The cat brought us live baby bunnies. . . . . much to the girls delight.

We only kept them for the afternoon and then put them out in the evening for their mama bunny to come get them, Unfortunatley the next few days there was the same blood bath of baby rabbits in the yard that we had last summer. I guess our cat just really has a taste for rabbit. Cruel cruel mother nature.

Julia has been chasing the cat and saying "Pia, no honey bunting. "

Also, there was a totally random convention of Amish people at the abandoned gas station the other day. (layers of irony there, I know) I stopped to ask them if they needed help with there car-- I know--why were they driving a car which incidentally they abandoned there--, I have no idea. They were dressed pretty traditional too .. so, yeah, weird. It was cute to see all the little boys in straw hats wave at Angelica though. She waved back.

We planted out potatoes this week and swiss chard. Hoping to get more in next week. I suppose I ought to be grateful to the cat for decreasing the rabbit population around the garden. Why, why, why was I raised on Beatrix Potter? It makes one so sympathetic to the rabbits.

Woops, I forgot to say that I just love Julia in the Polly Flinders dress my mother-in-law sent ages ago!

Buona Pasqua!

Questa primavera la piu bella quest anno. Il mondo e tutti fiore. Le bimbe stanno bene e Angelica comminica preperatzione per il primo Communione al primo di Maggio. Noi ancora proviamo trovare un modo per tornare a Gravanga quest anno ma adesso e difficile dire. Come voliamo tutti tornare a videre nostri amici, le montagne, San Barttolomeo!!!!!! Mandiamo i penzieri e preghieri. Ciao e baci!

We have all has a beatiful Easter following a very long and sober Lent. You really only appreciate Easter with Lent before it. The girls were very exited to have our own eggs to color this year and although we had so much wonderful food on Easter Sunday I think all the fasting during Holy week made us have tiny shrunken stomachs and nobody was very hungry.

We are having quite a weekend. We drove in with Ben on the metro to DC to see him off on his New York bolt bus. Ben is in New York this weekend hanging out with his cool publisher friends. I took the girls and a friend with her kids out to the Virginia State Arboretum today for a truly breathtaking experience. We have never had a more blossomy flowery spring ever. The kids all ran throught the feilds of daffodils and narcissus yelling "Paradise! Paradise!" It was beautiful. The old plantation house there is really more beautiful than I remembered too. Add some wine and cheese and fresh bread and that's about as good as things can be with one's husband gone.