Only words

My computer didn't hang on long enough for me to get those posts up the other day. As it stands now, I can get on-line with only some minor difficulties. However, my e-mail is still down and I don't have access to the drive where my pictures are stored. So there will be no pictures of fun crafty things until everything is resolved. I like pictures. Pictures are fun. I often think people must get bored to tears when I just ramble on, but I've rather missed the ritual of blogging, so it looks like my format is going "all talk" for a bit.

I'm tried, but good. Things have been busy around here. Very busy. We are in the middle of a lot of changes and growth. It's all positive, as far as I can tell, but there sure is a lot to do!

We've settled into something of a summer schedule. We are used to a lot of time at home, in the company of our own little family. Summer is sort of this huge exhale, where there is so much going on, so much to do, so much to see. At some point it becomes a challenge to fit it all in. Our horizons expand. Now there is the CSA to go to and a weekly play date at the pond. We are participating a day-camp once a week. There is so much work to be done on the house before winter. There are suddenly people "just stopping by". Soon there will be swimming lessons and my family will be up for their yearly summer visit. Before I know it I'll be putting the gardens to bed and once again sitting up with my lesson plans at night. The whole summer will have gone by in one big hazy-crazy, sun-drenched blur. When Autumn approaches I know we'll be drawn inward again, back to hearth and home and our simple quiet life. Both are good and both are necessary. Balance in all things, it something worth striving for at least.

It's been warm here lately. Today it is very pleasant and beautiful out, but the last two days were quite a bit hotter then we are accustomed too. I don't do well in the heat. I get cranky and weak and tired. The house stays nice and I am thankful for that. I've been opening all of the windows wide at night, filling the house with as much cool fresh air as possible (oh, we sleep so well and deep in the cool summer air, with the frogs' songs lulling us to sleep!), then closing them first thing in the morning. The house is so well insulated that it holds the cool air until we are ready to open them again in the evening. I don't know why it took me so long to figure this out. I guess it seemed counter-intuitive to close windows on a hot day. On days like today, when it's not oppressive, I don't bother with this method at all. I like the sound of the trees far too well and don't mind a bit of warmth in exchange.

Tuesday I introduced the boys to the concept of water-balloons. When I heard the forecast I asked Steve to pick up a couple of packs of balloons on his way home, and not to say anything to the children. Late in the day, when everyone was sticky and cranky from playing outside, I went down to the old house and filled colanders and pots and bowls with them. Then one by one I brought them outside. My, they had fun with them! Iain was ready for an all out war, so we had a bit of a playful fight together, just him and I. Elijah liked twisting them and shaping them. He would throw them against things and giggle at the splash or poke a little hole and let it trickle down his arms held over his head. Galen couldn't get his to burst, try as he might. He copied his brothers perfectly, throwing as hards as he could, only to have it bounce! He settled for squishing and rolling it in a mud puddle instead.

Yesterday was our first day of "camp". It's a nature study program for little ones, taught by a dear friend, hosted on the land of another dear friend. The boys are students, along with 3 other children and I come along with Galen to help out. It was a long glorious day, but I was ready for some time off to relax at the end! (that wasn't in the cards) We were outside all day, telling stories, planting flowers, playing in the river, exploring the tiny life forms among the rocks, identifying trees, climbing rocks and so much more. While we were down at the river we got to see ever-so-many king fishers! They were the first we've ever seen in person and it was very exciting for my bird loving boys.

The teacher based the day on the theme of turtles, since some of the kids had gotten to see a baby painted turtle earlier in the week. We made turtle costumes and turtles out of sawdust dough. We did a whole creative movement session based on being turtles.

My sweet babe has just drifted off to sleep in my lap, still all sticky with strawberry juice. The big boys are currently on the porch sculpting the green clay we harvested from the river bank, yesterday afternoon. Later there will be baths and haircuts, dinner to make and bedtime stories to read. For now I think I'm going to take this quiet lull to turn off the computer, reorganize my work space and tidy up a bit. I feel the need to cultivate a bit of peace.

Happy Summer to you all!