Category Archives: Family
My son and I picked tomatoes this evening for local food banks through the Jersey Cares organization.
It was hot and humid at Peaceful Valley Orchards in Pittstown, NJ and we loved all two hours of it.
I’m proud of his commitment and his comprehension of what we were doing and why.
Maybe we have a future gardener after all.
On the Long Island Sound:
Stonington:
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| “Dogwatch oyster” at Dogwatch Cafe |
We’ll always find a minor league baseball game. This time, the New Britain Rock Cats (AA) and both kids scored a game used ball:
“Home” at Cedar Lake in Chester:
Greatest pizza I’ve had to date (yes, it was in CT and not NJ or NY … a sin, I know):
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| Otto’s Pizza in Chester |
Intense wiffle ball games. I still have my wicked curveball as you’ll see below:
Winding down at night:
This past week there was a terribly tragic accident in our town, one that involved a 9 year old boy who attended school with both of my children.
There is an effort under way to raise money for the family and you can read more about it through the link on the right sidebar of this page.
Thank you for your consideration.
John
We just returned from a week’s vacation in both Cape May, NJ and Virginia Beach, VA.
Here’s what went down:
The weather was ominous to start the week but when we arrived at our hotel in Cape May – Congress Hall – we dumped our bags and made it onto the beach:
That night it was raw oysters and mega amounts of seafood:
And some beverages for the adults:
More beach time:
And maybe one of us slipped away to check out the grounds of the hotel in greater detail:
The kids were so into it, I could talk them into doing anything:
We were all feeling kind of good, come to think of it:
Dude is now hooked on coffee (but decaf) just like his dad:
When you are on vacation, you eat cookies in bed:
Our larger crew in an awesome family pic (thank you for taking random stranger):
And in a flash, we left our temporary home:
… and prepped for the next phase of the trip:
We took the Cape May Ferry to Lewes, Delaware:
And once on land, we made a pit stop at the Dogfish Head Brewpub, aka Heaven.
I highly recommend the “Wheetle” by the way.
Momma took the keys and we drove the three hours down to Virginia Beach to stay with family.
We ate dinner directly on the Chesapeake Bay one evening and had stunning photo opportunities with the sunset:
And actually hung out under the Chesapeake Bay Bridge:
And more sunset on the beach pics:
The remainder of the trip was all about eating, drinking and chilling in the pool … and also whiffle balls:
And getting jealous of plants I can’t grow:
And handstands:
Sucks to be back home but we have memories that will last a lifetime.
Five or so years ago my wife gave me a Meyer Lemon tree for Christmas. I still vividly remember the chilly December evening when the four of us were enjoying dinner out and the kids were all giggly and whispering and daring me to guess what Mommy got me for Christmas. I eventually coaxed it out of them and we agreed I would plant it later the next day, a week or two before December 25th. That night was one of those randomly awesome family times when the stars are aligned and you want time to freeze so the kids don’t age another day. Those nights mean more to me than any holiday or vacation.
Since that time, the tree has been brought indoors each autumn where it pouts and drops a bunch of leaves only to rebound when it makes its way back outdoors the following spring. I would get plenty of fragrant flowers along the way, but never an actual lemon …
… until late last summer, when I finally discovered an actual lemon hanging precariously off of a bare branch:
The tree itself had seen better days, but the little lemon was enough to keep me inspired heading into the winter:
Once the tree made its way inside the house, I placed it in its usual southern exposure in my kitchen:
Except now that we had an actual fruit present, it was time to get serious. I had a family counting on me to provide for them. If this fruit were to not come to … fruition … I may never gain back their faith in me. These are the times when real men step up and deliver. So I purchased a grow light and fertilized the tree for the first time while it was indoors. Soon enough, the lemon started to mature:
And new growth appeared all over the tree:
My only fear now, was that the lemon would fall off of the tiny branch and we would be screwed.
But this was a special lemon and she wasn’t going to be denied. By the time we hit May/June, the lemon looked like a … lemon … and I knew we were in the clear:
Now the challenge was all about how to actually enjoy it. It had to be special and ceremonious and we needed to do it right.
Last week I pulled the lemon off of the tree, ready to force a decision upon ourselves as to how it would be consumed. Do we all get a quarter of it and simply eat it? I was game but no one else was on board. Do we use it in a cocktail? Not a bad idea but then the kids would feel left out. Maybe we each take our 1/4 lemon and do whatever the hell we want to with it? Still no definitive direction.
This past Saturday was my son’s 12th birthday. We were having some family over and decided on serving lobster rolls, one of his personal favorites. I wasn’t thinking about that Meyer lemon sitting in the fruit bowl in the kitchen at all until I stepped out the front door and saw this:
My son was chilling, drinking a lemon soda and I commented on how much he loves all things lemon flavored. BOOM, it all came into focus. This was the day our special lemon would be devoured.
True story, my wife craved and was obsessed with citrus when she was pregnant with my son. Lemonade, lemon ice, lime cookies and orange juice were all a part of her daily diet. And no lie, from the day he was born and could eat regular foods, my son loved everything lemon flavored. There has to be a connection here.
I ran back into the house and consulted with my wife. We had the plan in place. Out came the lemon and we cut it in half:
Looking good.
One quarter or so was eaten by yours truly (delicious by the way) and the rest was squeezed into a pot:
The lemon juice would be flavoring the butter that would be flavoring the …
Lobsters!
The lobster rolls were a huge hit and the best I’ve ever had. That friggin lemon juice made all the difference in the world. Our special fruit used for a special kid on his special day. Quick, call Hallmark, I’m getting all mushy and crap.
Happy birthday big guy, never change. We love you.
If we never get another lemon off of that tree, it still did its job.
Phenomenal Father’s Day here today. Low 80’s, sunny and not the least bit humid.
After today, I can confirm that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.
Events in chronological order:
Breakfast in bed – Lemon ricotta pancakes, double thick bacon, pineapple/strawberry mix, black coffee.
Me personally running baseball/softball practice in the front yard – Impressive showing by both children.
Strawberry picking at a local farm – Impossible for me to describe just how good they are
Dinner – Filet mignon with blue cheese butter, corn on the cob, mozz and tomato salad
Dessert – Angel food cake, fresh strawberries and freshly made whipping cream
Walk – 2 mile family walk at dusk that capped off a perfect day.
And somewhere in between all of those activities, I managed to get out in the garden, pick some weeds, plan some future plant moves and purchases, find a bunch of infant rabbits living inside of a Barberry, get filled with plant related anger and take some photos.
Enjoy the pics.
Possibly my new favorite shrub – Physocarpus ‘Amber Jubilee’ – in a container on the deck for now. How about that foliage color: 
Still managing to keep the lettuce and kale going even as the temperature starts to trend higher:
We’ve got tomatoes:
I love the subsequent red seed capsules on the Physocarpus ‘Diablo’ more than the flowers:
I have found that Veronica likes my conditions more than I ever imagined so I have placed them all over the garden for much needed color at this point in the gardening season:
A new Monarda cultivar this year, ‘Pardon My Purple’, is performing well to date:
Maybe a bit boring, but Itea ‘Little Henry’ has proven to thrive just as ‘Henry’s Garnet’ has for so many years:
Astilbe love continues:
Still not sure about the color combo above, but for most of the year, it won’t be a concern. Have to let this one marinate for a while before I decide to keep it or not.
The first coneflower has appeared:
Um, what exactly do these “dots” represent? Maybe it is a secret message/code I am supposed to crack:
Rabbits didn’t get the memo that ornamental grasses are off limits:
Happy Father’s Day to all the dads out there from a dad who has never felt more appreciative of all that he has in his entire lifetime.
Today we said goodbye to the only childhood home I ever knew (1973-2014) in bucolic Midland Park, New Jersey as my parents are moving out in the next week.
That little Cape Cod holds a host of memories for me, my wife/fiancee/girlfriend (FYI – all one in the same) and my weepy, nostalgic children. I left home 18 years ago and left behind memories that made me into the solid citizen I am today but I always knew I would be back to this humble abode often while my parents still lived there. To finally say goodbye today wasn’t easy and I can’t imagine the emotions my parents have bottled up inside having raised three children in this home.
My kids have had numerous sleepovers at “Mimi and Pop’s” over the years (always better when it was without my wife and me) so this was obviously tough on them as well. I kid you not, the kids made us take over 100 photos of them in and around the house today as they just couldn’t let go. They were also consumed with the amazing smell the house has. Don’t ask, all I know is that they have clothes they brought with them that they insist they will never wash again.
And you knew they were deeply affected when they had no issues hanging so closely together.
Yes, my son is honestly going to miss the stove (maybe we should start therapy for him now).
We took one last walk down the “path” near my parent’s house. Little back story here – this is where the kids went to smoke when we were young, where “makeout” sessions were all the rage on summer nights and where I may or may not have seen my first Playboy. It was creepy and exciting all at the same time. The ideal hangout for a young dude.
It may sound ridiculous, but so much of my younger years were spent collecting, splitting open, throwing and avoiding stepping barefoot on acorns. And I don’t know if I’ve seen one since I left home.
As the day wound down, I did my best to capture some final images that represented some of the more obscure memories I had from the grand old late 70’s and early 80’s. Like this railing around the front patio of the home. I used to kick field goals with a Nerf football from the street below and imagine this was the goalpost. This is also where I first discovered my fear of heights as all of the “double dares” in the world wouldn’t get me to walk across on the other side of the railing.
But I won’t bore you with all of my personal memories. Just know that I couldn’t have signed up for a better upbringing from two parents who taught me all about unconditional love, respect, self discipline and simply being a good person. I like to think I am a stellar husband having watched one for some many years. I cherish the late night talks I had with my Mom and her support when my supposed girlfriend dumped me in 5th grade. My parents never missed a game or even a practice and that kind of thing stays with you for an eternity.
I’m sorry Missy and Ali for forcing you to play hallway football and I’ll never forget our endless games of Clue, Careers and swimming in the Minervini’s pool. We became monstrous Rangers fans in this house and knew the wonders of an oscillating fan, Shop Rite iced tea and Air Supply. Good f’n times.
I’ll miss the house and the town for sure, but I also look forward to having my parents that much closer to us now so we can build new memories together without hopping on Route 287.
Oh, I’ll also painfully miss the garden we put together a few years ago and hope the new owners will keep it going, especially the fantastic mass of Baptisia.
Thank you Mick and John and goodbye 15 Oak Ave.
I was going to end there, but after I got home today, and went through some old boxes of memories my parents dumped on gave me, I found a few things I had to share with you all.
I knew from an early age I wanted to be a writer and damn did I have a flair for the dramatic and the classic cliffhanger.
To this day, I am not a huge fan of the rhododendron and it is good to know that my disdain started at a young age. Check out my palpable lack of enthusiasm in the photo below.
And finally, I want to give my 7th grade teacher a big “F you” for discounting my leaf report grade so heavily based on one friggin word.
Funny stuff.
I’ve been married to my wife for over 17 years now and we dated 5 years prior to that. We kind of know everything about each other … or so I thought.
I spent a good part of Saturday finally planting most of the plants I have had laying around the past few weeks.
Two Aconitum napellus (Monkshood):
Three Actaea simplex (Bugbane) ‘Black Negligee’:
An Andropogon gerardii (Big Bluestem) ‘Red October’:
Three more Amsonia hubrichtii:
Two Molinia (Moor Grass) ‘Cordoba’:
Completed the trifecta now that I have Joe Pye Weed ‘Baby Joe’ (also have ‘Little Joe’ and ‘Gateway’):
But enough about me. This is about my wife’s dirty little secret.
As I was lost in my world of digging holes, my wife stealthily made her way outside. I naively assumed she was just enjoying my handiwork or smelling the newly blooming lilacs. If that was the case though, why was she wearing disposable gloves and why was she carrying an extra large garbage bag? I snuck up closer and took position where she couldn’t see me. Once there, I studied her face and immediately noticed the unabashed determination. Girlfriend was on a mission. Was she going to remove all of my plants in a fit of anger? What the hell did I forget to do?
But once I saw exactly where she was headed, I knew what was going on. The woman I fell in love with 22 years ago was on a mission to remove poison ivy. I fell to my knees and cried with joy. I knew she had secretly tested her allergicness to the poison ivy a day or two earlier and was now in the clear. I can’t go near the stuff and it is literally taking over our gardens. My wife was ready to change that and holy crap did she attack it with gusto.
I literally heard her grunt as she pulled out the roots and nothing was going to stop her. The expletives flew out of her mouth as she looked like the anchor on a tug of war. This Russian Sage was about to be devoured and I was hopeless to do anything about it.
A few hundred pulls later and it was all cleared (RIP Perovskia):
All of the poison ivy infiltrating the Nepeta (Catmint), friggin gone:
All in all, I would say 90% of the poison ivy has been eradicated and the garden has never looked better! My wife kicked ass and she knew it. She had a grin on her face like she just won a UFC bout.
I’m thinking about putting mini flags wherever I find signs of the vine in the future just to make it easier … OK, maybe I shouldn’t push it.
After the gargantuan effort, my wife deserved a chance to chill out and put her feet up. But no rest for the weary. Soon after we returned indoors, my wife whipped this up, spinach salad with strawberries, toasted pecans and goat cheese:
Soon followed by brown sugar coated salmon:
Sigh …
May she believe in Santa until she is 28:
Making sure the birthday doesn’t get mixed in with Christmas:
Oh the pains I went through (wink wink) to make these cookies:
On to decorating the Christmas tree:
And then the school concerts:
Christmas Eve giddiness:
Me and the siblings:
Enjoying time with Mimi:
Some how managed to get the four cousins together:
Some moments are just too priceless for words:
Cookies were phenomenal Santa loved his cookies:
The stockings were hung by the chimney …
Actually the full reading as an annual tradition (will need a king bed soon):
Ready to come downstairs on Christmas morning:
Football cards were the gift du jour:
A little excited to get the Barbie jet:
May be the best looking jersey of all time:
She never ceases to amaze me with her creativity:
Some one listened to one of my podcasts where some of my friends recommended a certain garden tool from Cobrahead:
How you like the use of the Norfolk Island Pine?
If you look closely in the background, you can see the reenactment of George Washington crossing the Delaware River:
More time with cousins:
A lot of board games over the break (and I swear I didn’t peak at the football game once):
And a new found obsession for roller skating:
Time to get our glitter on for New Year’s Eve:
Some creative use for cotton candy:
Maybe you want to join us on New Year’s Eve and shut off Minecraft for a little while?
After her 15th New Year’s Eve, she has the right to be exhausted:
Oh look, he’s back and participating with the rest of us:
And finally, my two best ladies:
Happy New Year!
John