may 31: bliss

sigh.

bliss, bliss, bliss.

a perfectly ordinary but heavenly day.

snapshot sunday

This one makes me smile-- and warrants an explanation. We compost in our house.
The children know all about "take it out to the compost heap", but for some reason they feel that the things they enjoy particularly - watermelon rinds and corn-on-the-cob leftovers - need to be left directly in their favorite spots.
Love offerings, don't you know.

I know I often take pictures like this.... but what can I say? I am a Mama in love with a boy who loves his dinosaurs.




Play with us.

May 30

Saturday was spent playing Garden, Garden, Who's In the Garden?
We finally planted most of the babies

got the pumpkins going

ate the first sugar snap peas

found tiny (tiny!) mushrooms in the Faery Garden(certainly a good sign)

found insect eggs - we think they're ant eggs
tended to the pond

found the first blackberry flower
played with water balloons

enjoyed the first summer sprinkling of rain

stopped by the irises many, many times to inhale their incredibly sweet fragrance
had our first hummingbird at the feeder

and welcomed the first lavender flowers.
A lovely way to spend a Summer's Day, to be sure.

May 29th

Today we boogied about the house shinin' things up so that we could come home tired to a sparkly house.
Three out of four of us were off for an adventure!

There's a dinosaur park and museum about 40-50 miles north of us that has of course been on our short list for a few years now.
And about two miles this side of the dinosaur park is the nature center. So... you know. When we travel that far from home, we make it count.
Today was no exception.

We were not able to say Hey to our turtle friends today, unfortunately. (It was hot today- they werena layin' about in the sun as before.)
But we were thoroughly charmed by the dragonflies
and butterflies (several different kinds)
tadpoles
a couple of deer
one single frog face
the giant tree house
a tom turkey
birdhouses(Maddie's favorite one- she always looks for this one)

owls
a kestrel
snake skin
a bear's cave
deep woods
scat
vibrant ponds
and sittin' in the shade, watching the cotton from the cottonwood trees fly, and shine in the sun.
(Mama enjoyed that last part.)

On to the dinosaur park, then!
A very fine day.

may 28: moving into

This Mama had a choice today...
Be uneasy and go against the natural flow, or move into it.

After a couple hours of being vexed by low energy all around and contemplating coercing myself (and surroundings) into something that could or should be..... I stopped.
And melted into what Is.

I'm happy to report that we've been quite alright since then.

There have been quiet computer games

ball with Dad

and the making of orange/mango/banana popsicles.

We've played dinosaur games under chairs and tables

discussed Natural Laws

and have rested on a cushy Mama.

There's been quiet time

Alone time

and pizza with fresh basil and tomatoes time.

We have layed back on a blanket
under the trees

and have read

and been read to.

We've lied on that same blanket and looked to the sky and played many, many games of I Spy.

We've snuggled and lazed.

And then Little Son plays dinosaurs near the pond

Maddie jumps rope with incredibly soft wool

while Mama spins

and spins

and spins.


Lovely.
That'll do.

Happy Day Number May 27

It's been one of those days.
You know... Happy.
'Could be because of something like The House is Clean or that we have Big Big Plans for tonight. (Thanks again for the reminder, hrMama!)

Furry magnets.
Don't you just love metal fur?
Play play.

Trev spotted a hummingbird in the backyard (he thinks).... and since none of their favorite plants are flowering yet, we made nectar for them (four parts water to one part sugar, boiled for two minutes) and hung up the feeder.

Mad Scientists, we are.
(corn starch, food coloring, oil, water, corn syrup, honey, salt, sugar, club soda, goggles, funnel, pipettes, mini pie pans, and test tubes)
Glug glug.

We've upped the ante on the balancing game.
Play something for me, Sam.
Tidying up...Trevelyn has a serious love for the feather duster....

and the pond gets used for Yet Another thing (it's just as well, as Mama hasn't sat in Her Spot for a tranquil meditation yet this season....).

Whites on the line.sigh.

Clean, clean clean. Yes, I know I said the house is clean, but that was hours and hours ago, and one must still Flit and Flurry about to make sure we wake up to Sparkly tomorrow.
(Consider about whom we're speaking....)

And, of course, one must gather flowers....

Now, we're all about the popcorn, the red vines, the milk duds....
and one of our All Time Favorites....
the Drive-In!
"Boom!...Boom!.... Fire Powah!...."

We'll see you tomorrow.