these days

Catching up with photos from the week and weekend. There have been many lovely days with friends and family and busy days working on projects at home.
(thanks for the patten Melanie, I found myself with knitting basket of sock yarn ends while watching the kids play and no other knitting projects at hand- this was the perfect little project to keep my hands busy. And perfect to decorate the cottonwood branch on the nature table.)
The boys drew pictures for the Easter bunny and left the eggs we'd dyed out for the bunny to hide for them.

I had picked up some plastic eggs in town to set out for the Easter bunny to fill( not something I would usually do, but I picked them up on a whim, thinking we might have an egg hunt in the garden,) but on Easter eve I opened them and they smelled awful . I didn't think the Easter bunny would appreciate putting organic treats into an egg that smelled like new car upholstery, so I had to think quick. I spent the evening sewing little felt egg-shaped pockets for the treats to fit in. I was quite pleased with the simple design, they held a couple jellybeans and sundrops well without them falling out- maybe I'll write up a tutorial sometime. Another reminder that cheap MIC junk is never worth it!


We went to visit a local farm to see some new baby goats. They boys were delighted to meet them all, and also to see the peacocks (and bring home some lovely feathers!) and to meet the tame deer that lives on the farm. I've never seen anything like it- it was rescued by humans as a baby and seems to thinks it is a dog (it even chases coyotes when the dogs chase them,) I don't know what will happen to it when it gets bigger- and possibly dangerous? but it was rather unnerving to be so close to a wild creature like that.

The most wonderful thing of all was the beautiful weather that melted most of our snow and had us outside digging in the dirt. It has turned chilly again, with lots of wind and cold rain/sleet, but just that bit of sun and garden time was enough to cheer us up.
.With this late cold spring we are having, every glimpse of green or hour of sunshine feels like medicine.
Happy thursday friends.

dreaming green

It is the middle of April and the snow keeps falling. Every morning when I wake I peek cautiously out at the day, scared of what white wonderland might be lurking behind the curtains. No April showers, and no budding and blooming and greening and growing. Just snow. And that same scene that was beautiful in December is getting a wee bit old as May approaches.

To stave off the not-quite-spring-yet crazies, we are: Planting seeds. Playing in the potting soil. Dreaming of things that will grow. Flowers and herbs and veggies and "dragon snaps."

Hauling out all the garden books and making plans. Should I turn over the green manure, or plant straight into the overwintered beds? What is the best way to make a no-till herb bed? Which tomato varieties should we plant in our new little greenhouse? These are questions that distract quite nicely if I avoid eye contact with the snow-covered garden beds outside.

Spring crafts. Colourful butterflies to brighten up the house-

Knit in green. Two soft spring scarves for my boys.

Eat salad. Dream about picking our own tomatoes and basil and cucumbers.

Worship all green things we can find. Treat them like the miracles they are.

Visit magical far-off lands. Dream and play and imagine until the sun begins to shine again!

Hope you are all dreaming good spring dreams, friends.

this and that

Well, outside, it has been doing a whole lot of this:

I took this picture last night and it has been snowing fairly steadily since. Perry cancelled the appointment to get the snow tires off. This often happens in April, but every year I feel stir crazy as our spring energy returns but our spring weather comes and goes. We are so ready to be outside digging in the dirt!

We've been keeping busy anyway, ignoring the white stuff and working on projects inside.

The boys have been very serious about their construction projects which begin as soon as they get out of bed. Villages with tight ropes and gnome-run stores and animal habitats.

I've been keeping busy in the kitchen. On top of the fridge are brewing some strange and delightful concoctions- kefir and kimchi and water-kefir cream soda (can't wait to try that cream soda!). I hadn't made yogurt in a long time, and made a big batch today. It turned out so well I think we can end our commercial yogurt dependency. We eat a lot of yogurt, so that is rather exciting. Perry and I have been having lots of conversations about how to get a little more self sufficient around here. I have been noticing that we are purchasing less and less at the grocery store and eating more local foods, which feels great. We are making all sorts of plans for our garden this year (another way to get through this long winter-spring season!) and expanding the foods we grow and preserve.

I also finished this pair of pants for Ari. I have made myself a bit of a commitment to try and make or thrift the clothes they need and not buy anything new for awhile. And it is so much fun!

And I am ever so sleepy and wondering what happened to my plan to get to bed early tonight.

Goodnight friends.

acorn hats

Last summer when we were out east, some dear friends of ours organized a canoe trip for us to take together. They had all the gear waiting for us- tents, sleeping bags, canoes, cooking stuff- we just had to show up. It was a lovely trip, not long enough, of course, but we had a wonderful time and the boys still talk about it. Ever since then, we had been wanting to get a package together for them, as thank you, and to send some love across the distance. It took some time, but finally we got some things together for them and got news that it had been received, so I can post it here now. We had a hard time deciding what to send, but when I came across a tiny little canoe from imagine childhood, it all came together. Using the acorns caps we gathered on this trip, I made a little family to resemble them and who fit into the little canoe. A little forest/canoe trip playset.

(The wooden tree, cave and bears came from Just Hatched.)

A little library bag with a couple favorite books rounded out the little package. I've been making lots of these little bags- they are fun to make and the wee recipients seem to use them lots and enjoy them. I know my boys love the ones I've made them. Baskets and bags are always favorite toys. And forest playsets too I hope.

Happy Monday Friends.

into the forest

I wasn't planning on taking the boys outside this afternoon- they'd been out already and we had inside plans, but Dorian, who is going through the difficult transition of giving up his nap (for good this time it seems,) was having a rough afternoon. It sounded something like this: "Mama! I don't want my pants on. No paaaaaaants!" then, after pulling them off, "I'm too chilly! I'm TOO CHILLY! I want my pants! Noooo! Don't help me!" then, after struggling to get them back on and wobbling around with two feet in the same pant leg, "Mama! Put my pants ooooonnnnnn! I need my paaaaaaants!" Then, as I helped him "Nooooooo! Too Bunchy! TOO BUNCHY!" Clearly the craft project was going to have to wait. I briefly considered parking him in front of a video just to distract him from himself, but the sun was shining and we all needed some air. I got them dressed (the process sounding quite like above,) pulled the chariot stroller out of the woodshed, plunked the grumpy toddler inside and we headed down the road.We ended up at a little patch of woods we haven't explored much lately, where the snow has melted. We could smell the forest waking up- the cottonwood buds and the thawing earth and the first green plants.

The dried mango I'd shoved in my pocket on the way out the door made a grand picnic on a spruce root bench. The boys found a snag with loose bark and set to work building a fairy house. We wandered through the woods until we could hear the cars coming back to the property with the end of the work day. We headed back to the edge of the woods where we'd left the stroller and loaded it up with the treasures we found- spruce cones, cow parsnip stalks, cottonwood branches. The tired toddler chirped happily from his chariot seat as we made our way back home. My children need me to remember this: get outside. breathe it in. the forest sets things right.

mud puddles

Not much to report, just lots of mud and bikes and puddles and play. All good stuff, though I can hardly keep up with the laundry- especially with Ari growing out of most of the pants he has. There is still a fair bit of snow around the property, so we've been taking more trips to find snow-free places to play and bike. These pictures were taken at a local bike park. Ari is less confident riding this new bike of his, as the frame is much taller and he has less control (And less "brake-power" with his feet- so I am keeping him away from the big hills!) but they mostly just want to run and play in the grass and the mud anyway.

We also took a trip to a local organic farm to visit the baby animals. I didn't get any good shots, but the boys loved meeting the baby goats and cows and seeing the terrific chicken tractors (old camper trailers that have been turned into movable chicken coops- such a great idea!) and the huge mama pig. We feel happy to support this lovely farm and the wonderful family farms this land.

I also finished my first knitted sweater a little while ago, and it has arrived at its destination- to welcome our beautiful new niece. This is a Zimmerman February baby sweater, and was maybe a bit ambitious being both my first sweater (aside from the even tinier one I made Sammy!) and my first real attempt at a lace pattern- but I had lots of fun knitting it and this pattern was fairly forgiving of my newbieness.

This is my third time attempting a Zimmerman pattern, but the first one that came out anywhere near the size I expected. I know its not Zimmerman that's the problem (she's the guru after all,) its me and my gauge troubles, but I'm glad to have a EZ success to report. And now, off to bed- there is more mud and puddles and laundry and knitting to fill my day tomorrow!