Now That Winter Is Almost Done...

...I'll FINALLY share a handful of pictures from the snowy months.

A Beautiful Sunrise:

Trees Outlined with Snow:

The Kids' Shadows - Sprayed With Blue-Colored Water

Liam:

Phin:

Abbi:

Phin's Crane:

Andrew's Train Track:

Little Lilly:

Lilly the Hedgehog:

The Possum Returns:

Early Spring Herbs

Even though our yard looks like this:

I still managed to find some eager young herbs stretching their fresh young arms to the warming sun. This thrills me to no end and I suddenly want to cast all duties to the wind (ehem… don’t I always?) and crawl around outside looking for more evidence of the new life stirring in the ground. I’ve been dreaming, day and night, of bitter dandelion greens cooked to Italian perfection; of pretty violets decorating a fresh spring salad; of tangy wood sorrel fresh on my tongue. I’ve even started thinking of hanging out my laundry to dry in the fresh air and the warm sun. Mmmmm. I have spring fever!!! Anyway, here are the herbs I found:

Mullein:

Mullein is one of my favorite herbs to have on hand in the winter. You can infuse olive oil with its flowers, or leaves if you lack the flowers, and then use the healing oil to aid in getting rid of earaches. The mullein expels moisture so that any ‘water’ that is stuck in the ear can be removed. I’ve used this on myself and the children effectively. We also burn mullein combined with coltsfoot and/or pine needles as incense to help break up chest congestion.

If you see these tall identifying stalks from last years mature plants, you will know where to look for the new fresh leaves of the mullein plant.

Dandelion:

Dandelion! I have fond memories of skipping around my Nonno (my Dad’s Dad) as he meandered around the yard picking the fresh leaves of this prolific 'weed'. If you then wash them, blanch them, then steam-sauté them with olive oil, garlic and red pepper flakes, salt and pepper they are delectable – especially with crusty Italian bread (blanching is important as it helps reduce the bitterness). These are so very good for you, providing your body with lots of good vitamins and minerals. It is a natural blood purifier, a wholesome source of iron, and good for your liver. If you drink the water left over from blanching you are drinking a fabulous spring tonic!

Raspberry:

I also found the timid buds of the black raspberry peeking out from their thorny branches! For me this is more of a promise of the yummy things to come! My mouth is watering as I think of juicy berry cobbler or of fresh berries, still warm from the sun, sprinkled over creamy vanilla ice cream! Mmmmm!!

How To Be Certain You Won't Yell At The Children

Loose Your Voice.

Wishing For Smells of Spring... or ANYTHING!

I'm glad I got to smell spring yesterday. Today I can't smell a thing, let alone taste anything. Our nasty cold has redoubled and we are all hunkering down, resting, and drinking lots of liquids. So, I recommend staying far away from us! We'll make it though.

Off to get some more tea...

Smells of Spring

In spite of the thick blanket of snow that still envelopes the ground, the morning sun is bright and promising. Though it is not the brilliant burning yellow of a summer morning it is the shy brightness of spring peeking over the hills. Despite the fact that the air is still cool and even occasionally downright cold, it doesn’t hold the same crisp nip that makes you want to retreat into hibernation. Rather, it has an earthy softness, a whisper of new life beginning to stir beneath the melting blanket of winter. The bird songs are changing – twitters are joining the regular chirps and you’ll occasionally hear a full-throated song of a cardinal or a chickadee. I’m still waiting for the first robin.

The red squirrels have emerged. I don’t know where they were all winter, but I imagine they were sleeping; I would have been. But now they have joined their bigger cousins in scampering about. Yesterday a big ol’ black squirrel trotted across the yard, obviously too close to the domain of a fiery red squirrel. That little critter ran down a tree, chattering ferociously, and ran at ol’ blacky chasing him away. One attack wasn’t sufficient; little red jumped at him again, just to make sure he was understood. I bet red squirrels are Irish.

We have all succumbed to a nasty bit of a cold. Even poor Lilly is dripping with snot and blowing bubbles out her nose. She is still smiling, though – a real little trooper. We’ve been burning mullein and coltsfoot, drinking tea, eating chicken soup, and blowing noses (you think it is annoying to blow your own nose? Try blowing four other noses as well!!). We’ve been reading books, drawing pictures, and even playing outside – how couldn’t we welcome the first stretches of spring?! Today, Phin has decreed that we need to make more granola. He wants to make cookies, too, but cookies and colds don’t go well together.

So, off I go! Lilly is now awake, I have three wolf pups clambering to be fed toast and eggs, and I need to blow my nose.

Happy Spring!

(Oh! And happy birthday, Gramma Mary! What are you? 49? *wink!*)

The Big Snow

February has melted into the past. Actually, it hasn’t melted at all; rather, it has dumped great loads of heavy, wet snow that covers the world with a quiet stillness. The sentinel trees stand silently, their dark trunks poised as if waiting for something, while their lazy branches sleep under pristine blankets of freshly fallen ice-feathers.

In the stillness, laughter rings out, mingling with the twitter of birds that are ever present at the feeders. When the all is quiet, you can hear the rapid flutter of their wings as they dart from the shelter of the tree, quickly pecking up a tasty seed.

The snow doesn’t stop the squirrels. You can see their bounding tracks crisscrossing the open yard, connecting the walnut tree to the cedar tree, the cedar to the ash, the ash to the hickory.

Rufus is back. The chipmunk woke and came up from the ground a bit to early. His tracks scurry around the foundation of the house as he tries in vain to keep out of the deep snow.

Yesterday morning Abigail crept to the window with little cries of delight as she watched a mourning dove perch on a walnut branch. “It looks like a snow bird!” She watched it for a few minutes then flew off to the art cabinet where she hurriedly snatched some paper and colored pencils to draw for me what she had seen. She labeled her drawing: “WAL NUTT TREA” “MAMA [heart] I LOVE YOU” “TO: MAMA” “FROM [smiley face] ABBi” Then she mingled her imagination with her reality and added a queen with a golden crown riding on a donkey and leading a camel, a camel with only one hump. The camel was leading a baby horse, but you could only see its head as the rest of it was behind the ‘wal nutt trea’. I have a budding artist and storyteller!

Phinehas is starting to read. We are using “Teach Your Child To Read In 100 Easy Lessons.” I had seen the book a couple of times before (thanks Darla!) and had rejected it after a quick glance. But the thought of it kept nagging me from time to time so I got it out from the library and actually read the intro and looked through the book. I started Abbi around lesson 65 or 70 and she is loving it! I like that there is a tangible end in sight; before I was using a series of 6 readers. They are fun, but we are only in book 3. That was a l-o-n-g goal! We can still use the readers, but as fun reading – not just for lesson time. Anyway, Phin was intrigued by the book so I thought to try him out. We are on lesson 12 or so and he is doing VERY well. He isn’t bursting with pride over his accomplishments. He is kind of like, “Yeah… I’m reading. No big deal. I’m the man.” The easy step-by-step progression builds his confidence… and my patience.

Liam is teething – I think. Cutting some molars. This is coinciding with a nasty little cold so he is pretty miserable… but still cute as ever. Especially when he valiantly flashes his “I’m happy” smile, even though he is sad and snotty. We’re getting extra cuddle time and extra book reading.

Lilly is a gem. She is quite intrigued by finger food (peas, for now). She completely adores Abigail, grinning at her with that million-dollar toothless grin. I think she is teething, too, but it isn’t bothering her a bit.

The Carpenter and I are talking of gardens. We’d love to try our hands at a small one. Personally, I’m hoping that my sister-in-law, Lacey, will loan me one of her green thumbs. I think she has about 12 or 15, so she could spare one for me. I want to do potatoes, a salad garden, some tomatoes, cukes and peppers, ONE zucchini plant, maybe some winter squash, some herbs, and a whole bunch of swiss chard – my absolute favorite. We shall see, we shall see!!!

First, we need to get rid of the snow…

The Hardest Things In Life

The hardest things in life are certainly the ones that are most worth the tears, the heart cries, the clenching aches, the feelings of helplessness. The hardest things in life are the ones that you can’t do… but you must. You must through surrender of self. For if you grasp harder to keep yourself it is the same as tossing yourself to the wind where you will be endlessly strewn about, directionless, battered, empty, feet never again meeting solid ground.

The hardest things in life can’t be done by striving, by grasping, by demanding – but only through yielding, following, bending the knee.

What are the hardest things in my life? The things that require death too myself: Being a wife. Being a mama. Producing vibrant relationships with the people I love the most.

The hardest things in life are the only things that are worth living for.

The savor is sweet…

The fragrance ethereal…

The rewards: eternal.

Having tasted the goodness, how can I give up – no matter the struggle, the questions, the unknown.

Why would I ever toss myself to the wind? Yet that is the result of taking offense, refusing to forgive, preferring myself and my own desires…

Why would I let myself spiral downward, ever sinking into miry darkness? Yet that is what happens when rash words slip unguarded from irritated lips, only to land like blows on the shamed ears of precious children. Why would I DARE to give vent to my own frustrated tempers, flaring at the opportunities of self sacrifice… patience… love...

The hardest things in life are most difficult – no, they are impossible – when a portion of yourself remains autonomous, rather than the whole of you delving into the depths of the relationship set before you – unhindered, unfettered, never looking back.

The hardest things in life are the only ones worth living for – worth dying for.

Just as I was sought for, I will seek.

Just as I was lavished on, I will pour out.

Just as I was lifted from miry clay, I will hold out a steady hand in order to raise up, then even launch the fledglings into flight.

I will love them because He first loved me and has lavishly poured Himself into my being, giving me new life that is wholly capable of love… real love. I will yield to His love and return it to Him. For that to happen I need fully face the hardest things in life, not shrinking back, not turning aside but laying myself down… losing my life that it may be found.