The days are getting shorter. And shorter. I know everyone says that as the year winds down, but the English sun is setting at four in the afternoon right now. That's assuming we get a clear picture of it at all during the day. So, this sunny Sunday morning was a treat for me. When I saw my neighbors riding by I ran for my camera. They got a fair ways down the lane by the time I ran back upstairs, but I still wanted to share the view this fine day.
Hope your day is bright! : )
"Family life is rarely perfect, but some things can be pretty darn good. Sharing conversation and food with those we care about can be one of life's continuing joys.”
- Miriam Weinstein, The Surprising Power of Family Meals: How Eating Together Makes Us Smarter, Stronger, Healthier and Happier
Three end of season parties today. A birthday party yesterday. A lot of baking happening. Alannah inspires me. It's funny because she doesn't eat grains much as a rule, nor sugar. It's truly the creative process she loves. Who needs Hostess? No one in this house!
On Letting Go
author unknown
To "let go" does not mean to stop caring.
It means I can't do it for someone else.
To "let go" is not to cut myself off.
It's the realization that I can't control another.
To "let go" is to admit powerlessness,
which means the outcome is not in my hands.
To "let go" is not to try to change or blame another.
It's to make the most of myself.
To "let go" is not to care for, but to care about.
To "let go" is not to fix, but to be supportive.
To "let go" is not to judge, but to allow another to be a human being.
To "let go" is not to be in the middle, arranging all the outcomes,
but to allow others to affect their own destinies.
To "let go" is not to deny, but to accept.
To "let go" is not to nag, scold, or argue,
but instead to search out my own shortcomings and correct them.
To "let go" is not to adjust everything to my desires,
but to take each day as it comes and cherish myself in it.
To "let go" is not to regret the past, but to grow and live for the future.
To "let go" is to fear less and to love more.
You will find more in woods than in books. Trees and stones will teach you that which you can never learn from the masters.
-St. Bernard
So what did we find in the woods?
Good strong walking sticks – for leaning into, marching parade style, and drawing in the dirt.
Ferns.
Not just any run of the mill, standard issue fern. Rather, some of those bronzed fronds were taller than the children.
Signs. And every one of them read and interpreted by Tess, as best her 5 yo self could manage. Thus we learned from the "Bird Hide 400yd" sign that there were 400 birds hiding in the yard. She wasn't sure why.
She also found some directional signage such as, "d-ON-t climm on the logs! I mean…wait a second…..
CLIMB! CLIMB!
D-OHN'T CLIMB!"
I wasn't feelin' log climbing anyway so we were good.
Abbie found lots of things to pick up and look at and toss about. Her mommy did too. So, we had a tendency to fall behind. Pretty far. We were following orange trail markers which helped, but navigation is not my strong suit as anyone who has driven with me can attest. We came round a bend sort of discouraged she and I. We really wanted to see those Dartmoor ponies.
"The ponies are playing hide and seek with us, Mommy. And they are winning." I was tending to agree with her but was more concerned that the rest of the family was not to be found and I was musing aloud WHAT would possess them to have gone on so far ahead. I was so caught up with our silly dilly dallying fun I hadn't noticed they had gotten away from us. It wasn't like them.
When BOO! Out they popped. BEHIND us.
They were pretty pleased with themselves. "We heard you all like, 'I can't believe they left and I am not sure which turn…and…'"
Geesh.
So we found awesome fun. And in the end we won the other game of hide and seek too.
The ponies that is. Those 400 hiding birds? Not so much. ; )
The weekend began with tickets to a play for my husband and I. His idea even and a good one it was. Saturday was full of ball games. Yesterday afternoon found us hiking and hiking and hiking to see the Dartmoor ponies grazing on the six mile trail through the nature preserve. Today we tackled the gutters and made a dent in the leaves. Gave haircuts. Lots of my anatomy is at war with itself at this moment, but it was all so worth it.
You don't want to know how many pictures I have taken. : )
These just make me smile. We began and ended our hike at the playground, which is always nice for the little kids. Having us all there together amounts to all kinds of fun. Never stop being playful.
The object of all human life is play. Earth is a task garden; heaven is a playground. – GK Chesterton
Martimas has been a family tradition for many years thanks to my dear friend Karen whose family hosted the feast day party and bonfire. In Germany it was a local holiday as well. I don't know that it is in England but since it is a three day weekend we will make our lanterns and have a little parade after dark.
If you want to incorporate some simple crafty or kitchen goodness today visit here or here.
Gorgeous lantern inspiration from this German site.
Happy feast!
