Visiting the Wood Duckling!

It's been more than a month since I've posted!  Ay yi yi.

Last week we (the little birds and I, with my sister) headed up north to spend a little time with the Wood Duckling.  Hoo boy has he grown, he's Mister Chubby Thighs now. 

 Chickadee could not get enough of him.  All she wanted to do was hold him...

...and kiss him...

... and point at him and talk about him.

Bluejay had a grand time as well, although I think his enjoyment was more tied to the riding lawnmower... 

... the apple trees, the blackberry bushes, the sheds and the little barn and his uncle's immense garage / woodshop area.  He gathered wood for the fireplace, and basically manned the house along with Uncle G.

I do love my brother and sister-in-law's new house.  I could let the kiddos run around inside or out and know that they were basically safe.  

The only dangers were the ones I'm comfortable with exposing them to (within reason), like honey bees, the occasional sharp piece of equipment within toddler reach, and splinters, that kind of thing.  

We made Dragon Bread while we were up there, a traditional Michaelmas activity in my family.  

It's basically a slightly sweet dough, with cardamom in it, that we make in the shape of a dragon, with the assistance of raisins for scales, claws, teeth, whatever the dragon needs for extreme scariness.

Then it goes in the oven and puffs up as it bakes and becomes cute instead of scary.

Finally it gets frosted with green frosting (one of my brothers always made a small amount of red to go on the small piece of flame shaped dough baked to a brown burnt crisp which he would then attach to his dragon's mouth), and slain with a sword-slash-bread knife.  We forgot the frosting ingredients this time.  The best part is always the slightly burnt puffy raisins.

On Monday and Tuesday, the Wood Duckling spent the morning with us, so that his mama could have a little bit of baby-free teaching time.  We brought him to her at her little school after his morning nap and just before he got really hungry.

At last, it was time to go home.  Bye-bye cousins!  We can't wait to see that little pudge-ball again soon.  He is just the sweetest, most mellow little baby.