Ahh, country living in the winter.
Can’t you just picture it?
Waking up to peaceful, snowy mornings…
Taking in the calm beauty of fresh snow…
Watching the children play…
Heading outside to enjoy that special kind of quiet that prevails on a cold, country, winter day…
Yeah.
Me neither.
All is not right with the world.
I know this must be so because today I realized that it is December 11th and I have not read a single book in December.
Not even part of a book.
I…
I…
This me not reading thing is so odd I don’t even know what to say about it.
I do, however, know what to do about it.
I have already picked Assassin’s Apprentice by Robin Hobb back off the bookshelf for a re-read. I’m two chapters in and I can practically feel the universe coming back into order.
Then, I’m going to ask all you lovely people what I should read next.
I’ll take those suggestions straight to my inter-library loan website and I’m sure by this time tomorrow the world will be right again.
Now excuse me, I’m off to see what Fitz does next…
“It’s snowing!” I tell my girls.
But that’s not what I want to tell them. I want to let them know that snow is sifting down from the sky as if the whole world is being sprinkled with powdered sugar.
But no child of mine is going to sit through that lengthy explanation after the word snow has been uttered.
“Look at snow now!” I tell my girls.
But what I want to say is, now it’s changed. It’s no longer sifting from the sky in tiny particles. Instead real flakes are drifting down from above, while every touch of the wind blows them this way and that in the world biggest ballet.
But that’s far to cheesy to say aloud, even if it is true.
“It’s like it’s snowing!” I say today.
But it’s not snowing. Yesterdays fluffy snow is blowing off the tree branches in showers of glitter in the sunlight. And as far as I know, even though I was covered head to toe in snow that fell on me, there is no name for that kind of snow fall.
“It’s not really snowing.” I say this afternoon.
No, it’s no longer snowing, not even from the trees. Now the snow is now tiny pellets blowing from the ground in windy bursts that sting the face. I suppose one could say it is “drifting” but he ferocity of it all it makes that seem too kind a word for it.
“It’s snowing!”what a ridiculously, inadequate phrase.
Clara: “MOM!”
Me: “Yes?”
Clara: “Mom, where is that duster thingy.”
Me: “In the pantry behind the bag we put paper in.”
Clara: “Where?”
Me: Walking over and pointing,”Behind that bag.”
Clara: “This bag?”
Me: “Yup.”
Clara: “Oh there it is… That was easy peasy!”
I think that I should take Clara’s “Easy Peasy” scale and apply it to the rest of my days. Personally, I would have judged that interaction a bit higher on the difficulty rating, but now that I know that was “easy peasy” I’m sure it will put my whole life in better perspective.
I haven’t yet managed to capture the essence of a perfect cold, still, frosty morning, but I’m working on it.
This was taken at my Grandparents farm over the Thanksgiving weekend on just such a morning. The woods were a dark, bluish, haze until the sun came out and turned everything to diamonds.
I look at the following picture and think- “Mmm, loins on the grill, meatloaf, pot roast, tacos, bacon wrapped tenderloin and a handsome man!”
It’s possible you may look at the picture and think- “Ick, dead deer and a guy dressed as a pumpkin.”
There’s no accounting for taste.
The worst word I ever unintentionally taught my children has more than four letters and they are free to say in any kind of company.
The worst word I ever unintentionally taught my children often makes adults smile or laugh in that “aren’t they precocious” sort of of way.
However the worst word I ever unintentionally taught my children is also the word that takes cheerful noncompliance up to a level that has me running for the dark chocolate and Diet Coke.
A word that is sometimes amusing but more often frustrating.
A word that I wish I could have struck from my vocabulary before my children ever heard it.
“Actually”
As in:
Why is there Kleenex all over the floor?
Actually Mom, that’s my puppies bed.
As in:
Don’t forget to bring your plates to the sink when you are done eating.
Actually Mom, I have to go play now.
As in:
I think you should brush your hair this week.
Actually Mom, I like it like this.
As in:
Actually Mom, it’s green.
Actually Mom, I don’t like toast anymore.
Actually Mom, we need to go to the library.
Actually Mom, I was thinking we could have Culvers for dinner.
Actually Mom, Jane is messing up my stuff.
Actually Mom, this doesn’t taste good.
Actually Mom…
Actually Mom…
Actually Mom…
Now this week our youngest, who has been talking for awhile, looked at John, her face full of sincerity and said:
“Dad, actually…”
And I laughed so hard I cried. Or perhaps I cried so hard I laughed. Either way Clara was concerned for my well being. But I couldn’t explain the laughter or the tears to her.
I just couldn’t tell her that it was actually my fault that everyone says “actually.” That their overuse of the word “actually” was about to actually drive me insane and that I wasn’t actually sure what would happen to them if their mother was actually certifiably crazy. Worst of all I couldn’t admit to her that it is actually cute and funny half of the time to say it. I couldn’t do it, because I know what she would have said…
Actually Mom, Jane was just telling Dad that her pajamas aren’t stinky.
So I just laughed (or cried) and waved them all away and took small solace in the fact that “Dad, actually…” was at least slightly different form.
Until this morning when Jane said:
“Actually Mom…”
Earlier this month we had five dogs.
We have two dogs of our own, then due to various circumstances we needed to hang on to the two dogs we borrowed for our hunting trip and when you factor in Digby’s daily visit that makes five.
Five is a lot of dogs when you are lack both a mudroom and an outdoor kennel.
Five seems closer to ten when you lack a mudroom and an outdoor kennel and it’s raining.
Fortunately they all got along just fine. The visiting dogs put up with Digby’s puppy shenanigans and the kids ministrations and so long as it wasn’t raining everyone was happy.
From Left to Right we had:
Digby, our daily visitor the four month old Saint Bernard/Great Dane/Doberman.
Trip, my Brittany Spaniel.
Buzz, my dad’s giant Brittany Spaniel.
Turkey, my brothers mostly perfect Brittany Spaniel.
and Storm, Johns furry Pudelpointer.
For those of you out of touch with your dog breeds a Pudelpointer is a hunting dog with a fair amount of energy that gets expressed with a stick obsession when she doesn’t get enough exercise. (Read Storm’s Sticks for more details.)
Brittany Spaniels are higher energy hunting dogs that expresses their lack of exercise by running into the next county when you turn your back on them – in 30 seconds or less.
The Saint Bernard/Great Dane/Doberman puppy meets neither the high energy or hunting classifications but he does have some puppy exuberance when he isn’t sleeping or growing.
This means that every morning when I did the chores all the dogs came with and we did laps around the property. Many laps.
I’d head out the back door and the previously relatively calm dogs would realize what was going to happen and get a bit excited. Storm would move sticks around. Digby would lick everything that stood still. Trip would fly in circles around the backyard. Buzz would bounce on his hind legs like a kangaroo and Turk would excitedly prance in the background -because he’s mostly perfect.
The frantic, barking circus of dogs would follow me over to the gate and then with the word “Whoa.” five dogs would stop…
Storm was there she was just standing at the back with her stick, and I couldn’t get her in the photo and open the gate at the same time- sorry Storm.
Five dogs would quiver with excitement but they would wait as the gate opened…
Look at that Turkey dog- he’s so good. If he hadn’t tried to eat our cat every other day my brother might never have gotten him back.
Until I’d finally give them the magic word…
“OK!”
Through the open gate they’d fly and in .03 seconds every single high energy hunting dog would be off in the woods following their nose.
And Digby would be standing alone on the path. 
Guys?
This picture was taken last week. Now there are only three dogs, but two of them still disappear and one of them still wonders where his friends go.
Guys?
Continued from The Tour – Part 3
Oh you wanted to come in the house?
So sorry, please come on in!
Jane and Clara are all set having a snack at the table so I can give you a quick tour without too many interruptions.
So, here we go.
You just entered through the blue door and are standing just inside the kitchen.
The house is a saltbox style with post and beam construction. If you walk on over to the other side of the living room you can see more of the beams. We met the man who built the place and he told us all about where he got the building supplies from. Some was reclaimed wood, other beams he picked up at lumber mills and some things came from auctions. It was fun to hear all about it but since it’s not your house I’ll spare you the details unless you really want to know.
The table with the girls at it is in the far corner of the picture and you are now standing in front of the back door.
Over this way is the way back to our bedroom.
Still standing by the back door you’ve now turned and looked the opposite direction. The hall way with the awesome built in bookshelves to your left takes you to the front door.
Here is the office, or as John likes to say, the antechamber to our private quarters. (We’ve never had a “master” bedroom can you tell?) Sadly it’s my current least favorite room. It’s become the dumping ground for stuff from the move and the closet behind you as well as the space behind the door is full of boxes. I have visions of a new, smaller desk, a space for sewing and a closet full of craft supplies…. someday.
And here we have the bedroom and in case you need it (since I left you standing at the door for a month) the bathroom is just through that door.
Doors from left to right: office, bathroom, closet.
The other door is the biggest closet I have ever owned. There is enough floor space in there to hold just about all our dirty clothes without them spilling into the room- it’s huge I tell you! Oh- yeah, the bathroom is papered in maps.
I have no idea how to get a picture of a bathroom. It’s your basic bathroom, toilet, shower, sink and lots of maps.
I thought it was funky when we moved in but it’s really growing on me.
Now turn around and you’ll see one of my favorite features – the greenhouse.
Yeah, I have a greenhouse attached to my bedroom, it’s pretty awesome.
Admittedly I’ve yet to do much with it but I’ve got ideas and plans. I’ve only got a few plants in it at the moment (basil in November anyone?) mostly I’m just enjoying the sunshine and warmth on these cool sunny days we are having. That’s it for the downstairs. Come on up and see the rest.
Heading up the stairs the back door is behind you again. (Also our back door is probably technically the front of the house but since everyone comes in the back of the house we call it the front… just in case you were wondering.)
We are still working on filling the display shelves. The teacups are a small part of my great grandma’s collection that I never thought I’d have a place to put out where they’d be out of reach of paws and sticky fingers but I think we’ve found it here!
Through here is Clara and Jane’s room.
It’s a nice big room with a nice big closet and in ceiling radiant heat. Which is odd but cozy.
Then over here we have the upstairs bathroom. I can’t decide if I love having a spot for the girls to smear toothpaste around that’s not where I brush my teeth or if I just really hate having two bathrooms to take care of. Either way I love the tub and the girls have been getting bathroom cleaning lessons so that should help with the toothpaste issue!
Clara and Jane’s room is on the other side of the stairs, Ivy’s room is a sharp right just outside the bathroom door.
And then we have Ivy’s room.
Ivy’s room is much smaller, but still has a closet and crawl space access!
That’s it!
Lets go check on the girls. If we can convince them to go play I’ve got brownies and Diet Coke here in the kitchen that we can share while we wait for Ivy to get home from school…
The counter on the left is the same counter that is in the foreground of the first picture.
Thanks for coming over for a virtual tour!
These pictures were all taken two months ago when I started this tour. We do have a few more pictures on the walls, a few more boxes unpacked and things are looking a bit more like home. You’ll just have to come see the changes in person if you are curious what it looks like now. It’ll be fun I’ve even got real brownies and Diet Coke!
A picture from this week, taken from near the front door.
.
If you missed the outside tour you can find it here:
This morning I received an e-mail from my uncle with this link in it: http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2013/11/check_out_southwest_michigan_r.html
The short article has pictures that people took (including one of my uncle – he’s the vet) at 9:10 this morning, 11-12-13. Since I live under a rock (it’s a nice rock and I like it thank you very much) I didn’t know what the date was until after noon today when checking said e-mail. Reading the article I was mentally bemoaning my under-rock existence and my missing out of a fun photo opportunity when right at the end the article mentioned that with the cunning use of military time 2:15 will have the same effect.
“Ah Ha!” I thought, I can do that!
I watched the clock the rest of the afternoon worried I would miss it.
At 1400 hours Ivy was at school and the younger girls were napping. I picked up my camera and started to scope out the photographic possibilities in my life.
In the living room the late afternoon sun was streaming through the windows creating a beautiful golden glow off the wood floors. The dogs were sprawled out in front of the wood stove basking in both it’s heat and the golden light. Outside birds were covering all the feeders. Bluejays and cardinals were flashing in that same perfect, afternoon sunlight. The greenhouse ceiling was shining as the last of the snow and ice melted off. Even the chickens were near the house, colors popping against yesterdays dusting of snow. The possibilities were endless, my excitement was building.
At 14:13 Jane brought me down off my golden, sunlight cloud and woke up sobbing.
At 14:15 I still had my camera in hand and as I walked my sad girl through the darkest hallway of the house I snapped this picture.
I think I shall call it my 11-12-13 14:15 reality check.
Jane is fine, we shared a glass of water and a small pile of chocolate chips and were both recovered from our disappointment in no time.
Behind the Willows 