Friday, May 25, 2012

Monday Morsels

Its been beautiful here... then raining... then hot and muggy...then pouring buckets, followed by a sun so bright and a sky so blue it almost hurts.  All of which has made for some amazing green around these parts, with everything growing in leaps and bounds, including somehow, the children.  The maples and oaks are all leafed out and our yard suddenly feels as if its enclosed in a lush green envelope. Its at times a little claustrophobic but mostly perfect. We've been busy doing all kinds of things in the yard and garden, alternating with inside quiet time, lots of audio books, and a new home school routine that seems to be working well for us (details to come).  Which is to say I haven't made much time for blogging, but here's a bit of whats going on in our little green corner of the world.  

Morsels: Tasty bites from the past few days...er weeks.  

Me:  "Grampy's going to come soon, on his motorcycle."
Kale:  "Its not a motorcycle, its a MOTORCYCLE!" (insert loud vrooming).




 Juniper has been taking a little tumbling class, and is extending her repertoire of somersaults, bridges, and frog headstands, to include the trapeze.  Our own acrobat in the making.

When I posted this photo the first time, it occurred to me how silly (irresponsible?) it looks--me in full bee gear while Wylie lays about in shorts and a tee just feet away.  But truly, that's how docile these bees are!  They are incredible really.  More on the bees to come I'm sure.  


The other busy bees around here have started their own garden (in the remains of our raised beds from the old garden site).  They're growing peas and beans with big plans for a money making venture curbside (or gravelly edge side.)


Model airplane kit;  $3.00 at a yard sale;  Several hours of focused concentration:  priceless.



Conversation between Kale and a Robin:  
"Oh hi birdie, hi!  What you name birdie?  Robin that my name, ha!"


First blooms on our peach tree ever!  



                     Rock star brothers





Garden in progress (from last week).  The tiny hoop houses are for the tomatoes, built from left over fencing and plastic.  I hope to put up a few more, with row covers for the brassicas and squash to go in this week.  



One of our favorite salads these days::  shredded cabbage (red or green), shredded carrots, sesame seeds, unsweetened coconut flakes, and raisins.  Dressed with olive oil, apple cider vinegar with a bit of honey and a pinch of sea salt.  My kids eat salad regularly, but this is the only one they enjoy.  


Chicken Lovers 
(Kale's tee was one I painted for Juni when she was 4, her friend Eve, above, had a matching one)


Enjoy your weekend!

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

The Bees Knees

The bees are here!  I was a bit anxious before moving them into their hive, mostly that I'd do something wrong and somehow mess things up for them.  But, it went off without a hitch.  Not only are they incredible, mysterious, intelligent creatures, but they were really docile, friendly little ladies to boot.  Hurray for bees! 







Friday, May 18, 2012

The View From Here

This is a moment for sharing , inspired by SouleMama's "This Moment".  In her words,  "A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember."  To play along go to the SouleMama blog.


Flashback from 2004, Wylie 10 months

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

A few things growing

Two weeks of rain have really brightened things up around here (imagine what will happen when the sun comes out!).  The colors are pretty amazing.  Such a change from the brown of just a couple of weeks ago. 

Canada May Flower, Butter Oak Lettuce, Dandelion w/bluets, Wild Rhododendron 

Tulip, Iris, Daffodil, Mother's Day Bouquet w/ Irises
 

Friday, May 11, 2012

The View From Here

This is a moment for sharing , inspired by SouleMama's "This Moment".  In her words,  "A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember."  To play along go to the SouleMama blog.



photo by Rob

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Sense of Place: The Path


In coming to terms with the space we fill in this world, and in celebrating my love of the elements of design, I am going to begin regularly posting about the spaces we keep, our sense of place, if you will.  The spaces will mostly be in and around our own home, some away from home, and occasionally home designs that I really dig from elsewhere.  



Our little plot of land is long and narrow, with a marsh along each end.  There is a small strip of land that runs along the far side of the marsh, parallel to the road, and between another small marshy area.  This narrow strip, when we first discovered it for ourselves was like some secret hidden island.  It could only be reached from the road, where I noticed a small animal path leading in through the overgrowth.  Following it I found the path wound through high bush blueberry, wild rhododendron, and tall white pines.  The ground was mostly low and mossy, interspersed with dry, and a soft layer of fallen pine needles.  

A few years ago we set about building a bridge across the marsh, that would connect our yard to this secret path, leading to the side road, a favorite place for walking/biking.  "The Path" as its now called, has become one of my very favorite places. 

There is something so grounding about a walk along a soft earthen path.  It is where we walk for nature observation, where we walk to access the side road for most biking/dog walking activity.  It is where we snow shoe, exploring the frozen marsh which has suddenly become a field in its frozen state.  

It is where I go for a quick escape when my children are making me crazy.  It is Kale's new favorite place to be. It is where we pick blueberries in the summer and cranberries in the fall.  It is home to countless varieties of moss, and flanked with wild Iris and princess pine.  And the frogs!  There is a clump of overgrown high-bush blueberry known by the children as the "ice cream store".  It is a place for pretend camping, a place where children can feel as if they are going "far away".  It is a place for quiet ritual;  we often have a quiet (no talking please) morning walk here, and it is where we have our yearly solstice lantern walk.  

Our path is not long.  It doesn't take you very far.  But always, at the end I know I'm home.  













If you feel inspired to share a space of yours too, please do.  Just leave a link to your spot in comments section for others to share.  I love to see other people's ideas. 


Monday, May 7, 2012

Early Morning

Being awake and up before my children is something of an accomplishment, a feat to be celebrated--quietly.  Each movement is carefully calculated:  noise risk vs. required morning ritual. Yoga is out unless its very gentle stretching, coffee out (that noisy electric drip will have to wait for after breakfast). The upstairs bathroom is off limits, computer start-up is way too loud, cooking is out of the question.  Negotiating the dishes in the dish rack to get to my favorite tea mug is like playing pick up sticks.  The click of the propane stove cannot be avoided (if not coffee than at least tea).  The sliding door to the deck is too loud, best to sneak out through the mud room and out the front door to sit in the sun for a minute.  If this stealth maneuver is successful there is nothing to do but sit with my tea and read, write, watch the sun's early rays creep across the marsh toward the yard.   
Early morning from my favorite morning perch:  
* apple blossoms on the table
* newborn leaves on the beech tree
* robin redbreast on the lawn 
* novel, tea, journal
* Rosa Rugosa in bright green
* quiet everywhere (for a few more minutes)

 
 
 
 
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Friday, May 4, 2012

The View From Here

This is a moment for sharing , inspired by SouleMama's "This Moment".  In her words,  "A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember."  To play along go to the SouleMama blog.

 

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Two

Two is so full of everything:  joy, frustration, independence, longing, acceptance, and pride.
The other night at bedtime I noticed a small splinter in Kale's foot and tried for a few minutes to get it out.  Since he wasn't bothered by it I told him that we'd try again in the morning.  But, having drawn attention to it he could no longer settle.  He kept feeling the bottom of his foot to see if it was there, and finally sat up and said, "my just need to try this boo boo again".  He pulled at it a little bit, scrunched up his face, tugged awhile at the jagged skin,  then looked up and smiled, "yay, my got it out!".
He then snuggled into his bed once more, smooshing his face into his pillow.  He was still and quiet for a minute or so and I thought maybe he'd fallen asleep.  But then he looked up at me with those huge blue eyes beaming and said, "My didn't need you help."  I nearly melted at the pride in his voice.  He was so proud to not need me.   I've been seeing it all over of course, the way his body hangs off of mine, legs dangling, when I hold him;  the heft of his body, stocky in the way of two-year-olds; in the way he struts about so sure of who he is.  But my god, in that moment he was just so glad for his independence. And of course I was both glad and heartbroken in that way that mothers are when we realize our babies are no longer babies.

He is so proud of all he can do.  And (mostly) so are we.