Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Morsels

Morsels:  Tiny bites of goodness from the past week...



I was upstairs gathering towels and goggles when suddenly the kids all started yelling from outside.  The yelling is fairly constant around here, but the tone had changed, so I sprinted down the stairs to find Wylie on the front porch holding a robin in his hands.  Apparently it was hopping about the driveway and chirping loudly but unable to fly.  So we grabbed a lunch bag--because it was available, filled it with shavings, gave him (her?) a drop or two of Rescue Remedy, wished it our best and jumped into the car.  Late for swim lessons again.  The talk all the way into town and home again an hour later focused on why the bird couldn't fly (maybe it flew into a window?) whether or not it would be dead or gone when we returned home, and if we could keep it in the house until it recovered.  Fortunately the bird had flown, leaving no trace but spilled shavings, and a package from the UPS guy.  




Last Friday was such a perfect autumn day that I was inspired to make pumpkin lattes (recipe here*) and sit on the porch to drink it. But, when I went out on the porch I realized it was strewn with shavings (from Tuesday's robin) and sandy beach gear left over from summer.  In order to fully appreciate my seasonal latte a bit of redecorating was in order.  This old window box was sweet all summer with pansies and impatients but had gone slimy and soggy since the hard frost.  It made the perfect base for a dry flower and winterberry arrangement.  Five minutes with the clippers, 10 minutes negotiating the clippers with Kale, two green pumpkins from the garden, a quick sweep, and now I was ready to enjoy my latte.  
Of course by then the moment had past.  But, I did get to it around 4:30 which was perfect timing for Rob to join me.   
I altered the recipe so much that I can't give any kind of review, you'll have to try it yourself



I can't just seem to do one thing at a time.  Though I'm not always on top of things (as evidenced by the beach gear still on the front porch mid-October) when I get started I'm really on a roll.  I didn't stop with the front porch. I went on to move the nature table across the room, clean it up (and vacuum underneath it yikes!) incorporating parsley brought in from the garden and a homemade tree identification game from three years ago.  Our tiny picnic table moved in from the screen porch and has become the favorite sunny spot for a  tea party--both real and pretend. Then I salvaged the best flowers from my marathon bouquet (did I mention I came home from my race to flowers, balloons, streamers and homemade cards!?) and put together an autumn center piece for the table.  




We've been adding to the porch bit by bit over the past few days, with tangles of bittersweet, mums, and today Jack-O-Lanterns.  






He put these on himself (they were not connected to anything) promptly fell asleep, then slept hard for the next hour.  I don't know why I never considered earphones for napping before.


I knit this hat and poncho last year, and they saw very little action, but this year have been her go to.  Handy since I just shrunk her favorite sweater.  And of course I love that she's wearing Mama knits.  I have to say daughters seem to be way more appreciative of these.  Any advice for knitting something Wylie might wear?



Kale tells everyone he meets that he's going to be a firefighter when he grows up (and a soccer player, and a hoop ball player, and an ambulance driver).  The other day he made some mention of Papa being at work fighting fires.  
Me:  Sometimes Papa works as a fire fighter, but most days he works at the hospital in nursing
Kale:  What? (huge eyes)  Papa does nursing? 
Poor word choice.  
Kale is still nursing, but very infrequently (a few times a week, only at bedtime) but maintains that three-year-olds never nurse and that he will not nurse anymore when he turns three.  Anyone can see Papa is way older than three.  He almost changed his dream profession until I cleared things up.  

                      Firefighter Kale

    
My favorite view from the kitchen window  



1 comment:

  1. That nursing story is hysterical. The headphone idea is great for in the car napping. We will have to give the pumpkin latte a try, sounds tasty.

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