A single moment, a moment to savor. Inspired by Soulemama.
There are some spots we like to explore again and again. It's interesting to see how the landscape changes through the seasons and over time. The water flow has either dropped or is bulging at its seams. There are flowers where there weren't before. The weather is different or we find another bug, animal or flower. Sometimes, I feel a bit boring when we go to the same place but I don't feel that way for long. There's just too much to discover. Each place becomes as comfortable as an old friend.
This Saturday we went to the Tahoe Meadows where Jonathan went a few weeks ago. I brought our field guide this time and was able to identify a lot more flowers!
(Arrowleaf Groundsel)Do you like to identify wildflowers?
On Monday, I packed the car with one puppy, 3 kids and a picnic lunch and headed over the mountain.
When we got to the summit, we piled out of the car to find a spot for a picnic. The snow was still in patches that made it hard to navigate the trail but we found a nice, flat rock in the shade. It felt good to be on the mountain when it was so hot on the valley floor.
Aside from the GIANT black forest ants and mosquitoes, we enjoyed our picnic. I was able to put my motherly duties aside (watch out! don't fall in the water!! please be nice to your brother/sister!) and enjoyed the forest.
Zephyr and the kids really enjoyed the snow!
We were early to Solomon's doctor appointment (Dr. Johnson has wonderful articles on her website) so we went for a little drive toward Auburn from Colfax along a twisting, overgrown country road. We found huge patches of blackberry bushes along the road. I've been trying to find a place just like this! We'll be back this summer!
Do you have a favorite blackberry patch?
We've spent the last two days up in the mountains on day trips. It feels so intensely grounding to be in the trees. As soon as I get out of the car and start walking, I can easily feel relaxed from the smells and sounds of nature. Some days when I need to de-stress, I get up to the mountains. Some days are alright just the way they are and I feel considerably upbeat after our hikes.
The kids feel so free in nature. I love to watch them climb rocks and run up ahead to see what's around the corner. I think we humans are happiest when we can be in a calming environment like this.
And sometimes I think that it's time to go home when Eli had skinned his knees for the tenth time and wouldn't stop crying. Then we went to the water and washed the dirt off our knees. The frigid water on our bare feet felt amazingly comforting and I could sit and breath again watching the kids play in the water. They caught a docile rubber boa and they took turns letting it wrap itself around their arms. It doesn't get any better than this. I sometimes wish we could live right here.
Jonathan, Way back in 1997, we got married in a beautiful little church in San Francisco. Right now that day seems like a million miles away. Since then we've traveled 13 times around the sun together. We've done so much. In many ways, my life only began that sunny, solstice day. I am so grateful for your unconditional love. Happy Anniversary! Love, Kyndale
Hello! I'm so glad you're back! We've missed you over the winter!
This is my little farmer's market. Always full of seasonal fruit. The honey guy is always there, telling my kids stories about Pooh and why he's really after the larva and not the honey!
Sometimes if I go to the farmer's market towards the end of the day, the farmers want to unload all kinds of good stuff on me. Many a time I have ended up with flats of fruit, too ripe to look "pretty" but perfect enough to make a crisp or jam. The over-ripe fruit is the most delicious to me anyway.
We have two vendors who sell organic produce. I'm always happy to see that. I love talking with the farmers about what they're growing. They are eager to talk with me and I'm grateful to have a relationship with the person who grows the food I'm going to eat.
The farmer's market is a place where my kids can practice math. They all get $5 to spend on whatever they want. Maybe some honey sticks or fudge. But, sometimes english peas or nectarines.
And we get to see the foods that are growing seasonally. As one farmer put it, "You better get your green garlic now! It won't be here for too much longer."
Brrrrrr, it's been freezing here. This weekend made me want to curl under the covers and sleep away the winter!
Today, I give you my garden's frozen and withered grape vines...
Jonathan turning over the soil to incorporate the pine shavings and hay from the chicken house that was in our garden during the winter.
Our poor potato plants, frozen in their tracks.
Our asparagus reaching for the gloomy and cold sky.
Wait! Isn't it almost June?!
We've been reading this book so I should be thankful we aren't dealing with swarms of grasshoppers. We just have to wait a little longer to get this garden going.
Meanwhile, inside we had warm soup.....
and sunshine of course.
Happy Monday!
The boys went mushroom hunting on the front grass the other day. A few years back, I found Solomon in the front yard picking mushrooms. He had a big smear of mushroom on his sleeve.
He was about 2 years old and I asked him, "Did you eat that mushroom honey?"
"No Mommy", he said.
"Are you sure?", I insisted.
"No Mommy"
I called poison control and asked them what I should do. We watched him overnight and he seemed fine. The next morning he started throwing up. We spent the rest of the day in the emergency room getting blood tests. It wasn't fun.
Now, we talk a lot about not eating the mushrooms on the lawn. But we still love to explore!
I am a stay-at-home mom in Sparks, Nevada.
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