Enchanted Mama

Untamed::

There is something untamed and beautiful about the forests left undisturbed.  An area that exudes epic vistas at every turn.  A place that draws you in and you find yourself and all your children walking five miles and hardly noticing.  

This national treasure sees millions of visitors a year.  Travelers from all over the world.  Speaking many different languages.  Looking for different experiences.  

 

For spring break this year we spent a lovely time with dear friends camping by the beach and enjoying time together as our children grow.  Dipping our feet in the ocean and  sharing thoughts and ideas.  

Then we traveled to Yosemite National Park.  A few days to take in the forest and the wonder that it owns--from sunshine and cool breeze, to a day of rain and waking up to snowfall on all the mountains surrounding us.  

Breathtaking. yes.  

I find that traveling with children can be equally exciting as well as exhausting.  Anyone else feel that?  

With so much to see and do.  We had to adjust our plans for the wide range of children's ages.  Almost thirteen to twenty months.  There were backpacks and carriers and rides on shoulders.  There were snacks packed into bags and pulled out when we all needed a break.  Water bottles toted for the miles we trekked.  

Full was our experience.  As well fun and challenging at times.  

Somehow this vacation opened up as many doors of possibility as it did to closing others.  Somehow that seems just about right.  

I know having four children is "the adventure" and no amount of traveling is necessary to see those epic views, rambling streams and opportunities around each bend in the road.  

 

So as we settle into being home and being present for the last month or two of school I find myself quite grateful.  

Grateful to live in a lovely town that has so much to offer.

Grateful for the opportunity to travel with all that it brings.   

Grateful for my little family and all the moments good and challenging that we experience everyday.  

Grateful to take a deep breath and know that I will be waking in my own bed for a while.  Something about that feels extra great.  

How are you feeling today?  

 

p.s. Anyone notice the tree trunk that my son is standing on in the shape of a heart? 

 

 

 

Happy Day::

Hope you have a Delightful Day with those you Love.

Spinach, Carrots, and Kale...oh my::

There's been some juicing going on around here lately.

Pounds of carrots. Bunches of kale, chard and dandelion greens. Bushels of apples. Stalks of celery.  Cucumbers by the handfuls.  No vegetable was safe in our kitchen for about ten days.  

It just seemed the right thing to do after arriving home from my trip.  Time to let the body rest and recharge and gather up all the delicious vitamins and minerals.  

And, as glad as I was to eat something, as in chew something....I kinda miss the juice.  

So this morning you will find me gathering, washing and cutting up some delicious produce.  It makes me officially feel ready for the farmers market to begin now that I know what to do with all that kale.  

Do you juice?  Do you like it?  Do you have any great recipes you can share?  

 

The Color of Rain::

This simple, but glorious scarf, is made amazing by the yarn that's used.  

In this case, it's a skein of hand spun yarn that I purchased at the yarn guild last December.  The skein sat and sparkled at me for months until I figured out the perfect pattern for it. 

All through Ecuador I knit on this scarf.  Through the cloud forest all the way down to the rain forest and canoeing on the Amazon river.  On a bumpy bus and a small airplane.  Surrounded by fellow travelers and tucked into my room at night.  It has been a delight to watch it grow.  

I was sorry to see this project come to an end though.  There will be other skeins but this one, this one was special.  It may have cinched the deal that someday, in my spare time, I will be a spinner and make some of this yarn myself.  I believe that once you knit with hand spun yarn full of colors and sparkles well, there may be no way to go back.  

 

The only problem now is that Summer slid in while we weren't looking and the eighty degree weather brought out the swim suits and water play...and not the wool scarf that I just finished.  bummer.  

There's always September though, right?

What's inspiring you today?  

 

 

It's Official::

Yes.  It's official.  

I've figured out that by simplifying my life I might in fact be making it harder.  

I mean I'm sitting here sewing felt eggs...enough said.  Of course, they are felt eggs that have a secret little pouch inside for treasures so....

The intention was to move away from the plastic egg idea into something warmer and potentially more beneficial for mother earth.  Something we could use again and again.  Something fun and easy.  Easy.

Anyone going to step in here?  What I may need is an intervention.  Someone to pounce on my sewing machine and tell me to "slowly back away from the machine".  Alas, that has yet to happen.

 

And then, to make matters worse I decided on new bags.  

This seemingly innocent bag has been time consuming.  Yet, I continued.  I wanted something smaller to make the smaller gifts and treats seem bigger in the bag, you know.  Sitting next to the machine as we speak are three more bags cut out and ready to sew.  

Simple right?  Next year, it will seem easier/simpler.  At least that is what I say now....

So unless someone makes a move here I'm headed back to the studio to finish those other three bags.  

Yup...I am...I'm going now....I'm walking...I'm walking...  

Well, if you change your mind and have a moment in your day you know where to find me.  

I asked a friend of mine recently (A friend that I will NOT tell you is in the process of making the very same felt eggs) whether she ever felt that her life was harder because she was attempting to make it "more simplified"?  

Her response was...EVERYDAY.  

Anyone else out there? 

 

A thousand words::

They say that a picture is worth a thousand words.  

I've tried for a week to put my adventure in the Ecuadorian rain forest into words and found I have...none.  None that express how I feel and what it has changed in me. So, in lieu of words I give you pictures.  Lots of them.  

In terms of words I give you twenty six thousand of them...

 

 

Love, 

Ecuador

Spring is in the Air::

I've recently returned home from quite an adventure, which of course I want to share with you as soon as I catch my breath and download some photos.  Next week?  

Until then, I thought I would give a glimpse of Spring in our neck of the woods.  

Doesn't it make you believe in new beginnings?  

We've been dining outside and pushing bath time later just to spend a few extra minutes playing in the warm weather.  

We put in a basketball hoop for the children yet most afternoons you will find all of us out there tossing the ball.  A few of us reliving our glory days and attempting to remember the rules for "Horse" and other crucial basketball games.  

This weekend will be much of the same.  There is a garden to be pondered and seriously weeded.  The meals are lighter and involve grilling.  Neighborhood children are emerging from their houses to play.  I find myself turning toward the sun absorbing the warmth and color.  Yup.  Good stuff.   

Even the ice cream truck was heard in the distance today which must definitely mean that Spring is on its way.  

So what does your Spring look like? 

 

 

Her Project::

Her project on Ecuador required a creative handwork piece.  

This is what she chose.  

Love it.  

 

 

Dinner::

Have I mentioned how grateful I am that the big daddy LOVES to cook?  

Well, I am.  Big time.  Because there are literally thirty things I would rather be doing than that.  So it works for our family.  

What I love most about this delish dinner he made, is that we ate one last night and the other? Well, it's for dinner another night.  

Don't you love that.  Two meals for one.  Now that's my kind of cooking.  

The recipe is here from the ever talented Barefoot Contessa.   

Let me know if you try it.  It's worth making. 

At least I can say that after just enjoying it immensely. 

 

Hidden Messages::

We have a bit of construction going on at our house right now.  The old storeroom chocked full of stuff has now been emptied and is undergoing a transformation.  Walls are appearing and insulation soon to be applied.  A doorway and soon another room for one of our children.  

It's been quite an adventure already as construction invariably can be.

 

The other night we had a lot of fun though.  Our children were allowed to draw on the walls....oh my.  They were able to use crayon and write messages and this mama and the big daddy just smiled.  Can you imagine?  

So our children were all about the giggles and laughter while we covered every square inch of the walls with hidden messages.  Messages tucked into the walls that will bring forth the love in which they were drawn or written.

 

I remember doing this with my mom and three brothers in the new kitchen.  Things like great meals made here.  Love in the kitchen.  You know, important things.  

The intention being the biggest and most crucial element.

My love really is to see what each person decides is important.  I love that this is his.

 

 

And, his.

And, hers.

 

And, his.

It's made me wonder why is it that we don't draw on walls more often?  It's such a lot of fun!  

Except for that pesky "its-so-permanent" thing.  Oh well.