shelter

Well, we are settling back home on the farm, or trying our best to settle in anyway. Ari was hit with a nasty bug on our trip (the doctor blamed the plane, saying the recycled air ensures everyone in the plane gets to bring home the same germs,) and lots of the trip was just laying low taking care of a sick baby. Now that we are back (and mostly recovered, just a bit snuffly,) we are gearing up for the big construction, which is, of course, behind schedule. They always are, no?

And meanwhile, the farm kids have been doing a little construction of their own. I have been eyeing these tree blocks for awhile, but it seems crazy to spend so much when all the materials are in the back yard, so when part of a willow had to be cut down I asked the chainsaw wielder if he could make some thinner slabs for blocks. Voila! Our first set! They need to dry a bunch and I'll sand them down so they are not too splintery, but the kids tested them out right away, making towers and "bug houses," and generally making me feel a bit giddy that toy making from local, natural materials can be so easy. I have a pile of cherry branches from my parents tree that fell in last winter's big storm that will be the next set. Those should make some nice small blocks. And it feels special to know the trees that the wood came from.

I have a ton more to post about, special mail and WIP's and gardens and baby feet at the beach, but it will come. I've gotta catch what little bit of summer we have left and not spend it in front of the glowing box!