Sun filling our souls

A special family treat. A blissful few day with Far before he attended a conference in Florida. I let him be the guide of what we would want to do, internally cringing when he mentioned an air boat ride to see the Everglades and alligators, but in the end feeling it was one of the best moments of the whole trip. We all loved every minute of it and the quiet days that followed, together and filled to the brim with beach and good eats.

 

 

Sometimes stepping away from it all is really the best medicine.

Starting the garden

All year around I am pushing to be outdoors every hour, every minute... but these days it calls to me so strongly.
The story of the garden and outdoor plans begin... No set plan or goals - just digging and planting and maybe some nibbles and eats will arrive by August. I know this year will be just a start on it all and mistakes and more digging and moving of plants (and maybe some swearing!) will happen, but we all must start somewhere and I am a bit impatient to begin!
We have four beautiful oak trees in the front yard. Soren researched caring for them for longevity and happily realized his chainsaw was needed for careful pruning...

 Monkey see, monkey do. Someone is always watching!

 The big kids were able to start a fire and keep it going for two days (a dizzying amount of marshmallows were consumed)...

 I also took many of the branches and used them in my swales around the house, using a kind of hugelkulture design. I have been doing a lot of reading on permaculture and sustainable landscape and structure design. The idea is that water will run off the structure into the troughs which I will fill with wood chips and filter slowly into the mounds below and help retain moisture for a longer period of time while preventing any flash flooding after a rain event. I envision planting some bushes, medicinal herbs and flowering plants around the house.

  Last Fall, I added woodchips and manure to a low spot in the front yard and filled it with bulbs of all varieties in hopes this would happen this Spring. Happiness!

 Helpers are always running around, messing things up and occasionally helping! Even bright and early in their pajamas.

 Thank goodness for big sisters and their warm hugs...

  Sweet Kasper enjoying the late afternoon sun (and a marshmallow!).

 I ordered a few fruit trees from FEDCO this year to put in plowed hedgerows I established last year in our long field with the help of a neighbor's tractor.

 Across the driveway in our other field, I had an area plowed for a garden in the Fall and used leaves, algae and manure to prep the space.

Now the planting will begin!

Celebrating Easter

 

 I woke one morning last week to a little fairy decorating the table for Easter. Her brothers worked with me awhile ago to grow Easter grass (wheat berry seeds) and now it was time for her to pull out a special placemat given to her by Marion, the knitted bunny she made at school this year, the watercolored paper basket Kasper made and our traditional beeswax candle. It was so sweet to see her thoughtful inclusion of each of us and her time and care in making it beautiful.

 Magnus was happily watching the whole process and wondering what it all could mean. Soon our dear friend, Chevy, came by with lots of sugary goodness (oh dear!) for a fun activity for them all.

 Next comes colored eggs...

 On Easter morning, a lucky Mama was given sweet handmade gifts.

 And we found baskets and eggs, ate lots of good food and passed out - some more dramatically than others!

Chaotic, a bit too sugary, and full of love... Balance in all we do...