chickenfeather

Yesterday she said, "Mama, I've learned something about myself. I'm a little bit boy." I like this, but to her being a little bit boy means that she likes dinosaurs, dirt, and playing with boys who don't go for a lot of drama.

supergreen

dandelion, mango, cucumber, lime

thirty pounds by friday {because the one thing I have is a sense of humor}

The stars aligned this week, and I had a chance to meet four times with a personal trainer at the gym. She works with me at the preschool and needed to work a certain number of free hours at the gym. Please let me introduce you to her if you would ever like to do something like this. My kids (and my little kids in my preschool) had spring break this week, so I had the time and energy to take on something very new.  I have had a gym membership for years, but I am pretty self conscious while I am there. I didn't know how to use all of the equipment, and I didn't want to talk to all those super fit people who seem to know what they are doing. I know. It is my problem.

I have been lifting weights, doing yoga, and even went to my first spinning class. That was the hardest thing I've done since before Ella was born--hardest exercise in fourteen years.  It was insane, and I'm going again this Wednesday. Thursday morning I had to pull myself out of bed with my arms.


I also did a full week of the Eat to Live diet. That part is simple. Plants. No added oil. I takes a bit of prep work, but I like eating this way.  As hard as I've worked this week I thought I'd drop ten pounds, and I have been joking that I was losing thirty pounds by Friday. I lost 2 pounds. I think I'm taller, at least in my head.

blood orange, beet, carrot, dandelion greens

It's spring break here in Appalachia, and all the snow has finally melted. Birds are building nests in the bluebird boxes. One of my friends at work just got her personal trainer certification, and she has offered to meet me at the gym and work on an exercise program. I'm meeting her every day this week, so hopefully I'll still be able to walk by Friday.

red {beet, kale, cucumber, orange}

and then it snowed again

I have really enjoyed being at home today with a fire going, and I'm about to go out and sled with Ruby, but I needed to see some greens, some raspberry pickers, leaves on the trees.

between snowstorms

My dearest Universe. Please stop snowing and warm up. The pipes are freezing, and the children won't stop eating all the food. Also vomiting.

burnt norton

Time present and time past
Are both perhaps present in time future,
And time future contained in time past.
If all time is eternally present
All time is unredeemable.
What might have been is an abstraction 
Remaining a perpetual possibility
Only in a world of speculation.
What might have been and what has been
Point to one end, which is always present.
Footfalls echo in the memory
Down the passage which we did not take
Towards the door we never opened
Into the rose-garden. My words echo
Thus, in your mind.
                     But to what purpose
Disturbing the dust on a bowl of rose-leaves
I do not know.
                Other echoes
Inhabit the garden. Shall we follow?
Quick, said the bird, find them, find them,
Round the corner. Through the first gate,
Into our first world, shall we follow
The deception of the thrush? Into our first world.
There they were, dignified, invisible,
Moving without pressure, over the dead leaves,
In the autumn heat, through the vibrant air,
And the bird called, in response to
The unheard music hidden in the shrubbery,
And the unseen eyebeam crossed, for the roses 
Had the look of flowers that are looked at.
There they were as our guests, accepted and accepting.
So we moved, and they, in a formal pattern,
Along the empty alley, into the box circle,
To look down into the drained pool.
Dry the pool, dry concrete, brown edged,
And the pool was filled with water out of sunlight,
And the lotos rose, quietly, quietly,
The surface glittered out of heart of light,
And they were behind us, reflected in the pool.
Then a cloud passed, and the pool was empty.
Go, said the bird, for the leaves were full of children,
Hidden excitedly, containing laughter.
Go, go, go, said the bird: human kind
Cannot bear very much reality.
Time past and time future
What might have been and what has been
Point to one end, which is always present.

t.s. eliot

ruby draws annie

both sides of the lens

the in between days

gingerbread houses 2014

 Ella's house

 Ruby's house

John's house

tall

merry and bright

advent garden

We enjoyed a beautiful evening at the Unitarian Church last weekend. There was a large spiral of evergreens topped with crystals, fruits, eggs, and bones. The children walked the spiral and lit their candles in apple holders. They then placed their candle along the path as they walked back  through the spiral. We enjoyed carols and piano music, and Ella and her friends were guides for the young children who were walking the path. This was such a sweet gentle way to bring the children into the season.

The first light of Advent is the light of the stones,

That live in the seashells, crystals, and bones.

The second light of Advent is the light of the plants,

That reach up to the sun and in the breezes dance.

The third light of Advent is the light of the beasts;

The light of hope that we may see in the greatest and in the least.

The fourth light of Advent is the light of humankind

The light of love, the light of thought, to know and understand.

~Rudolf Steiner

the tree

thanksgiving

I didn't even bring my camera to Thanksgiving this year. It was cold, hailing, and thundering, so maybe that was best. We went to uncle John's, and there was some stress when the hail cooled down the turkey smoking in the backyard, but after ten minutes in the oven it was perfect. I do think we might have the most delicious Thanksgiving dinner. Last night we had a Narragansett turkey from a local farm, cornbread and pecan dressing, turkey gravy, shiitake mushroom gravy, collard greens, fresh homemade rolls, glazed tomatoes, root vegetable mash with parmesan, a salad with roasted butternut squash, lentils, and spinach, pimento cheese, deviled eggs, a dill crock of vegetables, and an apple cake with caramel frosting.

Today I have three huge cabbages to make into sauerkraut. I'm going to roast a turkey and make
turkey broth for soup this week. I'm ironing sheets and comforter covers, the turkey is brining, and the kids are doing homework. It is certainly buy nothing day here, but I'll need to get some milk. Hopefully that doesn't count.

Thankful.

sparkle

martinmas

minnie lee custard

I was searching for more information online about my house and found out that Lake Long's mother's name was Minnie Lee Custard. 1874-1943. Then I was looking through some of the old pictures and noticed the top of my house in this one.  That is Lake Virginia Long Smith (1907-1981) on the right, and I think that is Kelly James Thompson on the right. He was her son in law, married to her daughter Norma Francis Smith Thompson.