The girls and their Los Angeles area cousins have been spending a lot of time in the wooded area behind our house. There is a trail from our backyard that leads to a small stream and the girls dubbed the area the "Enchanted Forest."

They visit at least a couple of times a day to make up stories, cool off in the stream and climb around the logs.

But Fino does require the kids to carry a walkie-talkie whenever they go to "The E.L." (their new nickname for the forest), and it makes everyone happy. The kids have the E.L. to themselves and the parents can keep in regular contact to know they're safe (and it isn't far from the house anyway).

With the exception of the bugs (the kids have used nearly a full bottle of spray in two weeks), all the kids have loved the E.F. and will likely always remember playing with their cousins there.

Summer is a great time to be a kid in Maine.

The Enchanted Forest