tree frogs, howler monkeys and more

Digression:  My favorite photo from this week.  My husband took it this morning while monkey and I were both still asleep.  I love the rosy nursing cheek.  He loves that her skin is camouflaged on mine.   The light was low and the photo is blurry but it works.  I am smitten.  

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The thing about being married to a man with a formal education in wildlife biology is this: you don't just have a daughter.  You have--like a good shaman--a shape-shifter.

We've known since we first came up with her name that Juniper would be a june bug.  And for a few months now, she's been a bean.  But lately, thanks to my man's mammalian repertoire, we quite frequently have a howler monkey on our hands.  It's not the sound (there is none), it's all in the face: 

And then, just to throw an amphibian in the mix of insects, legumes and mammals, we have a wide-mouthed tree frog:

And, thanks to the richness of my formal education, we occasionally have a mandrake (re: Harry Potter, the Old Testament, and ancient legend).

:: Lately, rain.  Rain.  More rain.  

And, mushrooms!!  Morels, yum.

My man picked dinner behind the shed one night.  J bug and I went looking for more:

Hot damn, is Juniper cute or what?  She is so wonderful.  I couldn't count how many times we say that in a given day.