fall fair and Holocene



 Here are the photos I mentioned. We had a good time at the fair- carnival rides (including bumper cars which Ari has been talking about wanting to try since last year!) animals, music, giant vegetables (forgot to photograph those!) and wonderful friends to share it all with- What could be better?

I guess if the fall fair has passed I should start admitting to myself that autumn might be upon us. All the locals are claiming we are going to have a hot warm autumn this year. That sounds good to me.

I wanted also to share this most beautiful video. I've been listening to Bon Iver a lot the last while, something about his music has been just right for me lately. But I just discovered this video and I love everything about it. The landscape, the footage, the child, the woolly clothes, the incredible song. I want to watch it over and over. Enjoy dear friends. Goodnight.

BON IVER "Holocene" from nabil elderkin on Vimeo.

festival

Catching up with all the photos from the past bunch of days-We has such a wonderful time at the festival last weekend. The sun came out and it was hot for the first time this year it seems, and the music was terrific. Friends and family and food and facepaint and good tunes. So good.

these days

The busyness has not yet stopped, but we are still enjoying ourselves greatly. We attended the beautiful wedding on one of Perry's students this weekend and the boys were very excited to be asked to play some gentle strums on their guitars while the bride walked in. Dori got shy, but Ari took the job very seriously. So seriously, that after all my instruction to not play too loudly (by which I meant "this is not a rock show,") he strummed so quiet it was a little hard to hear him. But he was cute and there was some music-like sounds and everyone was happy.
I made the boys some summer pants to wear to the wedding. I've never dressed them matchy before, but the temptation was too much to resist when I discovered I could make two pairs of pants from the same metre of lightweight plaid fabric I had. Plus, it is just cute. And they thought it was fun.
The sun has been shining on and off and even when it is raining it is not so cold, so I am starting to believe it might really be summer. We are outside a lot. Rain or shine, really. The boys have been bringing out their umbrellas when it rains. I was looking for Ari and Perry during one rain storm and I found them under the llama shelter watching the rain pour down.
fruit season- hurrah!
And I'm realizing I've not been keeping up with the news lately. I never mentioned that Ari lost two teeth! I had a little panicked mama moment when he showed me that one was loose (before he'd even turned 5!) feeling not quite ready for this new sign of growth in my biggest boy. I stayed up late that evening sewing a little tooth pouch for him and processing the change. It took awhile for the tooth to actually fall out, and it was quickly followed by the 2nd one. The tooth fairy, knowing that Ari is not particularly excited by money, left him a special fairy charm and a crystal bead to accompany his coins. He was ever so thrilled. It all just happens so fast- how can my baby be loosing teeth already?

~and other news- Dori is out of diapers! It happened so quickly and easily. He is doing so well with it, hardly ever having an accident and it is so nice to be done with (daytime) diapers- hurrah!


~ And my friend just sent me some pictures from the run the boys were in (we forgot our camera and I borrowed hers to take a couple,) it was adorably cute to see all these tiny people- most under 4- taking off down the track. Or jumping, or spinning, or just jogging beside the others looking confused. Both boys finished the loop, though Dori was a little tired. Ari ran hard, grinning the whole time. And the cookie medals were pretty great!

~Perry and Ari have started a radio show on our local community station. They have been talking about it for awhile, but did their first show today, and he named the show himself-"Lightning Guitar Monsters." You've gotta love that! I was taking care of my friend's daughter and Dorian at home so we listened to it from there and Ari did so well- making me laugh so many times. He is so passionate about music and loves chatting about it and and is happy chatting about just about anything else as well. He introduced Dan Zanes as the guy who has "hair that is so crazy it is hard to believe he is a real person," He has very wide taste in music, so it will be fun to see what he comes up with every week. This week he chose Bob Marley, Dan Zanes, Youssou N'dour, Arcade Fire, Great Lake Swimmers, Deep Dark Woods, Juluka and the Beatles. He has big plans for next week. So fun.

~ that feta cheese I wrote about earlier turned out so well. We have been going through it pretty quickly. I used this recipe mostly, using goat milk and taking a little less time with some of the steps. I'm going to need to make another batch soon. We seem to eat a lot of feta cheese around here.

and I said I would post our recipe for Kale Chips. We eat these a lot. Both boys love them, and it is such a great way to use kale, which we now have lots of in the garden. Here is how we do it:

Kale Chips

1 bunch kale washed

olive oil (a couple glugs- maybe 2 tbs-ish?)

salt

rip kale up into bite sized pieces and place in a large bowl. Add oil and mix with hands. Sprinkle with salt and mix again. Place on a baking sheet and bake at 350° for 10-15 minutes until kale is dark green and crispy. (I fiddle with them a bit at the end, turning the ones that are not cooking as fast and removing the ones that are done.) Place them in a serving bowl and try not to munch them all before you've finished making the rest of your dinner!

happy kale eating, friends!

feeling thankful

Feeling thankful for so much. For these boy's renewed love of skiing-especially Dorian who has just taken off on those little skis. They are so excited to get outside and make more tracks in the yard!

~ For soup on the stove,
~For my little drummer boy (I don't know if I ever posted a picture of his "drum kit" here before. He first set this up when he was two, with all the tin canisters and noisy containers he could find, and he's been adding to it ever since- and constantly raiding the chopsticks from the drawer. He practices every day- loudly, exuberantly, and, lately, with actual real rhythms emerging. He makes up songs and sings at the top of his lungs. I love it.)

~For my two year old bundle of love who makes us all laugh and who makes sure we all kiss each other good night and good bye and who gives me "nuggles" (snuggles) when he sees my eyes watering from chopping onions.

~ For knitting. I am loving it so much these days. This is another LTK pilot cap on its way to a little sweet baby boy.

~the sun magazine. Every year for my birthday Perry's parents renew my subscription to this incredible journal. The writing is superb- real and raw and human. I love it so.

~ for notes written by my children:
my birthday card from Dorian
a letter to me from Ari.

~for birds at the feeder, for my beautiful husband-love-of-my life, for CBC radio, for books read while snuggled under flannel sheets. And a whole lot more besides.

birthday songs

I've been feeling quiet lately, though there has been lots to talk about and celebrate- a birthday (mine!) the sun shining, the boys continuing to grow and change and wow us with their loveliness...
I've been listening to Oliver Schroer these past few days- for me, his music gets it just right- the intricacy, the simplicity, the fragility of a full, beautiful life.