11 Temmuz 2012 Çarşamba
10 Temmuz 2012 Salı
9 Temmuz 2012 Pazartesi
Photos: New Canaan Nature Center’s Winter Farmer’s Market
The kids and I went to the New Canaan Nature Center’s Winter Farmer’s Market and I was really pleased with it.
1. It was indoors.
2. There were beautiful fruits and veggies.
3. There was FOOD! LOTS OF IT! PIES! SANDWICHES! SOUP!
4. All the vendors were nice. (I appreciated the oohing and aahing over my two month old by several of them. And another one even offered to take my photo with my two kiddos!)
Decent prices on the veggies, I thought!
The only bad things were that
1. My mouth was numb from dental work so I couldn’t enjoy the food today
2. My active, almost 3 year old kept my attention divided so I couldn’t leisurely browse.
3. I had already grocery shopped for the week. Next week I’ll try to leave more room in my food plan for Farmer’s Market stuff.
We are definitely going back next week. This is a pilot program for the month of February, every Tuesday from 12-3. Please come out and show your support if you’re interested so the NCNC will continue it into March!
The Farmer’s Market was kid-friendly overall. I mean, you do not want to take your eyes off your (hyper)active toddler/preschooler, because there are pots of soup, but it’s a contained area so you won’t lose your kid if you say, sample some iced coffee. There’s also a neat outdoor playground on the way out that has furniture made from tree stumps and big bronze turtles. Really nice day outing if the weather is good.
More photos after the jump. 
Cove Island Beach Lost and Found
Not sure I've ever seen a more picturesque lost and found!
A friend and I took a walk on a very chilly day. That's why it was so strange to see a man jogging ONLY IN UNDIES. See below (click to read more) for a very far away photo of the man. OK, maybe they were just really thin running shorts.
You'll have to click on the photo to enlarge it to have any hope of seeing the figure I'm referring to in the photo. He's to the left of the largest, closest tree.
I feel like I often see really odd people at Cove. It's one of the many reasons I love the place. You'd never see that at Tod's Point in Old Greenwich.
EspressoNEAT Darien
I FINALLY made it to NEAT in Darien today! My sister and I needed a place for coffee after the haircut I got at Red Door Spa in Darien (with the gift certificate she got me for Christmas- thanks K!). I was picturing us sipping lattes in paper cups at Starbucks when I suddenly remembered espressoNEAT. We googlemapped it and were delighted to discover it was 27 seconds and 459 feet away. 
We of course drove there (hey, it's winter, and we had the baby with us) and made ourselves comfortable with a vanilla latte (so much less sugary sweet than a Starbucks latte) and chai tea (same). We had delicious pastries- almond croissant, carrot cake muffin, brownie- from SoNo baking company. The place was spacious and cozy. I declare NEAT child-friendly because of the well-spaced tables and the one large table with bench seating (great for trapping your mobile child) and a basket of fancy magnetic blocks for kids to play with. 
There is also a wall full of gifty-type stuff, which is always fun!
I swung by later in the day with the husband to get take out coffee. He declared his too cold and too expensive, but my (admittedly expensive at 5 bucks) vanilla latte was quite good! I'm still hoping to make Espresso NEAT a regular part of our weekend routine. Coffee and magnetic blocks, I think, accommodate both husband and child.
Last Dog Days at Tod's Point
I was marveling at the 20-30 dogs that stretched as far as the eye could see down the 300 yards of beach at Greenwich (also called Tod's) Point today. Then I remembered that after March 31 no dogs (or non-beach pass holders) are allowed. I have to say, all of the dogs, most of whom were off-leash, were incredibly well-behaved. It was enough to make even a dog-neutral person like me feel fondness toward them, sort of like how the Grinch's heart grows bigger at the end of the movie. One dog did bump my leg and get it a little wet, but that's nothing compared to that dog who put muddy paw prints on my butt at Mianus River Park. Or that other one who jumped all over me and got me dirty at Mianus later that same day. Anyway, what an incredible beach/park Tod's is. I'm sure it's going to be packed tomorrow, Saturday March 31!
Advocate Photo Blog Making News! Darien Girls' Lacrosse Coach Suspended
I am constantly talking about how awesome the Advocate's photoblog In Sight is. I don't mean to be repetitive, but there's an interesting discussion happening right now about the photos that Bob Luckey posted of the Darien girls' lacrosse coach grabbing her goalie's helmet and appearing to shove her backwards. The discussion at In Sight gets into pressures of high school sports, parents' expectations... it's something anyone who's been through school, or who has kids, can relate to. Go take a look!
I don't know anything about the coach or her team, but I do think:- It's great to open a dialogue about how we expect our kids to be treated. I think that's what Bob Luckey meant to do, and I commend him. - I would not want any adult to put their hands on my kid like that, even if they were on a high-pressure, high-performing team. - Adults who work with children have a responsibility to hold themselves, each day and each minute, to the highest behavior standards they can manage.- Everyone makes mistakes, and mistakes vary in degrees of seriousness. - A pattern of mistakes is a problem.
I just saw in the paper (how ironic that I'm calling it a "paper" and I read it online) that the coach is suspended for the rest of the season but can return in 2013. Wow.
I don't know if that would have happened if the photos hadn't been published. That might upset some people, but I think it was definitely right to publish the photos. The school system investigated, and this is what they decided. I think they were lucky to have gotten the chance to make sure their students are treated in an appropriate way. I think it's great they are giving the coach a second chance, too. That seems very fair.
What's interesting is that the incident took place on Friday May 25 and the photos weren't posted until Wednesday May 30. I wonder if there was hesitation over the publication, or if, like me, the photobloggers are usually too busy to sit down and blog!
8 Temmuz 2012 Pazar
Recall on Pet Food
ATTENTION:
The Procter & Gamble Company (P&G) (NYSE:PG) is voluntarily expanding its recall to include veterinary and some specialized dry pet food as a precautionary measure because it has the potential to be contaminated with salmonella. No salmonella-related illnesses have been reported.
The following dry pet food products are included:
| Product Name | Version | “Best-By” Dates | UPC Codes |
| Iams Veterinary Dry Formulas | All dry sizes and varieties | 01Jul10 – 01Dec11 | All UPC Codes |
| Eukanuba Naturally Wild | All dry sizes and varieties | 01Jul10 – 01Dec11 | All UPC Codes |
| Eukanuba Pure | All dry sizes and varieties | 01Jul10 – 01Dec11 | All UPC Codes |
| Eukanuba Custom Care Sensitive Skin | All dry sizes | 01Jul10 – 01Dec11 | All UPC Codes |
The affected products are sold in veterinary clinics and specialty pet retailers throughout the United States and Canada. No canned food, biscuits/treats or supplements are affected by this announcement.
These products are made in a single, specialized facility. In cooperation with FDA, P&G determined that some products made at this facility have the potential for salmonella contamination. As a precautionary measure, P&G is recalling all products made at this facility.
Consumers who have purchased the specific dry pet foods listed should discard them.
For further information or a product replacement or refund call P&G toll-free at 877-340-8823
(Monday – Friday, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM EST).
This recall does not affect the Iams Lamb & Rice we provide here at Camp Bow Wow.