Tuesday, October 13, 2009

The Bernard Family of Wendell, MA

On Sunday Raj and Colin and I took a long overdue drive to visit our friends in Wendell, Dean and Kristen and their two kids, Marley and Astha.  It was a clear and crispy day, perfect for the fall foliage tour that unfolded around us as we headed for Wendell.

We visited, read books, played indoor games, ate fresh homemade applesauce, drank hard cider, root beer, and chai, sampled all the apple and pear varieties growing on their land, visited the chickens, ate home-cow-grown ghee, clambered up in the tree fort, jumped from the 2nd story barn window onto the trampoline, and feasted on a bounty from Kristen's 'earnings' for midwifery: cheeses, beer, chicken with fresh pesto sauce, fresh ice cream (vanilla, chocolate and pumpkin), potatoes, butternut squash pesto, milk with cream on top, and stewed apples.

We drove home in the starry starry darkness, and fell into bed, filled to the brim with country living (in a good way).

The Barn.

Random building on Dean and Kristen's land.



Marley's Tree Fort, Downstairs.

 
Marley's Tree Fort, Upstairs.




 Astha's not allowed up here.

 

Astha peeking at the camera.

Riding her bike.

That candy necklace was gone before dinner.



Kristen cooking and telling a story. Doesn't she look like a Brennan?!



Moving fast.



Dean, Raj's oldest friend from their shared childhood in India.



Slaying slaw.

Gamers.



Colin.



Astha in her Fairy Hat.




Later, Astha added earrings...