Gladdest Hours

Girls In Leaves & A Daybook Entry

We took the annual picture of the girls in autumn leaves last weekend.  We skipped last year for some reason. But, rallied this year!  Here is the same picture from 2006 and from 2007.

Jacqueline isn't too sure what's going on here:

My little close-ones....Dorothy Jo (6) and Erika (7) are a mere 15 months apart. 

 

 


 

 

And, a quick Daybook Entry just for fun!

• Outside my window.......black. Nighttime!
• I am thinking.......about my Thanksgiving menu and paint colors for the "new room"!!!! 
• I am thankful for.......my mom who made another fleece outfit for Madeleine, so now all 5 girls have fleece skirts with matching vests!
• From the learning room......finishing up a few notebook pages, and playing some Math games.   Thanksgiving picture books.  Advent and Christmas books are starting to trickle in.  Squirrels and Mushrooms.  Madeleine is planning our Christ the King celebration on Sunday. 
• From the kitchen......venison stew for dinner tomorrow. Cranberry walnut bread for breakfast.
• I am wearing......black corduroy skirt, cream sweater, lavender shirt, black vest, and my new black boots.  It's all about layering around here.
• I am creating......lots of lists!   I'm definitely in list-mode.  Also creating.....centerpiece for Thanksgiving, advent prayers, confession folders, and a new votive candle advent wreath, late fall scavenger hunt.
• I am going......to bed in about an hour. 
• I am reading.......Parenting with Love and Logic, Catechism of Mental Prayer, The Wonder of Girls, and Kristin Lavransdatter: The Bridal Wreath.
• I am hoping......to call my mom tomorrow. 
• I am hearing........blissful silence and the bread machine.
• Around the house......Clint and Bob are movin' right along on finishing the garage.  I'm so extremely excited to have some more living space!  Shelves, tables, sitting areas, excellent lighting, electrical outlets on the floor, wall sconces, my own desk!!!  I'm swooning just THINKING about it! Such luxuries! 
• One of my favorite things...Pete's goatee and Jacqueline turning the pages and "reading" Hush: A Thai Lullabye
• A few plans for the rest of the week.....Get outside tomorrow for a walk, girl's choir practice on Thursday,  our 10-year-wedding anniversary on Friday!!!!!!  Purging and cleaning over the weekend----prep for Thanksgiving and Advent.   Celebrate Dorothy Jo's 6th birthday on Sunday evening.

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...

I know I'm about 2 weeks late!  But, oh well!

Tulip Fest

The end of April, the girls and I trekked up north to the Annual Skagit Valley Tulip Fest.  

Ten years ago, Pete and I attended the Tulip Fest together; it was one of our VERY FIRST DATES!   How romantic we must have been; frolicking around the carpet of tulips and daffodils.  We OBVIOUSLY had a very good time, as we decided to get married a mere 2 months later!  

Now, here we are, carrying on the tradition, with a few more wee-ones to enjoy the magnificent site!  (Click for montage)

 
Tulip Fest 2009

The trip is QUITE a bit different these days!  :)

The Great Thing About Having My Sister Visit.....

......is that I get to cross all the crazy things off my list, such as: Take Picture of Feet.   The last foot picture was a bit outdated.  No one except my sister or my mother would put up with the nonsense needed to accomplish this monumental task: 

So, I have a group foot-picture in the grass, in the leaves, and now in the sand.  If we have another baby and I do this AGAIN with 6 pair of feet, my mother has dared me to do this in the snow!  

Here is Auntie Senta with her beach-going-clan with Mt. Baker in the background: 

 

And, she comes bearing gifts!  Homemade bags for everyone, complete with goodies inside!

 

Caroline's Beach Buddy

 

"Hmmmmm....where's that Auntie of mine?"

 

 

 

 

The Watermelon Club Celebrates Erika's Sixth Birthday

Six Years Old!

A couple of years ago, my sister, Senta Kay, obtained some little watermelon cupcake toppers, and like all aunties, she said to herself, "Self, I should KEEP these.  Just IN CASE I'm ever in Seattle for Erika's birthday in August; it would be a GREAT summer birthday theme."    Well, THIS was the year!  She would be in Seattle  during the month of August for Erika's birthday.

So, the "Watermelon Club" was born and took on a life of its own!   

Auntie Senta arrived on the 10:00 plane from Colorado, complete with watermelon cupcake toppers:

Watermelon Headbands:

And, a Watermelon Tie for the only male member of the Watermelon Club:

 

Erika made these for all of her guests:

 

And, I couldn't help but to get into the watermelon-spirit with these plates, napkins, and tablecloth:

 

For the past few days, there was this sign posted on the girls bedroom:

Usually, we are enjoying an outside summer birthday party on the deck, but this year it was raining heavily.  So here we are, indoors, ready to eat Auntie Senta's delicious Phad Thai for dinner:

Baby Jacqueline sports her watermelon headband on the lap of Grammy Anne: 

 The officers of the Watermelon Club salivating over the birthday cake, wishing I would quit taking pictures:

 

Last, but not least, the Watermelon Club in its absolute entirety:

Thanks Auntie Senta for bringing a bit of themed-excitement, a new club, a lot of pink and green, and tons of LOVE into our favorite summertime celebration.....precious Erika's birthday!

Neighborhood Erects Monster Tent

Pete and the girls of the neighborhood slept in the tent the other day.  (That sounds like a high-school-note passed around in class, two days after Prom Night.)

How 'bout that laundry bucket over on the left side?  (No time for cropping these days!)  And, no, that's not me holding Jacqueline; that's my neighbor, Julee.  I WISH it were me...that would mean I was down about twenty pounds!  The other two handsome dudes in the photo are John (Julee's husband) and Mike, our northern neighbor.  Poor Mike.....he was planning on a peaceful evening in front of his firepit in his own backyard, and then....HERE WE COME.....in full force in our backyard.  I guess he decided we were no match for his quiet evening, so he just joined in the chaos!  The fact that he's willing to pose for one of my lunatic photos, shows just what a great sport he really is.

Are they excited or what????

Night - night!  

And, yes.....they actually made it ALL NIGHT out there!

Crazy Uncle Ivan

My brother visited us this weekend.  He flew in from San Diego on Thursday night, and leaves Monday morning.  That's probably about all he can take of this three-ring-circus, being a swingin' bachelor, who has a bit of a quieter home life than what he experiences here. 

He is number two, in our line-up of siblings.  In other words he was the victim of my hours playing "school" where I was the teacher and he was the student.  I'm sure he loved every moment of it. <<wink>>

We went beachcombing, watched fireworks (absent of screams of terror this year!), relaxed at the house, and went to a minor-league baseball game.  Unlce Ivan also made his famous Chinese food for us on Saturday night. 

When he visited three years ago, there were only three nieces.  Now, there are FIVE:

Here we are at the Everett Aquasox game:

And, of course, we had to put the baby in the arms of the bachelor, swoon a bit, and then take pictures:

Late Winter at the Pond

We went exploring at "our" nearby pond last week, examining winter "goodies" and some very early signs of spring.  Probably the last time we'll do this until after the baby is born.  We had a special guest come with us...neighbor and Little-Flower-friend Gemma came with us!

The pond and surrounding areas look so different in the winter.  The girls can walk in places they normally cannot.  For instance, actually IN THE POND:

It may still look like winter, but they really did find lots of signs of spring.  See the little splotches of green?

Foraging for cattails:

And, pulling them apart:

Caroline was a bit tired, and quite content to be pushed in the stroller (since the backpack is out-of-the-question these days).  Except when the ducks came around.  Then she wanted in-on-the- action.

We saw a pair of ducks that we've never seen before.  One looked exactly like a ring-necked duck.  But its partner did not look like the female ring-necked duck.  It looked more like a goldeneye (except with a white "cap" on its head) or a bufflehead duck. 

Because You Can Never Have Too Many Pictures of Little Girls In Matching Ponchos and Hats

A beautiful Mass was celebrated for the Feast of the Baptism of Our Lord!  We were all able to attend since the pink eye that has been running through the family seemed to be subsiding. 

Looking at the Cradle that was used for "Cradle-Rocking" at the Christmas Eve Midnight Mass:

At the Creche:

Going for a walk after Mass:

A bit of running after Mass, as they suddenly remember that there are DONUTS in the house:

Not exactly keeping up, but trying really hard:

 

"Wait!  Come back!   We have to take a picture with Grama Charlotte!"

My mom and I made these ponchos (4 of them: I have one too, of course.....LOL!) in August 2005, when the girls were 4, 3, and 2. So this is the third year we've worn them.  I just keep making a bigger one for Madeleine when another girl arrives, and they get passed on down the line.  Although, if she calls me FAT one more time, I'm considering discontinuing her family-poncho-wearing-privileges.  I bought some more red fleece yesterday to make yet another one for next year!

Bringing in the New Year

On New Year's Eve, we have a fondue dinner. 

• One pot of cheese fondue for bread and veggies. 
• One pot of fondue bourgignon for meat. 

Let us not forget the beloved sparkling cider that disappears before my very eyes.   This year, I changed from the typical cheese fondue with Gruyere and Emmanthaler to a plain ol' Cheddar fondue.  Everyone prefered it, 'cept me.  Oh well.....someday I'll get my beloved "real" fondue back.  And someday, when little people  acquire a bit of self-control, we'll be daring and branch out into chocolate fondue for dessert. 

After dinner we played Yahtzee and then the girls went to bed.  We proceeded to watch a movie. 

I had a few fondue parties before I got married.  They were SO FUN!   A month after our wedding on New Year's Eve, we had a fondue dinner party, and another the following year with Madeleine as an 8-month-old.  After that, it became strictly a family affair for obvious reasons.  We sit around the "coffee table" in the living room because everyone needs to be close to the pots.  The girls really look forward to it.

Here is part of the spread from last year:

Of course, if you LOSE YOUR FOOD in the fondue pot, a kiss is in order.  There's a lot of kissin' around here:

 

Happy New Year!

It's Snowing!

And the neighborhood girls were VERY busy today!

Laughing in the Leaves - Ha, ha, he!

My mother exclaimed when she saw this, "I wonder what's going to be sitting on the other side of Caroline next year!" 

Me too, Mom.  Me too. 

When the green woods laugh with the voice of joy,
And the dimpling stream runs laughing by;
When the air does laugh with our merry wit,
And the green hill laughs with the noise of it;

When the meadows laugh with lively green,
And the grasshopper laughs in the merry scene,
When Madeleine, Erika and Dorothy
With their sweet round mouths sing "Ha, ha he!"

When the painted birds laugh in the shade,
Where our table with cherries and nuts is spread:
Come live, and be merry, and join with me,
To sing the sweet chorus of "Ha, ha, he!"

~Laughing Song, by William Blake

Last year's picture is practically the same!  I better come up with something new next year.

Les Petits Plaisirs de la Vie

My morning Pumpkin Spice Latte.  I love all things-pumkin, EXCEPT pumkin pie.   But practically anything else can have pumpkin in it, and I love it!  Muffins, bread, bars, soups, pancakes, cheesecake, sauces.  But, no pie.  I don't know why.

I found this recipe in Autumn from the Heart of the Home by Susan Branch.  Which, this year, I'm finding awfully depressing since I have no energy to DO any of the things in the book.  But I can read about them, and there is always next year.   But, THIS one, I can handle! 

Place in a large coffee mug (mine is 16 oz.):

• 1/2 - 1 T. brown sugar
• 1/2 t. cinnamon
• 1/4 t. nutmeg
• 1/4 t. cloves
• 1-2 T. pumpkin puree

Pour in 1 cup of hot coffee.  In my case it's a half-cup of weak decaf - blah. I can't wait to have a full cup of regular, French-pressed, STRONG coffee with this next year. 

Steam or warm 1/2-1 cup of milk/half-half/cream in whatever combination you like and pour into the cup.  Stir. Top with whipped cream and a dash of nutmeg.  Voila!

 

Eeewwww....what is THAT....????

Dollops of the pumpkin puree, flash-frozen placed in a bag in the freezer, ready for the next use!  Fouteen delicious mugs of Pumpkin Spice Latte.   

 

A Nature Day From Beginning to End

A couple days ago, upon waking, I was feeling "OK," so we headed out the door.   No pond stomping today.  Simply an hour walk around our beautiful neighborhood.  Here are a few of our findings:

When we come home for a walk like this, we just sit down somewhere outside, place our findings out in front of us, and just sit there for awhile and chit-chat about any ol' thing.  On this day, I think we sat and talked for about 45 minutes.   

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The leaves are beginning to change colors.  The girls collected Red Maple leaves and made bouquets out of them.  Yes, those are Red Maple leaves, not Poinsettias.  They kept count of how many Maple trees we saw.  I forgot to ask what the final count was. All I remember is that they determined that there were more Maple trees on the east sides of the streets than on the west.

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Our neighbor's Chestnut Tree was dropping its "fruit," so we collected the husks and a couple nuts still in the  shell.  We measured the leaves.....13 inches!  We dissected the husks, and determined that they are "smelly, mushy and  prickly."  This led to lots of discussion about squirrels and chipmunks, etc. who are collecting nuts for the winter.  We came home and read Chipmunk Song. They spent about 30 minutes looking up chipmunks and squirrels in Mammals Golden Guide and North American Wildlife. 

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The girls were interested in the berries on a Juniper, so we picked a branch, came home and identified it as a Rocky Mountain Juniper. Identified the Rocky Mountains on the US map.

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I finally verified that the beautiful tree in our back yard that I look at every day is a Mountain Ash. That's what I thought, but I never actually checked.  We've only been here for 5 years.  Sheez.

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We read the poems for the Mountain Ash and Horse Chestnut from our favorite Book of Flower Fairies.  Caroline tried to eat the inside of the Chestnut husks while we were doing this.

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The girls did leaf rubbings.  We pulled out our Parts of a Leaf Cards.  And, they started tracing leaves from the Botany Cabinet.  I requested a few books from the library from my Books About Trees List.

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Copywork of "Horse Chestnut,"   "Mountain Ash"  and "Red Maple"

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Saw this tree for the first time today.  Anyone know what it is?  Dad?   

We looked at the September and October pages of Nature All Year Long.  Which led to making a list of all the birds that migrate and the ones that will stay the winter.  Which led to a call to Wild Birds Unlimited and also looking up a few things on our Birds of Washington software.  Which then led to listening to bird calls for an hour while I made dinner.  After dinner the girls drew pictures of a few things that they found and of birds.

Whew!  These days always just seem to take on a life of their own.  They lead....I follow, help and suggest.  I had absolutely no plans to do any of this.  They had a busy and fun day.  Me too.   Truth be told, I WAS a bit anxious to get horizontal in bed that night. :)      

Three Cheers for Low Tide!

We met the Rodabaugh Clan at the Beach on Tuesday, as it was low tide.  Low tide just BEGS us to an early morning out the door with some banana bread, grapes and oranges for brunch, and a pail and shovel for everyone!

Here are some of the beach-combers (Caroline even gets into the action, in the bottom left):

Then, it's on to a bit of team work:

While the "babies" of each family relax:

And some rock-climbing to finish off the morning:

   

Picture Books About Going To The FAIR

"It's the day of the Fair.  For miles around, people are getting their prize animals, their vegetables, their cakes and preserves ready to display.  Before the sun is up, everyone in the Martin family is out and about. What a lot of bustle!"  ~Come to the Fair, Janet Lunn/Gilles Pelletier

We're off to the Fair sometime within the next week.   So, we've started diving into a few of our favorite picture books....... 

• Come To The Fair, Janet Lunn.  Dawn mentioned this one last year, and it is now our FAVORITE!  We read this over and over last year and spent hours looking at the pictures, as there is always something new to discover in them.
• Corgiville Fair, Tasha Tudor
• Old Thunder and Miss Raney, Darrow / Brown
• Oh, Look! , Patricia Polacco
• Mrs. Rose's Garden, Elaine Greenstein
• County Fair, Little House Book
• Country Fair, Gail Gibbons
• Minerva Louise at the Fair, Morgan Stoeke
• Country Fair, Elisha Cooper
• Maisy at the Fair

Enjoy your trip to the fair!

Sinking and Floating during the Month of August

Erika (almost 5) asked me to put this on the blog.  (How can I refuse?)  She wanted Grama Charlotte , Auntie Becca and Natalie to see her "Sink and Float Espeerment" (experiment). 

Here are the things that float:

Stick, Apple, Flowers, Plastic Nail, Clothespin, Leaves, Dandelion, Ronald McDonald, Measuring Cup, Plate, Syringe

Things that Sink: Seashell, Pebble, Penny, Rocks, Golf Ball, Fireman, Blue bucket, Hairclip

Clearing the Clutter!

Lorri at the Mac and Cheese Chronicles is hosting the Loveliness of Clearing the Clutter.  When I first typed this, I typed Loveliness of Clutter!!!!  Hardly  LOL! 

I don't have many pictures, mainly because I'm just all pictured-out.  But here are a couple of "hot spots" that have been de-cluttered lately:   

One of the Kitchen Cabinets - Made a trip to the Dollar Store and outfitted this particular cabinet with makeshift pull-out drawers so things would stop getting all jumbled up.

Before:

   

Not really all THAT bad.  But, could be better.  After:

 

Like items go together and they won't ever get mixed up.  Syrups and molasses, Magic Bullet pieces, hand mixer and 2 beaters, coffee items, misc. baking supplies, tall things, cheese graters, etc.  Things were tossed.  I even have a half-space and one whole basket leftover!   

I added a shelf-divider to the plate cabinet and tossed a bunch of misc. plates that bother me. 

Band-Aid Box - While I was de-cluttering the First Aid Box, I re-vamped our Band-Aid System.  This was SO EXCITING to me and the project that worried Pete the most.  All the Band-aids were just jumbled up together, which is annoying.  So, I separated them and threw away all the other stuff that was floating around in Band-aid box.   

I put a "sample" on the outside.  They are all very similar in size, but it's the TYPE that I'm more concerned about.  The stickiness and the stretch.  No character band-aids here.  No siree-bob.  The girls think it's FUN to have character band-aids and all I ever here is "Can I have a band-aid?"  for absolutely NOTHING!  I do keep a secret stash for the times when someone is really hurt and desperately needs cheering up.  But they are hidden away somewhere and because I never use them, I have no idea where they are. LOL!

Purse - inspired by the Bag Tags going around a couple of months ago, I de-cluttered and re-vamped my purse.  I'm no longer the mommy of only wee-ones, and we actually leave the house from time to time, so I needed a purse re-evaluation.

Girls' Dresses - Purge, Sort, Organize.  Made 5 dresses into rags....took off the lace and buttons for some sort of eventual Montessori activity and cut them up.  How satisfying.   Passed about 10 dresses on to neighbors.

My Clothing - Many of my clothes just don't fit anymore, so they are OUTTA HERE!  3 boxes donated.  1 box of favorites will get passed on.   

Kitchen Utensil Drawer - Tossed enough things to make this a nice drawer that actually opens.  Added a second two-section divider; one was not doing the trick.

I unloaded most of our baby toys.  Caroline is not a "baby" anymore (sniff) (even though she weighs less than most 6-month-olds) and she doesn't play with toys anyway.  She just WHIPS them out of the play-yard and they go flying across the room.  Nice. She prefers everything in the kitchen and whatever the older girls are working on. 

Old Art Supplies were sorted and tossed.  It's Year Two of investing in quality art supplies.  Last year it was paints and paper.  This year it's crayons and pencils. 

Tableclothes - This was painful for me as I tend to LOVE tabletop items, just like my mom.  But, if I don't LOVE a tablecloth and look forward to having it on my table, it had to leave.  I have a cupboard of tableclothes and napkins and it was getting too crowded.  4 tableclothes gone!  2 donated as they are in good shape.  2 become picnic blankets for the van.

Pete's T-shirts.  Hopeless case.  No headway here.  My husband has 2 drawers that barely open, they are so full.  I will never understand the love affair between a guy and his t-shirts and jeans.   Maybe next year.  (sigh)  That is, "maybe next year, I'll get this done," not "maybe next year I'll understand the love affair."

Shoes.  Went through all the girls' shoes and tossed the bad ones and ones we never really liked.  Why did I ever keep them anyway?  Weak moments.

The stuffed animals that were hidden in the "holding cell" in the basement finally made the 3-month-cut.  No one has noticed that they were gone, so they are GONE!  Can you tell that I'm excited about this one? Shhhh...

Toys.  Ah, yes, the toys.  I decided that in July-August-September we don't need any toys in our living room.  We're outside most of the time anyway and when we're not outside, we're busy getting ready to GO outside.  So, I brought EVERYTHING downstairs and went through it.  If I was going to haul something up those stairs again, it better be a pretty good toy.   I've made lots of good shelf space and room upstairs for some of our new Montessori items .

And, of course, I would be remiss if I did an organizing post and didn't mention my two favorite organizers:

The Organizing Junkie

The Lazy Organizer

Happy De-Cluttering, everyone!

 

Lace? Ruffles? Ribbons?

No, no, no! 

Move over Donnatella Versace, my girls are going to give you a run for your money!

And, quite practical too!

A Week in Summer Dresses and Skirts

Following the Week in Winter Skirts, here is my Week in Summer Dresses and Skirts.

Getting ready to go to the beach for the morning.  This is a sleeveless dress that, believe me, is NOT flattering up on top, so I wear a matching short-sleeve, button-down shirt with it and just leave it open.  It's a lightweight fabric, perfect for warm weather.

This is a knit, cotton, full A-line dress.  It's one of my workhorse dresses, as it hides stains.  I do dirty, outside jobs in this dress.

Doing a little outside reading and eating on my favorite chair for sitting on the ground.  Another lightweight cotton/rayon A-line dress.   

Here is a skirt that I like a lot.  It looks straight, but it's not.  There is lots of room for all those jumping jacks and cartwheels that I do.  LOL!  This is me cleaning up after Caroline's "cooking session" where she spreads all of the cookie sheets and trays all over the place:

Sweeping and talking to Pete on the phone about our favorite subject of all time, home improvement:

Giving Caroline a bird's eye view for a change:

In all these pictures I'm wearing my black sandals, but I have others.  Tan, red and cream.  They are all pretty flat and very comfy.  I also wear my Tevas for wet, dirty, outdoor work. 

And, of course, one of the best parts of summer is painting my toenails (when I'm not pregnant, at least.)  Even though I SHOULD be wearing my orthotics at all times, I just can't resist painted toenails and nice sandals.      

Another week in skirts and dresses.  This time with sandals instead of boots and mary-janes. 

It's a wrap!

It's All About The Tables

One of my favorite things to do to get ready for our three months of outdoor living is to BRING OUT THE TABLES.   And, boy do I have tables.   We have a big yard, and so having a table in every section, corner or area of the yard ensures, and just INVITES us to be outside as much as we can for all our meals, as well as for all sorts of craziness that takes place in our little corner among the Cedar trees.   

Right after the summer clothes come out, I move the kitchen table (that we LIVE at during the rest of the year) right up against the wall: 

Not very inviting, is it?  No!  THAT is the point. We do not want to eat here unless it is pouring rain.  Sometimes Pete tries to get away with sitting there for breakfast and the reading of his morning paper (he usually eats early before the girls are up) and if I happen to walk in and it's a beautiful morning, I look at him like he has ten heads, gasp, and say, "You should eat OUTSIDE!  Look how beautiful it is out there!  Isn't this why you moved to the Northwest?  For weather like this?  And that lovely deck that you SLAVED OVER!  Such a shame.  And, here you sit."  (then I sigh).

He doesn't even look up.  I wave my hand and flutter off.  Another unsuccessful communication attempt with my phlegmatic husband. 

So, where, in fact, DO we eat, if not at the pushed back table?

For starters, the big, beautiful, above-mentioned, slaved-over deck, right off the kitchen:

 

Moving on around the deck......

The catch-all-table outside the kitchen door.  This table functions as extra counter space, afternoon project table and an afternoon snack area because it's in the shade:

I can rejoice, because finally THIS crazy table goes back outside where it belongs:

Of course, these are everyone's favorite outdoor chairs at our house.  The Gliders.  Lots of eating and drinking coffee takes place here:

A covered table.  Here is a table on the patio, underneath the deck, where we eat on really hot days and have buffets set up for parties and company who are lounging at the fire pit :

Then, there is this table by the play-area, pool and sand box.  The neighbors have been known to park it right here with a nice little appetizer and an afternoon cocktail, watching the children frolick in the afternoon sun.  In September we have to move it over a bit because otherwise we'd have plums dropping continuously into our snacks and beloved drinks.  Bad.  Bad.   

 

The child-table out front:

So, there is the outdoor-table-tour of our yard and where you will find us Taking Our Meals Out-of-Doors until the end of September.

"Millionaires, presidents -- even kings, Can't get along without everyday things. "

Bringing Life and Learning Out-of-doors

The weather has been wonderfully sunny the past few days.  Not always WARM, but sunny and beautiful!  We have moved our life OUT-OF-DOORS! 

Phys Ed:

Reading, Poetry, Religion and a Picnic in the front yard:

Lots of Nature Study, Botany & Composting:

More Botany:

Geography & Beachcombing:

A bit of Physics:

Socialization and Team Work:

Entomology:

Dendrology:

Picture Books:

Civil Engineering:

Math (How many steps to get to the compost pile?)

Even Mom gets a couple minutes seconds of peace in the backyard, perusing a new book. 

      

And Photography.  Don't forget Outside Photography! (Dorothy Jo took this picture.) 

   

Fluttering Creatures

.

Hand in hand they dance in a row,

Hither and thither, and to and fro,

Flip! Flap! Flop! And away they go!

Flutt'ring creatures as white as snow,

Like restive horses they caper and prance;

Like fairy tale witches they wildly dance;

Rounded in front, but hollow behind,

They shiver and skip in the merry March wind.

One I saw dancing excitedly,

Struggling so wildly till she was free,

Then, leaving pegs and clothes-line behind her,

She flew like a bird, and no one can find her.

   

I saw her gleam, like  sail, in the sun,

Flipping and flapping and flopping for fun.

     ~From The Clothes-Line, by Charlotte Druitt Cole

An Easter Wish

 

May the glad dawn

Of Easter morn

Bring joy to thee.

    ~~~~~

May the calm eve

Of Easter leave

A peace divine with thee.

    ~~~~~

May Easter night

On thine heart write,

O Christ, I live for thee.

      ~Annonymous

My Sister ~ On Paper

I found these words written in "small girl writing" (small girl being Madeleine) on a sheet of paper the other day: 

• Lent
• Doll
• March
• Saint Cecilia (Little-Flower-Group's saint of the month)
• Piety (Little Flower Virtue of the month)
• The Lord is my light and my salvation (Psalm refrain for Sunday Mass)
• Senta Kay (as in "Auntie Senta," my sister)

Wow! Auntie Senta ranks right up there with her favorite toy, the Psalm Refrain, St. Cecilia, the liturgical season, the month and Piety. 

O Little Town of Bethlehem

How still we see thee lie.

Above thy deep and dreamless sleep,

The silent stars go by.

Yet in thy dark streets shineth,

The everlasting  Light;

The hopes and fears of all the years,

Are met in thee tonight.

~Visiting the Creche at the Cathedral this morning.

The First Noel at our Home

This is one BORED donkey; Joseph is obviously taking too long with Mary's saddle. 

And, here we have baby Jesus inside one of those furry, soft socks complete with a frog decoration.  Not exactly the "swaddling clothes" to which the angels were referring: 

There have been several other things that PROBABLY didn't happen according to our re-telling. Such as:

Mary (Erika-4) suddenly running quickly out of the scene as soon as the shepherds appear, and 30 seconds later BELLOWS from the other end of the house, "WILL SOMEBODY WIPE MY BUM!!!?" 

Mary (Dorothy Jo-3) falling off the donkey (Madeleine-5) which resulted in a bloody lip.

Balthazar (Dorothy Jo-3) REFUSING to give baby Jesus his gift of myrhh. 

Mary and Joseph telling the donkey (mommy) that Bethlehem was  THAT way, and the donkey explaining that the donkey can't really go that way because THAT way is the WOOD FLOOR! (kinda hard on the knees). 

The Angel (Erika-4) picking her nose while proclaiming the good news to the shepherds. 

The Donkey (Madeleine-5) was accused of "bottom-showing" because her pants were falling down. 

And, of course what kind of Nativity Play would it be in a household with a 10-month-old, if the said-10-month-old didn't start EATING the HAY in the MANGER!  She's so smart.  Nobody needed to TEll HER she was the cow.

Merry Christmas!

"For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Messiah and Lord." Luke 2:10-11

Merry Christmas from our home to yours!

O Tannenbaum

Ever feel like you're being WATCHED?

Advent Log

About a month ago, as a result of reading about Rebecca's Advent Log, I wrote my dad a letter asking him to save a birch log for us, thinking he could bring it next summer if he visited.  We only have trees of the 2-foot-diameter-variety around here, so our own trees were out of the question.  Plus, I thought it would be neat to have a log from the woods where I grew up.   

I had always wanted something like this, but hadn't worked out the details.  See?  If you procrastinate long enough with a project, eventually someone else works out the details FOR you!  Let's hear three cheers for procrastination! 

I SORT OF told him what I was going to do with it, but I figured he didn't need all the details....just bring the log halfway across the country, and perhaps I would have an Advent Log for Christmas next year. Well, little did I know....

On Saturday, December 2, the day before the beginning of Advent.  THIS is what we received in the mail:

With 28 holes drilled (22 used this year).  Complete with "feet" attached and COVERS for the feet (not displayed correctly here).  Note: sewing is one of my dad's favorite pastimes.  Last, but not least, a letter full of humor and instructions!

Here it is with candles and evergreen in place: 

Sitting on the hearth of our fireplace:

Talk about "running with a project!" 

My dad always used lots of "Ancient Chinese Proverbs" to make a point/teach a lesson with his offspring. So, here is my Ancient Chinese Proverb for the day: "He who has an Advent-Log-Maker in their family is truly blessed!" 

Thank you, Oh-Wonderful-Father-of-Mine!

Whose books are these, anyway?

I was in need of a serious December-Mommy-Attitude-Adjustment.  I was feeling tired, ungrateful and generally overwhelmed. What's a gal to do?  Slump in a chair and cry?  Hide?  Eat?  Call my mom?  Blog?  Clean? 

No, no, no.  None of those was quite the fix I needed. 

I sat down in a chair and picked up a book....then another.  I proceeded to read a few of my favorite Christmas picture books that I claim to purchase for my children (wink, wink).  Little did I know when I bought them that they also have high attitude-adjustment-capability, as well as being beautiful books for my girls! So, I devoured a few of my favorites....the ones that make me weep:

Christmas Day in the Morning

Annika's Secret Wish

Clown of God

The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree

Attitude adjusted.  Perspective restored.  Gratitude reigns.

On to the next load of laundry.  On with the meal planning and kitchen clean-up.  On with clearing paths admidst dolls and blocks so we can walk around.  On with diaper changing and baby holding.  On with kissing hurt fingers and wiping bums. On with crowd control and project management. And, just plain onward....

A book which is enjoyed only by children is a bad children's story.  The good ones last.  A book which is not worth reading at age 50 is not worth reading at age 10.  ~ C.S. Lewis

My Dad's Holly Hat

Everywhere I look this time of year, I see sketches, pictures, cards of HOLLY.  It reminds me of my father's infamous "Holly Hat."  A tan corduroy hat with 2" of fur around the edge with a little piece of fake holly attached to it.  I can see him leaning back in his chair rubbing hand lotion on his hands after bringing in a few loads of wood for the wood-burning stove, wearing his Holly Hat, wool pants and shirt with a dickie underneath, and red suspenders.  He wore this favorite hat all winter for many, many years.  Alas, I believe it burned in our house fire in 1988, so no more Holly Hat.  But it is forever etched into my mind as a fond childhood memory and resurrected every Christmas. 

Uncle Ivan (my brother) is giving the girls one of my favorite Christmas books The Story of Holly and Ivy, by Rumor Godden/Barbara Cooney this year.  I have already read it several times by myself (I haven't wrapped it yet) and of course I cry every time!    

Then there is one of my favorite Christmas poems, now a song:

The Holly and the Ivy

The holly and the ivy,
Now both are full well grown.
Of all the trees that are in the wood,
The holly bears the crown.

The holly bears a blossom
As white as lily flower;
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
To be our sweet Savior.

The holly bears a berry
As red as any blood;
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
To do poor sinners good.

The holly bears a prickle
As sharp as any thorn;
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
On Christmas day in the morn.

The holly bears a bark
As bitter as any gall;
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
For to redeem us all.

The holly and the ivy,
When they are both full grown,
Of all the trees that are in the wood,
The holly bears the crown.

~Traditional

Winter Skirts - Day 4

Remember how I said that we don't get snow here?  So choosing footwear for a snowy climate to go with skirts is not one of my dilemas?  Y'all must just think I'm crazy, because there seems to be lots of snow in ALL THESE PICTURES!  This is extremely unusual for us here in the Northwest.  I've lived here for 10 years and have never seen snow stay this long.  I grew up in Minnesota, so it's far from foreign to me and a welcome change.   

This is a Liz Claiborne, pumpkin-colored, cotton-twill, full skirt from a thrift store. It is 35" long and 84" around the bottom hem. Liz Claiborne has durable, soft fabrics and usually modest, practical clothes.  Sometimes I type in "Liz Claiborne" on e-bay and do a little perusing.  A black sweater turtleneck is on top, with yet another vest (faux-sherling, gift from my dad YEARS ago).  Black paddock-riding boots.  And, that's my dh's Carhartt jacket I'm wearing; it was just the first thing I grabbed from the very large pile of outerwear snarling at me from the floor.  (I don't have a system for snow-clothes because..... remember? We don't get snow!) 

Here are some random daily activities.....conversing with Dorothy Jo (age 3) about why we don't lick our snot, working in the kitchen, changing the suet in the bird feeder, dumping garbage and hauling buckets, looking through boxes for something (that I never found) in the gararge and analyzing animal tracks in the snow.  Oh yes, the picture with the blue bin at the top....Bridget's post about her compost pile reminded me of my poor, little, freezing worms in my worm bin.   It normally doesn't get this cold, this soon, here.  So "move worm bin into basement" is not on my to-do list until December.  Poor little worms. 

I think that's it for my "Winter Skirts." I'm sure you have all had quite enough. Plus, my photographers are starting to lose interest, and it's time to get ready for Advent!   

More Moms Blogging About Skirts

Here are some more moms who are blogging about everyday life in skirts.

Lisa at Joyful Chaos

Bridget at Our Magnum Opus

Ruth at Just Another Day in Paradise

Cheryl at My Thoughtful Spot

Mrs. Chancey "Through the Week in Feminine Dress"

Winter Skirts - Day 3

Day 3.  This is a black, corduroy, wrap skirt.   For those of you who live in warmer climates go here, for the same skirt, lighter fabric.  Lest you starting thinking of the typical wrap skirt that FLIES open with a slight wind or a tiny lift of the leg, revealing the color of your underwear, let me reassure you, THIS SKIRT is NOTHING of the sort.  On me, the fabric is overlapped about 20" at the waist.  This design is brilliant, and I don't know why there aren't more skirts made like this. 

This skirt fits women sizes 4-16.  I wore this when I was 3 weeks post partum, and I am wearing it today, 35 pounds lighter.  Which is one reason why it's so wonderful, perfect for the ever-changing waist and hips of a child-bearing woman.  I sound like a commercial. It's probably not for everyone....may be a bit too much fabric, too wide at the bottom, too "prairie-looking" for some to wear for everyday to fit in. But, if you are at all attracted to this skirt or wondering about it, I highly recommend trying it.  If it's not the right style for everyday /at home, then you have an absolutely gorgeous skirt for special occasions, church, parties, etc.  Women who play in orchestras buy these in VELVET and black corduroy to wear during performances; they are very elegant if dressed up.  They are long (38").  I have a couple shorter friends who have them and they hemmed them up a couple of inches.  Jewish women who follow the "tznius" (modest) guidelines must have skirts this long.

I am wearing black, microfiber tights.  On top is a gray/lavender fleece top with a black short-sleeve cotton shirt underneath. I took a gray vest on and off today.  I also buy these headbands from tznius.com.  I wear either black boots or black Mary Janes with this skirt.

Shaking the rug, painting time, working in the kitchen (complete with a mean-guy-egg-shell-act), carrying in a case of our favorite holiday microbrew (Jubelale), hauling a baby and a dollhouse around the house, nursing, and sitting at a child-size table.  All in a skirt.

 

Winter Skirts - Day 2

Here we are, Day 2.  I hope Pete never reads this; he'll think I've lost my mind! 

This is a dark brown cotton/polyester-blend, 6-gored skirt.  It's very long (40") and 63" around the bottom hem.  With 60" at the bottom, I can sit Indian-style with all my skirts.  I usually stay away from brown, only because I only have black shoes, but for $3 at a thrift store, why not?  I have an old pair of exercise, black, cotton/lycra leggings underneath with brown knee-high socks. 

On top is a white (well, sort of), ribbed, turtleneck sweater with another vest. 

So, I can sit on the floor, put a child between my legs for morning-hair-combing, fish for polly-pockets under the bed and stand on a chair in the kitchen to look for my favorite Christmas mug.  There was about 5" of snow today, and I was outside with Caroline in the sling, pulling Dorothy Jo on the sled. 

Of course the pictures don't show it, but I took inventory at about 3 pm today and I had flour, chalk and lotion on the front of my skirt, oatmeal on the front of my sweater, and spit-up or snot (I'm not sure which one) on my vest.  There were also several evergreen needles stuck to my socks and hair.  THIS is why women used to wear aprons.  Which I do in the kitchen.....but that helps only PART of the time. 

Winter Skirts - Day 1

There is a great thread on the 4real forum right now about wearing skirts/dresses in the winter.  Bridget is doing this, and I thought I would copy her....take pictures throughout the week in different skirts/dresses doing regular working and mothering activities. I also found it VERY helpful to SEE other moms working in their skirts and dresses, when I was considering switching from pants to mainly skirts/dresses a couple of years ago.  And, my eldest daughter is oh-so-happy to be given free reign of the camera for a few days!

My winter clothes are definetely less feminine - heavier fabrics, darker colors, no floral, less dresses, etc.  For obvious weather-reasons. 

Here is one of my favorite skirts.  I only like denim if it's a "soft denim," which this skirt is because it has TENCEL in it (whoever invented Tencel should be KISSED a million times!)  I like my skirts longer....they have to be AT LEAST 37" long for me (I'm 5'4").  And, the measurement around the bottom hem of the skirt must be AT LEAST 60" (this one is right at 60") in order to have a full range of movement.  I mention this only because I have bought skirts off e-bay and I ask for these measurements to make sure it's the right skirt (along with waist and hip measurement, of course). Buying from ebay is actually easier than from a catalogue because ebay sellers will take precise measurements for you.  With catalogues, it's just a guessing game. I have never had an ebay purchase be too big or too small, but I have had catalogue purchases returned MANY TIMES.  I also bring my tape measure into thrift stores and don't even try on skirts that don't meet this criteria; it saves lots of time.  I also like my skirts a bit big (probably to a fault)....it just makes me feel like I can do ANYTHING in them if they aren't at all tight (just a personal preference, I have never liked tight clothing...I would NOT be a very good teenager these days!!)

This is considered a gored, A-line skirt.  I LOVE gored skirts; they are attractive and slimming.  This one was on clearance at Macy's for $20.  On top is a navy blue waffle shirt with a fleece, red vest.  We keep our heat pretty low in the winter, so it's all about "layering" here.  I wear lots of vests in the winter.  I also do not like to wear bulky sweaters when I'm nursing.  I am wearing gray footless tights (microfiber) with navy knee-high socks over them with black, ankle, Paddock-Riding-Boots.  When we go outside in the winter I wear legwarmers from mid-calf on up (you can't see them).  I wear ankle boots or Mary-Janes in the winter time.  We don't get snow, so I don't have that dilema.  But, because of the rain I do need ankle boots or thick bottom shoes. 

Hopefully, tomorrow will be another outfit, another post!

Thanksgiving Napkins

The girls had fun making the napkins for our Thanksgiving Dinner.   

Watching the Macy's Day Parade.....

"Mom, when are they gonna stop talkin' and just show us the parade?" 

Il Neige! Il Neige!

This is a rare....snow in November.  Come to think of it, it's rare in GENERAL.  To us...this is "tons of snow."  Joy, joy, joy, joy....

Our Family's Birthday

 

For the past couple of years on our wedding anniversary, I have decorated our dining room table with various things from our wedding: 

• Anniversary Tablecloth ~ lovingly embroidered by Mme. Joncour, my “French host mother” when I worked in France.  It has our wedding date and names, with several Parisienne Landmarks embroidered around the middle.  One of my favorite wedding gifts!

• Gloves, pearls, earrings that I wore at the wedding
• “The Kiss” picture from our wedding
• Mary statue that was on our reception table
• One of the Gold Bows that adorned our tables at the reception
• Photo Album and Scrapbook
• Champagne flutes
• Green napkins that were at our table at the reception
• My grandmother’s crucifix that we held while saying our vows
• A branch of holly, which was part of our centerpieces

The girls love sitting there, just looking and playing with everything.  Today, I sat nursing Caroline, answering all of their questions.  "Who is that?"  "Why don't you have curly hair anymore?"   "Who 'gave away' the ring first?"  "Why is Mr. Dornay an Altar Boy when he is an adult?"  "Where is me?"  "Why is that baby wearing BLUE?"  "Where is Daddy's outfit?"  "Why is Mrs. Volpone (Maid-of-honor) taller than Mr. Pennington (Best Man)?"  "Tell us again the ORDER that everyone walked down the aisle."  "Why doesn't the priest walk down the aisle FIRST before the crucifix?"  It went on....and on....and on! 

I also display my wedding dress. Although, this year, I am able to do more than just DISPAY it…for the first time in 7 years, it actually has the possibility of being able to be PUT ON!

• The tradition has been to eat Thai food on this day, since that was one of our first meals we ate together. 
• I also have a “quiz” made up that we “play” with the girls; they will know our “story” whether they want to or not!  What country was daddy in before he proposed to mommy? Where was our first date?  Etc. 
• We sometimes watch a few snippets from our videos.

This year we enjoyed a dinner and play "It's a Wonderful Life Radio Production" on Saturday night.  It was a great evening!

Cranberry Thanksgiving

  This is our third day reading Cranberry Thanksgiving, (from Five in a Row) and the girls adore this book.  I would not have guessed that they would appreciate it so much and want more, more, more.   This book is truly becoming a “living book” in this household.  It has led to many discussions about cranberries, cranberry bogs, whiskers/beards/facial hair, large fireplaces/firepits/firewood, cold weather, recipes, lonely and poor people, men wearing ties, “trilling,” stealing, hair styles, grandmothers, Thanksgiving, etc. 

Here are some of the things we've done while "rowing" Cranberry Thanksgiving:

• Made cranberry bread to eat at our Cranberry Tea Party
• Sang “We Gather Together”
• Laughing about Mr. Whiskers saying “How about some more?”   (This has become a regular phrase while eating, followed by lots of giggles)
• Found pictures of cranberry bogs and cranberry bread on the internet

And then, this whole morning was basically dedicated to making letters, counting and adding cranberries.  This wasn't exactly the plan, but it just sort of took on a life of its own!

Here are some pictures from our Cranberry Math Morning Extravaganza:

Counting as per Mommy's directions:

Making letters (M,A,D) with cranberries:

Erika - Matching Math-U-See Rods to number of berries:

Dorothy Jo doing whatever she wants:

Madeleine's steps - counting out berries as she lines them up.  How many berries total? 

Hmmm...starting to get the "10 plus 1,2,3" concept:

Erika did this FOREVER:

An Arial View of "Cranberry Math":

And, there you have it!

The Wind and the Leaves

Come, little leaves, / Said the wind one day;
Come to the meadows / With me and play.
Put on your dresses / Of red and gold;
For summer is past, /And the days grow cold.

Soon as the leaves /Heard the wind's loud call,
Down they came fluttering, /One and all.
Over the meadows / They danced and flew,
All singing the soft / Little songs they knew.

Dancing and flying, / The leaves went along,
Til Winter called them / To end their sweet song.
Soon, fast asleep / In their earthy beds,
The snow lay a coverlet /O'er their heads.

~ George Cooper

November Prayers

Every year I look forward to Autumn and then to the month of November and Praying for the dead.  In my head (LOL!) I have designed a beautiful mini-altar for deceased loved ones and poor souls to use during this month.  This will hopefully become a reality as the girls get older and can help! For now, however, this is what we'll use; it's a pre-school version of the the "Communion of Saints Project: Family Tree of the Church" from A Year With God.  We did this today; and, of course, it took ALL MORNING!  It's really NOT very complicated, but in between diaper changes, nursing, snacks, arguments over crayons and holy cards, separating and sorting the holy cards, learning to use the craft-scissors, and lengthy discussions about purgatory, saints, sacrifices, God's love, heaven, and the words suffering, militant, and triumphant (because EVERY 3,4,and 5-year-old should have a firm grasp of these words!!! hahahaha!)...it took some time.  But, it was well worth it. 

They each chose a holy card of Jesus or Mary....at the top.  The next row is the Church Triumphant...the saints. The next row, the Church Suffering....headstones colored with the names of deceased family/friends.  The next row, the Church Militant....pictures of those on earth. 

At night we'll light the candles and sing the Litany of the Saints, not the "real one" but a "small-fry-version" using the saints pictured and whoever else the girls mention.   Then list all those on the headstones and say "Eternal rest...." 

If I take a picture of this in a couple of weeks, I'm sure there will be a picture of a turkey, maybe a pilgrim, thrown in there somewhere! 

Some people pay thousands of dollars for Interior Decorators....

......Silly Them!

(How long are we required to leave these up?)

Feast of All Souls

Therefore, it is a holy and beneficial thought to pray on behalf of those who have passed away, so that they may be released from sins.    2 Maccabees 12:46

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let the Perpetual Light shine upon them. May their souls, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen

This is a great idea for remembering our deaprted souls on All Souls Day.

Jenn has a nice post on praying for the dead in November.

And, of course, lots of good ideas and reading from Women for Faith and Family.

Therefore, it is a holy and beneficial thought to pray on behalf of those who have passed away, so that they may be released from sins.    2 Maccabees 12:46

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let the Perpetual Light shine upon them. May their souls, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen

This is a great idea for remembering our deaprted souls on All Souls Day.

Jenn has a nice post on praying for the dead in November.

And, of course, lots of good ideas and reading from Women for Faith and Family.

Opa and Oma are visiting and so are some SAINTLY FRIENDS

Look! They're here! Pete's mom and dad made it to our neck of the woods, and we are all having SO MUCH FUN!  This picture was taken right after Mass yesterday morning, then pumpkin carving and off to our All Saints Day Party.  I'll bet life isn't this chaotic exciting in Texas!  We had a few guest visitors: St. Therese the Little Flower, St. Rita, St. Lucy, St. Nicholas, and the Cure of Ars!                           

I was in charge of the Musical Saint Chair Game.  Bedlam? Pandemonium? Complete Chaos?  All of the above. But what else does one expect when you assemble 80+ little saints under one roof?

Scarecrows

Books are the quietest and most constant of friends: they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers.  ~ Charles W. Eliot

This week, our new friends are the SCARECROWS, thanks to some of our Favorite Autumn Picture Books.

1. Waltz of the Scarecrows
2. The Lonely Scarecrow
3. Scarecrow
4. And, our favorite, Little Scarecrow Boy by Margaret Wise Bown.  This book inspires us all to practice our very FIERCE FACES!

“No, No, little boy.  You can’t go.  You’re not fierce enough to scare a crow.  Wait till you grow.” 

Loveliness of Autumn

Michele at The Family Centered Life is hosting the Simple Elegance Fair, the Loveliness of Autumn.   

Fires in the Fall

The gypsy fire burns out-of-doors

In places wild and free;

I’d rather be a Gypsy fire

Than any fire, says she!

~Elizabeth Fleming    Fires

A year or two ago, my husband ordered a 36” diameter campfire ring from the Sportsman's Guide. We placed it in the backyard and enjoyed lots of fire ambiance when he casually started to mention building an official fire pit with pavers around the metal fire ring.  This was the result.

We ADORE the family time spent around this dominating feature of our backyard.  There is just something about leaning back in your chair, staring at the fire, watching the smoke curl upwards, talking…or just being silent.  It’s relaxing, cozy and mesmerizing.

Of course, we build lots of fires in the summer, but a bonfire in the summer just doesn’t have the same ambiance as a chilly, evening, Autumn Fire.  Just last night we had our first Autumn Fire with another couple. After children had all gone to bed, the four of us huddled around the fire, bundled in jackets, with a bit of food and a drink.  Tikki lights glowed, and silence was unknown. It was the night before the Harvest Moon. Looking up I saw the silhouette of the Cedar trees in the bright sky. 

Tonight, we had dinner around the fire, while waiting for the Harvest Moon to appear. If it is a Friday or Saturday night, it’s not raining (a common occurrence in the Pacific Northwest) and I’m not pregnant (another common occurrence) we’ll try to dine amongst the Cedars!  Especially in the Fall and Winter months.

Growing up our main source of heat was a wood burning stove. I have fond childhood memories of the first load of wood brought into the house as the colder temperatures approached.  It required furniture to be rearranged to make room for the 15-20 boxes of wood that sat under the staircase and a trip to the grocery store for those extremely sturdy lettuce boxes that housed the wood.  We would put on our gloves and “help” my Dad load the boxes and bring the boxes in on the dolly. My dad wore his wool pants with suspenders and always a hat….he just smelled like OUTSIDE! 

Pete has visions of our girls growing up with “bonfire camaraderie” as we call it.  Instead of television or malls or talking on the phone, hopefully they will enjoy hours around a brightly lit fire enjoying nature, their family, their friends and a chance to just sit, to just “be” and…..be grateful.  That’s what I felt last night and tonight.  Grateful for my hard-working husband, my sweet children, the cool autumn air and those precious moments of joy and peace.

                                                            

Sing a song of seasons

Something bright in all

Flowers in the summer

Fires in the fall

    ~from Autumn Fires, R.L. Stevenson

                                                                                                                                   

I love to see the cottage smoke

Curl upwards through the trees;

The pigeons nestled round the cote

On November days like these

~from Autumn by John Clare

                                                          

Crack your first nut and light your first fire,

Roast your first chestnut crisp on the bar;

Make the logs sparkle, stir the blaze higher,

Logs are as cheery as sun or as star,

Logs we can find wherever we are

~from October by Christina Rossetti

The Night of the Harvest Moon

Oh! Look At The Moon!

Oh, look at the moon!
She is shining up there;
Oh Mother, she looks
like a lamp in the air.
Last week she was smaller,
And shaped like a bow;
But now she's grown bigger
And round as an O.
Pretty moon, pretty moon,
How you shine on the door,
And make it all bright
On my nursery floor.
You shine on my playthings,
And show me their place,
And I love to look up
At your pretty bright face.
And there is a star
Close by you, and maybe
that small twinkling star
Is your little baby.

~Eliza Lee Follen