Live Free

all in a day

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It rained today. Nearly an inch which is nothing short of miraculous considering the time of year. After some splashing outside we came in for some indoor play and work. Bea and I had our special time. 15 minutes of me doing whatever the hell she wants me to do. Usually, it's just yell and scream around the house.  Today, it was tickling and more tickling.  After that, I vacummed and mopped the floor. Bea played in her bedroom for a little bit then migrated to the screen porch. Lately, she doesn't go outside to play without an adult. Which is a very odd new thing...There was lunch and then stories. And after that, I cleaned (get this) the bottom kitchen cabinets. This job was a big item on my summer to do list, so I am really happy to scratch it off. If the cabinets get cleaned once a year, I'm pleased. I think some had not been cleaned since we moved in nearly three years ago.  Now, to feel really proud, I need to commit to cleaning the top portions. Thank goodness my kitchen is small! I don't know how I would keep up a bigger house. 

Besides all the house cleaning I accomplished today, lavender blooms were picked and brought in. I'm so proud to say that out of my 30 something lavender plants, many are blooming this year!! Hooray! The dream is coming true. 

There is so much work to be done over the summer.  It's always a struggle for me to put aside the many things I'd like to accomplish and just go with the flow.  Play. Hang out. Do nothing. Sit on the porch. Sip ice tea. 

family home day

It being a holiday, we woke early on this Monday morning thrilled to have an extra family day to enjoy together. 

The day began with coffee for me and some read aloud for her.  The morning was sunny and lovely, so out the door I went, to poke around in my front yard. The grass and sidewalk was damp, which was a welcome sight. We can use every bit of moisture that comes our way.  The giant rudebekias are having a nice time blooming. Some sunflowers are just beginning to unfurl. Soon we will be surrounded by their bright, happy, summertime faces. I crossed over the street to the meadow to check on life over there -- to see what new wildflowers were blooming, or if I could spot a bunny or two munching on greens, or a possibly a deer. No bunnies or deer spotted, but we did see plenty of cardinals, mockingbirds, and a bluejay. Also, there are still lots of flowers blooming. 

Later in the morning, we visited friends with the intention of having a picnic outside. (Un)fortunately (rain trumps everything around here) a humongous, gigantic, storm opened up soon after we arrived. The kids made blanket forts in the barn while the storm sat right on top of us. Oh my goodness, Texas thunderstorms can't be beat. With the downpour and all, the picnic ended up happening at the kitchen table which was just as nice.  Adults got to visit and kiddos ate/played contently.  What more is there to want in life? 

We came home after lunch and the rain continued. We spent a luxurious afternoon inside with a little quiet time, some more reading, and then some Jenga playing.  Soup for snack and a cup or two of tea. A divine way to live, in my book. By late afternoon, the rain came to an end. I cleaned up/restocked/updated the classroom on the porch, Bea got filthy playing in the mud, and Byron toodled around in the shed. 

Now, it's nighttime. I need to take a bath and then curl up into bed. 

 

Wildflowers at Berry Springs

It was a lovely Sunday. We spent the morning at Berry Springs.  The wildflowers are still so showy and gorgeous. I feel like I must pinch myself to insure it is all real. 

The excursion included a picnic complete with breakfast tacos, the spotting of many different kinds of birds, a sweet warm breeze, meadows ablaze in yellows and reds, and the springs flowing loud and clear.  

Our afternoon included naps, sewing, mopping, and tidying up for the week ahead.

Dinner was tomato salad, vegetable soup, and garlic/mozerella bread.

The evening was spent outside savoring the pleasantness of these late May days at my favorite restaurant ~ enjoying Spanish coffee, a side of chips and salsa, and wonderful conversation with a friend.

Now, I'm off to tuck my satisfied self into bed. 

XO,

Nichole

All in a day

Turns out, with the combination of my Instagram shots and my real camera, I had this sweet sequence of photos of Beatrix from today. I'd say today was a picture taking day. Not all days are like that. Some days, or at least portions of the day, I relish in not being tied to a hunk of technology. But then there are days like this one, that, well, it's just plain fun to snap away. And I'm glad I captured the moments. 

She woke up to a snuggle from Blackie. He LOVES to sleep with her. I would have done anything to get my cat to love to sleep with me when I was a child. However, in our house, Blackie sneaking into bed with Beatrix can often result in, um, some controversy because 1) she loves him fiercely, but 2) she usually loves her own space in her bed more. 

Today she was tickled by his presence. 

A little drawing and singing before the school day starts and the other children arrive. We were singing Mr. Roger's "It's Such A Good Feeling." She loves to sing and she knows all the words and she is so freaking darling doing it.  It's one of the few shows we happily allow Beatrix to watch. But not every day. Maybe onece a week.

 Screens and children: now that's controversy... 

Her school work. What a big girl, making all sorts of fancy, big numbers like that...

On the topic of soon-she'll-be-smarter-than-me. Tonight, we oh, alright, Byron, had to discuss the theory of relativity to her because she was wondering why when she flew in an airplane once two years ago, it felt like the airplane wasn't moving. Sheesh. 

And also, I mentioned to her that this summer, she and I ought to make cheese together. I was telling her about a dairy a couple of miles away where we could get good, raw milk. Her response: Well, don't forget, we also need  a calf's tummy. Byron clued me in that in one of the chapters in The Little House in the Big Woods (evidently I was absent for this particular reading two months ago), Ma has to get rennet (from a slaughtered calf's tummy) so that she can make cheese. We then went on to explain that we can get the rennet already packaged and that we won't have to slaughter a calf to make cheese this summer. Good thing. Modern life has its perks. 

It rained a good, soaking, rain today (and more is on it's way). She was listening to it.

Beatrix can play for very long stretches of time all by herself. In this photo, darn it, I can remember the play was really sweet, but I can't remember the details right now. Ah...poor memory.

 

It wasn't long before she donned her rain jacket and boots to make her way outside for some very eagerly anticipated rain play. Between catching raindrops on her tongue, she was pretending that this part of our yard was her school and that our front porch was her house. To get inside her house, she made a gate with all of my potted plants across our sidewalk. When she needed to get inside her house, she'd move a couple of pots to create an entrance. And then move them back again, of course. This entertained her for long time. She came in soaking wet and spent the rest of the evening in her undies. 

That was our day. Busy and fun. I'm tired, but happy. What was your day like?