A Friday ritual. A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.
more moments at Amanda's
Category Archives: The Ranch Hands
on reading and weeping
The theme of the week for a little photo challenge was 'book' which reminded me to write about one the most moving read aloud's we have shared together. The Christmas before last Asher sent us an edition of Little Women, carefully reworked by U-Star Novels. This company inserts personal names in place of your choice of characters from classic literature, leaving the rest of the text untouched. (no compensation happening here fwiw! will add the disclaimer that some of their titles are racy) Being a bookish boy, he leapt on this idea, and chose Little Women for his four little sisters and mother. Hence the March sisters became Alannah, Moira, Therese and Abbie and their personalities and stories intertwined with our own throughout the long leisurely months we have lived with them.
Originally we had not intended to read so slowly. However, another international move came up. Then Alannah went to work fulltime and couldn't bear for us to read without her. As our evenings and weekends filled up with new activities there was less time with all seven at home at once and able to read together. So we began to sneak in a chapter on our own while she was gone. Then another. Then we couldn't stop. ; )
Now we are coming to the end of this story but these stories are part of us forever. My quote book is full of thoughts we have mulled over. Virtue versus vice, status versus family, industry versus idleness. How to be a real man as well as a noble woman. How best to find peace, both in oneself and in marriage and family. It turns out that it was a blessing the reading spread out as long as it did. It became a curriculum of sorts, a life manual for us all.
There has been a downside. We saw it coming early on when one older child said WAIT! Doesn't someone die?? And Asher, a bit regretfully, remembered yes. We braced ourselves for that part, but as a mama reading the words aloud I still completely fell apart when the fateful chapter finally arrived. It took two separate tissue breaks to get through it, devoted as we had become to the sisters and impossible as it was, by that time, to really completely separate our angel from theirs. (fortunately our angel was a bit oblivious to 'her' demise ; ))
It may not work that way for everyone but, in our case, Louisa's views match my own so well that I could not have imparted these lessons better than Marmee did. It's been years since I have read or seen anything Louisa May Alcott and I am not eager to view a film version any time soon. I just want to hang onto my own images and think longer on what we have read and talked about. The the bittersweet aspect of 'living books' is the hangover of sorts left after the closing chapter, where you cannot conceive of cheating on the characters by loving another book. Ever. But of course there will be more. They too will move us. There are others vying for our hearts even as I type…
For this, I am so very grateful.
sketched from life
There is no shortage of strategies for how to schedule your days, how to teach your children (the "right" way of course) and how to accomplish ever more. These tend to be followed by strategies for combatting the inevitable burnout that results from impossible or imprudent endeavors.
I found this 'sketch from life' a most beautiful, peaceful day to emulate, a simple ideal to strive for.
"Here sketched from life is Therese's day. Immediately she awoke, she made the morning offering, dressed promptly, and ran to M. Martin's arms.
As soon as breakfast was over the room became her schoolroom. Her lessons were permeated with the supernatural, from the alphabet illustrated with sacred pictures – the word HEAVEN was the first word the child learned to spell out – up to the connected reading preferably from the gospels and the French dictation and composition, varied by exercises of which the themes were family life and the glories of the Faith."
There you have it. The original Eat, Pray, Love plan. : )
Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes
Alannah tried these at home after someone at work mentioned this recipe. It doesn't get much easier than this. It's literally a box of spice cake mix and a can of pumpkin, so technically even I could probably actually make this. (Health rating based on your box cake mix. Yes, we sometimes eat box cake. Little people can learn well from these : ))
We filled these with leftover cream cheese glaze from a pumpkin roll which was made for a different occasion and promptly devoured.
on a separate note – am becoming enamoured with vintage flatware. Digging through boxes at junk shops when I can.
Harlech Castle, Wales
The trip to Harlech Castle was just missing a soundtrack. Seriously. It was a fairy tale castle with incredible views. It was drizzly the day we visited which meant we had the place nearly to ourselves. The children scrambled up and down the towers and lookouts til they wore themselves out. I don't think we could ever tire of this. We will leave here someday but I am so glad they got to do this.
Harlech Castle has a bit of a checkered past. It has played roles in many battles and changed hands many times over the years. It is in ruins today but you can see the footprint of the original interior rooms. Castles like these are built around a large central courtyard and the rooms line the outside walls. (one room deep) Sort of the opposite way regular homes are built. This means the actual usable interior space is much smaller than you would imagine looking from a distance. The courtyard in larger structures could house local villagers as a fortress in case of attack.
Enough of all that. Come traipse through with us…
magic days
Such days these two have. Busy from morning 'til bedtime. Whether they are trying to help set the table or racing their bikes or directing elaborate make-believe dialogs between their dolls the affection and joy just radiates from them. They never tire of each other, never cease to consider the other, rarely ever quarrel. I have had enough children to know that this is not simply a consequence of being siblings.
It is a gift.
And so is this little window of time in their lives. Moira was just saying how she remembers exactly when it was that Alannah stopped wanting to play with the dolls. How bewildered she was. They are of an age where they are growing more similar again now, but there is that in between time. A big girl gets bigger before her little shadow does. It's bittersweet. And it will happen again for a time.
Here's the wonderful secret though, she waits for you to catch up, baby girl. And while you both grow I will have these pictures for you to remind you of these magic days.
A sister is a little bit of childhood that can never be lost. ~Marion C. Garretty
to the falls
It was a little drizzly the day we decided to hike to the falls in Wales. It was apparently "that" kind of cloudy day where it would be staying overcast but not going to progress to a downpour. I still have not become savvy enough at reading clouds to know for sure which is which, but Alannah and Allen seemed pretty confident and sure enough we had a good climb.
This was a remarkably steep trail but it led to some incredible views. Also an incredibly high overlook which tempted one boy enough to earn him a tongue wagging from his sisters. It's like having 3 mama's for the second set of kids around here. We don't miss much between us. ; )
We lunched at the top and then made our way back down in time to cross the little wooden bridge (by car) across the lake to the cabin side before the toll man closed up shop. I wish I had gotten a shot of that. The girls were joking it was only missing some goats and a troll. White painted wood bridge. One lane. Across the whooooole lake. I couldn't shoot. I was busy breathing.
right here
"Lest I ever lose perspective on what's important, may the small details of daily life serve to remind me:
The sweetest memories are right here, in the moments we create and share with one another."
– Mitten Strings for God, Katrina Kenison
I began a longer post but finishing is going to take from tomorrow which is promising to be full enough. So instead, little 'details of daily life' lately.
pumpkin season
"Even if something is left undone, everyone must take time to sit still and watch the leaves turn."
- Elizabeth Lawrence
I have more to say about that, though it won't all be said yet tonight. Suffice it to say that is an important line right there. I saw a beautiful sign hanging in a hallway the other day that read, "The world does not need more successful people. The planet desperately needs more peacemakers, healers, restorers, storytellers and lovers of all kinds." This is firmly fixed in my mind these days. Onward…
The farmer brought us a load of pumpkins last week. It isn't a British "thing" so it was especially sweet they saved some for us when they were harvested. Some of the family went to Ireland so we're waiting until tomorrow to carve them.
Yes, it's the end of October and yes, my sons will be wearing shorts all winter. File that thought away for any future pictures of them ok?
This is Abbie Rose's official, sweet as pie, autumn picture.
This was pretty darn funny though….
I know a lot of people say their kids hate taking pictures but I have a big group of hams which makes my job a lot easier.
I have a thing with shooting vertical shots. My husband almost never, ever turns the camera. Ever. Random, totally useless bit of information there. Just noticed is all. Hope your month has been filled with candy corn and sweaters and all good things.
{this moment}
{this moment}
A Friday ritual. A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.
linking up at Amanda's
Starry Sky Journal 