The Little Boy from Aleppo

Posted on 2016/08/18 by circuskitchen

Thursday, August 18th 2016

His name is Omran Daqneesh.

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Here is the Daily Mail news report:   http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3748180/Wounded-Syrian-boy-harrowing-image-shocked-world-breaks-reunited-parents.html?ito=social-facebook:  

Here is a video: Little boy rescued from the rubble in Syria [2:30]:

 

 

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Just yesterday I wrote that this blogsite is a little slice of heaven I’m leaving my kids.  True. Yet my idea of heaven is not one wherein we blindly ignore the plight of so many so less fortunate than us.

Not at all.

 

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Upworthy Robbery at Knifepoint Guy

Posted on 2016/08/18 by circuskitchen

August 2016

In the face of too many horrors about the world I arguably shouldn’t be reading, this blog is the little slice of heaven I leave my kids.  Here ya go kids, another beautiful, amazing thing:

He was robbed at knifepoint and handled it in a most unusual way [2:44]: 

 

LOVE IS ALWAYS THE ANSWER!!

And courage is the means.

 

compassion is more important than fear

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CircusKitchen Camping Trip LOG!

Posted on 2016/08/15 by circuskitchen

THIS INDEX IS A WORK IN PROGRESS, FOR REFERENCE INTO PERPETUITY, so our flamly can speed-dial up the stories, photos & videos from our camping adventures.  Our first  year -2013- we went ONCE.  The next year -2014- we went ONCE.  Then in 2015 we went THRICE.  In 2016 we went SIX TIMES.  In 2017 we went SEVEN times.  I expect that to remain a record for a while.  And that eventually we shall try, like, HIKING.

And with a prices between $8 and $16 per night at state parks… we will surely break the bank any century now.

PS:  Happy Anniversary to my one and only Manmeat.  So far so good, Wove.

2013-08-29 12.17.34

1) August 2013:   Wells State Park, Sturbridge MA 

2013-08-29 First Time Camping – Wells State Park (MOVIE)

2) August 2014:  NH Mile Away Camp, Suncook NH

[pending] 

3) May 2015: Wompatuck State Park, Hingham MA

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2015-05-24 Food-Beach-Food

2015-05-25 Camping Wompatuck State Park (MOVIE)

4) September 2015:  Otter River State Forest

2015-09-05 15.35.47-1

2015-09-06 Why Are Dry Frogs Called Toads 

2015-09-07  Seven Year Old Transformation

2015-09-07 Camping Otter River State Forest (MOVIE)

5)  October 2015:  Clarksburg Camp in Western MA  (group of 16) [pending]
6)  May 2016:  Myles Standish State Forest MA (group of 19) [pending]

7) June 2016:  Lovell’s Island, Boston Harbor20160629_152030 stunning boston sky view

2016-06-29 Meet Lovell’s Island

2016-06-29 The Face That Broke My Internet

2016-07-01 Lovells Island MOVIE 

8) August 2016:  Bumpkin Island, Boston Harbor

2016-08-10 Camping Bumpkin – Ferryboat Fairies

2016-08-10 Swing Low Lyrics

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2016-08-11 Camping Bumpkin – Ahoy Daddy

2016-08-11 Bumpkin Island Bumpkins

2016-08-11 Mighty Daddy Bumpkin

2016-08-12 Bumpkin Island Escape

2016-08-12 Bumpkin Island MOVIE

9) September 2016:  Burlingame State Park, Souther Coast of Rhode Island [pending]

2016-10-10-20-20-16

10) October 2016:  Mohawk Trail State Forest, MA

 

2016-10-10 Mohawk Trail Camping [MOVIE]

11)  December 2016:  Mohawk Trail Forest CABIN!

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2016-12-30 Mohawk Cabining [MOVIE]

12)  May 2017:  DAR State Forest (group of 11) [pending]

13) June 2017:  Lovell’s Island

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2017-06-30 Loving Lovells Island [MOVIE]  

 14a) August 2017:  Otter River MA

[pending] 

 14b) August 2017:  Camp Andrew VT

[pending] 
15) September 2017:  Burlingame RI

[pending] 
16) October 2017:  Tully Lake MA  (group of 11)

[pending] 

17) December 2017:  Frost Mountain Yurts, ME 2017-12-29 13.10.52 Frosty Oberhauser Four

2017-12-30 Camping Frosty Mountain Getaway [MOVIE]   

18) May 2018:  Memorial Day at Otter River State Forest & Friends (group of 12) ...[pending]

2018-05-31 Otter River Camping Collage.jpg

19) August 2018:  Anniversary @Lovell’s Island

2018-08-15 Anniversary @Lovell’s Island  [MOVIE in Three Parts]

20) 2018 Labor Day Weekend Wampatuck State Forest [pending]...2018-09-01 Wompatuck BDay Camping Collage.jpg

21) 2018 December Getaway at Frost Mountain Yurt

2018-12-28 13.04.01.jpg

2018-12 Frost Mountain Yurt Getaway [movie] 

22) 2019 Memorial Day Weekend @ Bear State Forest

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Appalachian Trail Lean-to!

2019-05-26 Beartown State Forest Camping [1:40]:

23) 2019 August 10th Anniversary Camping (?Celebration) @Lovell's

.

24) 2019 Labor Day Burlingame Ocean State
25) 2019 October Savoy Mountain Salamander SPLOOP Camping

.

26) 2019 December - Frost Mountainview Yurt

.

27) 2020 February - Savoy Mountain CCC Cabin w/ Boomsy

28)  2020 May 22-25th  – Beartown w/ Zach Jr, Fish Spears, Exploding June Bugs & Flaming Fart

29) 2020 July 5-7 - Savoy Mountain & Deerfield River Tubing

.

30) 2020 July - Otter River / Athol Adventures
31) 2020 August 2nd-7th - Shawme Crowell Bohart Sandwich

32)  2020 August 12-15th – Salisbury Beach Camping w/ Skunks & Fish

32.5) 2020 August 17th-20th – Paul & Kids & Reeses @Newfound Lake NH

33) 2020 September 4-7th – Wampatuck State Park w/ Bubble Wow

34) 2020 December 27-30 - Frost Mountain Yurt with Boharts
35) 2021 April 21-25th - Wilmington, Vermont Air BnB

36)  July 29-August 2nd 2021 – MATOMI w/ Zach Jr.

37) September 2021 – Burlingame w/ Pingitores & Wasps & Hurricane Ida

38). Memorial Day Weekend – Otter River Group Camping (with Pingitores & Smith-Littles)

39). August 4th-8th. – MATOMI with Zach Jr.

40)   September 2022 – Burlingame RI w/ Jen & Olivia Rees (&Janet & Kyle)

41)

♥♥♥♥

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ClaraJane’s Sleepover with Bubble Wow

Posted on 2016/08/15 by circuskitchen

August 15th 2016

 

Today is the day of a much anticipated sleepover for ClaraJane with her beloved Bubble Wow.

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They’re OFF

 

And it is perfectly delightful.

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Thank you Bubble Wow!

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Bumpkin Island MOVIE

Posted on 2016/08/12 by circuskitchen

August 12th 2016

2016-08-12 Bumpkin Island Camping [6:13]:

 

 

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CJ’s Fairy Garden

 

 

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boston island formation

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

boston-harbor-islands map

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Bumpkin Island Escape

Posted on 2016/08/12 by circuskitchen

Friday, August 12th 2016

 

Forget the ferry boat, Daddy gotta boat.  As for getting our gear and us all across the the harbor, he takes the Fox, Goose and Grain approach.

 

First the boy and the gear:

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Leaving us girls for now:

2016-08-12 11.35.58-1

 

With time for farewells to our Fairy Garden:

2016-08-12 11.50.53-1

 

And farewells to the “Graveyard of Sea Critters.”

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Thanks to Daddy’s mighty rowing against the winds, they make it back for us!

2016-08-12 12.48

 

Whereupon Daddy finally gets me where he wants me:

2016-08-12 13.06.02 Mamma Row

(I thought my rowing days were over.)

 

A shower and visit at Uncle Joe & Heather’s, then finally Home-Sweet-Home.

2016-08-12 17.27.20 Home sweet home

 

 

2016-08-12 17.28 THE END

The End.

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Mighty Daddy Bumpkin

Posted on 2016/08/11 by circuskitchen

August 11th 2016

We’re used to DaddyLove being BIG.  And it’s true.

All the more fun trying a different perspective:

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You’re actually amazing DLove.  Thanks for alll you do!

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Bumpkin Island Bumpkins

Posted on 2016/08/11 by circuskitchen

Thursday, August 11th 2016

Now that’ Daddy’s here, we go exploring.

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You can actually WALK from the island to the land at high tide.
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We spend the afternoon alternately hiding from the heat and cooling in the ocean.

 

Until Daddy takes us out in the boat.

 

That evening finds ClaraJane the Turkey Feather Queen *whittling* with her knife.

 

S’mores on the beach are followed by snores in the tent.  Come morning we find the Queen’s subjects foraging about in our own private marsh:

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In no time, they’re gone.  Which brings to mind our own need to evacuate this desolate situation ourselves.

Moor to come.

 

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Camping Bumpkin – Ahoy Daddy 

Posted on 2016/08/11 by circuskitchen

Thursday,  August 11th 2016

8am this morning finds me in the hammock contemplating whether I want to scrounge up a campfire to make coffee or just keep going without coffee until some point later when Daddy might be here to make his camp stove magic.  Boy is going for sleep-in gold, and Girl has already asked why don’t I just call Daddy?

“Because maybe he’s still sleeping,” I explain. “Not every day Daddy doesn’t have kids waking him up.”

“Tweeee!” comes a faint whistle to which I pay no regard until my kids cry “DADDY!!”

What the?

?!?!

 

Dude is in a BOAT,  like,  rowing up to shore. Daddy is rowing a boat ashore.

 

Proverbially, literally. I didn’t even know Gavin was awake.

 

I didn’t know DADDY was awake for that matter.

Or that he was bringing me COFFEE.  

 ♡♡♡ *sigh* ♡♡♡

DLove joins our fold, starting with a well-earned spell in the hammock.  We may have just seen him yesterday, but ClaraJane is keeping a much closer eye on him now.

 

I guess if I’d checked Facebook I might have known:

 

 

 

Apparently lots of others did:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Much thanks to Auntie Heather and Uncle Joe in Hull for loaning Paul the rowboat.

Daddy Ho!

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Camping Bumpkin – Ferryboat Fairies

Posted on 2016/08/11 by circuskitchen

Wednesday,  August 10th 2016

Home from my gig with smooth enough transitions to catch an earlier Boston Harbor Ferry than expected.

Daddy joins us tomorrow by shark or something we don’t know what.

We’ll just have to camp and sea.

And goof off over ferry boat pretzels.

 

 

And kill time between ferries at George’s Island.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

.

Until we arrive!

 

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CJ waxes ambivalent over the “Graveyard of Sea Creatures” on display.

Exploring our charming island find.

Set up is definitely easier with Daddy Love around, but we manage (not least of why because he provided dinner anyways).

AND we’re by the ocean!

Shel Silverstein by head lamp, songs by ukulele, crickets and ocean waves, I’m feeling pretty good about how I’m managing to provide for the kids out here.

“I’m so happy!” says the groggy 5-year old as she descends into sleep, “Because tomorrow is the day that DADDY comes.”

“You know you just saw him most of today right?” I ask.

Crickets.

And waves.

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