Images of Summer, Part Two

 Not Mariana's first ice cream, but these photos definitely showcase her delight in the iconic summer treat.

 No words.

 She has become quite blonde this summer, but I imagine it will disappear just like it did for many of her older siblings.

 Sarah would gladly relinquish all food in order to live off of ice cream and chips.

 This was the summer that, when I cut Dave's hair, he suddenly became grey.  The inevitable march of time is unstoppable.

 Reading should not be species-specific.  Dog lives matter.

 We went for exactly one hike this summer at nearby Algonquin Park.  The trail we chose was the site of a tornado warning one week later!  This was Mariana's one happy moment on the trail.  She spent the rest of the time trying to launch herself out of the backpack carrier.  She was absolutely insistent that she could hike 3 km uphill and approach dangerous cliffs without the aid of adult hands.   And pick blueberries that weren't actually blueberries.  It was a happy time.

 My dear sister, Sr. Ilaria/Martha, was with us for three weeks this summer and she donned her sisterly athletic gear for many runs, hikes and games with the kids.  This was our ice cream stop on the way back from the Algonquin hike.  $1.50 a scoop - best place in the world.  Hannah had to hold the owner's baby while the owner scooped ice creams, but Hannah is emphatic that we got bigger scoops due to her babysitting skills.  This was also my first taste of ice cream in one year.  I have had to follow a crazy anti-candida diet for a year (no sugar and no carbohydrates) to rid myself of a nasty nursing infection.  Sad to say, the ice cream was disappointing.  And so was the weight gain.