Monthly Archives: April 2014

right now

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right now I am…..

reading – The Help and loving it.  

watching – The Secret Life of Walter Mitty and loved that too.  Alot.

going – to the vet.  Alot too. Yorkie in the throes of an autoimmue crisis.  Still unfolding.

            – to lunch with a friend

            – on ambly, puddle splashing, questions-about-the-universe-asking walks with     little  people.

planning – Holy Week and Easter projects.  Small-scale, simple, natural, classic.  Still in development stages but coming together. 

enjoying – newly painted trim on the entire farmhouse exterior.  The farm does one property on the complex every year and this was our year.  

organizing – the magazines.  Pulled out the old Victoria's from April's past and getting newly inspired.

cleaning – under furniture.  In all rooms.  

eating – super 'clean' primal dinners (and meatless/grainfree breakfast and lunch) That's it. Ok and coffee. Finding I am not even all that excited come Sunday's in lent so cravings must be improving.  No zealous pitch here. Just is going well. Which means I am sorta…

considering – this

up too late – working through photography workshops and techie materials. Lenten podcasts. Hoping to eventually listen to some of this. Continuing ed for Mom. So much to learn, so little time. The world is a fascinating place. 

making – more canvas projects.  They usually get uploaded over there and there, whereas I ramble more over here. Make sense?  If you want to keep updated on the going's on, pop over.  : ) 

 

Apr 2014 wreath web

 

contemplative exercises

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It's funny because every day, every single day, for weeks I have thought of all sorts of things to write about – books we read, things we do, thoughts I think.  By the end of the day however I am sometimes so worded out.  A wonderful thing happens when I sit down though.  There is just me and the pictures in my camera from our days.  That's all.  I sit and look and remember and exhale. Slowly all the stress that creeps in through news and social media and appointments and bills just slowly slips away.  All that is left is us again.  Just these faces reminding me why I get up in the morning, why the world is still very good. That 'lovely' is not just an impossible dream.  It happens right here each day. 

 

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Spend the afternoon.  You can't take it with you.

 - Annie Dillard

Lambing Time and Other Pleasures

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My first thought was, is it really nuts to pay money to visit a farm?  When we live on a farm?  When we have lived on farms?  My second thought was no.  The British concept of farm as attraction is brilliant.  It creates income for rural communities and allows children to roll up their sleeves and experience so many more aspects of rural life than any one family could normally enjoy.  So we timed our visit to a local farm during lambing season when we could see the spring babies and they could try their hand at bottle feeding.  The three youngest had a glorious day truly.  They wandered from pen to pasture, fed animals, dug in a massive sand pit, and jumped on the trampolines.  We lunched at their cafe and took home happily exhausted children who declared it 'best day ever.'  

high five

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Mar 2014 b soccer web

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"We have some good players on the team this year but what we really need is a leader. We are looking to Brendan for that."  This was what his coach had to say.  

Brendan is smaller than everyone else on his team this year.  He runs faster than many of them.  He is good at this game, as are many of the others.  There is something else about him though, a big heart inside that little man.  He has an uncanny ability to see the bigger picture and how several people can work together. How not to sweat the small stuff. That happens when you are the eighth child and have been keeping up with five older brothers your whole life.  You quickly learn to assess the game, running two steps for their every one if that's what it takes. 

I am really happy he is having so much fun, really happy that all that watching and learning has paid off.  Mostly though, I am so happy that he is valued not only for the points he can score but for setting a positive tone with his friends, leading with a smile. I am happy that he high-five's every single teammate when something awesome happens.  The score isn't that important to me. He may never be playing soccer on tv but he will be part of other teams. It is my sincere hope that he will always be someone who can be counted on to help others move in the right direction.  

 

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by the old mill stream

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     For real that is where we were this weekend.  The girls and I grabbed the leashes and headed down to the trail late afternoon.  The woods are coming alive again. They have not completely thrown off winter as you can see by the trees. But, it's starting and it's beautiful.  

This has been a week of outside which is awesome but I have barely had time to bless myself as my Gram would say.  About half (ish, sorta) of my household to-do list is being done….as the painter has no doubt noticed. Still, the sun is shining.  Who can stay inside long? 

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The stream and path alongside run behind a neighborhood whose homes back up right to the water's edge. They sport deep backyards with lovely landscaping.  As so many homes in the area do, there are daffodils planted in clumps in the lawn.  

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Beautiful evening with my girls.  I have such a sense that these days are numbered as each month passes by, bringing them both closer to leaving the nest for good. I take not one of these walks for granted these days. 
 

Potato Pancakes

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Mar 2014 food web-3

Was going to post a menu with recipes but then, remembered whose life I have lol.  So maybe some pretty pancakes instead? We made up a bag of potatoes from the farm the night before and used the leftovers to make pancakes for a meatless lunch for the kids the next day.  I improvised a recipe similar to this one.   Linking that mostly to show the recipe was one with baking powder and no onions. Made them like a breakfast pancake.