daffodils, cherry blossoms, moss, worms and chicken eggs

  Spring spring spring.... I am soooo happy that it's been (mostly) over 60 degrees and sunny the last few days. Daffodils are everywhere, walks through the park are a lot less slippery and muddy, cherry blossoms are in bloom in some places-still waiting to open in others, my dormant herbs in pots are growing fuzzy moss and little leaves to signal their return, and I keep finding worms in the garden beds (and they are sneaking into the basement!).... This afternoon, the warm air on my bare arms as I did a little work outside was so magically powerful. I could feel myself standing taller, unfurling like a flower. I didn't have to huddle into myself for warmth. I tidied up in the chicken coop and did a thorough clean up on the front porch, even painted an old wood chair the perfect shade of melted strawberry ice cream pink.

   Beware, the moss is everywhere, slick underfoot and waiting to get you as you skip out the door in the morning. My little lady and I have both fell flat onto our butts a few times this week.

 Miss Pensive... Two seconds before she was singing the Frozen song (I now cringe... it's everywhere!) and imitating the ice queen and I said, "I want to take your picture as you think about nature.". She's really thinking here. Then my gal said "I don't think Mother Earth likes this trash people left on her, we should pick it up!" so we picked up some trash by the trail.

 Spring cleaning has been happening in a big way. I'm trying to figure out how I need to be eating. I've been trying so many different things since my little one was born. The last 5 years have been a constant flux. No one can keep up with my dietary changes. I think back to when I felt the healthiest and like I was getting the most out of food (and not using it as an addiction-um, I've mentioned my caffeine and sugar dependency many times) and that was when I was vegan. I'm working on vegan, gluten free, minimal nightshades, no refined sugar, and only green tea allowed for now to see how my body responds. Sounds fun, right? I've been doing this since Monday (and have had only a few sugar slips cuz it's in EVERYTHING!) and I feel good, different. Totally different energetically. I have a real ethical conflict when it comes to eating animals. I'm not one to push my ideals onto others (haha, anymore!) and preach, it just bums really me out when I eat animal products. I love animals so much, I've always felt a real connection to them. I feel this lightness and openness when I'm eating vegan. It's transformative for me and I kind of forgot that.

 Eggs! All the hens are laying everyday! It's nuts. 5 eggs a day. Even Sadie, who is almost 4, has started laying and she hasn't given me an egg in probably 9 months. No one wants to eat them. I've never been a fan of eating eggs (especially after one of my hens, Cinnamon, got one stuck and I had to... assist.) and the kids are super sick of eggs in all forms. I'm gifting a bunch to some lovely ladies tomorrow. There are at least 3 dozen in the fridge!

    It's sunny and warm in the mudroom, dry on the rickety porch and steps.

 

 Spring Equinox is on the 20th and that also marks the end of the funkiness that has been caused by mars in retrograde. I've been having the weirdest dreams and poor sleep. For some reason my cat has decided he needs to vigorously scratch the bedroom door at 3am every morning. When I open the door he runs and hides. He's not over being banished from the bedroom at all.

  The moon is so stunning tonight. My digital camera did little to convey her mysteries. xo m

april showers...

  Right now I am drinking raspberry/nettle leaf tea and eating a small piece of dark chocolate, dipping it into a spoonful of chunky peanut butter. The chocolate is a little treat after a stressful/drama filled work day. I've been doing a lot of work with food elimination and spending some time figuring out what works for me lately. I knew the obvious culprits, dairy, which I have avoided most of my life, and gluten, which I had been disregarding (much to the dismay of my aching, arthritic joints) and eating anyway. I was vegan from age 10-23 and had made a commitment to be so again but it's just not possible. I never really thought beans could be a sensitivity and grains (like every grain!!) but they are! For the last couple weeks I have been avoiding all beans (soybeans too) and grains and eating a little chicken and fish with lots of fresh veggies and a little nuts and a bit of potato or sweet potato and feel lovely! I was feeling so terrible and heavy and puffy, just miserable.

 See that farewell donut? A little vegan treat with raspberry glaze and coconut. so yummm but not only wheat but deep fried (another no no) and coffee. It's pretty much impossible to live in the Pacific Northwest and not love coffee, so many good ones, but I can't...  I choose health over momentary bliss. I can have decaf once in a blue moon, but that's it!!  My resolve is strengthened!

 The other day I got stopped as the bridge was going up and it was sooo lovely, one of our first moving into springtime mornings. So beautiful.

 TAGS TAGS TAGS!!! See my tags? I was buying similar ones for $9 (per 100) on etsy and then I had this little lightbulb moment and went to jo-ans and there it was, near the paper crafting supplies, a paper tag punch!! I had a coupon so I spent on $7 on it and I can use and kind of paper or cardstock but guess what? I make tags all the time! I go through 150-200 a week. I'm a one woman show! In addition to my esty shop I have a small retail space (I am #77) in the Fremont Vintage Mall and a larger purple walled space (also #77) in the Atlas Annex Vintage Collective. It's a lot of work (I'm grateful for it) and I've said it before (probably will again..), but being a single mama to two is my main job and between my mama life and work life, there isn't much energy left. It's a constant juggling act. I'm working towards a harmonious balance...

A nice golden brown day of thrift scores...

cat photo print socks!! I'm slightly obsessed with photo print especially in love with photo print florals. If anyone has a medium sized 90s baby doll dress n any color floral photo print, get a hold of me, I'll trade you!!

sunnies... I found a big bundle of vintage and deadstock 70s/80s shades and no scratches.

this guy... Something needs to be done. He's just this big ol body with little head and he get's bigger everyday! Tommy can't go outside due to brawling/injuries/infections/repeat surgeries and he just keeps packing on the lbs... He's on special prescription cat food for his recurrent u.t.i.s (we are a high maintenance lot around here, aren't we?) and just sits in front of his bowl idly eating at times.

   This video makes me happy, we made it last night. Be prepared to be amazed at my girls skills!! Domino is such a delightful little senior lady. She's tiny and looks like a kitten but is at least 9 or 10. Things get wild when there's fresh fish on the table!!

  If it's not raining tomorrow (today was rain all day) I want to take my little lady out to look at bunnies on a farm nearby. There is rabbit talk happening again. Urban farm expansion. The bees aren't happening this spring so a rabbit just might appear to perplex (they are so easily confused) our hens. Tomorrow I'll tell you about the 4 chicks that are currently peeping away in our basement! xo m
 

bye bye gluten, bye bye dairy...

  The allergy test results came back and I was expecting gluten but dairy... and the other big ones are sesame seeds, red grapes (???), turmeric, ginger and mustard. My naturopath was just leaving the office but wanted to give me a quick call and tell me the major ones before she sent me the papers with the complete results. bye bye friday night visits to the ice cream truck...

We've only been eliminating gluten and dairy for three days but already there is a big change. My little lady's skin no longer feels like sandpaper and she isn't constantly itching/crying.

Yesterday we had lemon cucumbers with white and gold tomatoes from the garden with an avocado and splash of balsamic vinegar.

The bees are loving all the dandelions in our yard.

  I had to take a picture of Kim's latte. Yep, Seattle is coffee heaven!

  We're lazing around, doing chores today. I am missing my oldest way too much. It was easier the last couple times he went to his dad's because he was having a really fun time but this time his dad is working most of the time and he's bored and bummed and I feel sad for him. 10 days to go...