This Vintage Chica

postcard from the cabin

3 mamas and 11n kids between us...

that's 22 flip flops to keep track of,

4 silly stories about glitter and unicorns,

0 husbands, 

1 black dog,

18 hornets killed,

8 boat rides, 

3 people swimming the boat back to shore after running out of gas,

111 icey pops eaten and 31 sandwiches,

0 fish caught,

1 earthquake,

6 conked heads on the tube,

2 bags of marshmallows,

1 night out in the tent...

and at least a million smiles.

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I could not have asked for a better way to hit the reset button and prepare to head into another season.  Time spent in the outdoors and nature always seem to do that for me.  And the icing on the cake, was it was time spent with two of my bestest girl friends and their kids.

A few things I realized...

::  nature really is the great equalizer, where else can eleven kiddos from the ages of 17 to 5 have so much fun together

::  I want to hold on to how blessed I feel right now for a little while longer...maybe all the way to Christmas

::  next time, bring more chocolate...and more wine

::  mamas rock...seriously

::  I need to get away more often

::  watching Shannon's kids tell such great stories makes me want to tell more stories to my kids

Also of note...

::  Yes, we felt the earthquake.  At least those of us not on the boat at the time.  My first.  Never thought I'd experience a quake on the East Coast.

::  And yes, now we're preparing for Irene's arrival on Saturday.  What a summer!

seaside

 

This year, we have not spent *near* as much time at the beach as I had hoped.  And now with 2 weeks left until school begins, we're squeezing in as much as we can.

I love this time of the year. The tourists are gone...mostly.  The water is still warm from the heat of summer.  And the pre-autumn sun seems to make everything glow.

Here's a little video to make you smile.

happy things

It is early here this morning and I am up before the boys - the first time in several weeks.  Most mornings it is them waking me up, crawling into bed with me, prying my eyes open with their little fingers, asking "is it time for breakfast yet".

I feel like I've been a bit of a downer the past several weeks...maybe even a bit longer than that if I stop to think about it.  Friends call and ask in a quiet, serious tone..."how are you?".  I want so much to answer with a cheerful "Im great, how are you"?  But they know.

And that has kept me from being here in this space too.  You see, many of you have become such good friends.  And Im afraid if I tell you all about the pillow I sewed, the colors I chose, the stash busting that is going on around here, that you will know Im putting up a front.

There has been so much loss and sadness all around us.  I do not want to pretend that sadness and grief does not exist.  And I know I am not the only one. Several of you are feeling losses of your own.  You have been so brave and generous sharing your own stories with me.  And I am comforted knowing there is hope and grace on the other side.

I am ready to be happy again.

Because really there is still such beauty and goodness in the world.

I am learning that loss and love CAN happen simultaneously in the same story.  It does not have to be one or the other.  They are not mutually exclusive.  Like so many things in life, there is a great irony in that.  

So for awhile, I have decided to post about happy things.

Small or large, things that make me smile.

::  a little needlepoint picked up at a boot sale that speaks truth

::  feeling the ever so slight tilt toward autumn

::  nature in my boys' hands

::  morning coffee

::  friends sitting around my kitchen table, sharing our stories over coffee and a bowl of cherries

::  evenings at the beach, my favorite time of the year

::  my boys and their developing sense of humors

::  acorn and butternut squash in our csa last week

::  three more weeks before school starting...we've got a lot more summer to live here

Hope you are well.  Much love to you today.

 

 

back again

 

Hello dear friends.

I am back home now.  It was a difficult trip in many ways.  More ways than I would have expected.

Thank you for your stories about your own experiences.  Thank you for your emails of support the past few days.

There will be many more difficult days ahead.  More grieving to do.

But the healing has already begun.

I look forward to getting back here a bit more often.

The Rhythm of Family, Discovering a Sense of Wonder through the Seasons

Amanda Soule's new book, entitled The Rhythm of Family:  Discovering a Sense of Wonder Through the Seasons,  is available on August 9th.

Most of you might know Amanda from her blog Soulemama or one of her previous two books... The Creative Family or Handmade Home.

I felt privileged to sneak a peak at it a bit early.  And what a wonderful book!  It just might be my most favorite of the three.

The Rhythm of Family is a bit different than Amanda's previous two books.  Not only are there family friendly projects and recipes...but essays from both Amanda and Steve, aka Soulepapa, on how to maintain family connections throughout the seasons.

And with my bookstore overflowing with "craft books" now, I am more drawn to their thoughts and feelings toward their children and how they can all create family memories by exploring the natural world around them.

(photo does not appear in the book, but is my own and included because I like it.)

From the publisher:

"Written over the course of a year, through the passing of the seasons, this book is a heartfelt and inspiring guide to creating deep family connections and meaningful memories through living in tune with the seasons.  From stomping around in mud boots in the spring to gathering around the wood-stove in winter, our activities naturally change season to season--from the rhythms of the seasons comes the rhythm in our homes, our hearts, our families, and our every day.

Paying attention to these changes slows us down, inspires new types of creative play and exploration, instills a sense of family togetherness, and deepens an awareness of nature and self that can make our lives, days, family, and earth grow stronger.  Through crafts, recipes, and ways to connect with the outdoors, this book is a guide to and example of living a richer life closer to nature."

My favorite things...

:: writing a manifesto for each season

:: how to make wintry weather cowls

:: We Live By the Sea, an essay by soulepapa

:: how to make "bug stay away"

Congratulations Amanda and Steve!  I am so beyond thrilled for you two.

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You can order a copy today or The Rhythm of Family will begin popping up in bookstores August 9th.