We have just returned home from a fun trip to Texas - Fred's very 1st Road Trip! (He is a terrific little traveler.) The highlight of the trip was Abby's 1st dance recital! (Lots of "firsts"!) And it was fantaaaaastico! She did a tap dance number, "Oh, you Beautiful Doll", and she IS one! Too many exclamation points? I will try to stop, but it won't be easy. Anyway, the whole thing was simply adorable, from the moment she stepped into her costume, pulled on her tap shoes (how cute are tiny tap shoes?? Super cute!), strolled into the auditorium - filled with confidence and enthusiasm, disappeared with her mommy into the back stage area....and then reappeared in all her blushy cheeked, pink lipped glory - ON STAGE, an hour later! WoW! The world of little kid dance is wild and colorful and verrry exciting! Having raised boys, my only experience with "the dance recital world" was when I was 4 - ancient history. This was all pretty darned cute! While in Texas, we did a few other cool things: Prairie Day at the Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT), attended Abby's very first (****) last day of school party at her school, and ate at a new Ft Worth restaurant, "The WoodShed" on the Pioneer River - a totally Texan experience! The heat of summertime is just beginning to creep into north Texas, and the humidity was not yet cloying. Our new teensy weensy baby bird will be arriving there, however, come August, so we WILL get to experience those things then. But we will be under a spell of new grand baby euphoria, so it won't be so bad. ;) Here are some pix of our time in Texas, and of the beauty and bounty of Little Bird Farm upon our return last evening! I wasn't in a spot where I could get any pix of the actual dance, but Nate did, so I will try to get one and put it here soon.

"That's ok - I can do it by myself".

So ready and soooo excited (I mean ME! HA!! But she was too.).

Proud Mama & Daddy and sweet Baby Bird!

Abby with Grubepop at her school.

Swingin' with Gram Gigi at school.

A FUN last day of school PARTY!

Home to a tree full of delicious sweet cherries and lots of strawberries too.

And we got to the cherries before the birds did!! Yay!

FRED really wanted to help us pick cherries. He is a fine dog.

HAPPY MAY DAY!

When the boys were small, we took flowers to sweet old ladies on May Day. I feel like one of those "old ladies" today, with all the gardening and brick laying we have been doing lately! May Day starts off in a very happy way this morning with a surprise Skype visit from Piper and her Mama & Daddy-o (that's what Piper calls him!). They were in their pretty back yard in NC - sitting at P-pie's little yellow table & chairs and watering the garden. She told me about their visit to see baby goats on Saturday at a farm near their house! Sounds like she doesn't stop at hugging chick-chicks. She also LOVES to hug baby goats! We had a delightful visit...until she disappeared off screen for a second - took a spill, and got a booboo on her knee. As we threw bye bye kisses, she was hugging her Mama pretty tightly. Sometimes there is a physical cost to being an adventurous spirit! Poor little thing. (I can sort of relate. Oh! My aching back.) If you would like to see these adorable pix of little Piper Gaye and her new goat-buddies, visit www.burkbum.com. Have a wonderful May Day!

These just in from North Carolina and from Texas!

- Itty Bitty Bird and Lucy!

- Baby Bird in her Summer dress!

Thanks kids, for the wonderful pictures! They make us feel "not so far away". Love!

Little Piper Gaye turns 2 today!

In North Carolina, our sweet P-pie is now 2 years old! We had the sheer JOY of being with her when she turned one, but this year, sadly, it simply wasn't going to happen. Happy Birthday to our little Marigold Blossom!! How we LOVE you and wish we were there today! How lovely to turn two, surrounded by the fun of chick-chicks, gardens, and the beauty of North Carolina in April! Have fun with your new pal, Lucy, Itty Bitty Bird!

Meanwhile, at our house, we are experiencing a remarkable Moth Infestation this week! They are everywhere - zillions of them! Those big, dusty fluttery kind - yealch! Just when you think you have corralled and vacuumed the last one, there is another, and then another, flitting around in the window as you try to go to sleep! On the upside, this has given Fred one more thing to do - chase and devour these nasty moths - double yealch! (How do you stop a puppy from eating a moth?) Fred is growing up, changing from a puppy to a full fledged doggy. His face has narrowed, his shoulders and leg muscles have grown - he looks like a little marine! He continues to sleep a lot, like a puppy. And chew. But we are getting along just fine. He adds a crazy new dimension to life at Little Bird Farm. Here's Fred. This chipmunk Marta brought Fred doesn't stand a chance! Impressive puppy teeth, eh?

In a less insane moment....

April has had us hopping.

Working in the yard and gardens, playing in the snow (snow????!!!! Fred's first!), Commander's parents visiting, and a family Easter brunch. Here are a few snapshots of the past two weeks!

Is Fred a dog? Or is he a rabbit! (The Easter bunny maybe??)

Commander's Mom, Dad and dog, Patch, help us with the weeding. Thank you!

A little bit of Easter Day activity; Amber, Miles and Gavin hang out with Fred.

And Miles gets Papa, Podgie and me to do the work when he decides we should plant ornamental corn that the Easter Bunny brought him.

Podgie & Miles, Tim & Elyse.....chilling.

Patch isn't so sure he likes Fred on Gretchen's lap!

But Patch and Fred become good buddies anyway.

I'm sorry I don't have many Easter Day pix to post! I was pretty busy - in the best possible way. We were sure thinking about and missing our loved ones far away!