M.S.

Yes, Martha Stewart. Am I crazy to get myself a subscription to her Living magazine? It was the holiday issue with the photos of the Springerle cookies that hooked me. Lovely.


Anyone else want to join in? They've got a two for one deal going on, I'll pay. It would make me feel a little better.
Carmen might be interested. For those of you who don't know her, she is our dear friend who cares for Lydia, just as she cared for Sahara before she was old enough for preschool. She went home to France to spend the holidays with her family. She'll be back for the rest of the school year, gracias a Dios. She gives me her old Marie Claire Idees magazines which are THE BOMB for wannabe craftsters like me. The recipes look good as well. Too bad I don't read French. They are increible. I told her I want to own every copy that has ever been published. The website doesn't do the magazine justice.
I love cozying up when Pablo is off playing volleyball with friends with an old copy and slowly looking through all the needlepoint, felting, sewing, knitting, papercrafting, etc.. projects that I would love to try.

Dinner tonight was - Mushroom + Fennel Risotto, steamed Rainbow Chard, and for dessert some Soy Glazed Sweet Potatoes.

Lydia LOVES playing in water. For Christmas Nana got us a punch card to the (warm) pool up the hill. We all went for a dip on Boxing Day. Ahhhhhhhhhh. It was divine. I think we'll all go once a week. Pablo and I can take turns with the girls and sitting in the hot tub.

Rain rain rain

Lartte

Pablo,
I think you need to practice more. (wink wink)









We made some cordials for friends as Christmas gifts, one being an espresso cordial. I am in charge of the gift tags. Hmmm... let's look for a neat picture, I thought. I typed "coffee art" into the Google images search page. Whoa!

Fun in the Snow

Winter Wonderland

Woohoo!!
I'm officially on Christmas Vacation. I was so disappointed with the sunshine on Sunday and went to sleep prepared to teach yesterday. Lydia and Sahara both woke up in the middle of the night which is very unusual. Snow makes the world sound different.
We woke up to 4 inches of powder so fluffy we couldn't even build a snowman.
This morning our local station said the temperature was 16!!!!
I think that is the coldest I've ever walked around in.
Pablo put chains on the car.
We are in for more . . . more snow, more below freezing, more adventure.
The plan was to drive up to Seattle on Friday morning but I don't think that is going to happen.
Friends came over for some Christmas cookie baking this morning, and then we all took afternoon naps. Dinner was chili and cornbread.
Next up, chicken pox.
The girls were unintentionally exposed last week. With a two week incubation period, they should be experiencing their first itchies on Christmas Eve.

Cozy

The heaters are on most of the time now. We don't have the usual rain rain rain but it has been chilly. When Sahara gets up in the mornings the house is still cold, so I give her a stack of books to cozy up with in bed until the kitchen has warmed up a bit. Both girls get up around 6:00 which is a good time for us all to be rising, but many mornings I wish they slept in 'til 7:00.

Thank you

I don't remember where I came across this photo. Gratitude wells up along with tears every time I see it.
Yesterday we celebrated the holiday with a lovely, small gathering out along the Mohawk River with Pablo's parents. It was the most relaxed Thanksgiving I've enjoyed in years. mmmm...

Handmade Holidays

I wish I could check this out on Saturday.

We do have a great holiday market here with many amazing artists and craftfolk. It opened this past weekend. We all went, even Hope! Sahara had fun listening to the music and running around with other kids by the stage. Lydia happily watched them. We ate yummy food and were inspired by all the amazing trinkets and treasures that talented folk spend many hours creating. They hope that each creation will find an appreciative home.
If I had my way, gifts given to my family and received from my family would all be handmade. I'm wise enough to know that this would include gifts handmade by others in my community. If I didn't need any sleep, I would happily spend my nights knitting, sewing, painting, baking . . . creating for others.
I do have a great gift in the works for Sahara which will require about 2 hours alone with some fabric, scissors, thread and my sewing machine. I can't imagine when I could possible manage 2 hours alone without falling asleep, so I'll have to do about 15 minutes per day.

FYI

It came to my attention last night that some of you may not be aware of the links I have posted over there to the right.
Check them out! I change my current faves fairly frequently. If you are a crafty mama, and I know some of you are, or aspire to be like me, then for sure explore the craft blogs. I'd like to find some good food sites to inspire me on days when I just don't know what to concoct in the kitchen . . . any recommendations would be welcome.

amor y pera

Lydia loves the pear sauce we made end-of-summer. At the rate she's eating it we'll run out by the end of this month. And I thought I had canned enough for the winter! I happened to pick up a fresh pear from the store and gave it to her to gnaw on while I prepared dinner. She wasn't very interested in eating it . . . just a few love bites.

RED

Red shoes, red apple, red house.

Here we go with the underline again. . .????!!!???

Our washing machine died after only 4 years of use. We bought it new from Sears about the time Sahara was born and our laundry duties multiplied drastically.
So, we got a new one, a good one, which is amazingly efficient and all those things that help you feel like you are making the world a better place for your children's children.
Within a few days, before we recycled the box, Sahara announced that she wanted to live in her own house. (Pink, of course) Well, we didn't have pink paint laying around, but red is close so Sahara spent a drizzly afternoon painting her new house.

very cool

Brujajajaja

Little bit of ketchup here.
We didn't get a photo of us all. We were a family of witches (except for Lydia who was a lion). Sahara had been changing her mind daily in regards to what she wanted to "be" for Halloween. On October 30th it was a witch. I insisted on no more changes, then ran out and bought a dress and a hat. Later, we painted her little house broom black.
Our school has a sweet Halloween festival which we attended. The first friend we came across was a dear angel. At least I got one photo!

Dedicated to our favorite librarian . . .

This is currently one of Lydia's favorite activities.

Un año

Today Lydia is one year old!
We had a few little friends over for grapes and teething biscuits this afternoon. The grandparents came over for dinner and pumpkin pie this evening. Lydia was clueless and curious about the events.
At one, she is a very mellow little girl, especially in comparison to her sister. Her eyes are still gray and her hair a bit lighter than is the norm for our family.
She loves crawling up on the little trampoline and bouncing there. She also loves our kitten, Rosie. In fact, "Rosie" was her first word. She's not walking yet but feels comfortable pulling herself up on most objects that can support her.
She points a lot and claps at anything that delights her. She enjoys crawling around the garden and getting filthy. Baths with her sister are great fun too.
She's been eating a lot more solid food these past few weeks, and sleeps soundly through the night - although 5:30 seems to be her average waking time. Yikes!
She is a dear heart.
We love her inexplicably.
She is amazing.
Feliz Cumpleaños Lydia Grace

Burn Baby Burn

Holy Mole.
Pain burning PAIN.
Don't ever prepare anything with spicy chiles without gloves on.
I cut up some chiles 5 1/2 hours ago - 4 IBprofens, 6 different topical remedies and a whole lot of tears and swearing later, I am still unsure if I will get any relief/sleep tonight.
Ay ay ay.... canta no llores

Autumn Warmth

I've learned not to ask "What did you do at school today?" Last year I asked that question of Sahara often and gained little insight into her mornings at preschool.
This year, she goes to kindergarten Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. I pick her up when I am done teaching. We each eat a snack on the ride to pick up Lydia and I listen. Some days she sings, asks questions about this or that, other days she sits quietly munching an apple or some walnuts. Occasionally she lets me in on some of the drama of a kindergartener's morning.
-"Omani cried today Mama. Did you see Omani crying?
- "Misha is my friend. I love Misha."
Today was - "I am so patiently waiting to do the lotion but I have to wait a long time for my turn."
On Tuesday she only spoke one sentence to me on the ride back.

"Today we gathered all of the warmth of the sun into our hearts."

Ahhhh . . .

Heirloom

From Merriam Webster-

Main Entry:

heir·loom

Pronunciation:

\ˈer-ˌlüm\

Function:

noun

Etymology:

Middle English heirlome, from heir + lome-implement

Date:

15th century

I harvested the remainder of our heirloom tomatoes knowing the rain was to return today.

Flavor wise our favorite is the Copia.

Next comes the German Green Stripe:

We started some from seed, were given some by a neighbor, and purchased a few from Ruby and Amber's Organic Oasis, as well as at the Mt. Pisgah spring plant sale. We have reason to believe that some of those were labeled incorrectly. Hmmm...

And then there are the ones we didn't get to in time.

On a roll

Most afternoons, after nap/rest time, we head down the street for some picking.
I picked up these roller skates at a recent garage sale for $4. With a pair of thick socks they fit well.


I use Lydia in the stroller as my crutch. Sahara hops on her Skuut and we roll on down to the grape wall.


From afar, even up close, you wouldn't notice that these vines are covered with sweet grapes. Hundreds of pounds of them. Nobody, except for a few neighbors in the know, harvests them. The property on the west side is vacant and the house to the east in a rental. I knocked on their door last summer, as new tenants had recently moved in, to ask permission. The young gal looked at me like I was a strange old lady who was just a bit too friendly. Then she saw Sahara and smiled with approval. Amazing what having a kid around can do for you.


If you've been around, you may remember we picked great bunches last summer and pressed them into juice. This year we just pick small bundles that we slowly savor on our ride back home.
FYI - roller skating, while pushing a baby in a stroller, while keeping an eye on a riding 4 year old, while eating grapes puts one at high risk for mishaps. I have some bruises and a scraped up knee to prove it.

According to a well-known domestic scientist, the only things which should find their way to the garbage pail are:

Egg shells—after being used to clear coffee.

Potato skins—after having been cooked on the potato.

Banana skins—if there are no tan shoes to be cleaned.

Bones—after having been boiled in soup kettle.

Coffee grounds—if there is no garden where they can be used for fertilizer, or if they are not desired as filling for pincushions.

Tea leaves—after every tea-serving, if they are not needed for brightening carpets or rugs when swept.

Asparagus ends—after being cooked and drained for soup.

Spinach, etc.—decayed leaves and dirty ends of roots.

If more than this is now thrown away, you are wasting the family income and not fulfilling your part in the great world struggle. Your government says that it is your business to know what food your family needs to be efficient; that you must learn how to make the most of the foods you buy; that it is your duty to learn the nature and uses of various foods and to get the greatest possible nourishment out of every pound of food that comes to your home.

Taken from "Foods that will win the war and how to cook them". Copyright 1918

via Project Gutenburg

Can't keep up!

We've been waiting impatiently for this moment, but now that it is here we just can't keep up. Family and work take priority, so these sit longer than they should on the counter waiting to be roasted and then frozen or canned. Boo.

Slow Bubble Rising

Being a Person

by William Stafford

Be a person here. Stand by the river, invoke
the owls. Invoke winter, then spring.
Let any season that wants to come here make its own
call. After that sound goes away, wait.

A slow bubble rises through the earth
and begins to include sky, stars, all space,
even the outracing, expanding thought.
Come back and hear the little sound again.

Suddenly this dream you are having matches
everyone’s dream, and the result is the world.
If a different call came there wouldn’t be any
world, or you, or the river, or the owls calling.

How you stand here is important. How you
listen for the next things to happen. How you breathe.

Young Photographer

My old camera is temperamental. Sometimes Sahara uses it as a "pretend camera." Other days it works and we end up with hundreds of interesting shots.

A page from Amazing Grace - one of Sahara's favorite books.

Sahara's Nature Table

Little Sister who is now crawling.
She's figured out that cat food has an interesting flavor and texture.

Back To School

It has been a long time since I stood in front of a group of squiggly kids as a teacher. Today was my first day back and even though I only taught for 40 minutes I feel completely drained.
Today I am thankful for rest time. Sahara has grown beyond naps but she accepts rest time and plays in her room quietly for at least an hour. I am also grateful for Carmen. She is our wonderful friend who took care of Sahara at 5 months when I went back to teaching. She was supposed to leave in June and then it got bumped to September and now she won't return to France until December. (I'm hoping it will be June.) Today she was with Lydia for 5 hours and Lydia didn't cry once. I'm super thankful for Pablo who is such a loving papa and husband. He left work and biked up a huge hill to be with Sahara for her first morning of kindergarten.

I Scream

You Scream
We all scream
For ICE CREAM!


On hot summer evenings if we finish dinner early enough and the girls aren't quite ready for the getting-ready-for-bed routine we head over to Prince Puckler's for a treat.
This time, Sahara passed by the fresh strawberry for Mint Chocolate Chip. As you can see, she's in good company.
He made a surprise visit on May 17th. Why didn't we go that night?
After ice cream we go round back to the park to burn off the sugar.
Lydia enjoys swinging and watching her sister's antics.

When my patience runs out . . . I follow . . . out the door, into the garden. This morning my patience left me early, so in the cool sprinkles Sahara and I harvested these. Being outside transforms us both.

Rose Grandma Shirley Valentine

Rosy was left by the side of a country road with a can of tuna. Grandma Shirley and Grandpa Joey saw the can, poked around, and found her on Friday morning. The vet said she is about 4 weeks old, full of worms and fleas and dehydrated.
She has now officially adopted us.
Last night Sahara gave her three happy thoughts to think about before she fell asleep and walked away saying "night night . . . te amo" which is what we say to her every night.
This morning, with Sahara out of the house and Lydia asleep, Rosy went exloring. I left her alone for a bit while I kneaded some bread. She disappeared. I searched the whole house in every nook and cranny with my sweetest gentle voice calling her back. No luck. Later, while getting ready to do some laundry, I lifted up Pablo's pants noticing they felt a bit heavy "He must have left his wallet in the pocket" I thought. Of course it was Rosy in there, not his wallet.
As though our lives weren't full of enough adventures and excitement!

Beach Bum

Lydia visited the coast for the first time last weekend. None of us had been since last summer.
Pablo had a workshop - didn't even make it down to the beach, pobrecito. We had enough fun for all watching Lydia put handful after handful of sand into her mouth. Sahara was more interested in feeling the cold cold water on her bare feet and seeing how much sand she could cover Lydia with before I protested.

She was completely unaware of the bare bum!

Saving Seed

It is the time of year when we start looking around the garden for seeds to save. Today we need to pluck little lettuce seed clusters. A few days ago we set up shop on the stone path up front to save the sweet pea seeds. It is a great job for kids to help out with. I think we'll set some aside to gift to her teachers in the spring.

Blueberry Love

On the 26th of last month we headed north to check out OSU's agriculture research area which was hosting an open-house. Our first stop was to blueberry heaven.


Over 400 different varieties of blueberries and all for the picking.

Some other folks had the same idea, but there was more than enough for us and any number of bears that might stroll through.

We ate enough to make it through the winter and then some. Our favorite variety was "Elizabeth."

Even Lydia liked the taste of them!

Sahara ate herself into a stupor.


This past weekend, our favorite blueberry u-pick farm opened up after being closed for a few weeks. We arrived at 8:00 a.m. and it was already packed. The bushes were COVERED with huge, gorgeous berries! Pure joy. We picked fifty pounds in two hours - enough for the winter, pies, jam and even ice cream.
Life is good.

Baby Food

For being born into a "foodie" family - Lydia has been a bit slow with the uptake and appreciation of any food other than mama's milk. At six months I slowly started introducing rice cereal, avocado, banana, winter squash, and a few others.
Most mouthfuls prompted a look of sheer disgust and then were spit right back out. Three months of this and finally my perseverance paid off.


Apparently store bought baby food is more appealing than the concoctions I've been stirring up in the kitchen.
She ate the whole thing!