we finally got it out for her to paint with acrylics. This is what she came up with.

Going home

After a little over two weeks in Missouri (in a county with zero cases of Covid-19) we headed home. 

Wilder helping out

Driving a tractor on the farm (he didn't actually enjoy going on one with Wayne as it was too loud when running)

At the Hungry Mother state park where we camped overnight on the way home we saw lots and lots of these periodic cicadas. We have put it in our calendar to return in 13 years so we can see them again.

Wilder brushing teeth at the campsite

While in Missouri we did take a one day float trip in the canoes, which everyone loved. Bluet paddled her own kayak for the first time. Sadly because of forecast rain we did not camp out. 

The dog was exhausted by the time we got home

I like driving in my car

We also went overnight to the house near Charleston where Emily grew up. Wilder mainly liked the 'little car' until the battery ran out, at which point we had to charge it up so he could go again. 

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This is Wilder's 'angry face'. I think he learned this when he used to go to daycare, in the good old days. He has a happy face too but it isn't as funny

Sam A Baker walk

We went for a walk in the nearby Sam A. Baker state park, up to the cabins where one can camp overnight (we did not). The kids had ice cream as a reward after (we got an egg and cheese biscuit instead as it was still morning, and who eats ice cream before lunch?)

Pictured here is a very small snake - we also saw bigger ones including copperheads and cottonmouths

Once in Missouri we settled into life at Nana and Wayne's cabin - mainly looking at cows and visiting the creek in the afternoon to cool off and swim. On the second night there Jewel ran off and we were worried she was lost, but she returned about 10 hours later to much relief. After that she wasn't allowed to sleep outside anymore.

This was Wilder's 'vacuum cleaner'

Wilder also loved the wind chimes

And the Ranger

We found many turtles, including 2 much smaller than these which came home with us. Ilona is an expert turtle spotter

It was hot and sweaty

Road Trip

Tiring of life at home, and with the lockdown easing, we took a road trip to Missouri to see Emily's parents at the end of May. We broke the 18 hour journey in half by camping in a Virginia State park.  Leaving the park we took the back roads through the Cumberland  Gap, which was pretty special. We also decided we should visit Bowling Green in Kentucky sometime, as they have some interesting looking museums - we had been on the road a long while by then. The further south we got, the fewer masks and less social distancing we saw. 

Wilder in the back of the car, thinking it is like an aeroplane for some reason

We took the dog

At the campsite the girls put up the tents by themselves.