The Scent of Lilacs

The scent of lilacs lures me outside, it beckons me to lose myself in the beauty that is spring. Despite the swarms of black flies, I venture out seeking peace and solace. Our new home is different now in so many ways. Winter has finally released her icy grip and spring has blossomed seemingly overnight. As we travel through our year each season brings new challenges and surprises. And yet every morning I wake and look outside, every evening I watch the stars and listen to the barred owl, the spring peepers and crickets--I am in awe of this place and that I get to live here. So tonight as the sun set behind the hill and the lilacs beckoned, I walked our yard and new neighborhood exploring with my camera and found photo treasures to share...

The Creek

Our favorite place to explore and play at our new home---the creek. In any weather it is an endless source of fascination, exploration and surprise. We go down to the creek, which winds its way along the border of our property, everyday. We have only been here three months, but the weather in Maine has been crazy so we have had ample opportunity to observe the creek in diverse weather. Some mornings it roars like a train, some mornings its quiet trickle can barely be heard above the sound of the wind in the trees and other mornings the ice muffles the gurgling unless you are standing quietly and very close. 

Almost frozen the creek's black line slithers through the snow and the forest, meandering under, over, in between... disappearing under tunnels of snow.

 Raging after torrential rain it overflows its banks roaring through the forest like a raging beast sweeping ice chunks, leaves and branches away on a rollercoaster of waterfalls and twisting turns.

 And then there are quiet days of slow melting and icy nights of re-freezing. The freeze and thaw creating ice sculptures, hidden caverns with stalactites and stalagmites and chasms of prickly ice crystals, ice frozen in bubbled forms of slippery smooth waterfalls,  delicate bridges of ice crystals tentatively reach out their thorny arms to cross over the raging waters below...

Photography by Gabe and Louise

what happens when 17 first cousins get together?

I'll bet you are curious. These last few weeks we have been blessed to have Brian's brother Kevin and his wife Katie and their seven kids visit us from Okinawa. We only see them every three years so you can imagine we have three years worth of fun and getting to know each other to catch up on. Here is a glimpse of some of the crazy fun going on...
                                                             

hanging out

ummm....

exhausted from the fun

Lots of motorcycle riding

Climbing Mountains

Meeting Pirates

Camping and Smores

Enjoying the icy waters of the Swift River 

The Zoo where Grandma braved the snake

Rides!!!!

Independence Day --time to light it up!!!

And a July Birthday party for the 6 --Jaden, Kevin, Alan,
 Amy (honorary Johnson) Wisler and Faith