Rituals

It's these little rituals that I love most about my life. The hope that springs eternal with the coming of warmer days. The planting of too many seeds for our impossibly small garden. The cycle that is our nature table and how closely it mirrors the outdoor world. Dinnertimes that find all of us together, recounting our day apart.
Yes. When I take the time to notice, I realize that all I need is right here.

Dog days

It seems the dog days of summer are upon us. I know that this phase of the summer season fills many with a sense of purpose...a sense of enjoying the remaining days of warmth...creating memories of happy sunny times to help them through the cold and colder seasons to come. I am not one of those people. While I do make every effort to enjoy the bounty that is summer, I have never, and concievably never will lament the passing of the hot summer days. For I, as I may have mentioned once or twice before, am a steadfast cold weather aficianado.
And the sight of this beautiful yellow basswood leaf floating in the wading pool filled me with joy.
For I am not wishing the summer away. I am quietly laying in wait, for my time. A time of cooler temperatures, beautiful shades of reds and yellows and oranges. And then...white.









And with this change in the air, my energy is slowly being restored. The heat it seems, does not work with the February baby blood flowing through my veins. I do try. I spend early morning and evening hours outside. I eat copious amounts of berries and ice cream. I enjoy my garden. I wade when possible and fully submerge too. But my thoughts are focused on the future.
I can't help it.

The ceremonial changing of the cookware

Ah, finally it seems as though the last harbinger of spring has shown itself. In our house that means the final pot of soup is cooked and consumed - and that event took place yesterday. After going long and hard all fall and winter, my cherished soup pot is now officially on a well-earned hiatus (I hope, and I am sure my family will concur) until the colder temperatures return. I realize that there are many who enjoy a good cold soup during the hotter months...us, we are cold weather fans. Come the warm times, it is all about meals that don't involve soup. So, with that in mind, see you in the fall oh favorite soup pot of mine.

Markers of time

Despite the fact that Mother Nature saw fit to dump a whole lot of snow on us yesterday, there other indicators that remind me that winters' days are numbered. Not the least of which is the spontaneous wish to sew up some sheep. Nothing says spring like furry sheep....I just need to disregard the snow piled up outside.