home hum

transformation

My little world is so beautiful right now, it takes my breath away.  Nature does this every year, and yet, when spring comes, I am still amazed.  

 View from my front door.

This week, even though I was sick with a nasty cold, I made an effort to get up early every day, make my bed, and get dressed immediately.  I made several other small changes, too, which together made for a very productive week and a more peaceful home atmosphere.  I gave myself completely to my children during the day, and only let myself knit and read when all of the day's work was done.  All week I practiced being fully present, and it was energizing--I feel so alive!  So awake!  It helps that it's spring.

Today we took a ride to Agway to pick up some supplies for the chicks, who went through a big growth spurt this week.  I think they've doubled in size since last Friday. It is one of those beautiful, golden spring days, and everything is in bloom:  forsythia, tulips, hyancinth, magnolia, azalea, and all of the trees.  It was a lovely ride.  We stopped at a farm stand on the way home and bought a couple of quarts of icy cold farm fresh milk.  It was delicious.  And, so different from the watery liquid in plastic jugs that passes for milk in the supermarket.  I can hardly wait until our chickens begin laying, and we get to taste real eggs.

Penny and Trixie    

grab your popcorn

   

Tracey came up with a list of her top ten movies to see at least once (or twice, or a dozen times).  I thought I would join in the fun, too, since I love, love, love movies!  Of course, my list could easily be a hundred movies long :- ) 

I made mine a mix of both old and new flicks.  Here are my top ten, in no particular order:

• The Wizard of Oz
• Pride and Prejudice 
• Rebecca 
• The African Queen 
• The Illusionist
• The Pincess Bride
• Elephant Walk
• The Planet of the Apes 
• House of the Flying Daggers
• Chocolat

Linking with The Little List

there IS love and peace in this world

Bad Bad World from Guster on Vimeo.

Kinda makes me want to put a tutu on and pass out flowers to everyone :- )

 

good Friday

Sisters golden-haired

The first warbler of the season, and the first Palm warbler I've ever seen.  Photo taken by S

Forsythia in bloom.

This week I:

• Walked in the woods :- )
• Made learning plans for the rest of the "school" year
• Nursed L through three days of a fever and cough
• Started a new knitting project
• Vacuumed twice a day (it's fur season, and let me tell you, Labrador Retrievers are the worst shedders)
• Pruned the roses and tidied up my Mary garden
• Purchased seeds for my veggie beds (hubby's building three raised beds for me)
• Began reading,The Dirty Life:  A Memoir of Farming, Food, and Love, by Kristin Kimball, which I am thoroughly enjoying
• Colored Easter eggs (Tomorrow I've got Easter bread and pie shells to bake, and custard pie filling to cook)

This week, the chicks have really grown and changed a lot:

Have a great weekend, and a Happy Easter!  

yarn along wednesday

Joining Ginny's weekly "yarn along" at Small Things.

This little piggy...

...is just in time for Easter. 

This is the "Pig" pattern from Susan B. Anderson's Itty Bitty Toys book. Yarn:  Blue Sky Cotton Hand-dye in shell, and a small amount of some tan cotton I had on hand for Piggy's snout.  All of Susan's patterns are fun and simple to make. Piggy only took a few evenings to whip up.  

As for books, I'm trying to decide what to read next.  I may start Lady's Maid, by Margaret Forster, later today. It's a historical novel about Lily Wilson, who becomes lady's maid to the fragile, housebound Elizbeth Barrett--whose poetry I have always loved.  But, I need to go to the library to return some books, so who knows what treasure I might find?  I am going to look for Jane Austen's, Sanditon, which was recommended to me by my friend Sarah, who inspires me with her beauty and wisdom everyday.

keeping time

This may be the most important thing I do in my work as mother:  keep time.  

Because it slips away so easily.  

A long time ago my dad told me that children spell love:  T I M E.  And, he was right.  

I realized today, as I walked in the woods with all of my children together, listening to the birds sing and admiring the golden forsythia, that the only thing I need to plan for in our home learning is how I will keep time. I don't need to worry about what we learn, for every day is full of wonders. But, we will surely miss them all if I allow us to be distracted by "many things".  It really is a lie that we can "do it all".  My life is full of time saving devices:  telephones, computers, televisions, grocery stores, radios, etc.  But, am I really getting more done?  Or am I just allowing myself--and my children--to be distracted away from living?  

In the weeks ahead, I'm going to keep time each day by:

• saying morning prayers together
• having a single lesson (history, geography, mythology, literature, poetry, art, or music)
• playing 
• being in nature
• conversations
• writing 
• making (baking, knitting, music, painting, sewing, cooking, gardening)
• reading aloud 
• working on household chores together
• rest

My oldest is eighteen.  My time with my children is passing by so quickly.  I'm going to keep it while I can, and savor each moment slowly and fully.

But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, 42 but one thing is necessary. Luke 10:41+42a ESV

best laid plans

This week is spring vacation for the school children.  I learned long ago that there is little point in trying to maintain our home learning schedule when school is out; our doorbell rings too often.  So this week, my children will connect with their friends, while I sit at the dining room table and think about the last ten weeks of our learning calendar, and what I hope to accomplish.

• I want my children to believe that life is full of wonders.
• I want them to remember and savor the things we see, read, do, and learn.
• I want my children to know that the night sky is so full of stars, that it is dizzying--even if we can't see them anymore.  
• I want them to see the miracle in the ordinary--and hold fast to it.

The other day I read The Best Advice You'll Ever Receive, and afterward I thought about my life, and the plans I've made, and where I am now.  Let me tell you:  I'm way off course!  Fifteen years ago if you had asked me where I would be today, I would not have answered, "I'll be living in Massachusetts, have five children, homeschool--oh, and I'll be Catholic."  Hah!  I would have laughed with disbelief if someone had even suggested these things.  The path my life has taken has astonished me (and many of my loved ones :- )  All I can say is, I'm so glad. I wouldn't have it any other way.

My plans and expectations were not a good compass.  

This week, as I give thought to the next few weeks of my children's learning, I'm going to keep all of this in mind.  I'm going to resist my natural tendency to over plan (and then fail to execute, and be disappointed). Instead, I'm going to focus on inspiring my kids to be astonished and open to wonder.   

spring song

 Lap full o' chicks

Birdsong in the morning

Buebells and daffodils and trees dressed in lace

The scent of sunshine on my children's hair

Tired muscles

Tidy garden beds

Robins promenading on the lawn

Red ball rolling

Shouts and laughter

Pumping legs

Bumblee bee

Awake and sing

It's spring

The chicks are getting bigger everyday.  They now have wing feathers tiny tail feathers. 

yarn along wednesday

Joining Ginny at Small Things today, for her weekly "yarn along":

This dimly lit photo is evidence of the soggy, dark, wet April day here in New England.  

In my knitting basket this week are shell pink knitted piggy parts :- )  I can't wait to sew them together.

About a month ago I read a book called, Different Learners: Identifying, Preventing, and Treating Your Child's Learning Problems, by Jane M. Healey.  In it she shared a beautiful quote by twelfth century medieval mystic, Hildegard of Bingen.  That quote enchanted me and made me wonder about Hildegard of Bingen. I had never heard of her before.  I wrote to a friend about Hildegard,  who replied, "I do know and love Hildegard.  She was a healer and mystic and wrote music and painted.  Amazing woman."  Of course, now I had to know more!  My quest has led me to the beautiful picture book (yes, I read "children's books"--why do we continually draw distinctions between children and ourselves???) called, The Secret World of Hildegard, by Jonah Winter and Jeannette Winter; and The Journal of Hildegard of Bingen, by Barbara Lachman.  Hildegard is indeed, an amazing woman who was one of God's special friends. It is impossible not to love her.  And, now I have a new friend in heaven, too :- ) 

still thinking about...

The wonders of the weekend :- )

Sunday afternoon was spent walking among the trees, which are still bare and brown:

Wake up earth!  Wake up trees!

 The swans know it's spring.  They are nesting again  :- )

   And, this handsome drake is looking for a mate.

But, who is this?  I've never seen a bird like it before.  I think it might be a female Hooded Merganser. Does anyone know for sure?

I'm still so happy from the weekend.  Z received the Sacrament of Confirmation on Friday, and I get holy chills whenever I reflect on it. The Mass was especially beautiful to me with our bishop as Celebrant. As Catholics we believe that in this Sacrament our baptism is confirmed, and our life in Christ is strengthened as we receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit.  From the Catholic Encyclopedia:  

Confimration imparts:  an increase of sanctifying grace which makes the recipient a "perfect Christian" (over time!), and a special sacramental grace consisting in the seven gifts of the Holy Ghost and notably in the strength and courage to confess boldly the name of Christ.  

L sat quietly through the whole thing!  It was the first time he has ever sat through an entire Mass. Afterward, we went out to dinner at Z's favorite restaurant, and then went home and ate cake together while Z opened his gifts. S was his sponsor. Z took the name of St. Christopher, the Christ Bearer, as his own, and S gave him a gold St. Christopher medal.  He also received a new Bible from his father and me, and money from his grandparents.  It has been a beautiful journey for our family these last seven years, as God has brought us into full communion with His holy Church.  

Saturday night was a rocking good time at Johnny D's!  S and Z performed together in their rock ensemble from the music school.  S sang, and Z played lead guitar.  Here's a video of them playing a cover of Guns and Roses, Sweet Child O' Mine.  Z's the one with the bright red hair all the way to the right.  It's kind of a long video, and Z's guitar solo doesn't start until 3:50 minutes into it.  

  

a tour of the chicken coop

The coop is finished!  

It's a portable A-frame style that my husband and sons designed from looking at photos of other similar coops online.  This type of coop gets moved around the yard so that the chickens don't damage any one area.  It also ensures that chicken manure doesn't build-up, smell, and draw flies.  

The side panels of the top floor can both be removed for easy cleaning access, and the side panels of the ground floor can be removed to  provide feed and water to the hens, as well as to allow the chickens free-range access to the yard

In this photo, with one side in place, you can see the upper floor roosting area, and the nesting boxes (to the right).  The roost is a 2 x2 that is removable for easy cleaning.  The ramp operates on a rope and pulley system.  

This end is a hinged door that provides access to the next boxes for collecting eggs. There are two next boxes.  

Here you can see the carry-handles for moving the coop around the yard, as well as the hook and eye latches for securing the mesh side panels.   

I am so happy with how it turned out.  My husband even painted it to match our house. I think it will be just right for our four hens. 

five I's for Friday

 

1. I am...

excited about two things:  1) Z will receive the Sacrament of Confirmation tonight!  It's been two years of preparation, and now the blessed day has arrived for Z to be filled with the Holy Spirit.  2)  Z and S will be peforming a full set at Johnny D's Uptown tomorrow night in Somerville!  

2. I'm not...

going to stop posting pictures of chicks.  That's Miss Penny above :- )

3. I wonder...

what my next knitting project should be:  a stuffed lamb or bunny?  Socks?  A new cardi for spring?  I don't think the little piggy that I'm knitting will take too long to finish.  

4. I will...

walk in the woods this weekend.  I haven't gone to the pond in a couple of weeks, and Buddy (our lab) is pretty despondent about it.  My own soul is feeling quite tattered, too--I need to be out among the whispering trees, the soft earth, and soaring sky.    

5. I hope...

that L will be able to sit through the entire Mass tonight (he's not good at this yet).  I also really want to find a way to visit my parents soon.  They are getting older, and I miss them.  

May your weekend abound with blessings and happiness!

Fisherlad

 

This sweater was a quick and easy knit.  I made L's with Knit Picks Comfy worsted in Creme Brulee, which is a buttery soft, easy care cotton blend.  I don't like all of Knit Picks yarns, but I highly recommend Comfy, and will definitely use it again.  I plan on making another Fisherlad sweater for L in blue.  

Fisherlad is a Yankee Knitter pattern by Melanie Goodfellow.  All of Melanie's patterns are classic designs that are easy to follow and understand, and are written in a large range of sizes.   They are perfect for beginners, although I find myself turning to them year after year.  You just can't beat a well-designed classic.  

Fisherlad for L:

• 5 balls Comfy worsted in Creme Brulee
• US 4 and US 7 straight needles, US 4 circular needle for collar (16 in.)
• Knit in child's size 6.  (This patter ranges from child size 2 to adult chest size 46)
• Modifications:  I omitted 8 rows on the back and front to save yarn...and ended up running out of yarn and having to buy one more ball, anyway.  Of course, now I wish I hadn't omitted those rows, as I would have liked the sweater a bit longer.  That new ball was a different dye lot, but I only had to use it to knit the neckband, and thankfully, it's not noticably different.  

More yellow loveliness:  

 We are having so much fun with our new babies.  They're already bigger than they were.  Each ofthe chicks has her own personality and distinguishing featrues, so it's quite easy to tell them apart.  We've named them:  

• Lucy: (pictured left front) who was the littlest and weakest when the chicks arrived, now seems to be the leader of the flock!
• Henrietta: (next to Lucy, right front) has a pale  yellow head and is the roundest :-)
• Trixie:  is wild and bold--the trouble maker of the group (of course, she's the only one with her back to the camera).
• Penny: (pictured in the middle) who is an all-over lovely, soft shade of brown.  She is the gentlest and sweetest of our girls, and L's favorite.  

Here's Penny (facing the camera) and Henrietta:

yarn along wednesday

Joining Ginny's yarn along at Small things:

This week the book Chick Days, by Jenna Woginrich, is my handy guide as we nurture our new little flock of baby hens, which arrived at our house yesterday. Later today, I plan on casting on some  Blue Sky Worsted Cotton Hand-dye yarn in the shell colorway to knit the Pig from Susan B. Anderson's, Itty Bitty Toy Book.  Gosh, I love that book!  Usually, when I buy a pattern book I'm lucky if I use one or two of the patterns, but I've already made up several of Susan's adorable toys (click the links, or view on Ravlery).  I hope to have Mr. Pig done by Easter so I can tuck it into L's basket.   

The novel I'm reading this week is The Winter Sea, by Susanna Kearsley.  Oh, my, it is wonderful.  I am having a hard time putting it down.  It's a very well-researched historical novel infused with romance, intrigue, and mystery.  From the back cover:

In the spring of 1708, an invading Jacobite fllet of French and Scottish soldiers nearly succeeded in landing the exiled James Stewart in Scotland to reclaim his crown.

Now, Carrie McClelland hopes to turn that story into her next bestselling novel.  Settling herself in the shadow of Slains Castle, she creates a heroine named for one of her own ancestors and starts to write.

But, when she discovers her novel is more fact than fiction, Carrie wonders if she might be dealing with ancestral memory, making her the only living person who knows the truth--the ultimate betrayal--that happened all those years ago, and that knowledge comes very close to destroying her...

This is the first Susanna Kearsley book I've read, and now I will have to read them all.

L's Fisherlad sweater is off the needles and blocking. If you would like to see it, I'll be posting details and pictures tomorrow :- )

chicks are here!

This morning the post office called our house to tell us that our chicks had arrived.  They told us that we could come and get them, or they would be happy to deliver them to our house if someone would be home. Since it is a soggy, grey day, I said that I would pick them up.

The box was peeping!

When we got home and opened it, this is what we saw:

Four, sweet little yellow fluff balls!

We checked to see if their vents were open, dipped their beaks into their water dish, and gently placed them into the brooder box:

The littlest one could barely stand, and its eyes were hardly open.  We set her near the water dish, and she lapped up a tummy full.  Slowly she began to recover.  I think she is my favorite.  I've named her Lucy.  The biggest, boldest, fattest chick has been named Henrietta.  The other two are not yet named. I'll keep you posted :- )

The chicken coop is almost finished.  Hubby just needs to attach the chicken wire to the ground floor area, and paint the exposed frame green.  It has turned out soooo nice.  I will post pictures as soon as its truly complete.  

five I's for Friday

Miss Willow watching the snow fall.

1.  I am...

going to the library to pick up the book Chick Days: An Absolute Beginner's Guide to Raising Chickens from Hatching to Laying, by Jenna Woginrich.  

2.   I'm not...

making dinner tonight.  I'm going to order fish sandwiches instead.

3.  I wonder...

Which cat got into my knitting basket last night.

4. I will...

do my taxes today, come hell or high water.

5.  I hope...

this is the last snowfall of the season.  Despite the snow, I did see daffodils in bloom at the community college yesterday.  I also hope that my little tricksters don't get me today ;- )

Happy Fool's Day!