the winter solstice...

Happy Winter Solstice friends! Hope you enjoy the darkest day and fest and celebrate the return of the light. It is coming!!

xo m

the tree!

  Our tree is large! This year we said we would choose a smaller tree but after walking around the tree farm for 45 minutes half of us had very frozen feet (we were wearing thick wool sock, it was cold that morning.) and wanted to get over to the fire by the car and warm up a little. When we got the tree home we had to cut off another foot or so just so it would fit without bending into the ceiling.

   These two (super native northwesterners) didn't complain about their feet being cold even once.

 ahhh, warmth!!

 coconut milk egg nog. So very good! I forgot, I still have some left in the fridge! Would it be delicious to make a black tea late with it? I'm gonna find out tomorrow!

  Tomorrow is my last class (of a 5 class series) in herbal home remedies. I'm kind of bummed it's over. I'm trying to discover where this new knowledge will lead me... I'm brainstorming. So many idas about the future!! happy weekending... xo m

preparing for the new year.

  As much as I love the holidays, there is always a big sigh of relief when it's all over. We've taken steps to simplify the season but I bet we can do even better next year!

  So happy to pack away the ornaments and decorations for another year. I'm excited for the new year and focusing on bringing mindfulness into our lives as much as possible. At the top of the list is the endless war against clutter. I do little sweeps here and there but I feel like getting some major organization done this week. I need to clear literal and figurative space for all the wonder that will come in 2011.

  Also, I figured out today-thank you dr.-why I've been so cranky and plagued by terrible headaches. I have a bad sinus infection with a side of two ear infections. I have to take antibiotics which I'm bummed about (the few times I've taken any I've felt terribly nauseous) but the headaches hurt and need to be gone... Now, I need to work on one of my other goals-going to bed early. No ore staying up until 1am streaming tv shows... This girl needs serious rest!

anticipation...

   All the work and making that goes into the holidays is pretty much my favorite part of this season. It feels so sad when it's over and all the gifts are unwrapped. I think this is a left over emotion from my childhood. I would get REALLY down and depressed when dec 26th rolled around. I try to celebrate each season not put such an emphasis on just that one day (xmas) and celebrate the solstice and talk about what the cycles of the season mean to me.

 We are going through the jams we canned this summer pretty quickly.

 Someone found the vintage sequins!

 Caramel making...

 Rosemary saving...

 Our eggs cracked to be made into...

 A very special lemon birthday cake!!

 magical lunar eclipse that my camera refused to photograph well. so so lovely, the moon was aglow and bathed in RED!

 city lights...

 coop lights...

 solstice party people.

 Sugar cookie making. This was the only non gluten free holiday treat we made and luckily, my little miss took one nibble and said "bleck!". phew...

  Hope the Solstice was a time of warmth and wishing the Happiest of Holidays to you and yours! Time to get cozy and stay that way for a few day. eat drink & be merry and all that. feeling gratitude!! xoxo

autumnal times...

  It feels like I've been away from this space for so long. It's been intense holiday crafting overload around here and I've been making a real effort to work on my writing (fiction & journaling), also, my mans computer cord broke so mine keeps (ahem!) disappearing to the dungeon, I mean basement office and I never want to go down and fetch it so haven't been loading pics much...
  Also, I've been feeling really wonderfully positive and content which is not really my normal demeanor but this lovely feeling has been around me for about a week and I'm going to embrace the vibe and roll with it. I feel happy! I've been trying TRYING!! to be super mindful and in the moment and kind and calm. Also, The tv has been OFF and we've been really trying to live the Waldorf way as our little one seems to respond so well to it...

 My mess of ribbons, sequins, fabric... love the looks of a textile mess.

 We made little lanterns for martinmas and went on a lantern walk around a bubbling bog as sundown. It was magically rad!

 It snowed a couple days before thanksgiving. I'm guessing there will be more, our winter has been so very cold this year, er... I mean our Autumn...

 The day after the snow first fell we awoke to all our windows being covered in ice.

 The chickens did not enjoy it one bit, got frozen wattles and now are very spoilt with their very own heat lamp which will most likely stay on till spring comes...

 Here I am so so cold. It's amazing how much a difference a few degrees makes. I enjoy the upper 30s a good bit but on this day it was 24 degrees and I was very uncomfortable and ill clothes and not loving it...

 Do cats go out in the snow? I didn't let mine out since they're not used to that much cold. They laid around, bummed.

 We didn't get too much outside time in that week so much fun was had clomping around in mama's shoes.
 I'm planning a winter solstice party and I can't wait to make a bunch of festive barks, brittles, candies, hot drinks and... who knows what else!!
  Loving this season and all the magic it brings!