summer so far

It's summer which means we are at the park – a different park every week and sometimes more than that.  We've been gone someplace pretty much daily which is out of character for me. But, this is why we came here and we are determined to see all we can. 

 cake
A stellar park day was shared with two families who welcomed us warmly last year and have been steadfast since.  One of their little boys had a dinosaur themed birthday party at a phenomenal German park which features life sized dinosaurs placed throughout the woods and fields and playgrounds and streams.  Did I mention the streams?  Because they were a big hit. Big. 

 brendan

bee
 The little girls of our family are now the babies of the group making the previous two "little girls" of the bunch feel much, much bigger.  They embraced their new roles introducing Abbie and Tess to the grounds and making sure no one was left behind. Not even for a moment. 

May
 The boys?  Well, we caught a few glimpses of them.  Mostly like this:

 boys

They played an Amazing Race game, speeding from one part of the park to another to complete their challenges.  

May
 We did catch them all together once they got hungry though.  When they ran off again I got some pictures of these lovely young women, beautiful inside and out. 

sarah

sarah

sarah
hannah

hannah
  hannah

 alannah
 Alannah adores these girls.  We were talking  afterwards and she said, "You know, they are just always happy.  And, they never talk about anyone."  We decided there is probably a definite connection between those two points. : ) It is a beautiful – and rare – thing to find friends with whom your heart is safe.  She is learning that now and appreciating it when she finds it. 

 bw
 And so am I.  So while my house is a little worse for wear some days I can't imagine a better way to spend a summer.

Just Being Sure

Mary had always been good.  Sometimes she had been so good Laura could hardly bear it. But now she seemed different. Once Laura asked her about it. 

"You used to try all the time to be good," Laura said. "And you always were good. It made me so mad sometimes I wanted to slap you. But now you are good without even trying."

"I know why you wanted to slap me," Mary said. "It was because I was showing off. I wasn't really wanting to be good.  I was showing off to myself, what a good little girl I was and being vain and proud and deserved to be slapped for it… We are all so desperately wicked and inclined to evil as the sparks fly upwards" said Mary using the bible words. "But that doesn't matter."

"What!" cried Laura.

"I mean I don't believe we ought to think so much about ourselves, about whether we are bad or good." Mary explained….  "I don't know how to say what I mean very well. But it isn't so much thinking as, as just knowing. Just being sure of the goodness of God." 

Everyone knows that God is good. But it seemed to Laura then that Mary must be sure of it in a special way.   "You are sure aren't you?" Laura said. 

"I am sure of it now all the time." Mary answered.

from Little Town on the Prairie

scenes below from another prairie in eastern France

 windmill
village window
cows

Memorial Day – Meuse Argonne Cemetary France

 flag

When we learned that the WWI Memorial near my husband's birthplace was having a Memorial Day ceremony we decided to pack up and make the trip this weekend.  

 arch
 1
Measuring 130 acres, the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetary is the largest of several WWI era cemetaries scattered throughout the region. The Argonne Offensive called upon more US troops than ever before in history up to that time and was instrumental to winning the first world war. 

m2
The remains of over 14,000 soldiers rest here, marked by white marbles crosses and Stars of David.  The original number was twice that, but in the 1920's the others were repatriated back to the States. 

 

salute
jeeps
anthem
The grounds are owned and meticulously maintained by the American Battle Monuments Commission.  The land was given to the US, tax-free in perpetuity, by the French government in gratitude for the aid provided by the soldiers. 

dignitaries
parade rest
steps
4

The memorial cemerony included US and French Army troops and dignitaries as well as smaller groups from the Boy Scouts, French Fire Brigade, local clergy, and many veterans.  

 French

speaker

We drove through some really nice little villages on the way there.  Romagne, which is the nearest village to the cemetary, was in full patriotic array with red, white and blue flowers and French and US flags tucked into the flower boxes and planters in front of EVERY home.  Sadly you will have to take my word for that because we took a different route home which was less lovely.  It did however take us through Verdun, which meant a lot to my husband.  He was born here while his father was stationed at Metz.  It was a kick for him to see his birthplace. 

May 11 meuse alannah moira aidan kieran brendan web

verdun

The cows come home

The cows have come home – well to my home anyway.  The grass is so high out back the farmer came to mow and bale for grass hay.  But there was plenty left for grazing. 

cows back

I can't remember if I shared here or on Facebook but this is how they left us last fall.  The farmer came along with his tractor and pen-on-wheels.  You don't see large stock trailers here.  Actually I have never seen one here.  But we did see this.  They herded the cattle into the pen and began to slowly move down the road to winter quarters.  

(an aside – that sign says Road Damage which in CO means "Get out and walk because you aren't getting through here no how."  Here it means, "Someplace on this stretch of road there may be a small bump.  We will be along shortly with road crews to block the way and fanatically smooth and level to perfection.") 

come-home

There is a lot of farmland around us but the farmers all live in the villages and the barns are usually attached to the farmhouses.  The tractors and the animals move in and out from the fields but return to the village at night. This works well for creeper photographers longing for a close up.  

tractor front

This fabulous vintage tractor was parked at a farmhouse down the street last week. I noticed it driving home from an early morning errand and thought about Rebecca's awesome tractor pictures.  I figured this was my best shot. 

tractor model

I toodled down the street and snapped a few quick shots.  It was good thinking too.   They had been working on the old empty place and moved the tractor shortly afterward.

 tractor

 

 

There’s another day tomorrow

Oh, drive dull care away

For weeping is but sorrow.

If things are wrong today,

There's another day tomorrow. 

 

So drive dull care away

And do the best you can.

Put your shoulder to the wheel

Is the motto for every man. 

 

…and woman.  Lovely folk ballad sung by Pa Ingalls under another starry sky.  

 Just some random everyday-ness here tonight. My shoulder has been to the wheel and there hasn't been much time for blogging.  But we have walked and read and these is what has stayed with me.

path

 pub
barn

 WW memorial

 roofs
 

corners of my home – something old and something new

This pillow is one of two I stitched up – truly stitched because my sewing maching foot has walked off – last weekend.  The fabric is part of the stash that came from the sale bin at Joann's many years ago.  It was supposed to redecorate our last living room but never really came together.  It's working here. At least in it's second incarnation. First time around it became valances which came dangerously near to 'country with a K.'  I ripped the seams and re-purposed them into pillows which look just right resting between the gnomes and the floral drapes.  

 pillow
I have been meaning to show you the delft canisters we picked up in Belgium last winter.  Actually my husband snagged these.  Like I have said before, everything in this house is slightly imperfect. (everything ; ))  That is fine by me. It makes for affordable collecting.  These sets were often extensive and finding every piece still together could cost a fortune.  These were not a fortune and I suspect there was at least a flour canister at one time. Since they are decorative for us we don't mind a bit.  

canisters
Paging through an old (circa 1986) House Beautiful the other day I found an article about the restoration of an old farmhouse in the Netherlands. I saved the magazine all this time because I love historically accurate restorations not to mention all things Dutch.  

Different things jump out at me today:

Dutch farmhouse restoration mag web

I haven't really looked closely at this issue in forever but I seem to have begun collecting many of these things.  My short term goal is to try to find some hand painted wood.  These boxes are Hindelooper pieces from the Frisian region of the Netherlands, which is where I spent a summer in high school.  Germany is known for its Bauernmalerei, which is literally Farmer Painting.  Sweden has Rosmaling.  It is all wonderful and I hope some of it follows me home. : ) 

hooked

Alannah and I have been encouraged by our first hat projects.  As in, they actually fit people's heads.  (we aim low lol) It was rather instant gratification as well since they came together inside an hour using this pattern. 

 hats

We also got a little addicted to trying the sampler shapes from the Crochet Bible.  There were hexagons, squares, circles, flowers in circles.  Then I saw the African Flower pattern at Craft Passion and loved it immediately.  Or maybe really loved her color scheme. Either way I tried one of those as well. Since I have only scraps yarn these serve little purpose other than to affirm to us that yes, we can follow patterns and make cool things. And some days, that little reminder is really plenty of project incentive. : ) 

sampler

Any new hobby worth it's salt involves favorite new blog bookmarks.  Favorite new crafty blog is Rose Hip.  Her whole blog looks like Moira's room.  I want to make one of everything. Most definitely some edged pillow cases. Just as soon as I order the thread. (Let's pause for a little reality check here – this charmed country I find myself in is nearly devoid of craft stores.  What there is smacks of 1983.  Just saying. You mail order your craft supplies here.) 

And on the real stuff – I will say too that I have started two sweaters since which have not materialized as yet.  The first pattern I messed up and had to rip a bit out.  And have not been terribly motivated to continue because the worsted weight yarn, even in a soft blend, feels poufy for a little girl.  The second, from the Crochet for Tots book is true to its stated measurements, however it should be noted that those measurements are NOT typical for the sizes they are supposed to be.  I realized a young teen could fit into the sweater at the size it was stitching up, which is a good 9 inches wider across the chest than most size fours. 

So I am on the hunt for some cotton/bamboo blends in a lighter weight and patterns to work with.  Or maybe just a candy colored assortment of yarn to make Moira the Rose Hip inspired afghan she requested.  Really there is something so incredibly soothing about the repetitive motion and the delicious colors. I am glad we picked up the hooks again.