Enchanted Mama

The Light::

The light seems to have shifted.  Ever so slightly.  Just enough that the shadows are different.  The light streaming through the windows in the afternoon slants in different patterns.  Spring is in the air. 

We spent most of the weekend outside.  Sitting under the budding trees listening to the bees buzz-buzz buzzing around.  Busy in their work.  Calm and happy to be back at their job.  

I believe everything from the garage that has wheels was brought out, inspected, and taken for a ride.  Sand was moved around in the sandbox and pillows dusted off in the playhouse.  There seems to be a pile of shoes by every door ranging from snow boots to flip flops.  No one slept in, unfortunately, but all were exhausted early as the sun ducked behind the mountains.  

This time of year is exciting.  The brown earth begins to have shoots of green bumping through the tam-bark.  Snowdrops appear daily.  The lilac seem to have grown green buds overnight.  Our flowering trees let us know that Spring is on her way.  I love it.  Yet, I find it makes me even more ready for change.   

Ready to move things around outside as well as inside.  Spring cleaning a natural instinct it would seem. This past weekend with the warm sunshine and drifty wind it seemed to set things to rights.  Not the house. That my dears, is a disaster.  Hope to get to that today.  I hope. 

As Spring Break approaches I believe my "plans" will have to be relegated to the "to do" list for a bit longer.  I don't mind, mostly.  As the changes happen outside it gives me a chance to dream.  See what ideas have hibernated all winter.  See what new thoughts will arrive.  See how they each will blossom.  

Here is to the shift in the light and the budding of Spring, dear friends.

May this day hold beauty for all of us.

 

 

And so...::

...it's Monday again.  Another weekend experienced.  We attended french class, hoop class, made a hike up a mountain, ate lemon zucchini muffins, biked at the park, watched a middle school talent show, and played Lego's in pajamas.  A weekend full of life and opportunities to get along as a family.  

The weekends never seem quite long enough.  The dust barely settles before we are off again with lunch making and "where's my gloves" and "No, you may not wear a short sleeve shirt even if it looks warm outside" typical-weekday mornings. Fluffing and shooing three or four children out the door with lunch, cello, violin, backpacks and water bottles. And hopefully, two matching gloves.

Today began as any Monday does. A few of us reticent to wake.  A few others wishing it was Sunday.  All of us eating breakfast and heading out the door.  Luckily, for the two adults, there was some exercise planned this morning and then lattes that really helped ease us into the day.  After the caffeine I felt ready to tackle the day. the week. The Year!  Well, at least the day.  

As I write this the dishwasher hums and my girlie draws throughout my calender, which I'm sure I'll regret later, humming happily to herself.  Earlier she sang a clean up song while putting away blocks. oh.my.

That's where things stand.  Projects to be completed. Photographs to be taken. Laundry to be folded. Meals to be planned.  Just a typical Monday morning around here.  

What about you?  

 

 

Autumn Weekend::

There was spectacular snow. Planning, gathering, and decorating for a middle school dance.  My girlie's first.  There was much excitement, nervousness and hair being "done".  How is it possible that she is old enough to attend a middle school dance when I myself can remember in detail my first dance.  Boys on one side. Girls on the other. NO ONE dancing!  

There was surprise mail from a dear friend who made me lovely, cozy boot toppers as a birthday gift. Oh, and there was my birthday.  My "39"th, gulp.  Why does "40" sound so much younger than "39"?  

My day was so lovely.  Full of family and sweet, thoughtful gifts.  My honey helped make the day just fabulous.  Time to play, time to relax and knit, and time to have lunch outside in the sunshine while the snow melted all around us.  A delicious, really delicious, chocolate cake ala the big daddy.  A glorious sunset resting on the mountains. Followed by the Wonder walk at the children's school for Halloween.  

Such a delightful weekend.  I wouldn't change a minute.  It was all a gal could ask for.  

Our Autumn weekend via Instagram.

 

 

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?

 

 

Weekend Surprise::

A surprise trip into the city to see the Peter Pan ballet.  

There were four excited children.  A delicious meal at a retro modern diner.  A chance to dress-up.  Time to walk by moonlight in the city before heading home.  

A great time was had by all.  

 

 

 

Weekend::

Images of a quiet weekend...

:: A scarf that I knit for my friend's birthday.  Then ripped out.  Then, re-knit.  Then gifted, even though it wasn't done, and I didn't leave enough yarn to finish it, yet she loved it anyway.  It is beautiful yarn!  So she ripped it out, with my urging and blessing of course, and lovingly re-knit it.  She has been wearing it almost everyday since.  Yes, I offered to knit it again for her but she thought it looked like way too much fun and decided to do it herself.  So, essentially I gave her the yarn...."Here's your present, now knit it."  Wow, and it worked!  

:: Breakfast ala the Big Daddy.  Delicious.  

:: A bird on my wee one's head, who turns nineteen months today!  It's the only clip I can seem to keep in her hair right now for all of about two minutes.  She's not a fan of the adornment, I see.   

:: Ginger Cake...yes, again.  I know.  

:: Sunset Show stopper.  

:: Cozy hat for my sister-in-law.  Love that she appreciates hand-knit gifts.  The yarn is so luxurious that I find I'm knitting slower to make it last.  Is that wrong? 

:: Interesting fountain in town that gurgles water out of his mouth in the Spring and Summer.  There's something very intriguing about it.

There was also some skiing.   A late night Downton Abbey watching session, or early as the case may be. Sniffles, coughs and a clean up of the backyard.  All of which I did not take photos of but happened none the less.  

Hope you had a weekend full of moments, Won't you tell me about a few? 

 

For the love of ginger::

This weekend we welcomed a few friends over for dinner.  They are expecting a baby in a few months and we happen to have a few baby things to share.  So, it seemed the perfect opportunity to have them to dine and dessert with us.  

This Ginger Cake recipe was given to me by a friend long ago.  She made it for a baby blessing for my youngest boy.  It was delicious.  Nauseous as I was, the ginger in this cake was a life saver.  Since then we have had it a handful of times and every time I wonder why I don't make it more often.

I thought of you, my friends, and knew you would love it.  Remember the fresh whipped cream on top, it's so worth the extra time.  oh man.  

Hope you enjoy it!

 

Gingerbread and Ginger Cake ---

This recipe makes enough for our family of six to enjoy with a bit left for the next day. If you are expecting company, as I was this weekend, I would suggest you double the recipe.  

1/2 cup Butter

3/4 cup Sugar (add 4 more TBSP for ginger cake)

1 Egg

1/2 cup Molasses (sweet un-sulphured)

1 cup Whole Wheat Flour

1 cup White All purpose Flour

1/2 tsp. Salt

1 tsp. Baking Soda

1 TBSP Ground Ginger

1 tsp. Cinnamon

1/2 tsp. Ground Cloves

1 cup Boiling Water

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Butter and lightly flour a 9 x 11 baking dish or the dish of your choice...I used a bundt pan.  Baking time may vary depending on the pan.  

Mix the butter and sugar until creamy. 

Add egg and molasses and mix well. 

Sift dry ingredients and mix with previous ingredients until well blended.  

Stir in boiling water, carefully, and then pour quickly into a baking dish.  

Bake for 35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.  

Serve with fresh whipped cream (Heavy Whipping Cream + A TBSP of sugar + eager children to use the hand whisk = yum!).  

Then, ENJOY!

 

Let's hear it for baked goods on a Monday morning...hip, hip, hooray!!!

 

Over the Mountain::

Over the mountain and through the woods we went to find our Christmas Tree.  

It's become an annual adventure.  This year I was unsure if we would make it due to the "back situation" with the big daddy.  Mostly because he's the one who hikes, cuts and carries the tree down.  

With a bit of re-figuring and the help of the older children we found, cut and put the tree on a sled all the way down the mountain.  New tradition perhaps?   

We arrived at the site and found that we were the only ones there.  It's extremely quiet in the forest when there isn't a soul around.  So we hiked, hauled the sled, and wound our way up the mountain.  

The big daddy right away found what he thought would be our tree.  Think Dr. Seuss....Long trunk big bunch of pine needles on top.  It really did look like something Dr. Seuss would have drawn.  

Uuh-hum, it didn't come home with us though.

After hiking for about an hour we found two trees that we liked.  We all sat down in the snow to admire one and see if this was the one to come home with us.  

Now, I'll tell you our littlest one loves to shake her head "NO". The Big Daddy decided to ask her if this was our tree.  She looked from him to the tree and back to him and shook her head emphatically "YES".  

So we knew this was the tree for us.   

 

The big daddy commenced with the cutting and then the older children had a chance with the saw, cringe, which made them both very happy.  

Soon she was set on the sled and we headed down the hill.  Traversing tree stumps and rocks the whole way.  We made quite a merry party of six tromping down the hill through the snow with the tree happily bouncing on the sled, the four year old in the lead and the two older children guiding from behind.  Our littlest girl even had a small ride on the sled at the very bottom of the hill with this mama running along beside.  Fun. Fun.  

 

This site happened on the way back down the mountain and I just had to share.  A motor home painted like a log cabin?  Have you ever seen such a brilliant thing?  It did require that the big daddy double back and go all the way around so I could get a picture but it was worth it don't you think?  

 

Then, home to set the tree up and get the lights put on.

 This I can say I have "Tom Sawyered" my honey into doing.  I've done it for years but last year he "volunteered" and I loved that I didn't have to do it.  So, this year there was a lot of "oh my you did such a nice job on the lights last year" and "wow you make that look so easy it must be because you are so talented" and a few "You are a professional!" thrown in and he did it again!  yes.

I hope to have officially passed on that tradition.  After all he's now done it for two years why not three?!??  Right?

 

On to the decorations after bath time.  I've shown you in past years our trees and ornaments.  I love that eighty percent of them were made by the children.  It makes me smile to see over the years how we can now fill a tree with them.  

 

One of the highlights this year was our littlest girl and her fascination with the tree.  

She LOVED it.  

In fact, she was very interested in putting the ornaments on and pulling them off.  She would put one on and pull three off.  It made the decorating last just that much longer.  

Since last night the bottom of the tree is quite bare and I'm thinking that the ornaments may have to move up the tree a bit.  Though to tell you the truth I'm enjoying her excitement when she toddles over and brings me a handful of ornaments.  At least handmade ornaments means they are more durable.  

 

So there she is.  Our lovely, skinny, charlie brown tree.  One that has it's own pine cones growing on the branches and as of this morning has begun to drink water like a fish.  

It feels officially like the holidays now with the house spruced up with decorations.  This morning I'm off to knit and sew with all due haste as this week marks the final week before vacation.  And, this mama has a few things to do...

How are your projects going?  OR are you already done?  

 

 

I Love Sundays::

...that's all I wanted to say.  

 

Whirlwind::

This past weekend we took a "whirlwind" trip.

The type of whirlwind trip where we picked up the children from school, told them they had ten minutes to pack two of whatever they needed, and to meet us in the car.  An hour later we left, oh well, all excited for a spur of the moment adventure.  

A road trip to see the trees.  

A road trip to see a town most of us had yet to lay eyes on.  

A road trip that would land us in the midst of a Wool Festival.  

Convenient or planned?  I'll never say.  

With four chidren trips on the whim can be a bit, challenging?  But, we did it.  We all had favorite moments over the time we were gone.  

Even despite the freeway closure at eight o'clock p.m. on Sunday that provided a fourty five minute delay, the "oops, I forgot I had homework" and the funny sound the car was making...We did it.  

We saw some beautiful country and spent time as a family and really how can you beat that?  

 

Any "whirlwind" in your lives these days?!!??