The first of the lasts; and a sneak preview

By now, most of our loyal readers probably know that the Johnston family will be leaving Massachusetts and heading back to Illinois in July. There is much that we love about this state - not the least of which are funky festivals and goings-ons tied to agricultural milestones. It is our quest to fit all of this fun stuff in before we hit the road.

Case in point: for six weeks, the state (the region, really) is all about maple syrup harvesting and making. The harvest must be marked by seeing how the maple syrup is made and a GIANT pancake breakfast. We headed to Mason, NH with the Heywoods to eat huge fluffy flapjacks and more cured meats than is usually recommended.

Fat with pancakes, the girls pose with a strange wooden bear at Parker's Maple Barn.


Our faithful friends who left the house on a Sunday morning at 6 a.m. so we could fit this breakfast in before Charlie's swimming lessons. Who else in the world would have done that for us?

Sugar House. Enough said!
Better than the pancakes - the maple sugar donuts. Unbelievable.

And, a sneak preview. In mid-June, Charlie's ballet school is having a performance. We got her costume on Saturday - the girls in her class of 4 and 5 year olds will be pretending to be Dutch dolls in a toy store who come to life. The dress is complete with a little pointed hat, braids, white tights, and white ballet slippers.