I only shed a few tears...

as I watched Emma drown that beautiful bowl of rocks in bright green crayola paint. She wasn't going to be put off any longer. But as Beth said, "it's just an excuse for another rock walk."
And speaking of walks, the girls and I took a little walk around the farm again yesterday.

It's funny because we have a woodburning stove in our house and when it's really cranking, I often forget that it's the middle of winter. So, when I looked out the window yesterday and saw the blue skies and sunshine, I felt the need to get out into what I thought looked like a pretty mild day.
The wind that met me at the door quickly knocked the sense back into me, and we all went back inside for hats and mittens. (But I still hung my laundry on the clothes line, even though my fingers were purple by the end of it!)
But down in the garden, out of the wind, it really was kind of nice. And as always, we gathered a little bit of everything and anything.

Can you believe Emma is picking daffodils? This has been a crazy winter.
And sweet Mary filled her jar with baby pine cones, just for me....

But these were my favorite by far. We found these little nut shells all over the ground in the orchard. They were like little miniature bowls. I love them and Emma wants to feed her horses out of them. I also wouldn't mind making them into those little squirrel ornaments that used to hang on our Christmas tree--the little pompom squirrel tucked under a blanket, nestled inside a nut shell. My sister will remember, right Mary??!!

And today I started a totally new-to-me project. I'm dying to show you a few pictures, but I think I'd better finish at least one before I get too excited. I'm not sure I can pull it off--but just to let you know, the project involved a jigsaw and sandpaper.....I'll keep you posted.