Boxing Day at the Park

[porphyry]

The day after Christmas was warm and mild, so we took the children to our favorite park close to home.






Our first duty was to feed the honkers and quackeroos. That’s “geese” and “ducks” in grownup English.

The honkers are fairly tame and even somewhat aggressive. I always instruct Madeline to drop the bread on the ground, but being the risk taker she is, she held out her hand to give the honker some bread. The honker nipped the tips of Madeline’s fingers, which half-thrilled, half-frightened her.





The quackeroos were content to skate on the ice rather than compete with the larger honkers for old bread.






Andrew said this cloud looked like a whale:




Madeline, fearless, makes her way to the big spiral slide. Andrew still won’t go down this slide because it’s so high up.






Andrew, in the meantime, has his picture taken with his Mama. “We’re in love,” he says.




A view of the lake from the bridge:




And finally, months ago I made a post about Madeline. Between the ages of two and four months, she looked like she could have been Uncle Fester’s baby (bald, goofy-looking, but loveable nevertheless). Apparently, our imitation of the Addams Family doesn’t stop there. Here’s Madeline walking over the bridge with Cousin It:



I really ought to consider doing something about that.

Comments

[sombersigh.livejournal.com]

This is almost beyond belief - you *are* a Lady Godiva with fantastical hair(where do you keep your horse?) - you're gorgeous! No wonder people touch your hair all the time. What's particularly impressive is that your tresses are just as thick at the ends as at the roots, and so shiny to boot! And Andrew is a darling. Thank you so much for sharing these wonderful photos, they made my day. ;))

[malkhos.livejournal.com]

That is so kind of you.

I never see myself that way--I feel I'm just rather plain-looking. But people make endless comparisons such as you; years ago, when I was in college, one of my professors remarked: "When Dante Gabriel Rossetti used Elizabeth Siddal as his model, he wasn't painting her, really. He was painting you." Another said, "Had Klimt seen you about the streets of Vienna, he would have begged you to model for him." One would think I might be able to believe that given this kind of commentary has been ongoing throughout my life, there might be some truth to it, but--I'm forty years old; I wear shapeless, baggy, dark clothes; I don't wear make-up. I just don't see what others see.

Still, now when you see my words, you'll have a person to go with them. And of course I'm glad you enjoyed the photos overall.

[malkhos.livejournal.com]

You left out the one who tells how beautiful you are the most.

[petrusplancius.livejournal.com]

Geese are such aggressive beasts; I used to live next door to a farm where a farmer used to keep a herd (?) of them, and they would rush out in a group with their necks held out, hissing loudly, whenever one walked past, I never ceased to feel nervous of them. The farmer insisted that they were much more effective as guard animals than any dog. Your tresses would indeed have sent any Victorian painter into raptures!

[malkhos.livejournal.com]

See above comment from me; you're not the first :)

[leopold-paula-b.livejournal.com]

More compliments on your hair, this time from James Joyce:
http://leopold-paula-b.livejournal.com/61689.html

[malkhos.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[benicek.livejournal.com]

Oddly, you are slightly as I imagined you :) I am not disappointed.

[malkhos.livejournal.com]

That's interesting! Glad you're not disappointed.

[stefanie-bean.livejournal.com]

Your hair is gorgeous! And that's so sweet when little ones say "I love you" to Mama.

Our youngest was chased by a goose in the park once, and managed to outrun it. She wanted to go back after it with a stick, but I wasn't sure who'd win that round.

[malkhos.livejournal.com]

Thanks. :)

Geese are quite mean. So, actually, are swans, beautiful as they are. I wouldn't mind going after them with sticks myself.