The young moon has fed

Her exhausted horn

With the sunset's fire.

-Percy Bysshe Shelley

Autumn Abstraction

I have been reminding myself to play more with my camera this year.

I use it a lot for archiving, but carving out time to get outside, dare I say, alone, when the light is good, for no purpose but to mess around doesn't happen easily.  We're always eating dinner then, you know?

Tonight the kids were at Awana and Jim was working late, so I did a little of that thing I keep reminding myself to do.  It didn't take all the other work I need to do away, but, it was refreshing nonetheless.

I didn't go far, just across the street from the church.

I took and ordinary scene

and slowly began abstracting it.

Gourd Bird

We saw this gourd in a bin at HyVee yesterday afternoon. 

The kids and I instantly saw a swan. 

Jim sees a goose. 

See the wings?

Do you see what we see?

Upcycling

I'm making scarves out of old t-shirts today.  I've been wanting to do it for a long time.  See more here.  There are tons more t-shirt ideas to be found on Pinterest.  Happy Saturday.

Grace's Journals

Grace has a passion for animals and nature.  Remember her dream? 

She has razor sharp eyes for detail- in one nature hike she can find several little treasures no one else would see- interesting rocks, shells, leaves that look like something else, feathers, seed pods with neat stuff inside.   Last week, she found a tiny wood chip at school in the shape of a bear cave with a door and everything- and it really does look like one.  She finds tiny bugs, birds high in trees, little green caterpillars in a sea of carrot leaves.

And for the last few years she has been obsessed with animal science books from the library.  She devours information about animals in the Jungle, the Savannah, Antarctica, Sea Creatures, Deserts, the Northern Woods, the Rainforest, and of course Insects and Arachnids and Fish.  She reads all the details, and tries to share as much of it as she can with us, because, shouldn't we be as fascinated with it as she is? 

She's got an insatiable appetite for the life cycle of the butterfly, the hunting patterns of cheetahs, how elephants live in families, how a mother otter takes care of her babies.

She is not afraid to touch anything- she grabs up all kinds of bugs, snakes, snake skins, frogs, dead birds (if I don't catch her and tell her not to in time)- she doesn't like getting dirty in general, but her compulsion to see and experience all the stuff she finds outside trumps any gross-factors of dirt or mud.  A couple of days ago she found a dead, hard frog on the ground- of course she grabbed it right up to inspect it and shoved it in my face for me to look.  I try to suppress my reactions, so I don't discourage her discoveries.  Within reason.  Please stop picking up dead animals Grace!

She hates to lose the information she's learning, so a couple of years ago she started filling "field" journals with information and sketches of the animals she loves before she returned them to the library.  Journals and journals.  Filled with all kinds of natural gold.

A Farewell.

Driving through the prairie, Summer 2011

So long, Summer.  You were short, but sweet.

Patie's "Fossil"

"I have learned that what I have not drawn, I have never really seen, and that when I start drawing an ordinary thing I realize how extraordinary it is, sheer miracle: the branching of a tree, the structure of a dandelion's seed puff." - Frederick Franck

Patie found this "fossil" washed up in the sand on the beach last week.  It's from a cow's spine, as far as I can guess- Jim concurs.  She was so excited she yelled out, "Mommy!  I found something REALLY cool!"  They were so excited.  It's like digging like a real paleontologist.  So exiting. 

I don't know if it creeps you out, but, I grew up hiking through hills scattered with random animal bones, it doesn't bother me.

In fact, once we brought it home and I scoured it with bleach, it fascinates me- the form, the movement, abstraction.  Simply moving it into new positions completely changes what I see.  I see a sea creature, a charging elephant, a ballet dancer, a sumo wrestler, and something surely out of Super Mario Brothers.  I also see an old bone, that used to be alive,  and now it's here- beautiful in it's own way, on my desk.  It affirms that beauty is everywhere, that life is finite, and that it is always a wonderful idea to spend an afternoon in the crisp air,exploring.

All in one.

I'm glad you're the type of man who watched a football game, fixed a bike,

took care of a sick kid, and made us an apple crisp all in one day.

Tasting Party

I hosted a little wine and cheese tasting last night.  As always, it was refreshing and fun and it got late really fast.  We didn't even get to all the wines last night, because we talked too much.  I have so many rockstar friends.

I thought I'd post the menu-  I love learning about cheese and wine!  The people at The Market on Phillips are very happy to educate and help you find something new, and parties like this are a great time to try many different things- their individual properties really shine when combined with other foods, and when compared to one another.

We also had tea, coffee, and steamed coconut milk (which was not planned) to drink, as well as pears, nuts, chocolate, dried cherries, biscotti, marinated kalamata and green olives, and focaccia to eat (I think all of us ate "too much" bread, but it was not a mistake).

If you think this sounds fun, there's nothing stopping you from hosting your own tasting!  I gave a little advice about how to do it last year, but just a couple more things to say:

1.  It's simple.  Pair simple foods and if you can, serve only foods you can eat with your hands- it makes the evening and clean up very easy.  It's not about a lot of work for you.

2.  Serving a sampling of wine and cheese is very, very pricey- but it doesn't have to all be on you.  For instance, this year, I provided two bottles, and friends volunteered to bring the other two.  Also, friends who did not bring wine each gave a suggested $5 to the party fund, meaning I recouped almost the entire cost of the cheese (full disclosure, I spent $60 on cheese, and it was really fun to try them together).  You don't have to feel awkward about suggesting for your friends to chip in- it means you all enjoy an incredible night, which would have cost much more in other settings.

3.  Don't be afraid to make it clear that absolutely no children are invited.  Save for my pregnant friends-  they get a free pass.  Enough said on topic.

4.  If you feel like you don't know a lot about wine or cheese, that is fine.  The whole reason you should do this is to have fun and get educated a bit with your friends.  It's not about posing as a sommelier.  Don't be intimidated.

SO-  The Menu....

The Cheeses

Caciotta dei Boschi: An elegant Italian table cheese made from scarce Roman ewe’s milk and rare black truffle shavings. Quite tangy and sharp. Highly aromatic with a distinctive, lingering aftertaste, thanks to the truffles. Porcini mushrooms serve to further augment the earthy character of this Italian masterpiece. Earthy, smoky, warm.

Basiron Rosso: A Dutch Gouda full of delicious red tomatoes and fresh Italian herbs. Rich, Creamy.

Conciato in Barrique con Foglie di Noce: Ewe’s milk gives this Italian cheese its unique taste. This artisanal cheese is “Barricato” or “aged in barrels” in layers of walnut leaves and the rind is rubbed in EVOO. Quite unusual, with an interesting and pleasant taste reminiscent of the walnut leaves. Nutty. Delicious with sliced pear.

Sharp Cheddar: A seriously sharp Cabot cheese from Vermont. Naturally aged. Pair with a honey drizzle.

Gouda: An orange, cow’s milk cheese. Sweet, salty, smooth.

The Wines

Prairie Berry Phat Hogg Chardonnay: This unoaked white has a buttery, mango-citrus nose. Sweet, simple.

Chateau Ste Michelle 2008 Pinot Gris: Fruity, crisp and floral. Notes of orange peel, melon, honeysuckle, spice and green apple.

Seven Daughters Red Winemaker’s Blend: A blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Syrah, Carignane and Sangiovese. Dark red fruit on the palate, complemented by aromas of vanilla and lavender with a peppery finish.

Mark West 2009 Pinot Noir: Intense color, layers of fruit with a touch of earthy minerality. Notes of wild blackberry, black cherry, and delicate herbal flavors show against French oak notes of toast and chocolate.

Flair.

Lily has a flair for eccentricity and fashion.  It shows up in lots of little ways. 

One case in point:  Last week Lily's kindergarten class colored booklets about fall, and were instructed to use the traditional autumn colors of brown, yellow, red and orange exclusively throughout the book.

I love how Lily managed to get out of the box and display individuality and creativity, while staying within the boundaries of the assignment. 

Very indicative of her personality. 

Four.

You're sweet and simple, charming and always funny.  You say honest, outright things, and were born an encourager- you find so many nice things to complement us on, and it's precious. 

If you're ever a stinker, your siblings probably had something to do with it.  Your Dad is everything you want to be someday and you LOVE the farm (Daddy would tell you it wouldn't have mattered to him if you didn't, but, he's not-so-secretly thrilled about that). 

You got a black eye while chasing a frog last week, and you LOVE IT when people ask you about it. 

And today, you're four.

Happy Birthday Buddy.

Love,
Mom

Waiting...

Labor Day Weekend (Sort of) Campout

Just a few shots from Labor Day weekend, hanging out in our backyard with our neighbors who are also our friends.

The camping part, not so much fun.  We just wanted to get the tent out one more time- but it was chilly, in the 40s, and our kids have cheap sleeping bags.  And at around midnight, one of them got up to go to the bathroom, couldn't get the door unzipped, and proceeded to have an accident, standing up, half-asleep, in the middle of the tent.  And that is all I have to say about that.

Lifelight 2011

It was a little cold, a little breezy, a lot of fun.  Here are some snapshots from Lifelight 2011.

So Glad She's Home.

Katydid.

We spent a spell with a katydid last night.  These are bold, brave insects- much more willing to stand their ground than the elusive grasshopper.  That makes them very fun to observe (and hold).

I love that the color matches the green rim of the leaves.

Books.

I realized yesterday that I haven't posted any books for a while.  Here's what I've read lately-

 

 

 

The Help, by Kathryn Stockett

 

 

 

 

Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte

 

 

The Giver, by Lois Lowry

 

 

 

 

Thirteen Reasons Why, by Jay Asher

 

 

 

 

The Complete Stories, by Flannery O'Connor

 

 

And I'm about to start reading...

 

 

 

 

The Woman in White, by Wilkie Collins