What Ana Does

Every summer for the past five or so years we've spent time in the Berkshires at the summer camp my sister and her husband run. ( Click here to see it. ) And every year I'm reminded of how much I love this place. Western Massachusetts is just so lovely, with winding roads and hidden-away places. It's worth a visit if you've never been. This year, after we dropped Leah off for her week as a camper, Alice and I toured Saratoga Springs and thereabouts. This is a special week for us because it's just all about what Alice (at age 8) and I like to do. We toured the Museum of Dance and Hall of Fame , ate at some great little places, found a little beach and even enjoyed an indoor climbing wall during the two rainy afternoons. We saw a movie ( The Emoji Movie , don't rush to see it) and treated ourselves to a sugary snack, which we never do. Alice is almost old enough to attend my sister's camp, so these summer weeks with just the two of us will come to an ...

Pictures of one of my favorite places on the Earth ... before I bore you with the story of where, what and how ... Larkin Lake in the Morning. Ready for Campers.  The Woods Outside Our Cabin. One of my favorite places in the entire world is a camp my sister and her husband run in the lovely Berkshire hills of Massachusetts. It was a camp in the hey-day of camps, then fell completely neglected and reclaimed by the woods there. Until the camp owner swooped in and invested lots of cash into building it back up again ... and wisely hired my sister and brother-in-law to run it. We started visiting in the early years during Labor Day weekend, when the camp was still being refurbished and the program was just building up. Over the three (or was it four?) years that we visited it quickly became my favorite vacation spot. I never went to a sleep-away camp like this, so I indulge my inner 10-year-old. We'd sleep in cabins, eat in the dining hall, play in the Playhouse and lake. A...

Despite being the dead of winter with lows in the negative numbers and even too cold for Benny to walk to the bus stop, it's the time to start planning our summer camp plans. The park district camp registration is on Feb. 6 and if you aren't registering that day, there's a chance you won't get the sessions and locations you want. The horror.  We asked the kids what they want to do this summer and Alice insists on being home all day (there never was a more committed homebody) and Leah would rather "go anywhere" but back of the park district camp they were all last year. Neither of these scenarios is even close to possible, but I appreciate their input. After the success of the botanic garden mini-camp they attended for over winter break, I decided to break up their summer and send them for a few weeks at one camp then the other, which should keep them on their toes and not stuck in camp monotony. And the sessions really work together and will provide a go...

With summer day camp comes two boxed lunches each day for the kiddos -- and no hot lunch option when I'm not feeling "into" food assembly. Toward the end of the school year, I got uninspired and used too many (by my standard) prepared food. So, I'm attempting to get some of my lunch-making mojo back by snapping a few pictures of the little creations. Here are a few from this week: Leah: Apple Slices and Blueberries, Yogurt, Ham Sammy, Carrots and String Cheese Alice: Applesauce, Watermelon, Ham, Tomatoes and Rice Cakes Leah: Toast Crackers (No Bread in the House), Turkey, Banana Chips, Watermelon, Blueberries and Yogurt By the way, the awesome Ziploc lunch containers that never leaked (top picture) were discontinued. Ugh! I'm so upset with myself that I didn't buy a surplus when I had a chance. Needless to say, I'm treasuring the few I have left.

Just got back from a great labor day at camp in the Birkshires. All five granddaughters were there. We all had too much fun.

Liza and Eric invited us to spend the weekend at their camp in the Berkshires. We spent as much time possible in the secluded lake -- swimming, paddling around in the boats and jumping off "the Blob." I even came out of retirement to run around on the soccer field; which taught me an painful lesson that though your head remembers what to do with a soccer ball, your body might not want to go along anymore. Kickboard skills in the lake! The camp starts in full force next year and I'm already jealous of those girls. Soccer, swimming, canoeing and hanging out at the dining hall. Just a few years and Leah will be one of them! In our continuing quest to declutter, we donated a box of DVDs for movie nights, games and books. My goal is to donate enough books were I get a plaque: Library Made Possible By the Generous Donation of Jessica." But, I have to give up a few hundred more books for that to happen, I think. It's a goal. Now we're back at the house and I...