First Day

It's that time again.  It's the official first day of bookwork!  

The routine looks basically the same as last year, so settling in hasn't been a huge jump for us.

At some time each day, the Blossoms usually reach a point where they don't need me 100% of the time, but they still need me nearby for questions, encouragement, or conflict resolution. I consider myself still tied to the schoolroom, although most of their one on one work with me has been completed.

It was at this point that I found myself most susceptible to getting distracted by my phone and many other tasks.  Many times it's well-intentioned:

"I have a second; I should research this."

"I forgot to text so-and-so."

"I need to check into this."

I've found that I fall down the rabbit hole and I'm much crankier when they do need me.

I've approached this problem by leaving my phone in the kitchen, two rooms away, and keeping a variety of mostly non-computer/phone activities around me in the school room.

There are baskets of wash perched on the school room couch so I can fold them as the moments present themselves.

I've parked easy knitting and crocheting projects beside my chair to pick up and put down at will.  

A clipboard of coloring pages and pencils is nestled in a drawer for coloring or doodling.

I give myself the freedom to write.

Of course, there's always the schoolwork grading and recording to be done, but I like to make sure that gets done first.  

This strategy has been decidedly restful and oddly productive.

Dominique

In a Mud Puddle on a Pretty Day

On one of our treks through the natural area around our cabin, we discovered a puddle full of these creatures.  

We're accustomed to encountering puddles teeming with tadpoles and salamanders, but this was something totally new for us.

Each of the Blossoms froze, mesmerized with observing these intriguing larvae.  

What is this prehistoric looking critter vacationing in our warm mud puddle?!!

We were absolutely enthralled when Blossom2 pointed out that these larvae reared their "heads" toward the surface and seemed to be breathing oxygen. 

We're no experts, but we think, after a little research, that they are horsefly larvae.  

And yes, they breathe air.

And yes, it seems the larvae can bite, just like the adults do.

The Rugged Mountain Man exclaimed that had he known, he would've destroyed them all.  

I can hardly argue with his logic.  

Dominique

As we were researching this to type this blog entry, I was looking into whether or not they could bite.  I had several tabs open with various and sundry pictures of biting insects and their life stages.  With all the Blossoms clustered around me, Blossom4 accidentally let the hair rubber band she was fiddling with fly through the air.  It snapped me on the foot, leaving a mild stinging sensation.  I sprang from my seat, squealed loudly, and swatted at my foot.  Everyone else realized what happened and laughed at my ridiculous response to a snapped hair band.  I couldn't help it.  All those insects just looked vicious.  

Kinzua Bridge

Blossom1's 15th birthday fell during our vacation this year.  We wanted to do something a little different, so the Rugged Mountain Man suggested a day trip.

How 'bout Kinzua Bridge State Park?  

Some friends and family have visited Kinzua Bridge in recent months and their snapshots left us intrigued and curious.

 

Though none of us are terribly excited about heights, we have a hard time resisting the Great Outdoors and history.  

We set off, armed with sustenance, water, and a desire to see the countryside.  I was particularly looking forward to driving scenic route 6.

The drive was LOVELY.  I love the remote yet homey feeling of the back country. 

 Rolling hills, verdant dells, stately mountains, charming copses of trees, welcoming towns.

Lovely, lovely, lovely.

We thoroughly enjoyed lazily walking along the skyway, gazing miles around.

Exploring the base of the gorge and savoring a picnic lunch came next.  We marveled that this aqueduct is taller than Lady Liberty!  Amazing!

I can't seem to get enough of this kind big and beautiful scenery, but surprisingly, the truck ride together turned out to be my favorite part.

It was full of family laughter, pointing out the sights, or commenting on the scenery.  It was quality time together.

We returned to our cabin to find it decorated for the birthday girl, with ice cream sundae supplies in the freezer.  Grandma and Grandpa are sneaky!  What a great birthday for Blossom1!

Those Dashing Stripes

"I don't care a hang for any cat that hasn't stripes."

~ Barney Snaith

The Blue Castle

by Lucy Maud Montgomery

Purple Coneflowers

I love coming across treasures like this echinacea on our family walks.  

Purple coneflowers are like faithful summer friends, cheerily waving 

and perkily swaying in the hazy golden breezes.

Since they were on a neighbor's roadside, I restrained Blossom3 and Blossom4 from making bouquets out of them.  Blossom1 and Blossom2 were intent on gathering some for drying as rabbit herbal remedies for the winter, except they restrained themselves.

Uh-oh

This might be a new habit. I keep stopping at thrift stores and picking up miscellaneous china plates.  

I love the aqua roses and light brown curlicues on this plate.  

And this one reminds me of the "Yellow Rose of Texas," although the girls keep saying the roses are orange.  I told them they are wrong.  

These are perfect serving trays for little tasty treats at tea time!  

So, why not?!!

Rest at Long Run

How do mamas rest?  Does anyone know?  

Sometimes I think I still don't know.  

Sleep isn't the only form of rest.  I understand that now more than I did in my twenties.  

Early on in my motherhood career, I would count how many hours of sleep I got, and tell the Rugged Mountain Man how few it was.  He wisely advised me to get up in the morning, forget about how little sleep I got and focus on the day ahead.  

It was good advice because I'd fallen into the habit of always wanting more sleep, 

instead of just giving this moment right now my best effort.  

My season of life is different than ten years ago, but the tiredness hasn't really gone anywhere.  

Did you know that Jesus got tired?  

He sat by a well and asked for a drink, because He was tired.  

(John 4:6-7)

The One Who was both fully God and fully man felt fatigue, just like I do... 

and He took a while to sit by a well.

He ended up having a deep conversation with the Samaritan woman there, but then He said, 

"My nourishment comes from doing the will of God..." 

(John 4:34, NLT)

I believe there's a solid and time-tested lesson in this for me.

I can be refreshed and revived while doing God's will.  

Dominique

Gardens and Inches

Evidently snapping beans and shelling peas is much more enjoyable when you sit on the counter.  

I love having help with farm and garden chores.  It lightens the load and they learn that food doesn't just miraculously appear on the table.  They don't always love these chores, but they're a work in progress, just as much as I am. 

Chores, work ethic, and attitudes truly must be worked on through steady plodding, but it so often seems to be done by inching along.  

So, today we inch... and inch again... and inch again.

Daisies

My flower beds and garden may be bone dry, 

but this ray of sunshine makes me smile every time I walk past.  

I picked up this plant on one of my many end of quarantine trips to the greenhouse.  

"Daisies are such friendly flowers."

~ Meg Ryan as Kathleen Kelly

in You've Got Mail