Little & Big

two new delights

1) forget-me-nots.  They are everywhere.  Delightful splashes of that irresistable blue.  I sent big brother out to make little arrangements for our dinner on Sunday night, and he came back with this bouquet above, tucked into a vintage milk jar.  Embarrassed by the result.  "That's actually very classy, very arty, my clever son," I told him, and he looked at me like I was trying to pull one over on him.  "Seriously!"   I asked him to make two more just like it.

2) raw kale salad.  Massage each leaf of kale with olive oil and a little sea salt, until the leaf is uniformly covered in oil and beginning to soften.  Then tear the leaf into bit-sized pieces, and place in bowl, setting the stems aside.  Repeat this with the other leaves in the bunch.  Juice one lemon, sprinkle over the kale, and toss.  Delicious. ("Impossible!" you say, "Yuck!"  And I say, "TRUST me.  TRY it.")

making arrows by the fire

Green-cut wood, beeswax arrowheads and duck feathers for the arrow's end.

Do you see that tree across the yard, the one just above Ollie in the photo?  That's where the arrow landed. 

And that's the truth.

preparing

We're going to plant tomatoes, and peas, and green beans, and various lettuces, and eggplant, and peppers, and garlic.  But not just yet.  The threat of frost continues until the end of the month.

So little brother took it upon himself to care for the soil, and "get it ready".  He worked on all three of the new beds, carefully turning and raking the soil.

What do you bet this garden will be the best yet?

two boys, one handmade bow & arrow, and one big stick

spring spring & spring

apple blossoms, violets, cranesbill, poppies, chives & lady's mantle.

irises coming up in the yard, and lily of the valley too.

and some wonderful yellow wildflower that is growing in the creek. 

positively spectacular.

sweet things

but then sweeter than that was this:

peeking out my window to see the boys just sitting against the fence.  bikes parked.  nothing pulling on them.  just chatting.

they are bonded, those two.  as much as they fight, and complain about each other, they LOVE each other.  and it's so rich to observe.

and vacation week has been good for us.  once we settled into it, and gave up the constant questioning "what are we going to do next?  what are we going to do next?  what are we going to do next?"  (which we all did in our own way) -- it's been so easy and delicious. 

may our weekend spread out in that same easy-peasy pace, with that same joy-in-just-being-together.   and may yours do the same!

he bakes (from joy of cooking)

"gold layer cake", page 674 in the 1978 edition.

I had been resistant.  I sighed, thinking of having to clean the kitchen again.  but he insisted.  he wanted to bake a cake.  and so, he did.  (with only the wee-ist bit of help to adapt it to gluten-free flour.)

egg yolks, cream, lemon rind, butter, sugar, flour.  really now.

it was so lovely, I said we had to pull out the nice plates.  both boys asked for a second slice.  (yes, absolutely!)

at bedtime, I told him how proud I was.  well done.

in the spring woods today

I knew they had followed their Dad into the woods.  So I put on my muck boots and jacket and went to find them.

They were up in a place we call "the Birch Council".  Building with sticks and bark.

I stopped by, quietly, and left again. And they worked on. And eventually they came home.

Later we went out to see the finished houses -- because I knew their wordy descriptions and lengthy details (of architecture and engineering) would pale in comparison to the finshed product.

I was right.

how we get them to do stuff (sometimes)

                                                    (colorful to-do lists)

                                        (medical gloves)

                                                   (and big rewards.)

25 points earned a short video with popcorn, 30 points a full movie with popcorn, and 32 points a full movie** with cookies.  Which do you think they went for?  Well, they were chasing me around the house making SURE I finished my chores, so we could have the full 32.

** we're an ultra-low media house, so a movie is an enormous deal!

chilly spring nights & one good book