Our Spring 'baby' had her 6th Birthday this month!

What is it about May and Birthdays??
Vibrant greens and yellows...
the promise of more blossoms and blooms to come...

And of course DANDELIONS!
with pretty presents!

Our Birthday girl also got plenty of Spring sunshine...

This Spring we celebrated over on our land...
a great novelty for us all.

We've seriously unplugged, unloaded, and continue to simplify, simplify!
It's all about nature, the outdoors, and just a very few treasured toys to enjoy.
This being the case, our son is busily (and with undaunted determination!) building his own hut...cutting down the trees, dragging them out of the woods, peeling the logs...you name it, he's doing it all!
While our girls are thrilled over their new glass dolls...
ready for picnic tea parties and wonderful woodland romps!

Hope all of you lovely Moms had a great Mother's Day yesterday!

This is the sweet presentation I got in the morning...my favorite!
Apple blossoms, Araucana eggs along with homemade cards and cookies.
Oh! and a beautifully fir scented soy candle, too. Ummmm....

Plus a big breakfast cooked on the barrel stove!

Our warm Spring weather has seemed to go into hiding again.
It's been quite chilly...and VERY windy....
Brrrrrrr....

However, this was only the beginning.

I had mentioned to my hubby this past week that I struck upon a notion.
A luxurious, langorous, deep 'seated' desire.
And you'll NEVER guess what it was!

I also told him that I really wanted to have it by sunset!

But my husband, man that he is,
and if you know anything about my husband,
you'll know that he's not easily intimidated.

He not only took my challenge...
he quadrupled it!

And you'll NEVER guess how!

But you can try!!
Here's a hint...

And here's another one.
More of it...

(By the way - that view's part of it, too!)

Yeah, that view...

Another case of location, location.
We must get Mt. Katahdin included in the deal!

Any good guessers out there??

You should've seen us trying to get those cedar logs up
in the howling wind...no less!

It was literally a group effort
with everyone holding their tongues just right!

Now getting ready for launching.
Andrew pulled the car through the A-frame and lined 'er up...

Ropes attached...



And it's launched!

Just as predicted...



Ready for sunset...

My kinda ride!!

Thank you so much to my dear, daring hubby...
who merely snickers at my challenges!
And to my wonderful chicks!

We're all wrapped up in pillows and blankets
Just a Swangin'...in the sunset...
on a swing built for six!! : D

This is the best Mother's Day gift
I could've ever imagined!
I love you!!

So we're finally getting down to the little stream I was telling you about in our back woods...this is not a 'creek' by the way. We've been duly informed (by our friend, Joe) that you're only allowed to say 'creek' in TX...and I'll add 'crick' in Kansas for all you Midwesterners....'cause that's how all my relatives say it. However, it's a 'brook' or 'stream' up here...and best not forget that.

So down by the stream (: D) we go...

The apple cups (& saucers) I found a set of recently at a thrift store....perfect for woodland excursions!

And next we'll venture over to the west side of the property to see the big beaver lodge. Stay tuned! : D

This is our 40 acres of land in rural Maine.
Above is the rustic fence hubby built this winter.
Waaaaaay down back there are the woods.
No underbrush yet. No bugs. YET.
That's where I'm going...and you're coming, too!
So c'mon!

As you can see...
I've been ramblin' and taking photos...
and videos...and I've been left behind...
Hey! Heeeeyyy!

You...yeah, you....
with the pink and green and black and red
smiley papoose on your back...

Whew! Thank you!
Don't tell anybody...
but I already feel a blister comin' on...

And now we found the others.
They've been down here awhile...
And they don't care about blisters...

Just slimy stuff in their crocks.
But I'm getting ahead of myself here. This is the little stream...not there yet. Sorry.

Back to the Peter Rabbit Tree...

Don't you fret, we're gettin' to the stream...next time!
(It's all loading as we speak)
To be continued! : D

Nothing like riding a Babycakes...

[minus the mats of mud encrusted burrs in her mane and tail.
Please appreciate the voluminous flowing mane and tail. Thanks!]

Off into the sunset...

And this is where I'm gonna be most of the time from here on out.
I'll try to post as I can, but there's no computer over here.
I do have some gorgeous photos taken in our back woods,
I'm trying to get up soon.

Happy Trails! Happy Spring! : D

Yesterday we took a usual trek down to Lewiston/Auburn to drop off work at the various accounts there. I also did my usual stop over at the Goodwill thrift store. More treasures were found...and lugged home...of course! While I was wandering the aisles, I was talking to my girlfriend down in New Hampshire. She's about to put her daughter into a very expensive private school...and she was bringing up this topic of homeschooling with me...once again. The whole idea really blows her mind, bless her heart!

I love it when people ask me about our homeschooling adventure now...at this stage. However, I readily admit that in the past, I didn't always feel such confidence in the matter. I actually dreaded such questions...and instantly felt on the defensive. Now I focus on the aspects of the lifestyle learning that we love. I've also read extensively from all corners of the homeschool endeavor and the fruit we see in our children continues to boost my confidence that this journey is a good one.

I realize that most families are looking toward these Spring months moving into Summer as the final stages of the school year. But since the topic came up yesterday...and we as a family never see an end in sight to learning...it's always going on...I decided to go ahead and fill you in on the Homeschool Blog I've been working on over the past few months.

I've called it The Beautiful Homeschool...and it's only in its early development... but I hope you enjoy it! : D

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.

It's been rain, cold, windy, and more dreary rain...day after day...but I just happened onto these photos of the horses on our land from last summer.

Ahhhh....

I do admit that right now it's hard to imagine
that our world will be this green..
in not too much longer...
but it will! : D

Who's this at my door?
A little girl in a bonnet...

...holding Bonnet!
well, sort of holding...

Bonnet!

And such a basket for eggs!