Fool

The fantastic weeks of May slip by with me caught up in a web-
a web of lead that sits upon my chest.
The web fogs my vision, but through the fabric I can see it is beautiful all around me.

It's all folly, the lilacs seem to say to me
and I know it.
Their sweet scent brings me back to the clear
and I know I can do what needs to be done.

You are a fool, the Saskatoon says to me,
so much more harsh- honest?-than her sister Lilac.
What makes you think any of it matters?
I will grow, flower and set my berries while you fitter away your hours.
The Lilac lays a gentle, cool hand on my head.

May Day

Welcome, May! May arrived with warmer weather and gentle breezes. The day was lovely. The high point for me was having lunch on the dock by the water- writing and reading and listening to the birds. Heavenly. Later, the girls and I put the new prayer flags on our special Maple tree. They look so bright and festive.
Here are some lovely violets that are growing in the woods by the Maple Tree.
I just love the collection of river pebbles that hubby brought back from his kayaking/rafting trip. So many different colors! They seem to tell a wonderful story- I can almost understand them.
A pretty, glittering beetle we found a week or so ago. It is a Golden Buprestid, Buprestis aurulenta which is a wood eater that can live up to 60 years in lumber!

Happy May to you all!

Tv Turn Off Week

For me, TV Turn Off Week was a success. That said, I should also make it clear that my children watched about the same amount of TV they always do and I did as well. So, how, you may ask, was the TV Turn Off Week a success?

The week prior I spent a lot of time wondering why I wanted to do this. My daughters watch about an hour of tv a day- and honestly I am happy with that amount. I watch maybe an hour of tv in the evening, but there are several nights a week when I do not watch anything. So, why- I wondered, do I feel such a pull to participate. After some time, I realized what I wasn't happy with was the amount of time I spend online. So, last week was all about me and my internet habits.

I checked my email briefly in the morning and then the computer was turned off for the day. I had two one-hour shifts that required me to be online during the week. Other than that, I was very good about limiting my time. I worked a lot outside- even when the weather was nasty- and it was great to re-connect with our bit of land. The girls and I kept busy and it all went pretty well (especially given that hubby was away all week).

Personally, it was nice to put away some online habits. To be honest, I didn't miss it much. It feels weird to be sitting her now. So, on that note, back to the real world (which at the current moment is washing dishes and getting ready for visitors)!

happy late birthday to me

Oooo, look what I got for my birthday! Isn't it pretty?! Well, I think so. I didn't even know I wanted one until my hubby asked me what I wanted and I blurted out, "A Kitchen Aid mixer!". (Hmmm, maybe I should have said a Mini Cooper Clubman or a trip to Hawaii...) Well, it is a bitchin' good mixer. I have made pizza dough and cinnamon raisin bread- both turned out really well. The massive thing can really knead that dough! I'm thinking of making brownies tomorrow. Not from the box, which would be a life time first for me. :P

Otherwise, I am not crafting worth poo. Not blogging much either, not that it matters. What am I doing? Hmmm, I weed the gardens a bit, I clean a bit, I exercise a bit- but most of the time I get snacks for the girls and read them books. I am playing Harry Potter way to often (I would mind less if I was Hermione but my three year old always wants me to be Aunt Marge- what is up with that?!).

Today, as I ignored my daughter's cries of "Aunt Marge! Aunt Marge!" I sat looking upward. "What are you looking at?" she asked me.
"Look up. What do you see."
"White flowers. Tree tops. Blue sky. White clouds."
"That's what I am looking at. Isn't it wonderful?"

Spring walk in the garden

TV Turn-off Week

Tv Turn-Off Week is April 21-27th. We did this last year and it was a success. At the end of the week last year, my older daughter said, "That wasn't bad. It was kind of fun." I'm pretty nervous about it this year, mainly because my younger daughter is far, far less mailable than she was last year. I also wonder if I will be able to give up my computer habit. I will have to be on line a couple times that week for work related stuff, but will I be able to resist my daily virtual haunts? I'm pretty skeptical. :(

Snow for Spring Break

We needed a road trip during the girl's spring break. The weather was not looking favorable for a trip to the beach, so we headed up to the mountains. Man oh man, did it snow! And, then it snowed some more. I hope we make it more of a habit to visit the mountains during the snowy months.
Just had to share the little frog I made last week (or was it two weeks ago?) for a friend's birthday. I thought she turned out well.

Oh- and here is the mega egg that our Aracana chicken Isis laid. You go girl! It had two yolks and my older daughter made her first solo scrambled eggs with it. :)