back to her old ways

back to her old self

Well HELLO back to all of you! Thank you so much for your wonderful response to my resolve to bring back letter-writing. And thank you for your kind words about my notecards. I have a lot printed, and if I can get my act together, I'll try to put a few sets up in my shop. I'll be sure to let you all know. 

Your comments on that last post were so thoughtful and wonderful to read. I was really touched by them. 

I also noted that there were several people in the comments looking for penpals for themselves or their children. If that is you, feel free to leave a comment on this post so that you can be in contact with each other. Since the comments are threaded, you can reply directly to each other and "team up"! 

In the meantime, we're hunkering down here at Thomas Run. Elizabeth is being treated for Lyme's Disease after being pretty sick for the past two weeks. Our county is particularly rampant with Lyme's. My pediatrician said he is seeing three to five cases per week. If you remember, Mary had it last year. 

We are religious about checking the girls for ticks each night before bed because they spend so much time outside, down by the stream, in the tall grass. But somehow I guess we missed this. And in children it is more common for the disease to present itself without the typical bulls eye rash. 

There were a few unsettling days there, but she's slowly returning to her sweet self -- you know, collecting eggs and breaking three of them before she even makes it to the kitchen. 

Oh! I almost forgot...the winners! 

Stefani and Katie please email me with your mailing address and I'll put a set of cards in the mail to you!!


Read More

the weekend was

the weekend was

fistfuls of wildflowers

hospital waiting rooms

before-bed walks to the stream

furniture rearranging

blueberry buckles

band-aids

heat and humidity

blue sky and sweatshirts

clean sheets

clotheslines

eight quarts of strawberries

Old Yeller and Mountain Born

dress up

berry-stained favorite dresses

whining and bickering

baths and haircuts

hymns

donuts

graduation to a crib

gardening

mallard nests

full. 

Read More

goings on

finally

every drop

i've been saying that once i get the downstairs tidied up, i'd make a batch of strawberry jam. i've been saying that for more than a week, i think. but yesterday, the stars must have aligned. and i made the jam.

the last kitten at thomas run

the last of the thomas run kittens are ready to find homes. black walnut was already expecting when everyone made their trip to the clinic for a "nip and tuck", if you know what i mean. now that her kittens are weaned and ready for homes, she'll be getting the same treatment at the end of the month. it's so fun to have the kittens around, but i'm glad to no longer add to the population.

sisterly collaboration

i have always enjoyed watching my children's interests ebb and flow for certain toys. i love seeing what this week's big interest is, and how sometimes that interest sticks, and sometimes, they quickly move on. this week's obsession is the writing of a play for their stuffed animals, to be performed over the weekend. it is requiring lots of practice time. lots of writing and re-writing. and lots of time together. that's the part i love most of all.

a moment

my camera did not capture this moment the way i was experiencing it, but it was one of those sweet, quiet moments you cherish. the light from the sunset was coming through my bedroom windows and across the bed where birdy was in that ready-for-sleep, still, peaceful state. i sat there with her for quite awhile enjoying that moment.

hope you're finding a few still, peaceful moments today, as well.

Read More

bittersweet reunion

Last fall, when our ducks finally grew up, flew off and never returned, my uncle casually mentioned that maybe they would come back in the spring to nest somewhere on our farm. 

a bittersweet reunion

And just a few weeks ago, two of the three started to show up again. They'd fly in low together, doing circles around our fields and then move on. We'd see them land at the neighbor's farm. Or watch them fly over down by the stream.

a bittersweet reunion

We were all so excited to see them return. It was a big event to have a duck sighting.

By last week they were bravely hanging around in our yard early in the mornings when Dan would leave for work. We knew they were our ducks--wandering around among the cats and the dogs completely unintimidated by their presence. We loved hearing their telltale duck laughter letting us know they were here. 

But sadly, this weekend we found one of the girls nestled in the grass alongside the road. She wasn't flying, was bleeding a bit from her beak and had trouble walking. We're not sure what happened to her.

a bittersweet reunion

So for now, she's back in her first home while we watch her closely to see if her body can fix itself. She's eating a little bit, drinking a little bit, but mostly resting.

We're hoping our bittersweet reunion with her will have a happy ending.

Read More