Enchanted Mama

At Summer's End::

We've been out for adventure.  Those of you on Instagram already know this.  Our travel took us to Canada...Toronto, Montreal, and Ottawa.  Beautiful country, lovely cities.  We sampled local cuisine.  Had side by side ice cream testing.  I spoke some "questionable" french after not speaking much since my exchange program in college.  

We swam, walked alot, and spent time together. We listened to live music. We picked up my oldest girlie from her first ever sleep away camp.  More on that later. We spent a late afternoon at a water park off the highway in between cities. We caught baseballs at the stadium.  There was even one that landed in.my.purse. that someone took while I was shielding my littlest girlies head. yeah. I'm over it...mostly.     

After spending most of the summer at home it was great to see the sites right before school began.  Though traveling with four seems to be an adventure all its own I believe we will only remember the great parts and not the grumpy people sitting in front of us on the airplane.

The children start school today.  We've attended the rose ceremony this morning and have a picnic for my youngest boy later today.  It's full.  It's great to see the children excited about starting school this morning.  Well, mostly excited as my children seem to relish summer, so it's a bit hard to let it go.  The big daddy and I exchanged a small high five to a summer well played.  Everyone is happy.  

I'll be back here with some stories I want to share.

Until then, I hope your week is going well and that it's a high five kind of day for you too.  

 

 

 

 

Hearts::

I've been noticing hearts in nature for quite some time.  Long enough that my girlie nieces now find them everywhere.  During my last visit this is what they found.  

A perfect strawberry.  Sprinkler patterns. Huge leaves. Tiny leaves that only little eyes can find.  

I love my sweet nieces so.  It's such a fun little thing that we share.

Feeling grateful for them today.  

 

 

The moment::

Do you remember the moment when you first rode a bike without training wheels?  The moment when your daddy, grandfather, mama, or friend running behind you let go?  The moment when the world became just a little more free?

I remember as though it were yesterday.  My bubble gum pink Schwinn with the flower banana seat and huge seventies handle bars.  My grandfather was holding me and running whispering encouragement, just him and I.  The rest of the family cheering from the house.  I felt him let go.  I remember thinking I could ride anywhere.  Do anything.  Free.  I turned to see for myself this feat and crashed.  Thirty or so rides up and down the street that day, scrapped knees and all, I was a different person who walked into my home that night.  Confident. Excited.  The world looking just a shade different as I took one last look at my bike. 

I've experienced this moment now with three of my four children.  Each amazing and unique.  The smile ever so different.  The glint in their eyes similar. 

My four year old, a week ago, just experienced this for himself.  He, my confident, boisterous, willing to try anything boy.  The big daddy removed the training wheels and he was off.  Just like that.  Huge smile.  Glinty eyes.  He knew he could do it.  So he did.  That is who he is.  Everyday since we have been biking.  If he falls I hear him say to himself, "that's all right" as he climbs right back on.  So interesting how much you can tell about a child or anyone for that matter by the way they handle life, isn't it?  

I won't forget this moment for him.  I will later describe his smile to him.  I will giggle with my grandchildren as they learn to ride their own bikes.  These are the moments that seem to stick close to a mama's heart.  Watching your children begin to stretch their wings and soar. It's terrifying and amazing all wrapped into one.  

 

Bounty::

The farmers market this time of year is a feast for the eyes.  There are bountiful vegetables.  Crowds of people squeezing peaches, tucking kale and green beans into their baskets, sampling cherry tomatoes, balancing watermelons in one hand and reaching for fresh baked bread with the other.  

There are patchwork blankets laid on the grass near the river and food is shuffled back and forth from the thriving stands.  The smell of dumplings, fresh flowers and brick oven pizza waft through the air.  A gypsy band plays for a clapping audience.  There are giggling children who run through the grass past painters and a pile of fresh milled local yarn.  oh, yes. 

We rode bikes there this weekend.  An adventure for us all.  We collected delicious items for meals.  We ate.  We played.  We went home with sticky hands from the plums and peaches eaten in the middle of it all.  The bike home, over the hill, seemed a bit harder for sure.  Not sure if it was the load of veggies or the extra dumplings....hmm.      

I love the market this time of year.  It's truly a delight to have such abundance within biking distance.  I'm so grateful.  

What did you do this weekend?

 

 

It's Thurday::

For most of the day today, I thought it was Wednesday.  You know how that just kinda happens sometimes?  The Big Daddy and I attended an outdoor prodution of  Shakespeare's, The Twelth Night.  What a delightful date night.  Talented actors and a cool evening to boot.  Lovely.  

We had a watermelon seed spitting contest and with all our spitting attempts it turns out that, after we immediately disqualified the big daddy as he grew up spitting sunflower seeds, we are a sorry lot of spitters.  I mean, our neighborhood friend far out spit us.  We might need to train before competition next summer.  Really it was quite sad.   

We gathered wildflowers and there's been knitting for some new babes.  I'll share that soon.  Also, some knitting for myself...I know.  I'm thinking Fall and my new luscious top will soon meet...across a crowded room it's bound to be love at first sight.  

The Big Daddy's been a'grillin'.  Delicious bounty from the local farm share we won and from our own garden.  It's just too exciting.  What will we do without all the fresh veggies that are flying around right now?  Oh, did I mention that the peaches, you know the freestone peaches, the best peaches are arriving soon?  I'm so excited I can barely contain my giddyness.  

Peach pie. Peach crumble. Peach yogurt. Peach anything......

What are you doing today?  

 

 

 

Confession::

 

Camping has never been my favorite thing to do.  In fact, I avoid camping at all costs usually.  

I do have my reasons.  Since my honey and I have been married we have camped in temperatures below twenty degrees. We have camped in torrential rain.  We have camped in fifty mile an hour winds and had to sleep in the car because the tent kept blowing over.  We have camped at over ten thousand feet elevation and I spent the night with heart palpitations.  We have camped on an air mattress that popped at two o'clock a.m.  So you see why I might avoid the whole adventure no matter what.  

I love the "day" part of camping though.  The hiking through forests and star gazing.  The being in nature and sitting by the river or better yet on rocks in the middle of a river.  Roasting marshmallows for smores and telling stories by the campfire. Watching my children explore outside.  All that is great.   

So, having said all this you may wonder at my next admission.  We went camping this past weekend and I had a fabulous time!  Can you believe it?  I can't.  I also can't believe that I was the one who suggested we go.  While my oldest girlie is at sleep away camp for the first time, eeeekkk, it just seemed like the right thing to do for "the boys".  

Friday morning over lattes, we decided to go.  We were packed and off in the next hour and a half.  We had divine order in finding the BEST spot.  At the end of a loop right near the river.  As though it were just waiting for us.  Lots of room for the boys to run, throw balls, ride bikes and just be their exuberant selves.  

The sleeping divine.  The food creative. The weather perfection.  Nature gorgeous.  And, really the only thing I can think is wow.  I can't believe it.  

My four year old found some discarded fishing line along the river and proceeded to attach it to a long stick.  He sat for hours in the middle of the river "fishing for tuna".  Didn't have the heart to tell him that tuna may be hard to come by in these parts.  nope.  Instead I nodded and smiled when he told me that he wouldn't catch the baby fish because that would be mean.  But, when he did catch his tuna or rainbow fish that he would let the big daddy cook it up for dinner, thank goodness.  

 I sat knitting on a boulder in the middle of the river soaking it all in.  The river my new solace.  Camping rapidly redeeming itself.  

The big daddy said something interesting that I've been wondering about since.  On the last morning after packing up all the small things I went down to the river with the children.  He stayed to pack up the tent and shade.  He said, "That it doesn't take as long to take/tear down camp as it does to build it".  

As I watched the children play and immerse themselves in nature I pondered this statement.  That applies to life doesn't it?  It takes no time at all to tear something down and a lot of time to build it up.  So there...in nature you have epiphanies too.  And, lessons to live by.  

I do believe we will be camping again soon.  

Amazing.  

 

Ten things::

Ten things that are bringing me joy.  

1.  All the water play that is happening everyday.  In the pool, in the tub, in the sprinkler, in a boat.  All of it. The glinty light off the water.  Just sooths the soul. 

2.  Working on and finishing a 1,00 pc. puzzle as a family.  The ever circulating group at the table throughout the day.  My honey and I sitting quietly in the evenings putting in a few pieces before retiring for the night. Only one piece was missing at the end.  I say with an active four year old and a two year old who likes to collect things...that's pretty good!  

 

 

3. Watching the faces of my two youngest when I showed them that snapdragon flowers really snap.   

4.  News of three different babies within a fourty eight hour time period.  Two healthy baby boys born to my cousin and lovely friend.  Another dear friend finding out that they will have a baby girl to add to the circle of their family.  Joyous news.  

5.  Puttering in the garden most mornings when it's still cool.  Tending and watering. Discovering beauty in the pieces to be composted.  Tomato tops as stars.  Mother nature charming me again.   

6.  Picnics and dinners outside on the porch ala the big daddy with fresh watermelon to finish.

 

7.  Reading Havesting Color and loving evey moment of it.  Making plans for my garden next summer and thinking of the possibilities.    

8.  My latte.  Just to start the day off right.  

 

 

9.  Knitting loads of things even in the heat of the summer.  Even in the rain.  Outside. Inside. In the car. And, by the pool.  Especially after mentioning #4.  It makes a knitters hands twitch with sheer joy.  

10. Being in the moment and not attempting the "big projects" with children home.  Instead, being open to the possibility of plans changing on a whim because that is what summer does best.  

What about you?  

What brings you joy these days?  

 

<linking up with amanda for ten things> 

 

Dear Summer::

I want you to know the effect you are having on me.  The spell your placing me under.  Who would have thought that you would have this ability?  not I.  

Years and years have gone by when all I could say about you was that you were "hot", not in a good way.  Living in the desert you were unrelenting.  Now, closer to the mountains you are...inventive.

You start the day with slanted light through my windows urging me awake.  Glinting on the water in the children's pool.  Acting tough and strong midday only to give way to the fluffy clouds later.  "Some rain to cool you down" you say.  Then, you reappear and play with the branches of the trees giving light and shadows to the late afternoon.   You quietly watch and waft noises from the baseball games at the park closer to me.  You create a pink tint to the sky as you nestle in for the night.  The lights fade. The frogs chatter.  The breeze rushes through.  Then the sky turns dark to reveal the star that sits atop the mountain each night.  You hover as more stars appear in a clear sky.  You lull us into evening dinner parties on porches with candles and children giggling nearby.  

I know what you are doing.  And, you are doing a pretty good job of it.  Making me think that I'm falling for you. your fresh vegetables. your ripe fruit. your amazing light. 

You know that fall is my favorite season.  You are resigned to that.  The knitting is hard to compete with.  Yet, you keep putting ideas in my head about plant dyes and learning to spin.  Things that could be done in the summer.  Better to be done in the summer , in fact, when the plants are there to pick, boil, and dye with.  

I know what you are doing.  Somehow, I don't mind.  

I can't get you out of my thoughts.  The way you shift and change.  The way you stretch me to the point of cracking only to whisper that it's time to head to the pool.  You are good that way with the whispering.  Urging me to seek out water.  You know I love the water.  I'll give you credit for that.  

So, I just wanted you to know that I'd be okay with mentioning you once in a while.  You know to friends and family and strangers at the grocery store.  I think you may have changed me.  

I'm beginning to feel love towards you and since it will more than likely continue to grow  I just wanted you to know where I stand.  

You can keep those afternoon rain showers coming and the "glinty" light thing too but just know you had me at June.

With love, 

Kellen

 

Celebrated::

we celebrated 

a BIG cake that required my sweet girl to stand on her chair to blow out the candles

such a vivid memory...eye squinched, cheeks puffed, blowing anywhere but at the candles

the cake was delicious and fresh and oh, I wish we still had more of it

my girl gobbled blueberries like they were going out of style

such a lovely day to honor her in the midst of a crazy week

three children in four camps with daily swim lessons and three evening cello performances 

yes, it was the busiest week of the summer

no other week will be that busy

I had not planned on it being that way either

and still don't quite know how that happened

 

this past weekend we spent outside sprucing the yard, sandbox, garage...

it felt great to be out in the sunshine while the children played in the water

the weather was glorious gratefully

and here we start a new week and all I can think is summer is speeding past

anyone else feel that way?

I hope for more moments to soak it all in 

as summer is rapidly becoming one of my favorite seasons

of course, fall is still first with the wool and knitting and brisk mornings and such

but since summer was always last until now I feel that its odds are looking up

 

what about you?  

 

She's Two::

Our sweet girlie turns two today.  

When asked what her wishes were for her birthday she said, "I'll like Cake!"

All week she's walked around the house saying, "My birthday coming soon...My birthday coming soon."  

We will celebrate her today.  We will reminisce about the day she was born two years ago.  We will sit on the floor and play her games.  We will swim to cool off in the afternoon.  We will smile while she takes it all in.  We will enjoy watching her eat "Cake!"

We will feel blessed again to have her joyful presence in our lives.  

Happy Birthday my darling girl.  

We love you so.