Snowy Drops

Signs of spring are starting to creep their way into our soggy, muddy backyard.

Snowdrops.

Unopened...

Tiny little packages, beautifully wrapped.

Delicately holding the pure essence of spring.

Waiting for just the right moment to unleash itself.

Our Snowman Friend and His Pal Mitten

The kids were out with Nick the other night.  Nick was shoveling.  The kids were building a snowman - carrot nose, dried apricot eyes...  Munch created a little dog to keep the snowman company (see it in front of the snowman?).  His name is Mitten.

Sweetpea carefully placed a snow ball into the snowman's hand so he could play ball with Mitten.

Looks just like he's ready to wing the ball off into the distance and have Mitten go chasing after it...

Boy, Do We Have The Snow!!!

We've got lots of snow here in NE Ohio!!  LOTS!!!  The picture below was taken out the window of my back room.  There are bushes directly below the window ledge, and snow piled high on top of that!

Venturing out the back door...

Most of the schools around here were closed.  Since we homeschool, I don't follow the snow schedule.  We can work same as usual here even when the snow is up to the car's headlights.  Munch is unhappy with this.  I keep having to remind her that we take plenty of "nice weather" days and play outside or go on outings instead of working indoors at home.  Ahhhhh.  The beauty of homeschooling - setting your own schedule.

Do you have lots of snow?

Climbing Trees

Trip to Cook Forest

As promised, here are some of the pics from this year's trip to Cook Forest in lovely western PA.

We took a couple of canoes down the river, and although I can't say I'd repeat the process in the same conditions, we will have lots of memories for years to come...

From the top of the Fire Tower...

As you can see, many of the leaves have gone through their brilliantly colored phase to the mostly brown phase (those are technical terms, don't ya know).  But the landscape is no less stunning because of it.

One of my favorite places in the park is the Tom's Run area.

There is a lovely little stream that empties into the Clarion River.

And lots of fun bridges to run across.

 

Paths to take into the Cathedral Forest area - an area of old growth forest.

Just beautiful.

You shall not pass!!!!!  (Sorry, couldn't resist.)

Everyone had a great time.

Nature Hike

I'm back!  I've been feeling overwhelmed with everything, so I thought we would take an afternoon and head over to our local organic farm for a nature hike.  They have a few trails going through the woods there.  It's so lovely and peaceful.

We set off down the trail.

One by one.

With our nature bags, set for some exploring.

Following up the rear?  Our very own woodland flower fairy.  I picked up this cute little costume at our local thrift store.  Sweetpea has been wearing it ever since.  Woodland flower fairies always always need their butterfly rain boots.  Even if there is not one single chance of rain.

We wound through the woods, sometimes happy, sometimes not quite so.  Hooking up with the dirt road, we headed back to the pumpkin and corn fields.  It was a scorcher that day - up at 90 - and everyone was hot and tired.  But they were troupers. 

On our way back, we turned aside to do a little more exploring

with munch and our flower fairy leading the way.

Lots of time was spent studying this small grove of trees...

looking for magical creatures, interesting bugs, and noteworthy plants.

While I sat back here and took it all in.

You can probably just barely make them out in the picture.  I was set to guard the food and bags from any ferocious being that came along wanting a granola bar.

We left the farm that day with a bag of butternuts, a green cabbage, several armfuls of field corn for decorating and projects, and another adventure under our belts.

Summer's Simple Things - Biking

I know I have said this before, but I love my bike.  I've had the same bike since i was 12.  I take to the road any time I have the opportunity.  Every Sunday, I ride for an hour or so around my husband's family property.  Just me, my bike, the road, and the countryside.  This weekend, I had the opportunity for 2 bike rides!!!!!!

Yesterday's ride was the most perfect ride.  I was feeling a bit haggard and blue when I went out.  But, as soon as I got going, those feelings lifted away and were carried off by the wind.  The wind.  That's another thing that I absolutely love.  It is strong, yet gentle.  When you ride, it wraps you in the protective strength, comforting you, speaking words of wisdom.  The wind is so worldly.  But primal at the same time.  It has swirled around this globe countless times.  It has seen so many things and people, lands and waters.  It knows.  When I ride, I let it completely surround and penetrate me.  If even a small fraction of it's great wisdom can seep into my being, then I am happy.  It was particularly windy yesterday.  And the wind had much to say.  And I listened.  But like with my 3 year old, I was only sometimes able to get the gist, the feeling, of what it was telling me.  Not the words.  But it doesn't matter.  Words are not always necessary.

I want my kids to have the same feeling when they take to their bikes.

Biking is a part of summer.

It is a part of spring.  And of fall.  And it is a large part of me.

Summer's Simple Things - Critters

We were sitting at the table having tea the other morning trying to plan out our weekend.  I was looking out the window enjoying our magic beans that are finally starting to bloom.

They are really scarlet runner beans.  But we call them magic beans because when we were first given the seeds, we had no idea what kind of beans they were - just that they were the most beautiful shade of orange.  We grew them in our garden where they happily attracted all sorts of lovely things.  Since then, we have grown them nearly each year in our garden for the pure joy they provide.

Anyway, back to the story.  So, we were sitting there drinking tea, discussing the weekend, and I was staring out the window with my standard morning glazed look, when I saw this!!!!!

Through the screen.  Beyond the laundry.  Sucking happily on the magic beans.  So lovely.  Let me zoom in for you...

I called the kids to come see, but I had no hopes of taking any pictures of it through the screen.  But Nick, with his super hero powers of taking pictures in weird circumstances and actually making them look good, came to my rescue.  We got only one picture.  That's all it took.

It's not hard to see why this little hummingbird would love these flowers.  They are orange, sweet smelling, and I'm sure contain heavenly nectar.

Hummingbirds are just one of the many wonderful critters we have been enjoying this summer.  What sorts of creatures do you have flitting around in your world?

**  Check out Kim's Summer's Simple Things Series to see what other people are doing this summer!