buddies and bugs

They were raking in the front lawn (I have grass!) and they naturally posed like this - it's funny how iconic it is. This summer Joachim's bug catching skills flourished. Grandma taught him how to sneak up behind grasshoppers and grab them by their hind legs (and then feed them to the chickens). It occupied him for great lengths of time. He didn't limit his bug catching to grasshoppers, he'd bring in every bug he'd catch and ask for a picture. I had every intention of printing the various bugs and presenting them to him as a book at the end of the summer, alas I deleted most of the pictures a month ago because I realized it just wasn't happening. Anyway, I'm sure there will be more once the weather turns again.

His life long buddy (of nearly five years) invited him to the zoo and it was a great day and a special experience coming from our small town.


I have to include this picture because Joachim is fascinated by Mouse Trap and every Rube Goldberg type thing. He can run around wielding sticks with the wildest of boys, but he much prefers the cause and effect of marble runs, gears and Mouse Trap. This is a tribute to the literal hours upon hours my dad has spent playing the game with him. I myself have not played it once, (and we keep it with my parents so I don't have to), but it's at the top of the list of things Joachim likes.