Sophomore Year

August brought the start of another school year!  William is now a sophomore at Benet Academy where he is taking AP European History, Chemistry, Honors Geometry, Spanish 2, American Literature, Religion 2 and PE.   He has to get up way too early to be the first kid on the bus, but Lucy and I walk him there to get our morning exercise.   It's an easier to do in August than in January and February, but this is the last year we have to do it, since he'll have his drivers license and a parking spot next year and get to sleep an extra 45 minutes.     The club volleyball season for 16s started with the school season.  He is the Libero on 16-2s after being the DS on 15-3s in the prior year, so his hard work has paid off.    This is also the year he grew taller than both mom and dad and continues to grow.  We love taking lots of photos of the tallest Shields.

Cicadas - Brood X

There really is not a good way to photograph the ridiculousness that was Brood X in our yard this summer.   For the months of June and July it was SO LOUD - I screen shot decibels in the 80s and 90s.  Both of our volleyball teams (Benet and 630 15-3s came over for pool parties during that time and had to tolerate it.)   The real winner was Lucy who must have eaten 1,000 shells.   Her sturdy stomach handled it and her dog walkers (usually me) didn't have too much extra to deal with.   The third - and perhaps worst - wave of it came in late July and August when the cicada mite bites started.   Cicada mites are microscopic creates would in wooded areas where cicadas are present and often fall from trees onto humans and bite them.  Our hot tub, pictured below, was ground zeo in my estimate for cicada mite contact.   

This owl was my Christmas present from John and finally was installed after the ground was clear in the summer.   It's in the front/side yard but another example of why our beautiful yard was so attractive for the cicadas now and I'm sure will be again in 17 years with its mature trees.