keep shining on

Posted on December 1, 2012 by Kim Halloran-Fry

Tonight we were 'getting on track' again. That is what I said this morning when Daddy flew to the States. Since there would be no more movies with Dad this week and no more evening football games or events we were going to go to bed earlier and get up earlier.

And stuff like that.

We cleaned the house today. And played outside. And picked out some crafts to make this week. And ate soup with our leeks. And watched the first Christmas movie. And got out the advent wreath to light tomorrow. And said the St. Andrew novena. And a rosary. And read a story – or four.

And then. And then….. Instead of all that 'getting back on track" Moira and the little girls begged to reeeeaally quickly set up just that first small tree. Yes, the first. I have a few of them. As Dorcas Lane would say, "Christmas trees are my one weakness." (Do go watch the clip. It is a riot. I will wait here. ; ))

They chose the long coveted little white tree we snatched up for a pittance at the thrift shop this fall which will stand in Moira's room. She was so very excited and brought the little girls up to help her assemble it. At the bottom of the box was a long strand of twinkly white lights which miraculously all still worked. Out they came too.

This is as far as we got when Daddy called to say he landed. It truly was past time for bed. We will get back on track another night. There is hot chocolate to be stirred and lights to string and memories to be made.

It's going to be a great season.

Oh Christmas lights, light up the street

Light up the fireworks in me

May all your troubles soon be gone

Oh Christmas lights keep shining on.

– Coldplay

catching up and heading outside

Posted on December 1, 2012 by Kim Halloran-Fry

It turned out to be a pretty darn good day, especially considering it began with stepping into dog doo. That doesn't always bode well, you know. But by and large the past 24 hrs have been on a slow, but steady-ish, upswing after a rougher go of it this week.

Yesterday was a down day. Well a dress-down day anyway. We still did a full day of school but I did a good share of it in my pjs. Around 2pm I noticed the sun was shining for real, and not just teasin'. I threw off the jammies and Moira, Abbie and slipped into sweaters, boots and jackets for a walk to soak up the little bit we had left for the day. We haven't done that in a while with all the rain we've had.

The sugar beet fields have been replanted and a fringe of winter grass stands all trembly replacing the bushy root tops seen here not long ago.

Now that the foliage is dying down you can see the drainage canals which run alongside the farm roads. We live in the Fens, which are reclaimed marshlands much like the Netherlands. The area has been drained over the centuries and now supports large grain and produce farms such as this one. This is the lowest elevation in England and the ground here is still a bit unstable, sinking as the soil becomes more or less saturated.

Abbie Rose found tracks of something by the road. Oddly we only saw that one.

The walk was pretty hands on for her as you can see. Ay ay ay. She was flat out in a puddle a mile out. Everything had good washing when we got home – child, coat, boots. Hot chocolate and a hot bath fixes a girl right up though.

It was pretty much dark when we got home. This is the afternoon sky at 4pm these days. And today we woke to a frost covered wonderland and temperatures which plummeted overnight. I am glad we got our hike in before we hibernate again, but hibernating is fine by me too. We have a lot of crafting to do.

contemplating

Posted on November 30, 2012 by Kim Halloran-Fry

She was helping me test my settings this morning but when I looked back at the pictures they showed her as she very often is these days, deep in thought, weighing the pro's and con's of different paths. There is a lot to think about at 18, lots of decisions to be made. Some big, some small in the grander scale of life. Often we don't know until later which were which. We pray, we step out with a mixture of trepidation and exultation.

18 is like that.

Actually, 45 is like that too. And probably all the other numbers too.

It's scary, life. We just forge ahead, not always sure we are making all the right moves, and somehow grace covers it all in the end.

It's gonna be good. I promise. : )

Posted on November 27, 2012 by Kim Halloran-Fry

The frequent heavy rains are stripping the trees of their autumn coats and it makes me a little sad that every time the sun peeks out again there are fewer leaves left clinging to the branches. Every week the boys and their dad gather the strays from the courtyard and the little girls collect fat fistfuls for very fleeting bouquets.

This is my bliss. : )

Another sweet thing – Tess tried on one of the ponchos the big girls and I learned to make when I was on bedrest with Brendan all those years ago. She loved it. I love that she does.

to the ponies

Posted on November 24, 2012 by Kim Halloran-Fry

The girls and I knew without a doubt from the minute we read the sign mentioning the Dartmoor ponies grazing on the grounds that we were going to do all we could to find them. In the end, that meant a lot of walking through field and forest, some of that carrying Abbie Rose piggy back.

Finally the trail opened onto this rugged grassland, the prairie all red and bowing in the warm autumn wind.

Allen was the first to see them and redirected us off the beaten path and over to the pony pasture.

It was worth every step.

Giving Thanks

Posted on November 23, 2012 by Kim Halloran-Fry

thankful

Posted on November 21, 2012 by Kim Halloran-Fry

Thankful for what appeared at the back door this week, surplus from the recent 'lifting'. Have you any favorite ways to use leeks? We are planning on a pot of potato soup but that will not use them all.

The carrots are eaten like candy by the children so I doubt they will ever see the inside of a stock pot. : )

“Eat leeks in March and wild garlic in May
And all year after physicians may play.”

– Welsh Proverb

four

Posted on November 20, 2012 by Kim Halloran-Fry

time for home

Posted on November 13, 2012 by Kim Halloran-Fry

“… the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire: it is the time for home.” – Edith Sitwell

Time for home is never wasted.

a taste of heaven

Posted on November 12, 2012 by Kim Halloran-Fry

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.