Christmas 2013

Hello Again!

 You would think after a long absence like that I would be all chatty and updatey now... Well the truth is, I'm kind of 'nah'. ;) I don't know if I'm going to keep writing here or not. I have no agendas to promote, no radical ways of thinking to try and convince you of, and no universal answers I've decoded and now need to convert you to believe along with me. Above all, I would hate for you to feel judged by my family's unique choices in lifestyle. I want to affirm people as they are and not make them feel inferior. It's these thoughts that have left me a little tongue tied here, but it's winter now, and after some very busy seasons, I feel like relaxing and getting back to the dusty unvisited hobbies I used to enjoy--writing being primary among them. So who knows? You may be hearing more from me here, or maybe this will be my last post here and after some years of silence, you'll suddenly read about me in your morning paper: "Strange Women Returns After Years Spent in the Wilderness Living With Wildlife." hehe. I'm giggling to myself as I write this, thinking if only I could be so adventurous, when the truth is, I'm a bit of a comfort seeker... okay, maybe even more than 'a bit', but I digress...

It's Christmas!!

 This year I tucked abandoned birds' nests and beehives into our tree. Andrew even made me some wooden eggs for the nests, which Liz painted blue. So cute!

 I decked the outside with greenery and ribbons. The little kids and I made these neat ice orbs using balloons and food coloring, which I decided to add in the decorating.

And for the handmade gifts... 

We had some serious doubts about this year's, since our shops busied us up until 3 days to Christmas! (Most of those days were spent chilling on the ski hill, since everybody was tired of working in the shop.) We didn't fret it too much though, and, as usual, it all came together in the end.

I cleaned up and recovered an old office chair for Steve, embroidering his youtube channel's blender logo onto it. It won the award for biggest present under the tree!

Steven carved Annie a jewelry box with a rose lid and checkered base (which Mom is holding up).

Annie, Lizzy and I made Donna's gift: a 'mini me' Donna doll (knit by Annie) and a book about Donna (illustrated by Lizzy and written by me).

Mom reading the Donna book aloud (we didn't get a chance to color all of it).

Annie knit Johnny a big Spider man doll from the new Amazing Spider-man.

Andrew and Steve made Lizzy a bunch of different frames for her art, including a big, multiple collage one. She was really excited about this gift!

Theresa got a beautiful frame for our bedroom mirror (which had been sitting frame-less on the dresser). It has a little shelf on the bottom and dowels on the sides for holding spools of thread.

Johnny (with a little help from Steve) made Donna a little red mail truck (mimicking our mail lady's vehicle), complete with a road and mail boxes.

Theresa made Michael a fuzzy cow pillow, with eyelashes and everything! ;)

Andrew (always pushing his woodworking abilities to greater achievements) made me a yarn hank winder. It pops open like an umbrella for winding skeins into balls. Could've been useful in my busy knitting season when pausing to wind yarn was a delay. Very impressive, of course!

Annie and I made Andrew a snoopy bedrest for him to relax on while watching movies.

Steve made Mom an adorable log mushroom candle holder, while Andrew and Michael made Dad a walnut Beatle's box with Help silhouettes cut out of it.

Lastly, we had to make the boys a beard hat, cause they're all the rage. ;) 

Andrew likes to wear it backwards; long hair without the commitment.

Christmas morning, there was more handmade goodness to be found in our stockings (can't believe what the boys pulled off!). Everybody was so amazing, and yet there was very little stress and such goofy good spirits. Liz and Mom baked enough cookies for us to enjoy into the new year and Donna worked hard to decorate our tree with lots of cute toddler art (with a some help).

  

On Christmas afternoon, we started talking about what to do for our Christmas card picture. Somebody had the idea to put the camera outside and take it through the window, so we went with that.

Took some experimental photos (no parents or photographer (Steve) in this one, but I like Michael).

 This is what we finally came away with. Merry Christmas all!

 

Horse Between My Legs & a Smile on My Face

Hey Readers! Thank you for still being with me after my long absence. Seems like everyone has been enjoying time off this summer, as even my photographers are vacationing, leaving me with very little summer material to share here (that's my excuse anyhow, and I'm sticking to it! ;).

However, Lizzy did make the effort to bring her camera with her on their last trail ride, and if she can manage that inconvenience for you, I can certainly share the fruits of her efforts for your enjoyment!

So here you be, Lizzy's view on Starlight: 

Theresa directs Johnny (new rider) as well as mule (her new mount) at the same time. Hard? Perhaps, but just look at that smile! :)

Babies tag along, following their Momma's.

Snatching a snack for the road...

Feet don't reach the stirrups ...yet.

Beautiful trail views.

Liz and baby Stella back home and still playing with the camera.

We sold all but one of our spring kittens already, and I'm not the least sorry; their damage to my flowers has been nearly irrecoverable. :-P

Fruit is growing well on our farm, though it has quite a time keeping up with all these sweet-toothed kiddos. ;)

My flowers are blooming. Each one has their own way of leaving me feeling bright inside...

I'm thoroughly relishing my summertime. Blue sky, warm sun, clouds, dirt, birds, flowers: it's everything I imagined it would be throughout the winter. My only qualm is that it is passing much too quickly and I don't want to miss a second, hence my negligence here. But I'm sure you all understand and forgive me, wrapped up in your own beautiful summertimes. ;) Well, I won't distract you further!

Thanks for stopping by! :)

Yeah, Forest Princess, I'll go with that. :)

The summer winds have breathed life back into our forests. Favorited places now look completely different. Sunlight speckles the forest floor through a swaying canopy of leaves. Twigs and vines that used to sit in silence now have a voice of their own as the wind rushes through their leaves. Ferns fill the space between ground and branch with a cooling presence of their own; like the swaying fans that  used to shade royalty upon their thrones. 

The wind rushing up from the forest feels both purified and electrified, as though breathing that air could grant you the gift of eternal youth. Damp and cool, it is fragrant with a host of numerous sweet and refreshing smells. Dewdrops back-lit with morning sun, sparkle like a string of diamonds lacing the edge of every one of the millions of leaves throughout the forest. Flowers dance on their stems, as though giddy with the opportunity to bloom.

All this I notice in a brief glance as I jog by, but the knowledge that all that beauty was created for us: our enjoyment, makes me smile to myself. It's so dense, a deer jumps lightly into the woods ahead of me and is immediately swallowed by the forest's deep leafy shadows. The eyes of different wild critters could be watching me from behind every tree and I'd never know. Some people may shudder at the thought of entering such places, but I don't. I feel like it was created for my enjoyment and I have nothing to fear from my own realm.

When I wander under the canopy of leaves, through flowers ferns and streams, I feel like a regal queen. The Forest Queen. Hmm, that title sounds a bit old. Maybe, I'll deem myself the Forest Princess instead. I'll have to remember that next time I coronate myself with flowers on the creek side. ;)

Hope you all have a beautiful week. Don't forget to peer at the nature beauty around you--it was created for your enjoyment after all! :)
 

Gunnar's Birth Pictures and more baby animals...

Another big baby animal pictures download for your enjoyment. We're sure enjoying our baby animals this spring--thought you guys should at least get a small share of all the cute!!

Beware of unedited horse birthing pictures!! Scroll down for the cute clean-baby ones! ;)

 This is Stephen's horse Perla, giving birth to a little boy, Gunnar. She was born on our farm as well (see her birth pictures here!).

"Hey there!"

Licking him off.

Getting up.

Shaky legs!

All clean and fuzzy!

Nursing.

So precious!

 Here's some more baby animal pictures...

 Zelia is getting big. Andrew says her face is really cute and sassy looking. ;P

Lizzy's mare, Starlight, and baby, Stella.

Theresa's mare, Sunny, and baby, Kara.

Stella is among the most photographed, since Lizzy wields a camera. :)

Stretching little legs!

Steve, the proud daddy.

 Lizzy riding Starlight.

Romping in the back field.

 There's your dose of baby animal cuteness! Thanks for taking a peek :)