Perpetually November

I'm fairly certain that my part of Heaven 

will be perpetually November.

I find myself driving the morning roads 

through pockets of mist and streams of light,

the radiant leaves glowing, the coating dew shimmering, 

my eyes drinking in each vista 

like a fawn too long away from its Mother.

I hold those long shadows and vibrant contrasts 

in my soul all year long.

If I could, I would abandon shelter 

to live among the foggy byways, 

immersed in the beauty of my month 

until the last leaf had fallen.

I would soak up every drop, 

every ray of light, 

every twirling leaf, 

and keep it in my heart-jar 

to open and dive into 

at any necessary moment thereafter.

Homegrown Supper

Yessiree! Just-picked baby carrots and zucchini, peas, cilantro, and mesclun topped with toasted day-old home-made hamburger bun croutons and fried eggs that were gathered just this morning.

How I wish I could eat like this all year round!

Uh-Oh

I'm up to my elbows every other day in raspberries and blueberries... just enough to make me sigh and grin and shake my head and set to it all over again. Pick, pick, pick, wash, smash, stir, bubble, pour, freeze. Repeat.

And last night, look what I spotted in my garden by the hundreds...

Every year I think my garden is going to be the death of me. And every year I do it again. Because the home-grown food throughout the winter is worth it... Remind me of that truth at least once a week until the Summer is over, okay?

The Pace of Summer

I'm having a hard time reconciling my view of what Summer ought to be (lazy, relaxed, luxurious), and what in reality is taking place.

I see the snails creeping about in the morning, and sleeping all through the day.

The berries invest every particle of energy into slow ripening, taking their time to develop as bud, flower, fruit.

The trees in the orchard slowly produce and swell, promising to give ripe gifts... eventually.

The rust, lichen, thorns, even the sweep of the sun across the sky feels slow and heady with sleep.

But the turn of the calendar is much too swift, and I see the store shelves stocked with pencils and pee-chees and Back to School!!! glows in bright signage.

S l o w  d o w n, world. Don't rush these Summer days of mine. I'm not ready yet to think about letting my boy go. We have too much yet to accomplish... freckles to grow, frisbees to throw, clouds to gaze, marshmallows to toast, woods to explore, feet to bare, adventure to hoard.

On Any Given Evening

Naysayers need not apply.

Traipsing

We love our family walks in the woods.

So compatible with each other, we always seem to notice the same things.

Even the kids are now pointing out items of interest.

Taking side-trails.

Exploring off-the-beaten path places.

One day they will own every square inch of this place.

They will have their own folklore and history inseparable from these woods.

I like that.

It is so... "us".

*NEW* Haste Ye Back... Wool Applique Pattern

I was pretty excited yesterday when it started to snow... on the day I needed to take a photo of a snowy scene, no less! I know that most of you are longing for Spring and possibly want nothing to do with snow right about now, but bear with me...

I have had an image of a vintage hooked rug in my inspiration folder for a very long time. Quite simple and folky, it shows a tiny log cabin flanked by three enormous Fir trees. So cozy and homey and reminiscent of the imaginary picture in my head of Heidi’s Grandfather’s home in the high Alps.

Don’t we all have an ideal image in our minds of a peaceful and rustic place to escape the busy reality of our everyday lives?

Now I have a reminder hanging on my wall to Haste Ye Back… even if that just means setting my tasks aside for a few moments and breathing deeply, imagining myself in a peaceful and cozy place.

Included in this pattern booklet are full-size, ready to cut out template pieces, and basic instructions.

For now, this pattern will only be available through my etsy shop, or by contacting me directly.

I had the pleasure of working with my friend, the owner of Wool Town, who custom-dyed the wools for my model according to my often-rambling descriptions, and got the colors spot-on. For a limited time, she will make custom kits available for sale in her shop. Hurry and place your order before they are gone!

Even the Mighty Fall

Do you remember my favorite tree? The one that I said our Beaver Family had been nibbling on?

That was November. We have been watching the winter winds blow and the snow pile on, and the rains fall. Each time the gusting winds passed through, you could find us standing at our window, watching it sway, knowing that it has been eaten within an inch of its life, waiting, hoping, to actually SEE it fall... and yet still it stood.

During the night, this past Thursday-into-Friday, the winds blew again, but this time out of the East. And that was all it took.

One glance out my window that morning, and my breathe caught.

The kids and I took an adventure that morning, to investigate.

You'd think they planned it out... every potential variance of weather and wind. Gnawed only from three sides, rather than all the way around.

It fell *exactly* across the creek, and just downstream from their dam.

Not too far from the tip of that other tree they felled.

For nearly 13 years, this tree has entertained me.

That is twice the length of time that the Cottonwood of my early years captivated my climbing and imaginary play.

Silly, I know, but I am sad to see it go. Soothed quite a lot, though, by the means of its demise.

Its a little like living in the pages of a National Geographic article.

Watching the change of the landscape under the teeth of a remarkable creature.

Captivating the attention of a new generation.