brothers

snow walk

Jude, Ollie and I went out for a late-morning stroll today...It was lovely and snowy, but not too cold at all. We bundled up and I brought my camera. We played in the yard and then walked up the road and back again. We saw chickadees, woodpeckers and squirrels, plus some dog-like pawprints in the snow (coyote?)..We are far from any major road or town so it is absolutely quiet when you step outside. No sounds at all, until the saucy red squirrels spot you and start chattering away (: As we walked down our forest road, I surveyed our land and imagined what the pasture would look like with the fences mended and a horse peacefully munching on the grass within...
Recently I almost adopted a retired racehorse. The timing was crazy and it would have been an insane scramble to get everything ready, but still I was up for the challenge - and the joy - it would have brought me. I have wanted my own horse since I was a little girl. I was one of those ridiculously 'horse crazy' girls; I have hundreds of horse drawings that I created, I went to horse camp in the summer, rode at a little stable throughout the school year and (for fun) studied the horse's anatomy as if my life depended on it, painstakingly drawing diagram after diagram and testing myself on the names of the parts of the horse, tack and breeds. I was a total horse geek!
So, when my Mom called and said my Dad's buddy was giving away his horse and Dad already talked to him to secure the deal I was shocked, excited, scared, and completely disbelieving. I mean, I have waited my whole life to get a horse so it was hard to wrap my mind around the whole thing. Well, to make a long story short, it did indeed seem like things weren't in place well enough for it to happen. The barn isn't ready, it's the middle of winter, the fencing is open in spots, and I just had a baby...My Dad's buddy gave his horse to someone else who could take him in right away and I felt both sad and relieved at the same time. I will get a horse though. I'm glad this happened because it woke up the little, horse-crazy girl inside of me; I never thought I would see her again (-;
I certainly am going off on a tangent! Well, here are the snow-walk pictures then (: I can't believe how pretty it is here! We moved here in mid-October so I have seen the land's changes from autumn to winter. I cannot wait to experience the awakening of spring and the fullness of summer!

^__^

cheetah girl, dessert and bread!

Bella was the narrator in a play her french class was performing last week, and so she needed to dress up to suit the theme. It was based in Africa so we went with cheetah face paint, an orange shirt, black pants and a black hoodie, plus the ears (: I had less than 45 minutes to paint her before she ran off to catch the bus but I managed to complete my task withiut it looking too rushed. This is the first "painting" I have done in ages! I was so inspired by the act of creating with my hands that I made Dutch apple streusel bread. So yummy (: The next day I made a loaf of french-style bread and a lovely rice and veggie dish, with some tart lemon squares for dessert (: There are no pictures of those; they dissapeared before I got a chance to photograph them! They are as yummy as can be, taken from a recipe my Mom has been using for years which comes from one of her cookbooks, although I cannot remember which one..

^__^

bread

I could never go on a carb-free diet. I loooove bread. I recently started making it again...For some unknown reason I didn't make bread for years and years and years. I suppose I forgot about it, forgot about how fun and satusfying the whole process is, and how proud and absolutely filled with joy you feel when you take it out of the oven and it really is....bread! (:

I made this one yesterday but I'm a dolt and forgot to add the salt. Blechy! But it sure looks pretty (:

Jude and I made another two loaves early this afternoon. I have not seen him so peacefully enthralled with any activity for quite some time.

He squished and poked and stamped and then painted the top with butter before I popped it into the oven.

Yay!

^__^

things that happen

...more recent moments:

A rare moment of absolute peace. What you cannot see is Jude being reprimanded by Jason in the next room for spitting on the floor (an act of supreme jealousy!) Ah, toddlers..Isabella was kind enough to take a picture of Ollie and I. She takes many photos of us (:

Haha, funny. Poor Ollie has some serious baby acne and cradle cap. Neither of my other babies got cradle cap, although they both had a bit of the acne but nothing too major. This picture is from last week. His forehead has cleared up nicely now, but his cheek is really inflamed. It's such hard work having a body and being on the earth! I do have to mention how lovely and chubby this little guy is! Two months old now and close to 14 pounds! Ollie loves to nurse and sleep and grow...I am happy to see that he is so content and healthy, but slow down my little one! Stay small ~ Fit in my arms forever! They really do grow much too fast ):

We had a doozy of a snowstorm! You couldn't see a thing! Remarkable (:

It happened at precisely the time in the afternoon when Isabella arrives home from the bus, and I sent Jason in the car to 'rescue' her, as she has to walk a long way down our forest path and long driveway to get home. She was most appreciative.

An owl with a diaper. Enough said (:

But also, some paint chips! I am pretty excited ~ Jason is painting one of the upstairs bedrooms so that I might transform the space into a sewing/creating studio room! I'll be making three of the walls a gorgeous robin's egg sort of blue. The fourth wall sports wooden panels so I'll be leaving that the way it is. The floor is horrid; large wooden slabs carved with furniture scrapes and even a large burn-mark. For the time being we'll settle for a beautiful rug, and I may paint the floor just to clean it up a bit where you'll see it around the edges. We'll see. This house is old and steeped in lore..it's creaky and squeaky and I love it (:



happy is my heart

Every so often I happen upon an image or quote that really, truly inspires me and wakes me up; Reminding me about the beauty that is life...(: We are so lucky to be here, to have this experience of living and loving. We are so blessed to feel and think and breathe. Yes. I quite like this photo.

Both my little ones are asleep and Bella is at school. My mom has come up for an impromptu visit, which delights everyone, and she has just popped out to the local post to mail something for me and to pick up a few food staples as well. It is so darned hard to get everyone organized and out the door ~ I save such trips for things that are really important or exceedingly necessary because frankly, it is much easier to keep everyone at home and in-tune with hungry stomachs and naptimes (:

Yes, just random thoughts..there is a chance of freezing rain so I am glad our fridge and pantry are filled (: One thinks much more differently about such things when living in the woods!

(:

Grouse!

I am constantly amazed ~ and humbled, and grateful ~ for the gift of this new life we live, for our beautiful dwelling in the forest, and the gorgeous wildlife that I am lucky enough to glimpse!

I saw this grouse land in the tree directly outside the kitchen window as I strolled to the fridge, arms full of baby. Had I not seen its flapping wings, I quite possibly would have missed it sitting there, the plumage blending in so sneakily to the wintery surroundings. It makes my heart happy that it thought a perch so close to our house was a safe place to rest awhile (:

In the time since I have lived here (three months!) I have seen an owl, fox, moose, chickadees, grouse, wild turkeys, porcupine, woodpeckers, three different kinds of squirrels, chipmunks, and a variety of birds that I cannot recall right now. I have heard the coyotes yipping at dusk and seen the prints of deer, raccoon and rabbit in the snow near our home. Wow (:

^__^

busy month (or so..) ! I'm not even sure what day it is (-;

In the weeks since sweet Ollie's birth, there has been quite a lot happening. A birthday, some holiday preparations and celebrations, lots of cooking and playing, the falling (and melting) and again falling ~ snow, much baby goodness in the form of snuggles and full-bodied smiles, lovely visits from forest - dwelling friends, treats and tea and (hmm..) toddler jealousy, tantrums and the like...We even acquired a new cat (that makes four!) ~ she was abandoned but now has a safe home with us (:

Great change and newness, tons of laundry, lots of snow, lots of growth for this family of mine (:

Happy new year ♥