seasons

I've shared before about how I love where we live because we get to truly enjoy the changing of the seasons.  Each bringing a refreshing unique beauty, and smell, and feel and rhythm.

Well we are extra lucky on our particular plot of land because we get a bonus season: five in all.

Our extra season?

Mud season.

It is the season that helps usher winter out and welcome spring in.

So we are in the midst of celebrating our bonus season right now!

In all of its messy, mushy, swampy, smooshy glory.

Don't worry, I don't mind extra laundry.  And certainly I can wait a couple more weeks to sweep up the house of all of the extra dirt tracked in.

After all, there is gooey fun goodness not to be missed!

Wishing you some fun goodness too!

this moment

Joining SouleMama, and many others, in this weekly tradition of pausing to savor a moment from the week.

Simple. Lovely. Extraordinary.

You can also visit me here at 40 words where I share an image and text in honor of my turning 40 this year.

Feel free to leave a comment and link to your moment!

Have a wonderful weekend!
Claudine

could it be

This is what we had here a week ago.

Today it was 68 degrees.  The windows were wide open.  The kids were playing outside in shorts.  Amazing.

Even more amazing is the amount of sticky icky awesome mud left from all of the melting.  Who could resist it?  Not my littles!

Wishing you a warming and wonderful weekend!

redecorating

We've gotten a new couch in the dining room.

Yes, I said dining room.

Though I should be a little bit more accurate here.  It is not quite a new couch.  Though the location in the dining room is very new.

It is a hand-me down couch.  Handed down over 14 years ago.

From my husband's grandmother, before he was my husband.  Before he was even my fiance, I got his grandmother's very comfortable couch.  Which just so happens to have peach-colored bird upholstery.  So the this hand-me down couch has been called The Perch in our family all of these years.

And I guess the name is fitting.  We've perched quite a bit on that couch.  It is really quite comfortable.  Even at its age.

However, three moves and three kiddos later, that bird upholstery is more duct tape patching than bird-song, so it is time for us to say good-bye.

So The Perch is waiting to be handed down again.  This time to my sister, who is planning on having it re-upholstered.  Which makes me so happy.  It will still be in the family.

But while it waits for a good moving day, we've moved it to the dining room.  I pulled out an old slipcover we used to use on it.  And I must say, it looks good.

Really good.

The kids are lobbying for it to stay there.

Forever.

They have grown quite accustomed to the luxury of simply adding some throw pillows from the living room couch, sliding the dining room table a bit to the side and eating dinner in style and comfort!

(Don't worry Sister, I keep telling them it is temporary.)

But in the meanwhile, we are enjoying the delightful surprise of a comfortable sunny spot by the window.  So I am happy that The Perch is getting a bit of a last hurrah send-off from us.  Because all of those years ago, when I said I would take that bird-covered couch, I did not, could not, have imagined where we would be in our lives when it came time for us to send it on its way.  So I guess I am grateful for the perspective that darn old couch has given me too.

little shrines

One thing that I have learned about my decorating style -- if you can call it a style -- is that I tend toward creating "little shrines" throughout the house.

These shrines aren't planned and designed and carefully put in place.  No, the shrines generally become collections of objects that mean something.  (Note:  these shrines are not to be confused with very different collections of objects that sometimes always find themselves in piles about the house like old mail, toy bits and pieces, rubber bands, pencil stubs, and other detritus that has not yet found a home.)

Sometimes these shrines are photos, trinkets, treasures made by my children.

Sometimes these are stacks of books, in various stages of being read, whose titles are currently on my heart.

Sometimes these are creations of my own, that I hang or place because they have meaning, or are encouraging me in some way.

Sometimes they are rocks.

Yes, rocks. 

Rocks on my windowsills to be more precise.

Rocks painted by my children.

Rocks stamped with relevant words.

Rocks that have been gifts to me.

Rocks found in the pockets of children's coats following a nature hike in the park.

Many of these rocks have found their way onto my windowsills.

And, like any other shrine, I gaze on them gratefully.  Ever appreciative for the way they represent positive memories, moments connecting to our earth and affirmation of much good in this life of mine.

What objects would be in your windowsill shrine?

discovering

If you've been reading for awhile you know that this year I am on a journey of discovering.

Discovering as much as possible.

I've been discovering some little things, like:
* board game rules are completely relative to a pre-schooler
* kids helping in the kitchen takes twice as long, but is twice as fun
* laundry never ends (wait that is kind of a big thing...there is aLOT of laundry here)

I've been discovering some big things, like:
* I am ready to change my work life
* I am afraid to change my work life

This is a bit about it:
I want to be able to create in many different ways every day:  with my hands, my camera, my voice.  And with that creating, I want to make just enough of a living to be more present with my family, more present in the every day moments of my life, and be more present to the creative life to which I am called.

That I know.

I also am discovering that what is holding me back in making this change is fear.

That yucky four letter word.

Fear of failure.

Fear that it could be a disastrously wrong decision.

Fear that I am no-way, no-how good enough.

Fear that once change has begun, I can't retreat to to my current place of confidence in my work life.

So this fear is getting the best of me.  It is keeping me in my comfort zone,  in my life of certain and stable and capable.

But the desire to take that leap of faith, to grab onto the daydreams and beauty and creativity won't subside either.

So I am discovering that there is a fine line between comfort and constriction...

I am ready.  I think.  See, that hesitancy is always lingering near...

So, tell me dear readers, how do you know when and where and how to grab onto that dream?

Do tell.

today is a sweet day

One of my favorite bloggers has a sign in her home that reads "Today was a good day."

I love that sign.

And I often think of that phrase as it pertains to my days.  Though I sometimes will replace the word "good" with the words great or perfect or fabulous.

This weekend in my mind it read:  "Today was a sweet day."

For so many reasons.  Our out of town guests didn't make it due to the piles of snow that arrived before they could.  So our visit was missed.  But the gift we ended up with was a free weekend as a family.

And we spent part of it sugaring.

Outdoors was cool and breezy at times and sunny and warmish at others.  For hours the fresh air filled our lungs, giving us more energy for the day spent walking and running and traipsing over mounds and mounds of snow.

We tasted sap and syrup.  We marveled at hours-old lambs and piglets nursing side by side by side.

We got knee deep in snow to gather sap, we rode a horse-drawn wagon, we nibbled pancakes and maple candies.

All truly sweet.


But maybe most sweet of all, was the space my mind had to daydream of a wee bit more nature of our own.

It sometimes surprises me to think that way, I've never been confused for "nature girl" after all.  But the older I get the more I realize that I never regret time spent outside.  Never, no matter the weather.  And it seems my children don't either.

So I am dreaming.  After all, any great thing begins with dreams don't you think?

I'm not sure where the dreaming will lead, but I am enjoying it all the same.

Of what are you dreaming today?

this moment

Joining SouleMama, and many others, in this weekly tradition of pausing to savor a moment from the week.

Simple. Ordinary. Extraordinary.

(By the way, this is her third haircut!  She was a pro, sitting so still and grown up.  Sigh.)

You can also visit me here at 40 words where I share an image and text in honor of my turning 40 this year.

Feel free to leave a comment and link to your moment!

Have a wonderful weekend!
Claudine

decisions, decisions

Well there isn't anything like out of town guests to get some projects done around the house.

Well, only one other thing.  Baby nesting.

And the last time that occurred around here is almost two years ago.  So you can imagine that about right now there are some projects that need to be done!

I am finding that house projects with three kids underfoot has some unique joys, and, ahem, unique challenges.

But I am totally concentrating on the joys.  Like small hands helping out a bit.  And the overwhelming, should I say childlike, excitement of something new about the house.

So I've been trying to make some decisions, and check off the check-list.  And ultimately, I am guessing I am going to have to let something go...but that can wait until just before our guests arrive!

Here are some sneak peaks at work in progress.

Hmm, wonderfully colorful decisions to be made here.  Oh and lots on the check-list to complete, so there may just be some late night posting in the mix too!

this moment

Joining SouleMama, and many others, in this weekly tradition of pausing to savor a moment from the week.

Simple. Ordinary. Extraordinary. 

You can also visit me here at 40 words where I share an image and text in honor of my turning 40 this year.

Feel free to leave a comment and link to your moment!

Have a well weekend!

bedtime

We had on pajamas and ate bowls of cereal.
Then each made creations of their own.