Glimpse

In brief... sick baby, tea and more tea, pretty kitchen linens and handmade potholders, Vivienne's art making, completed scarf, favorite Mulligatawny soup, Grandma's drawing of a girl and her horse, good mail (new books = new inspiration)....

When will the root children wake up?

Meditation in the Kitchen

Okay, who can find the time in a busy household to go inward and squeeze in some meditation? I marvel at the mama who has mastered this. I find myself getting bits of personal inward journey time here and there, but it is hard to do. It can be on a walk to the park, or sitting with my morning cup of black tea, or perhaps while I wait in the pick-up line at school. But the place I love to work with my hands and let my mind free is in the kitchen.

As I chop garlic, I shoo off the snack-seekers who are rummaging through the fridge. Then I pound the garlic in the salt, adding the other lovely aromatic herbs, thinking about the colors and the tastes. I stop to break up a dispute over the CD player, check to see what the little one is getting into, make sure the pile of clean laundry is left undisturbed... Then, ahhh, I am back in the kitchen, chopping the swiss chard. More distractions come and go, the phone rings, someone cries, things tumble and break, kids chase round the house, songs are sung, a violin sqeaks in the background, and on and on.







Back to the kitchen, back to the mess of bowls, pots, spoons, and peelings. On to the garbanzo beans, I get to gently rub the skins off in a bowl of warm water. Then I chop the tomatoes, and wish for a moment of quiet. Brown basmati rice is cooked, I smell the sweet earthy-ness. Time to finish my Moroccan Chickpeas and Chard. Goodbye to the messy kitchen and the quiet thoughts to myself. Time to eat, clean kitchen, switch laundry, bathe kids, dress kids, brush teeth, read to kids, get them to bed. And despite my wish to stay up and squeeze just a bit more time for myself, more likely than not, I will soon be sound asleep! Another day, another opportunity to be grateful for what that day brings. Nothing less, nothing more.

Renew thyself completely each day: do it again, and agin, and forever again.

CHINESE INSCRPITION CITED BY THOREAU IN Walden

Snow Day

It was a pleasant surprise to wake up to snow on Monday morning. We had a leisurely breakfast and then the kids headed straight for the sledding slopes at the neighborhood park. It was so bright with the sun reflecting off the snow, I don't know how the kids could stand it without sunglasses. Little Jasper borrowed mine for a bit.

View from the dining room... a winter wonderland.

Where is Vivi's hat? She took off for the snow as soon as she saw it out the window.

This hill gave an amazing distance on a sled ride.

Now there is little left but a touch of ice and snow in the shady nooks. It was fun while it lasted! The kids warmed themselves in the bath and put on their toasty woolens. We spent the rest of the day reading, writing letters and making soup. It is supposed to warm up to the 60's by Friday!

Warmest wishes on chilly winter days

Peace, Love and Cake

My sweet Mia... she has turned nine years old this year! And what a sweet birthday party she had. She wanted it to be about Peace. It was the perfect occasion for playing my favorite Beatles album! I remember listening to Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band on vinyl from my dad's music collection when I was a kid.






These doves remind me of Mia's Montessori preschool. They had a peace corner where when a child did something thoughtful for another person, they were invited to put a decoration on the peace tree.


I made a triple layer white chocolate lemon cake. That bright yellow peace sign is piped from fresh lemon curd, yummmm. It was tasty!

Last piece of peace cake...

For a craft, Mia came up with the idea of making peace jars. Inside, you write words of inspiration on small slips of paper, and then add little pretty things like flower petals and confetti, and decorate the jar. It can be added to and visited for moments when you need inspiration. Variations of this would be to make a wishing jar, or a dream jar (for reassuring thoughts before bedtime), or a gratitude jar.

sweet little notes inside...

The girls had a blast playing a drama game. They split into two groups, and were given five household objects in a bag, and had to make a short play using those props. It was such fun! Even the quietest of children were squealing with laughter, shouting lines and running around. Their shows reminded me of slap stick comedy like The Three Stooges (just a touch less violent!) Play number one was called "Wake Up!..." and the second was "The Pirate Princess, the Pizza Delivery Man and the Dinosaur, A Love Story" Hilarious, really! Thanks to Daddy for suggesting the concept!

And we barely had enough time to start the jewelry making project. I put together glass beads and cute little dove charms to make bracelets.

Here is Vivienne's completed bracelet~

We put yummy chocolate earth balls in their tiny little favor bags. Oops, someone already ate all the earth balls... they were really cute. Chocolate goes quickly around here.

And I have to share the beautiful little wool doll that Mia's friend, Lily, made for her. Isn't she sweet?

This marks the finale for the birthday season in our house! (mine isn't until July, thank goodness...) Hooray for the birthday girl! I am so proud of my dear daughter.

Wishing you thoughts of peace, love and sweetness

February Blooms

Not much is blooming outside just yet , but Vivi has been hard at work making spring indoors. I love that shade of purple, it reminds me of a crocus.






She walked me through the steps to making a beautiful, happy flower.



And as soon as she was finished she ran off to the garden to pick an aromatic bundle of fresh herbs. It seems that more than one of us has spring fever!

can't you just smell the fresh sage and rosemary?



Vivi is prolific when she is on a roll. She is completely self-directed and self-sufficient in her creativity. Next project she did today was a button tree, which she found in a library book called Crafts for All Seasons by Kathy Ross.





And the most recent project for today, Vivi made a bride and groom from craft sticks. They are so charming. The bride has tiny flowers in her wool yarn hair, and a dress made from a doily. I feel so inspired by her whirlwind of craft making!

And the latest news from my busy six-year-old pixie? She pulled her own tooth out! She had it tied to the doorknob with floss, and out it came. This girl is fearless! Three cheers for the Vivienne! The tooth fairy visits tonight!


I have been keeping busy knitting my Peace Fleece scarf. The colors are just what I need. It is an unusual scarf pattern, knit lengthwise in garter stitch with rolled edges. I am half-way there. I am getting better about completing projects that I start. The next thing on my list is to work on my nature table, and update the one in Vivi's classroom. I am thinking it will be a scene of Mother Earth and the root children, inspired by the Siblylle Von Olfers story.

And my last bit of bloom that arrived in the mail from etsy today. The sunny orange is just what I need for a little extra late-winter good cheer!

wishing you bright, blooming winter days...