Life With The Crew

A Slight Shift

Only almost the middle of August, but there were definitely more than a couple of red leaves on the forest floor.  Definitely enough to draw notice and think, hmm, in a couple of weeks both the ground and I will be wearing more than we what we are today.  The mornings will be chillier, although the days will continue to be warm.  After a hot dry spell, today was a wonderful breath of relief, a just right morning in the woods by the lake.  

As we do most of the time, we had the woods to ourselves, and they were abnormally quiet today.  Wood Pewees, a couple of Rufous-sided Towhees, a Downy woodpecker, and bush birdies that I couldn't identify.  I only just discovered that the call that I've been hearing in the woods, the song that has been driving me crazy because I heard it constantly yet never saw the singer, is the Wood Pewee.  My husband used the power of technology, using the Merlin app from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.  I now walk through the woods a little more peacefully because I'm not racking my brain trying to figure out what I'm hearing.  We all have something that drives us crazy - sitting in traffic, people that drive too slow, people who don't pick up their dog's poop, that unidentified bird in the woods (actually all of those things raise my stress level...)

Hope you have a great weekend!

Spring Musings

Little round balls the size of marbles, what do you hold inside?

I hold a gem, a little round ball as black as obsidian.

After a while I burst and I am a tadpole!

Soon I will lose my tail and grow legs and I will be a frog and have eggs of my own!

~P, age 9

Is Spring a thing you can see?  I saw a Wood frog hop away from me.

Is Spring a thing you can hear?  I heard the Robin singing with cheer.

Is Spring a thing you can feel?  I touched a slimy slug and it made me squeal!

Spring is near, Spring is here! I'm glad it comes back every year.

~Katie, age whatever

 

A Winter's Day

A Winter's day, perhaps the last real one, as the temps sound like they'll be a little more mild in the coming month of March.  And judging by the large flocks of robins we've been seeing, Spring is definitely on the way.  On this gray snowy day, we spotted a Brown Creeper busily looking for lunch on a Tulip Poplar and two Bald Eagles swirling around each other in the overcast sky.  With snowflakes lazily drifting down, we slipped our way over the ice through the field and wood.

With the upheaval in the world today, people's lives being threatened and destroyed by greed and power, I do not take these moments for granted.  These moments of peace and calmness with my daughter.  We admire the world around us, ask questions, notice details, and soak up the quiet.  And hope that some of it sticks with us as we go about our days.

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.

 

 

Hope It Will Be A Good One

I don't get too sentimental or excited about the coming of the New Year.  I'm too practical for that I guess.  One year is done, another year begins, and if we're lucky, we'll be here to see the one after that.  Good and bad things happen in each year and hopefully there is much more of the former.  So I'll keep trying to remember to focus on what is important and to appreciate the wonders in the world around us.  The not so little babe and I had a great walk today, on this last day of 2021.  It was quiet, moody, and misty in the woods, everything saturated with rain and color.

The weather has been way too warm for this time of year, with rain and 50's instead of freezing and snow.  It makes the ducks happy, but not so much myself when I'm squelching through the muck.  However, this morning was heavy with fog and when the sun started to break through, it bathed the backyard in a beautiful hue.  I spied spiderwebs visible in the moist air and tried to capture their beauty while the ducks searched for breakfast.

Many wishes to you for a Happy New Year.  We always hope it will be a good one.

 

Late December Loveliness

Late December.  That means happy Christmas preparations and parties for some.  Extra work and stress for others.  Waiting for the return of the light (the Winter solstice is tomorrow) for all. 

We had a nice visit to the local arboretum late last week, hadn't been there for a while.  I assume most people think this is the ugly season in a garden, nothing but a bunch of dead stems, dried and brown.  Personally though, I love the gold and silvery vegetation, rustling in the wind with the light shining softly through them.  I love to think about all of the insect life that is hibernating, hiding, waiting, for the return of the warmth so that the next cycle of life can begin.  This is an informative article about how insects overwinter if you're interested.

And here is Tiny Tim.  He will be overwintering with lots of snuggles, warm blankets, and crazy kitten playing to keep warm.

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.

 

Always Time for a Wander

I've talked about the importance of getting outdoors in nature many times before in this space.  I've also talked about how that doesn't mean disappearing for a week or even a whole day in the woods.  Even an hour spent outdoors, tuned into the natural sights and sounds around you, is beneficial on many levels.  While running errands last week, we stopped for a quick stroll along a local creek.  Nothing too special happened, except the sun sparkled on the rushing creek, the Autumn palette of leaves rustled on the oak and maple trees, and we heard a kingfisher call along the stream.

We returned to the car with faces warmed by the sun, hungry bellies ready for lunch, and thankful for safe places to explore.