Corners of My Home

 Here is the second corner of my home,  the lil dining room off of our kitchen.  Yesterday in this room, I had one of those moments where I accidentally made something. My lil guy and I decided that it was time to start felting some eggs in preparation for Easter and I was too impatient to go out and buy wooden eggs from the craft store so... I hard - boiled a couple. First mistake. SO Row and I had lots of fun rubbing wool around with hot, sudsy water, got the eggs nicely felting, and then... I squeezed too hard. My egg broke on the inside and I had to cut it out. When I looked down at what remained I realized that it looked like a precious little birds nest. Then the obvious fact dawned on me that we couldn't let Rowan's dry for the two days called for without his egg going bad - so we turned his into a nest too - his was lovely because it was lined with the lavender wool we dyed with blueberries the previous day. Then, "mom, can we make little eggs for my nest? Let's dye them! Will you make me a bird?" Oh boy. So we have sweet little bird scenes for our shelves, but still no eggs. This is my first year celebrating Easter away from family and its time that I began some family traditions. What are your favorites?

He Walks!!

 The babe has been racing around with only one hand on the wall for a week or so now... so I had an idea that it was coming. But I was shocked when I looked up yesterday to find him confidently (and delightedly) walking to me! I started counting 1,2,.shuffle, shuffle,..7,8..sway...16,17,18?!? Wow little man. 18 steps when you're only 9 months old is pretty good. Feel free to keep that goofy grin on your face. You deserve to feel proud! 18 steps and a first haircut all in one week. My baby is growing up.

PS If you want your kids to adore you today...

So I just have to share the recipe for the ice cream I just made. It is from Apples for Jam - a very pretty cookbook that we have enjoyed being inspired by. I adjusted it so that my boy wouldn't get a sugar overdose but left some of the dairy in as I don't know of a vegan alternative to cream.

Whisk together: 1/2 cup of raw honey (softened) (my variation)
                          3 organic eggs
                         and 2 teaspoons of good vanilla

Heat 1 c. almond milk over low heat, stirring constantly until near boiling. Remove and whisk one ladle full into eggs to acclimatize them, then another, then pour whole egg mixture back into milk and heat for one minute to "cook the eggs." Stir all the time. Remove from heat and whisk in 2 cups organic heavy whipping cream.  Pour into a coverable bowl and put in freezer for an hour - then take out and whisk - then another hour - then take out and whisk - then another until you are pleased with its level of frozenness. (Probably around 4 hours.)

Spoon into a bowl, if you want you can invite Aragorn to join you for "imaginawy" ice cream, and enjoy the lovely flavor and sweet kisses you'll receive in thanks!

Souls and Soles

Last night I had a rare opportunity to just stop and think. Running early for a gathering of friends I walked outside into the crisp night air, deep inky navy surrounding me, and wandered to the spot a tree had recently fallen in a storm and been leveled. I stepped onto it and stretched myself up, up, and looked into the clear sky at a sight I treasure seeing... stars. sparkling. clustering into constellations. Some believe that stars were a first Creation, a sort of storehouse of great energy from which God spun the universe. You all know the Moby song, We are all made of stars?

Standing, stretching mind up, and soul deep. Feeling tree beneath my soles. Sad for the end of its time to reach to the heavens. Sad, then thoughtful. It will decompose and rejoin the soil, which will nourish plants that we will harvest and swallow, down, down, until our bodies integrate that carrot's body into ourselves, nourishing, healing, strengthening, growing... until our physical bodies breathe their last and begin to rejoin soil...We are all so interconnected. We can build imaginary walls around our selves but we cannot keep out the reality that our matter shifts and cycles in a continuous dance within and with the rest of this Creation. We are not Made as islands in any physical way.

Today I will live trying to remember this as I relate with all our God has penned, His Word awaking all that we are and will be and have ever been.

Henry Poole is Here

Two nights ago I snuggled up with hubby on couch - ready for some simple laughs... and instead was treated to one of the most beautiful films I have seen in a long time. Henry Poole is Here surprised us both. It tells the story of a man (Luke Wilson) who has moved home to his old neighborhood to die. He is bitter, shutting the world out, seeking to hasten his end through drowning himself in Vodka - that is until Something starts to whisper, in the voice of neighbors. A warm middle aged Catholic lady hands full of offered tamales, and heart open to love. A wide eyed, non speaking, six year old constantly sneaking into his yard and recording his conversations. He hears his harsh words and pain echoed back from her player over and over. Her mother, an artist, full of life, and willing to be vulnerable. The checkout girl named Patience at his local grocery store, who quotes from great works of literature and invites him to open himself and share his hurt.
None of these people obeyed the common mores of society; be safe, don't intrude, keep your fences UP. Each of these people were used to bring and receive healing.

Healing is offered to be entered into in this film - pain is present and vicious, life is raw and uncertain, and BEAUTY pervades every moment, until...

well, I won't ruin it for you. Watch it. You'll be glad you did.

Deep Breaths

I attend a wonderful small group of women every Tuesday morning and we are currently studying the Proverbs from the Old Testament. This week in particular we just discussed how we speak to others - do we defend ourselves too much? are we harsh? are we sarcastic? Are we patient? Do we model a grateful life, a forgiving life, a repenting life, a HEALING life? Hearts were poured out around our circle, memories drawn up of moments of beauty when we saw a child mimicking our behavior to a sibling, being gentle with them rather than short. Memories of pain were recalled - times when we said hurtful things to our smallest or our dearest, caught in a moment of anger or stuck with a heart full of self righteous bitterness. We recognized that our words pour forth from our souls, so our words are a very good barometer of where we are internally. Trusting? Hoping? Rejoicing? Hating? Resenting?

On coming home today I had a moment to watch all of these things within myself.
My sweet brother in law is in town and he wanted to borrow my bike to ride with my husband. I had misgivings. He tends to ride everything too fast and too hard, the paths were all muddy and blown out from recent rain storms, and I was nervous. My Bianchi Milano in Celeste is lovely, she is a friend even though she is a thing, and thus far I have taken better care of her than anything I have previously had. But, as I am constantly telling my son - we need to share. So share I did. Thirty minutes later my husband tiptoed into the house, looking sheepish. His brother had wiped out right in an intersection. He and the bike both had a few cuts and bruises. I took a deep breath. Then another. Then another. And finally walked outside with happy face band aids, and an ibuprofen. Grateful. Grateful for my bike and my bro- in-law.

Veganomican

I am so excited! Veganomicon just thumped outside my door, dropped by the wonderful UPS man and ordered by my marvelous dad. Veganomicon is touted to be one of the best vegan cookbooks out there (although I have not yet read it.) We are not vegans (yet?). BUT I am a vegetarian and we have recently experimentally removed dairy from our son's diet, so he's pretty dang close. (Since I'm the grocery shopper and have lots of moral issues with the meat industry in America, no one in my family gets much meat.)
Hopefully, this book will inspire me in the kitchen and help me to whip up "some yummy tweats" as Rowan always requests. I'm so excited! Oh wait, I said that already... (is this a silly thing to be excited about?)

PS I made my own apple sauce this morning for the first time and it was ridiculously yummy and easy. Why didn't I know this? Core and peel apples, place them in an inch of water and boil until they're squishable. Pour the liquid remaining into a jar and you've got apple juice that tastes like nectar. No added ingredients, no fancy tools, no hours spent stirring or anything. Quick, easy, delicious. I'm not sure if I saved any money on the deal, but I know that I saved packaging and avoided preservatives and other sneaky ingredients.

PPS I'm not quite sure if that dish wash detergent was as amazing as I first thought. Just a warning.