When Small Beginnings Die

It’s strange weather for starting seeds, with the garden buried six feet under in snow… but spring is only seven weeks away! Every year when we start seedlings, my husband says, “I’ll just plant a few different kinds of tomatoes…” Every year, the “few” turn into a vast, unnavigable jungle, tightly packed with tomatoes to pick. I try... Read More

If at First You Don’t Succeed, Add an Engine

Almost at the end of our long drive home, the kids shrieked over two small airplanes descending across the highway… not that I would ever take pictures while driving… On a whim, we followed them to their hangar and then whipped around to Stearman Field, hoping to catch a couple planes making their last few flights before the weather turned bad. Among the airplane... Read More

Bundle of Thanksgiving Joy

A post from Annie about my adorable new niece: “My Thanksgiving turkey has just come out of the oven, making me the single-most blessed mama of all time, I think.” “Magdalena Ann came into this world Wednesday evening, weighing 6 lbs. 7 oz, and measuring 20 inches. She’s my tiny little thing!” “Sitting in my easy chair, rocking my precious... Read More

Getting Ahead of Thanksgiving

We tried to wait… We tried not to start celebrating Christmas until Thanksgiving was over… We didn’t quite make it. In my defense, I had promised the kids a cupcake decorating party. When I went to buy cupcake supplies… there was the Christmas baking display already, looking irresistibly festive. It’s a challenge, giving thanksgiving its due space... Read More

Thanksgiving for Remembering

“Take a turkey out to lunch Let him sit right down and munch But don’t say a word to that silly old bird About… you know… Thanksgiving Day — Oops! I gave it away! Gobble, gobble, gobble!” Nutmeg danced around the living room a couple days ago, high on the song she had learned and the Pilgrim hat she had made at school. This is the first Pilgrim... Read More

Photo Fall-Back

I have a zillion posts planned, but I seem to have a case of writer’s block after the star poem. There is forever a pull toward the status quo… Plus, I’ve been dealing with things like this: That was sour cream, intended for Thanksgiving Day mashed potatoes. How was your Thanksgiving?! It seems like I just posted a similar picture on my facebook page a couple... Read More

A Gift from His Grief

How powerful is Jesus to meet my real needs? Last week I had a day full of the kinds of frustrations that threaten to consume me at times. You know… the days when a child’s unhappiness seems never-ending… when another person’s brokenness weighs like a hundred pounds… when my own failures fill my tolerance to the brim… when someone’s absence... Read More

Painting Projects, Kid-Directed

About once a day the kids go poking through my art supply cabinets in the kitchen and pull out paper and supplies for a self-styled project. Watercolor painting is their favorite. They spread their canvases out on the floor, grab some cups of water, and go for it. Nutmeg is the most prolific artist so far. On this day, she had a line of about ten pages spread out: “This is... Read More

Catching Grasshoppers

No one can say that this squinty-eyed cowgirl is afraid to dig her hands in the dirt! Grasshopper wrangling’s her favorite thing. Oh my… She has good company, and it (Click here to read more or leave a comment on Catching Grasshoppers)  Read More

A Visit to a Local Farm

We spent a day at a local organic farm recently. There were games on the lawn… a hay rack ride… (Click here to read more or leave a comment on A Visit to a...)  Read More