Our Woods 04/02/2010
 Another beautiful morning! It's not raining anyway! We went for a hike down through our woods at the back of our land yesterday afternoon. It's so important for the children...for all of us as a family...to be spending time down in those woods. And right now in early Spring is perfect...no undergrowth and NO BUGS! I feel it's very important for us to be familiarizing ourselves with the nature of those wild woods...the sounds, the terrain, the land marks, where the sun rises and sets, what it looks like at different times of the year...how each season unfolds. There's much to learn and explore down there! I don't want to view it from purely a 'survival' standpoint either...although that's important. I think the 'survival only' focus can too easily miss the 'loving & living' aspect of the place. And it's the latter that makes the difference. Horses & Sleds 03/08/2010
 Yesterday dawned sunny and gorgeous! In the afternoon we headed up to Ripley for a sledding party. Most of our snow is melted and I couldn't imagine that they would still have enough for the horse-sled. But as you can see, up on the mountain and protected by trees there was still plenty!  Harlow Post brought his team of horses up and took the kiddos round and round with the sled. They can't ever get enough of that!  Tied to one side of the tractor was Bud's large ox...  And tied to the other side of the tractor were these cute little oxen calves...   Roasting hotdogs and marshmallows over a BIG roaring bonfire. Even though the weather was fairly mild...especially for March...it was still nice to cozy up to the fire to warm chilly faces and hands.   Other than dodging the constant threat of snowballs flying through the air...from every direction...and one never knew when an unceremonious slush missile would find its mark...right down the back of your coat... The best part, of course, was all the horse fun...      And more sledding behind the horse...    Too much fun...and our second year to join in on what's now becoming an annual party event. Nothing like horses, sledding, and lots of toasted marshmallows to make us a bit regretful at the thought of kissing good-bye to winter! More finds for late winter fun! Mt. Desert Island 02/11/2010
 A couple of weeks ago we decided to take a 'detour' to Mt. Desert Island. It's quiet and remote and essentially uninhabited this time of year. In other words, our kind of place! We stopped at Sand Beach and climbed up a path that led to an overlook on the cliff in the background. The temp was around 8 degrees F ...no idea what the windchill was...but the view out over the ocean was worth every minute of frozen faces, feet, and hands!       My son and I decided to ford this stream by jumping it. He fared better than I did. The sand gave way just as I leaped and...well...you get the idea. My hip found the rocks...my foot found the water...but I'll take a giant purple bruise to a refreshing arctic bath any day!  Up the path to an overlook...    A woodpecker's hole in a hollowed out tree...  A gorgeous maze of granite rock...boulders... weathered smooth on the beach   Young Andrew was thrilled to be following the map into all these new locations...and especially thrilled to find so many signs and roads dedicated to bikes. His dream is to make bike routes...just like roads...with exits, and exit ramps, and signage...the whole deal!  A lovely house we passed as we wandered the roads circling the island...I adore this pale green with red and white trim...   And the beautiful old Inn overlooking the ocean in Bar Harbor... but our favorite part was wandering the frozen icicle and snow encrusted beauty of beach and cliffs.  Snow Girl 01/24/2010
 We've finally gotten some sunshine on all this new snow. And I got out yesterday to do my first XC skiing this winter. I've been snow shoeing...but I LOVE the skis! The kiddos have great ski tracks all over our yard and into the pasture....packed down and really slick...even a jump or 2! Ya know, I could do this for hours...although I am feeling it in the way-too-sedate muscles today! Gotta work off all that eggnog!  And meet Sally the snow-girl. The girls decided to do their own version of a snow 'person'...OK snowman. How do we not offend anyone here...most especially our snow-girl??  More snow in the forecast...by tomorrow they say. Fine with me. This may just become my favorite time of the year. But don't tell any Mainers that! They might disown me! : D  Sisters 12/07/2009
 I had to wonder....  as I crept up behind them... could I catch the moment... without getting caught???  Yes! And now I have another treasure to put in the pocket of my heart. Yay me!! : D Fall Front Stoop 11/11/2009
 Favorable Fall weather is back upon us again...sunshine and cool breezes...and no more snow...for now! So here we are with Blossom, our layer at the moment, and Heather on our Fall-ish front stoop...  And Caitlyn from the pumpkin patch...  And a lovely Fall medley out my kitchen window. Is it any wonder why Autumn still steals my heart?  Its Snow Time 11/07/2009
 It's snow time...in our neck of the woods anyway. Of course the kiddos couldn't wait to start romping so here's some of the scoop on our two days of snowy fun. It's not entirely melted yet...but yesterday morning was the best part...     Andrew busily shoveling his roads...and exit ramps...   Andrew's road systems...      Caitlyn's first snowman of the season? Not exactly...  Her first snow horse!  Our children are now telling us that summer's not their favorite time of the year. Winter takes the cake! Good thing! : D  A Surprise 11/06/2009
 My morning this morning dawned a snowy wonderland surprise. I took these photos a little before 6...just look at it! All crisp, lavender and white! Just as I was wondering in my post yesterday if the end of November would look like this. I didn't even have to wait till the end of November...try the first week in November instead!      As for my window box flowers...here's how they looked yesterday...just as the snow was beginning to fall...    And here they are now...if you can find them!   It's now mid-morning and the sun has brilliantly broken through. I do believe all our white wonderland will be soon melting away...but not before I captured lots of beautiful images. I do believe my pansies will muster through the melt and bloom for us a little longer. I'm definitely going to savor this season! : D The Thinking Rock 10/13/2009
 I've been pleased to see that The Thinking Rock has been upholding its reputation lately. The huge boulder at the back of our yard was dubbed "The Thinking Rock" by the previous owners. We decided the name was suitable enough and have just kept it. Little did I know our Thinking Rock would eventually earn its distinguished title...literally as well as figuratively....  As I was folding the laundry, I happened to glance out my bedroom window and see the girls...holding forth in their Fallish open air classroom...  Caitlyn reciting her new spelling words... And our lovely young teacher below with McGuffey's Eclectic Primer...   helping Asheley practice those tricky letters....     Of course what I love is their respectively chosen Autumnal school room attire...as well as the basket lunch they've brought along...    As I've said before, my children far surpass me in the Romantic department. I simply sit back and take notes! And anyone who supposes this Romantic Life...better yet this homeschool life......is some hard-won hardly-achievable headache, please think again. Or perhaps just plant a Thinking Rock in your backyard...and see what happens! : D  Bucket & Bouquet 10/04/2009
 Don't you think it's simplest at times, to let things just 'be' as they are...without alot of fanfare, falderol and frou-frou? Some things just shouldn't be tampered with...really can't be tampered with...or improved upon in any way...as in Fall flowers. Their beauty and magnificence truly lies in just letting them be what they already are...beautiful and magnificent. So the first very simple step in achieving a bucket and bouquet is to find some Fall flowers. We found these scrumptious beauties in Mr. Clukey's Garden. Find Some Flowers      Once you've found your beauties, grab a bucket, fill it with water, and go cut as many flowers as you can possibly cram into your bucket. Think color...think height...think volume. Just when you think you have enough...go cut 10x more...at least. The children are great for this...just keep sending them out for more. There's always space for more flowers in a bucket. Cram...then cram some more! Cut and Cram     The next very simple step for a bucket and bouquet...is to admire it. Of course!! The unfortunate part of Fall flowers is that they are...alas!...oh so fleeting. You can always dry them, stash the petals and press them, but the best preservation of your precious bucket and bouquet is to get out that camera and... Click Away      And I do hope I've inspired you to go capture your very own bucket of beauty! Fall flowers are so fleeting! xxx |  Spring Forth!
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