#100HappyDays :: Day 12

It was a busy day of planting, weeding, animal care, attic clearing, soccer, and doing the general things that need to be done to get ahead when you are getting ready to leave town for a few days.  The warm weather is bringing all of the lilacs out at once and the air is beginning to fill with one of my favorite scents.  A happy relaxing spot at the end of the day.

Thirty Short Hours

This has been a whirlwind weekend.  It was our first overnight travel for a soccer tournament and prepping to get out of town at the peak of planting, pruning, transplanting and taking care of baby ducks and chickens inspired quick bursts of productivity in very short segments of time.  Yes, there is an annual tournament scheduled for Mother's Day weekend, but I say what better way to spend the day than by being a mom!  The tournament itself was great and deserving a post of its own.  When we got home this evening with storms approaching and spring heavy in the air we threw open all of the windows, walked the property and marveled at the massive amounts of change that can occur within thirty short hours.  We were truly awarded by the first lilac blooms opening outside our kitchen window.  A deep breath of gratitude for the spring that seems to have arrived, a beautiful farm to work and an amazing family to share it with.  A Happy Mother's Day indeed.

Thursday Things

It has been so busy this week, with the last day of school and summer activities getting into full swing without missing a beat. It has left me a little splintered with some tasks half done. So here are a few random Thursday things that I have been thinking about.

::  I had planned on baking cookies two days ago, but the afternoons have been so busy that it just has not   happened.  So this morning as my beautiful room temperature butter stared back at me accusingly, I decided to shake things up a bit and get my cookies baked early.  I am always at my best early in the day, and that time is normally monopolized by lunch making and carpooling before work.  What did I learn this morning?  An added benefit to summer....early morning baking rocks!

::  Virtually any garden item can be harvested and infused in vodka, olive oil or vinegar.  The possibilities are endless.....and delicious!!

::  When I knew that big storms were headed our way last night, I quickly ran outside and cut a few of our newly bloomed peonies, for fear the torrential rain would make them drop all of their petals before I could enjoy them.  Mother nature sure does it up right.  As I mourn the passing of my beautiful lilac flowers, she cheers me up with these delicate fragrant blooms, and reminds me that it is all a cycle and as one thing ends another begins.

Intoxicating

It is officially one of my very favorite times of year, that two week window when my lilac bush below the kitchen window is in full bloom.  I find myself longing to simply stand in the kitchen and be intoxicated by its scent. 

In the North we have a small window between spring and summer, sometimes the two do not look wholly different.  What are some of the things that you wait the long cold months for??

Two Seasons In One

 Things have been so busy recently that I have relied heavily on my iPhone to take photos.  There is nothing wrong with that, it does a good job.   However, I have missed my evening walk, spent in part capturing shots, since recently Sidney has monopolized my camera.  I am not complaining, she is doing amazing things!  But yesterday I made a point of carrying my camera with me as we had our evening stroll.  We were not rushed heading in different directions, we were able to meander.  Just as I headed into the garden  a cool breeze whipped up and the trees rustled like crazy.  An early feel of fall was definitely in the air.  That made me smile, as I noticed that the sound of the wind and angle of the light is taking on that autumn feel that I so love. 

This is our last true week of summer vacation and I can hardly believe how it has flow by!  I think that we have all been fooled by our crazy weather all year.  We had lilacs at the end of February and then they grew all their new growth.  Once the rain finally came, they began to bud once again and are now experiencing a second growth of branches for next years blooms!  This is truly like two seasons in one for us Wisconsinites!  Nothing reflects that more perfectly that blooming lilacs with an almost completely orange pumpkin on the vine below.  An auspicious mingling of my favorite things, lilacs and fall.  Who'd have thought?  Happy Weekend!

Silent Sunday ~ Happy Mother's Day

Silent Sunday~ Happy Easter!

Ruh Roh!

What is this???  This is our lilacs beginning to open.  It's hard to believe.  I always mark lilacs with our early June trip to California.  Each year, I lament that I will miss the peak of their fragrance.  Yet, each year, we manage to savor some lovely part of it.  With our unseasonable weather, look what's happened.

Now look! Ruh Roh!   Here is to hoping upon hope that the next two nights don't ruin my hopes of deep breaths of lilac through my kitchen window!

The Cream on Top

 Warm Air

Fragrant Flowers

Family Dinners on the Porch

Lead to Ripening Conversations

 That, is the Cream

On Top 

June

Lilac-cicle

 Look at our hardy little lilac buds protected in their ice sheathing, calmly waiting for their time to thrive, yet sparkling in their own special way in the sunset.

Today we woke up to ten degree below zero temps with a -23 degree windchill.  I didn't sleep well, I think I spent the night anticipating the email that school was cancelled and for some reason, that was enough to lead to restlessness.  I guess snow days can be as much anticipated by the parents as the kids.  The cancellation never came, we needed to have a wind chill of -25 to do it, so bundled up and grumbling, off they went.  If that doesn't encourage hardy stock, I don't know what will!

As a parent, I spent my day holed up in the house, cleaning, cooking, pondering blog posts for a sustainable life, and doing a little yoga.  School pick up was frigid.  So cold, my clothes got crisp just from standing outside.  The kids each sauntered out with their friends.  They were laughing, chatting and walking like it was any other day as I was turning blue and wondering if my tears had solidified and if my eyes had actually frozen open.

Moral of the Story.... Kids= hardy stock, 

Mom, not quite so much! 

Happy Friday and Stay Warm!