Life With The Crew

February Beginnings

February started with the slight tease of Spring, and after frigid single digits, I felt guilty still feeling cold at "just freezing".  But then the rain changed to ice and the season meter was pushed firmly back to "Winter".  

I'm okay with that.  There are still audiobooks to listen to ("King of the Wind" by Marguerite Henry), books to read (The  Family Under the Bridge by Natalie Savage Carlson), and knitting projects.  My sidekick has been knitting a pink blanket for her kitten.  She first tried knitting when she was 8, which is an age that I had heard kids could pick it up.  She learned the knitting motion and was able to make several small squares, but only this winter (age 9), did it really click.  She has been knitting for an hour a day and asked to learn how to purl also.  I love seeing her sitting by the fire, listening to an audio, and knitting away on this blanket for her beloved Tiny Tim.  (And he had better appreciate all the hours and love she is putting into it!)

We have been hearing Great Horned owls calling in the early evening, as early as 6pm.  In Winters past, I have heard them in the middle of the night while my daughter was sleeping, so it was nice to be able to share it with her now.  This is the time period when they are choosing mates, so I've often heard one voice calling and then another answer from farther away.  I'm so glad that even in the suburbs, wildlife has figured out how to thrive around us.

On the knitting front, this wonderfully soft wool shawl with a lace pattern along the bottom is listed in my shop.  I just LOVE the color and would like it to find a home so I am not tempted to wear it!

In the Deep Midwinter

While the dark days of December may seem like the height of Winter, we're only approaching midwinter now.  Luckily the bitter dark nights are offset by the slightly less frigid days of bright sunshine, its strong rays calling to us to come outside and play despite the coldness we know is there waiting.  And because the lure of that golden sun on crisp white snow is strong and because one can only knit so much before her finger joints start to ache and because a wild child is always easier to deal with after she has breathed fresh air into her lungs and mind - we venture out.

One of our favorite places, icy cold and quiet in January, with just the chattering Chickadees and the moaning ice to keep us company.  Lake side cattails serve as a winter replacement for milk weed pods.  Beauty is all around, all the time.

 

 

The Quiet Time

Now that the holiday season is over, the quiet time has begun.  And the cold has set in (at least a little bit).  It is the season of texture, not color.  

And so I guess it is fitting that my latest knitting project is of the same color palette.

We are starting our listening year off with the classic "The Witch of Blackbird Pond" on audiobook.  I remember that I read it in high school, but I didn't remember how good it is.  Always love to find a new story to share with my daughter and I love historical fictions!

Another Great One

This non-December weather is bad for the festive holiday vibes (reading Christmas stories taking place in a wintry world makes me wants SNOW), however it has made for some great exploring days.  The sun was shining bright today, so figured that heading into the woods was a great way to start the week.  Bookwork can be done inside when the sun goes down...

We were surprised to see that the beavers had started work in another area of their pond.  They have damned a large end of the lake and we have explored there for several years.  Now they have built a smaller dam across an area that was just a small stream leading away from two springs.  The water had definitely backed up behind the little dam and expanded the flooded area.  We saw lots of recent signs of beaver activity.  Pretty awesome to see Mother Nature's builders at work!

We love visiting this secret world together.  We saw no other people this morning, which is how we like it.  We head home with our healthy dose of sunshine, an appetite for lunch, and then settle in for hot tea and work.  Makes for a good day.  

A Glorious Day in December

Yesterday was a great one.  When life gets crazy and hectic and there is more bickering and grumbles than smiles and hugs, I know we need to head to the woods.  As the little babe spoke the wise words herself, "We need to come here more often."  Sage advice from a nine year old.

A December Day

The second day of December.  Five weeks ago my little lady fell off her pony and broke her arm.  The cast came off Monday morning.  It was so great to see her back in the woods again, wild and free, if still a bit cautious.

A moody sky, dried goldenrod waving in the wind, the death of a Monarch, beautiful turkey tails full of tiny details, and lots of late Autumn texture.  I hope your month started off happy.

If you've started your holiday shopping or are in the market for a spruce up to your own Winter wardrobe, consider visiting my Etsy shop.  I have a couple of new items, including this easy to wear red wool cowl.

 

The Path for Monday

The path for Monday lead us through a beautiful November forest of oak, maple, hemlock, pine, and tulip poplar.

We walked beside ferns, along a rippling stream, over moss and pine needles, marveling at shiny red berries and vibrant yellow maple leaves.

We ended at a lovely lake, calm and clear, reflecting the surrounding colors.

I am glad I had this hand to hold as I walked through the Autumn woods.

Get Back on the Horse and Keep Your Eyes Forward

We had a little excitement this last week of October, but things have quieted down now and we're settling into the last days of rainy October with hot tea, good books, the woodstove, pumpkin donuts, drawing, and knitting of course.  I cleaned up the garden a bit yesterday, pulling out the blackened basil and planting next year's supply of garlic.  We haven't had a frost yet, so my zinnias are still blooming!  This has been a great year for our red raspberry bushes.  Our plants bloom twice a year - a small crop in July and then a bigger crop in October, and frost is the determining factor.  This October has been mild and very wet, so our raspberries have just kept coming and are nice and plump!  I snapped a couple photos of the ducks and chickens looking pastoral in the late afternoon light on a rare day without rain.  (Daisy is the first one, then our male Dawn with the white Pekin Snow.)

And now for that excitement:  Last Sunday, my not-so little babe fell off her not-so little pony and broke her arm.  Luckily it is her non-dominant arm and luckily she didn't require surgery.  However, it needed to be re-set before the cast, so that required full anesthesia, which was a little scary.  She is now clad in pink from upper arm to hand, but should be all good by the time the snow really flies!  And because we can't imagine life without horses, she was back at it this week, just at a little slower speed and with some assistance.  Yes, I am her mother and so will of course say so, but my babe is a super tough little lady.  With her arm dangling by her side, her concern was not for herself, but for her pony.  She walked into the barn with him to make sure he was okay.  She had no fear about getting back on this week.  She isn't moping about what she can't do.

Happy Halloween!  Forget the spooky, I'll take the pumpkin doughnuts and apple cider!  (And maybe a Reeses's PB Cup or two.)

More Adventures to Come

And so it is 2021.  I have been writing in this space since I think some time in 2014, but I started cataloging my photos in January 2015.  Here are a few flashbacks.

We are still getting out and about in the not so wild woods of Pennsylvania in all seasons.  We only have one Corgi now instead of five.  I am a much better knitter than I was then.  And my daughter still loves to build snowmen.  The picture above shows her first.  She made five on our adventure today, including one on the ice covered lake and one that looked like a mouse.

Our adventures are longer, but they still involve snacks and storytelling.  Instead of carrying her on my back while skiing or in the trusty plastic orange sled, she can now ski alongside me (and ride beside me on her own pony).  While I now believe that the world of Instagram does have its place, especially for marketing my Etsy shop, I am glad that I am still sharing and documenting in this space too.  To those of you that stop in for a couple minutes break from the real world - thank you.  I hope I still manage to share a little bit of something that will make you smile or wonder.  

Happy New Year!

I Love This Place

Pennsylvania might not be an exotic location, but it is home and I love it.  

We might not have the quintessential English hedgerows, 

or pretty tufted Arctic cotton grass,

or towering Redwoods or Giant Sequoias,

or deep wild canyons with icy rivers,

but what we do have is beautiful.

Not all adventures have to happen in far flung places.  Awesome adventuring can happen just about anywhere.  It helps to have a free spirit to enjoy it with.