Monday, October 31, 2011

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

fly, john, fly by ellajohn
fly, john, fly, a photo by ellajohn on Flickr.

I'm feeling pretty much in mid air today. Our prospective buyers have said that they will make an offer on our house by the end of the week, and although I'm pretty thrilled about that, I'm still acutely aware of how far we have to go to actually buy the farmhouse. Far financially, far in terms of no one buying it tomorrow, far in terms of putting it all in a box and hauling it down the road.

Then there is that part of me that can't stop thinking about grape vines, the apple and pear trees, and the garden.

The kids are already pretty invested in it. My fault, of course. I've been practicing every little bit of karma yoga I can fathom.

Friday, October 21, 2011

nest

nest by ellajohn
nest, a photo by ellajohn on Flickr.

The potential buyers wanted to see the survey of the property today.

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

throw my hands up

throw my hands up by ellajohn
throw my hands up, a photo by ellajohn on Flickr.

No house news today.

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Saturday, October 15, 2011

blue october

big pumpkins by ellajohn
big pumpkins, a photo by ellajohn on Flickr.

This has to be one of the prettiest places on earth, this top of the hill panoramic pumpkin patch of glowing golden light. We were right up here last December to saw down our Christmas tree.

three

three by ellajohn
three, a photo by ellajohn on Flickr.

lumina

lumina by ellajohn
lumina, a photo by ellajohn on Flickr.

john and the big pumpkin

john and the big pumpkin by ellajohn
john and the big pumpkin, a photo by ellajohn on Flickr.

john drives

john drives by ellajohn
john drives, a photo by ellajohn on Flickr.

Friday, October 14, 2011

maybe a few steps closer

nikel lane by ellajohn
nikel lane, a photo by ellajohn on Flickr.

keeping calm
carrying on

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

root cellar

root cellar by ellajohn
root cellar, a photo by ellajohn on Flickr.

Cross your fingers. Ruby and I went to look at that old farmhouse today, and I feel a little giddy.

When I was pretty young I started reading the Foxfire books, and I have always wanted a root cellar. This one still has the shelves and big wooden bins. Across the way is a spring house.

There is room for a dog, chickens, and four bedrooms.

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

shakori hills grassroots festival

We camped for four days in Silk Hope, North Carolina at the Shakori Hills Festival of Music and Dance. It was sunny and golden during the day, and the moon was shining at night. Ruby loved fast fiddles, the sandbox, being a goldfinch in the Paperhand Puppet parade, the arts and crafts tent, and the moon. The campsites were full of hanging jack-o-lanterns, campfires, and candles, and our hair still smells faintly of woodsmoke.

birthday morning

fire builder by ellajohn
fire builder, a photo by ellajohn on Flickr.

On the morning of her birthday Ella built the fire by herself.

good morning pigs

good morning pigs by ellajohn
good morning pigs, a photo by ellajohn on Flickr.

We talked to the pigs several times a day. Ruby loved saying goodnight to them. One night we walked to our campsite down a dark country dirt road by following our moonshadows.

Untitled

Untitled by ellajohn
Untitled, a photo by ellajohn on Flickr.

the blackberry bushes stringband

My favorite band of the weekend was the Blackberry Bushes. If we had one less child I might be convinced to drive to Ozark, Arkansas for the Yonder Mountain String Band Harvest Festival this weekend. These guys from Olympia, Washington had me thinking about the Be Good Tanyas as we walked into the field. They have a young edgy quality to go along with their sweet harmonies.

Wednesday, October 05, 2011

gone camping

sunshine by ellajohn
sunshine, a photo by ellajohn on Flickr.

one for ruby too

john gets a pumpkin for ruby by ellajohn
john gets a pumpkin for ruby, a photo by ellajohn on Flickr.

It was a perfect afternoon on the kindergarten field trip.

john and ruby

john and ruby by ellajohn
john and ruby, a photo by ellajohn on Flickr.

Tuesday, October 04, 2011

Sunday, October 02, 2011