Seraphina and I finished reading Anne of Green Gables, all except for “A Good imagination Gone Wrong”, because she’s a sensitive little soul, as I have always been, and I remember the descriptions of the ghosts they imagined being too much for me as a child. We’ve started in on The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Already she is asking for Turkish Delight for her birthday.
Those moments at night, with just the two of us, cuddled up under her pink canopy, lit by the stars lights that I wove through her headboard are often my favorite part of the day.
**I made the star frames for Seraphine. She likes them.**
Rose covered dresses for all! Apparently, the new dresser is just a giant photo prop. Even though they are merely grocery store flowers, my Valentine’s bouquet this year looks quite regal. Winter rose season (the time from my birthday until the Valentine’s flowers fade) is almost over. I won’t take hundreds of photos of roses again until they are blooming in my garden, somewhere toward the end of June/beginning of July. I need the reprieve at this time of year. To be surrounded by flowers, at least on a small scale, helps me to make it through to the end of winter.
Sleepy this morning. I was up most of the night, talking to the kids. This happens. It’s something that I’ve found with mothering teens and young adults. Sometimes those quiet hours, when no one else is around is the only time to truly talk and be heard, so I always try to make the time for it. Even though I know that it will take me a while to recover from the sleepless night. It always seems worth the exchange to have that time alone with them.
Last night we were not alone. It was all four of my older children, plus a few friends. I think it must be hard for new people to come into our house. There is this scene in the National Geographic show Genius, in the first season which was about Einstein and was excellent, where Einstein goes to stay with a family in Switzerland while he attends school. The family is like nothing he’s ever come across. Everyone is debating philosophy. Everyone is outspoken. We are like that. Philosophy, politics, everything under the sun really. Sometimes multiple debates and conversations going on at once.
Like this:
Then when I think that others are getting overwhelmed, I tell everyone to shush and stop and at least two of them go pick up instruments and everyone starts harmonizing on songs that no one else has ever heard of. I think it must be rather over-whelming for outsiders.
I found a new dresser for Seraphina (actually both girls will use it for a while yet, but eventually it will be her’s) for free. Steve and Galen went to pick it up today. I’m thrilled!!!! Iain and Elijah are absolutely horrified and disgusted that I would consider painting it (and pink at that!), but it’s what she wants. And also it would really be quite dark in that room. The finish is pretty beat up in sections, even to the point of splintering raw wood. But on the whole it’s solid and most importantly….drum roll please….the drawers open and close easily! The fatal flaws of their current dresser are a) it’s too small for their ever larger clothing, and b) the freakin’ drawers will not stay on their tracks! It’s endlessly frustrating for me and downright impossible for a small human to handle and maintain. If I could refinish it and stain it a lighter color, I absolutely would, but I don’t think that will be possible.
*Beef enchiladas- Every year we get half of a grass fed beefer from a local farm. I’m trying to come up with new and exciting ways to prepare all of the stew meat and roasts.
*Valentine’s Day: potato pancakes, bacon, virgin strawberry daiquiris- The idea for the daiquiris came from one of the Susan Branch books. Chocolate piled up by each place setting.
*Yam, steak, and kale bowls- Our twist on a dish from our favorite Mexican restaurant
*Pork roast with sweet potatoes, onions, and apples
*The AIP Taco Bowls from The Casaway Kitchen
*Kale, brussels sprouts salad with butternut squash, pomegranate and candied pecans from Two Peas in their Pod
*Super Bowl Sunday: pizza, chips, seltzer
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I took down the winter decorations- dried oranges, paper stars, the swag I made from bittersweet berries and other assorted things. It felt like time.
The Eagles are in the Super Bowl, which is a big deal for some members of the household. Me? Couldn’t care less. But I’m happy for the excuse to sit and knit for several hours straight. I am genuinely a baseball fan and watch and enjoy games fairly regularly throughout the season. But football? Ever since I had children, all I see is other people’s babies getting concussions.
It’s a very funny thing that only one of our children has ever lived in Pennsylvania, but none of them would ever think of rooting for another team.
Me to our therapist after not seeing her for several weeks: “I’m kind of having a low-key midlife crisis. Also, I’m thinking about getting bangs. You’re all caught up.”
I’m currently listening to Seraphina singing Heart and Soul to her friend over the phone. ❤️ (I wish I could draw in these posts. I would add little decorations and things.)
Accidental video that I took this morning:
Things I want to do this year:
*Spend time by the ocean
*Read the next 4 books in the Poldark series
*Visit a castle. This one may be unrealistic, but more in reach than you might think! Did you know that there are many castles in the US? I say this as someone who has totally googled, “castles near me”.
*Paint the girls’ room
*Return to The Mount (Edith Wharton’s home) when the Italian Garden is in bloom.
*Eat out on the porch as many days a possible.
*Try a new hairstyle?
*Finally finish remodeling the downstairs bathroom
*Have at least one meal on the balcony of my favorite Italian restaurant
*Start sewing again. Sew myself a dress.
*Attend at least two concerts
*Have a visit with my sisters
*Visit the art museum
*Return to that spot we found where the autumnal views are incredible (see below)
*Dance in the rain
*Grow a small vegetable and herb garden
*Take a few walks by moonlight
*Finish at least one of the samplers that I have started.
*See Emily in the theater
*Find a way to slowly start bringing some strength and energy back to this body of mine.
*Pitch a tent in the yard and watch a meteor shower with my girls
There is something about the quality of the late afternoon light that almost seems like spring. I pulled back my hair and quite suddenly there are these patches of grey instead of just a hair here or there. It’s funny how it happens that way sometime.
Well, I managed to get dressed this morning, for whatever that is worth. Seraphina is currently listening to The Little Prince, read by Kenneth Branagh (we read it together last year, but she likes to hear things over and over again), while I tried (very slowly, in fits and starts, with lots of resting) to get some dishes cleaned. She’s significantly worse again this morning. I’m not sure whether to worry or not.
If nothing else, I’m making quite a lot of progress with my knitting.
I’ve been trying to find a hardy rose bush that looks like my birthday roses so that I could ask for it for Mother’s Day. I think that ‘Celestial Night’ might do the trick.
I read Love from the Heart of the Home by Susan Branch almost in it’s entirety in bed this morning. From the section on Potions, Spells, Supersitions of Love:
“Air your feather quilt on a line the first clear day after the vernal equinox-put it back on the bed-your love will be refreshed and renewed.“ I think that’s just solidly good advise. I doubt it will do much to renew your love, but your bed will certainly be refreshed. I think I’ll make a note in my planner about this. Bed linens that smell of spring sound luxurious just now.
“Just before bed, hard boil an egg, cut it in half & discard the yolk. Salt the halves of egg. Sit on something you never sat on before & eat the egg. Walk to bed backward. You will dream of your future mate.“ Yeah, I don’t really see myself getting anything out of that one.
Frozen windows
When I came down Steve already had the kettle on because he could hear me coughing away. Sweet.
This body isn’t going very far today, but I’m in full-out planning mode in my head. In the last 24 hours I’ve decided how I want to proceed with the rest of Seraphina’s school year and what I want to do with her next year. I’ve made plans for a little long-weekend sea-side vacation. I’ve finally decided what I want to do for Galen’s birthday (there has been a great internal debate there). I’ve made all sorts of plans for reorganizing, rearranging, and fixing up the house. I’ve planned a new sweater and the alteration of dresses and planted an entire garden in my head. And probably many other things that I’ve already forgotten. I’ve written none of this down. So, a day and a half from now all of it may have disappeared like a pouf of smoke. Also, I’m really kind of out of it, so I keep falling asleep or half-dozing mid-plan making leading to some utterly bizarre daydreams (hallucinations?!?) about things like decluttering.
