let's jet.

So I've been having me some making time since I left on Friday. In all those lineups for baggage, customs, waiting to get on planes, my poor little passport looked so cold and naked. It was keeping warm in my wallet for the most part, but it was a pain in the ass to open my wallet everytime I needed it or my boarding pass. Plus, I felt like it would have been fun to have something fun to look at, so I made this:
I brought some wool felt with me to make some trinkets or whatnots for the kiddos while I am gone and, voila. It's got a great little pocket just big enough to tuck in a boarding pass. Am pleased. Still working on those whatnots.

Great discussion day. I've got lots of homework! Got a little messy too.

Comfort Zone.

Nothing to get you going again like some good material.

I'm sitting in a coffee shop in High Falls, NY. Made it safe and sound and landed with a thud on my pillows last night.

Let me just say, me in king size bed is not without it's challenges. I tucked some pillows around me, one over my face, you know, so it would feel like home and I could sleep. Typically, someone's foot or leg is draped over my face, but not last night. It's a little bit sad, really. I've come to love those little toes in my face, and warm bodies snuggled in together.

I'm seizing these moments though. Doing my best and getting out of my comfort zone...though, strangely, I'm not as uncomfortable as I thought I'd be...which, again, makes me a little uncomfortable. Must be all of those pre-trip emotional meltdowns. I did lots of prep work, you see.

And these definitely help:
I've made a few card drops today. Here and about I've been leaving these quote cards on people's windshields, in grocery stores, parked strollers, potted plants and windowsills. It's so much fun. You should definitely try it. A dear friend found these and spread the joy over the holidays. Thanks S! Make your own or print off from Kind Over Matter. I was taking pictures of my fine card drops, trying to be ever so inconspicuous and was kindly asked if I was a photographer. "No," I said, "I just like to take pictures...(voice trails)...so I guess maybe I am?"




I'm making, painting(thanks again, S!), knitting, journalling(thanks T!). Tomorrow I'll be muddy. For now, I'm off to find a bottle of wine and some chocolate.

Happy Valentine's Day!
Happy Chinese New Year! The year of the ti-grrrrrrrrrrr.

Magic Moon

Beach boy, originally uploaded by bitfolky.

You see? Here I am at 4AM, organizing photos, trying out the flickr 'blog this feature and there's this AMAZING crescent moon on the rise. I can' t take a photo of it. I don't know how. Too much camera, not enough photographer...yet.

But now, whenever I look at this picture of Gray, I'll be reminded of their peaceful sleep and my magic moon. Some things are just memories, you know? Not supposed to be caught. Just enjoyed for the moment.

And I was wondering why I was up?
Always a reason, non?

Inspiration

The kids are missing their Dada. Mama is missing the other half of her brain and her heart. The chicken is getting restless and the wind is warm. The days, finally, are even warmer.

Tonight was a good one. This life is a good one. Who am I kidding. Sometimes, though, we're reminded more than others. I really wanted to go to see Shane Koyczan and the Short Story Long and Ari Neufeld. I went. I am glad. I sobbed. I had a friend to sob with. I feel fresh now. Open. Happy. Inspired. There was a lot of love in that room tonight. I am reminded that our arts, dispite the annual Elvis Festival, are vibrant in this little city. I am reminded to get out more. To sing more. To write more. Maybe even paint. Create.

I mentioned the chicken. We have ourselves a spraddle legged chick, named Licken. We're helping her(hopefully) along to become a healthy, happy hen. Nella is a definite liability to Licken's wellbeing, but with careful management, we expect her to pull through.

The mud is waiting of late, though the ideas and projects due are not. The laundry is a mountain but THESE are the moments we live for:



Many photos for a Dada far away. We miss you. Love you.

Bread, bread, bread and Neil.

So, I've been baking a lot of bread lately. Me and my little helpers, that is.

A while back, Mother Earth News had an article on baking bread in 5 mins/day. It's the best bread I've ever tasted. The method is based on the 'no knead' method that's been so popular lately. See here and here. It's been amazing every time. Sometimes I put raisins and cinnamon in it, sometimes cocoa and chocolate (dangerously delsih as Si will tell you) but mostly just plain. Next up, cheese and onion? Hmmm.

I've been using the 6:3:3:13 rule:
6 cups water
3 tablespoons yeast
3 tablespoons salt
13 cups unbleached white all purpose flour

Mix so you have a loose, wet dough. Let rise and collapse, put it in the fridge until you want to bake. It's easier to handle when it's cold. Loaves, pizza, sticky buns, it's a dough that's good to gough.

Today was spent baking bread, making pizza and hanging laundry. All to the sounds of Neil. I'm just trying to come down from the stellar show last night. Iron Maiden can't be that heavy live. I mean H E A V Y. I like me some heavy Neil. Of course, there was the dose of acoustic wonderfulness, backed up by his wife Peggy. So sweet.

Do yourself a favour, dig out Decade and rock. Then eat some good bread and have a nap. It'll make everything ok. If everything was already ok, it'll be even better.

Neil kicked my ass, in only the very, very best of ways. Neil on Earth Day singing Mother Earth. Ahhh.

Oh, and there's a yurt on our deck!!!! Wheeee! Can't wait to stare at the stars through that dome. Ooooooooo.

Before Sunrise

I'm not referring to the fabulous film here, I've been up since 3AM. It's a crazy situation. Maybe I'm just all hyped up to see Neil on Wednesday, or maybe it's a case of contagious insomnia caught from Theresa. Maybe it's because I fell asleep with les kiddos...at 9PM. Chris fell asleep with Gray at like 7:30. It starts out with a story and next thing you know? Zzzzzzz. Needless to say, Chris is hard at work downstairs and I think I'll get myself a coffee and knit a little. Can't get all muddy just yet, though it's been a few days and I'm itching, the mud will have to wait.

The sky is just starting to blue. The most beautiful blue against the black mountains, then back up up up to black sky. I'm glad I'm up.

It just gets better and better, this life.

This life of bike rides, of raisin bread, of mud fights, of dreams, of scrunched noses.
.

Tea for the madness.

Some days are just plain madness.

Today was one of those days. Get up. Not enough beans in the house and only a bit of cream. I'm the kind of girl who likes her coffee one way. First, a handmade mug. Not mine. Like this one from Ayumi Horie. Definitely a coveted mug in this house. As the days get warmer, this particular cup is often found, early in the morning, perched on the fence steaming away as I hang laundry on the line.
I add the espresso(if no espresso, melita, if no melita, bodum, if no bodum, old style percolator), then the cream to reach the desired hue of browny goodness and then top with hot hot hot water. The water needs to be hot hot hot because I am often interrupted by one of the 3 amigos, or taking my time with the laundry and the coffee? It gets COLD! An abbomonation, Chris thinks. Me? I just make another one. It's a ritual, you know? Laundry and coffee.
So, right, this morning. This morning there was snow. Snow! There was no laundry and coffee this morning. There was barely coffee. As I TRY to fanagle a decent cup from the few beans that are left, I realize today's a big day. A bisque fire, a long wait in a line-up for passports (3 kids in tow) and art class for Gray. I realize, for a lot of the uber mamas out there, my list is not much. Add on people for dinner the night before and 2 dental appointments and a trip to the vet tomorrow and I'm already to crash. Maybe it's because I know I didn't get to the store to get my Dancing Goat beans today. Priorities people! What was I thinking?

So I get the kiln going and the day is in full swing. We head off, walking everywhere these days, to get some photocopies for the passport peeps, I realize I forgot snacks. My friends will tell you this is not unusual. I am, however, forever suprised at my ability to leave the snacks behind. So we get to the line with all the cranky people who loathe lines, the boys clearly need a playground as they do headstands in line and Nella wakes up. Silas needs to pee. This line is the kind with the ropes. Ropes keeping the cranky line people in line. I break the line rules, leave my place to wheel the stroller out, put the ropes back, get back in line, leave Gray to hold my spot while I take Si to pee. Nella's screaming in the sling and Silas is REFUSING to wash his hands. Keep in mind, cranky line people are very very fond of handwashing. Cue disapproving glances. I borrow a pen from cranky disapproving glance lady to forge my husband's signature(more disapproving glances) on something I think I forgot but didn't need after all. Phew. No laws actually broken.

We get in, all documents in order, given a number to wait again. Then appears a little angel playing his Nintendo DS with some Star Wars game and he's keen to let the boys watch. I'm keen to let them. Desperate. They watch and watch as I wait and finally sit with offical passport peeps as Nella throws all contents of my wallet on the floor. They're still watching. We say fond good byes to angel boy and make a graceful exit. Barely.

Hike home with 3 tired and hungry kiddos, eat an apple, realize we're LATE for art class! Get everyone in the van and off we go. Si doesn't even have shoes at this point. I'm hoping there's some hiding in the van. There is. All is well.

That reminds me: All is well, Sam Amidon. You should definitely listen.

I'm taking a moment though, breathing. Kiln is off, passports applied for, art class was a hit (thanks Nomie!), kids are asleep, husband too, and dogs. Laundry can wait.

Maybe it's time for a cuppa...tea. Mint with honey. Yes. Tea and bowl trimming with a pinch of knitting. Then bed beckons. I changed the sheets today AND everyone's actually in their nighttime pee protection. A rareity indeed. Ahhhhh.

Thank you handmade mug.