Brentrance and Brexit

June 27, 2016
I woke up this morning in my Brooklyn bed for the first time in 10 days. It was 4:00 am when Ivy rolled in, roaring to start her day before the sun rose (acknowledging it from our bedroom window - Look Dada! So beautiful! - when the sky began its awesome daily hue evolution), experiencing the easy side of jet lag and its 5 hour shift from the previous week and a half in England... The impetus of the trip was cousin Piera's wedding, which was an absolutely stunning camping party at a farm in Devon. While we were granted…

Barbara Elise Herter

February 17, 2016
My grandma's health was declining and we knew that her time was nearing its end, so we went to see her in Naples, Florida this weekend. Mom and Dad plus Andrew and Caitlin's families arrived on Thursday and had early-bird dinner with her on Friday, but we got in around 1:30 that night and missed what turned out to be her last meal. She died that night and I never saw her. I loved visiting her in Florida growing up (great candy dish) and she would make the trip up to Boston or Cape Cod in the Summer regularly until…

Labor Day

September 5, 2015
What a Summer for this guy! I currently sit in one of my favorite spots in the known universe: Eventide Cabin on Mt. Desert Island. Acadia is a personal paradise and spending time here with my wife, child and parents is very high on my who/what/where triangulation rankings. I have been consistently scoring very well this Summer, packed with fantastic weekends around the Northeast: The Land, Bellport, Osterville, Vermont, Maine, and even a few in Brooklyn; Ivy and I rolled all over town on my bike and explored beaches and amusement parks (Coney Island!), swimming pools and water playgrounds (Sunset…

From The Place I Am Sitting

March 20, 2015
On a balcony, overlooking the Calle in Barcelona, I am thoroughly enjoying my amazing European vacation. There is a vibrant street life and I am listening to unfamiliar languages and seeing a larger humanity in a longer time-frame; Ancient Traditions and Relics with Futuristic Thought and Style. Two days ago, I found myself at Camp Nou, where local heroes FC Barcelona were taking on Manchester City in a Champions League match. I couldn't have been further away from the pitch in the 99,000 seat stadium, but it was one of the most exciting sports experiences of my life. It was…

Busy

November 9, 2014
The fact that I have not written here in over two months speaks to how fast time has accelerated recently. I am working more than I have ever worked and doing my best to learn new skills and techniques of teaching older kids. It has been a challenging period for me, but I am enjoying it immensely. Seeing the musical abilities of children rapidly improving through the elementary years is awesome and inspiring! Unfortunately, this schedule has made Ivy time increasingly rare. During the week, I see her from too-early in the morning until I leave for work. She is…

Summer’s End

September 3, 2014
It has been creeping ever closer, and yesterday was D-day: the start of school. It begins and Summer ends, with all the freedom and travels and family time replaced by institutional regulations. I have always loved my schools and the learning and teaching that occurs within the walls, but will eternally dread the return to regimented schedule! Summertime was fantastic while it lasted, and we left Brooklyn every weekend but one. Bellport, Warwick, Osterville, Chester, Portland and a phenomenal final week in Bar Harbor made Ivy's first Summer a Northeast classic. I love these places so much and loved introducing…

Summer of Ivy

July 22, 2014
Summer is always densely scheduled and the first half of 2014 has been jam-packed with great adventures and a World Cup background! We had our first family camp at The Backyard in Vermont and are headed up again this weekend; Ivy seemed to love being in the woods and although she has requirements that we have never dealt with in camping before, she was remarkably low-maintenance and fun to be with! We have attended two more beautiful weddings: in Brooklyn for Paul and Lindsey then Bartol Island, Maine for Patrick and Betsey. Celebrating Love is the best and most important…

Colorado Taylors

May 28, 2014
Ivy took her second plane trip this weekend and she did phenomenally well! Despite a few piercing shrieks (including several that echoed through the cavernous tent at Denver International Airport) she was a great companion through the rigors of travel. She was also supremely well behaved at the wedding and reception--especially considering we completely abandoned any semblance of her normal routine and schedule. We were there for cousin Anna and her dude Kaulin, celebrating their love in Littleton, Colorado, and the Taylor turnout was very impressive, including Mommom and her four sons, their spouses and 11/12 of the cousins! It…

Dorset Bucklands

April 2, 2014
Ivy is an international traveler! We brought her to England to meet her great-grandparents and to experience the idyllic nature of her middle-namesake, Dorset. In the tiny village of Sydling St. Nicholas, nestled in a valley of rolling hills and farmland, life is beautifully simple. Our days involved long walks through the village and surrounding farms, passing through pastures of sheep, cows and horses with our baby in a carrier on my chest. We would walk for hours then return for teatime and delicious meals around a table that expanded as more family arrived daily. The Buckland clan forged by…

Welcome Spring!

April 9, 2013
After a two-week vacation in which I logged 7 ski days (@Wildcat, Black, Burke, Stowe and Magic!) I am ready to spring into some warm weather, and today was the first T-shirt day of the year. The windows are wide open and I hope I don't have to close them until October (early Spring naïveté). While I worship the winter and its white alpine bounty, I might have a harder time appreciating it without the warmth of summer. Being outside can be beautiful or miserable, depending on surroundings and weather, so anytime the factors align pleasantly, I am sure to…