Back home

Back to my cows, to milking and frozen fingers

Back to daily farm chores

Back to layers of wool clothing and heavy work boots

Back to home-schooling

Back to fresh air

Back to the smell of wood fire in the air

Back to real food that I grew myself and put away for the winter

Back to the land that feeds us

Back to the life we’ve made, the life I want to live.

In Montreal

Relaxing at my parents' house. Sena knitted the shawl I am wearing in the picture and gave it to me for Christmas.

We found a skating rink we really like in Old Montreal. We went there yesterday and today, and spent morning and afternoon skating. I forgot how much fun skating can be. It had been 25 years since the last time I skated.
Sena and Aiyana holding hands on the ice.

Peace, and Happy New Year!

Happy 11th Birthday Sena!!!

Today our beautiful Sena is turning 11! She requested a day off from homeschooling, so we're doing that. We had presents in the morning, and she and Aiyana spent some time watching gymnastics Olympics videos, and now they're doing a complicated but beautiful puzzle that Sena got for her birthday. Later we'll be baking traditional Romanian Christmas bread, "cozonac". It's a great day for all of us.

Sena is really amazing. To say that I am proud of her does not even come close to expressing how I feel. There's so much more than that. She is my teacher and my inspiration.

Here, on page 11, is an article published last summer by Cetacean Society International about Sena. It shows some parts of Sena that come across in everything she does: her love of the natural world, and whales in particular, her inborn sense of justice and fairness, her generosity. I am grateful beyond words for having the privilege to be her mother.

Peace

Happy Winter Solstice!

Once again, the shortest day of the year is here, and we spend most of our day in darkness.  I welcome the peace and restfulness of this dark period.

With the last sale of 2014 behind us (last Saturday), and very few things growing or requiring immediate attention outside, this is the time of year when most of our activities revolve around the indoors and when, generally, we feel more relaxed . We allow ourselves more time to sit around the fire and read James Herriot as a family at night, we take our time homeschooling, cooking, and doing whatever needs to be done. We still work, but in a more unhurried way than during summer, spring or fall. So, it is a good time of year.

Sena, Aiyana and I will be going to Montreal to spend Christmas with my family. We are all looking forward to it. It's become a bit of a tradition, our yearly visit to the city, when we get to be with my parents, my sister, and her family. For me, it's a nice break from cooking and house work, although I usually end up missing all of that by the time I come back. But the break in the routine is certainly refreshing, and when I get back to our farm, it is usually with renewed vigor and appreciation. I do know that I will miss the cows when I'm away though. Ed will be taking over the milking for me, but I will miss hugging them and talking to them in the morning, the way they wait for me so eagerly at the gate when I come with their treats (cabbages, carrots, radishes - they have it pretty good here...), and their earthy smell.

Here is a link to our latest farm newsletter, written by Ed. It contains a funny description of an encounter I had with our mean rooster last week.

Peace and Happy Holidays!

What Aiyana's grateful for

Click here.

A glimpse into their world

At Thanksgiving, partly for fun, and partly for homeschooling, Sena and Aiyana wrote a short piece each on what they are thankful for.

Here is Sena's, and I will post Aiyana's as soon as I get a chance to scan it in.

Sena and Aiyana Karate Demo Team Video

This morning it was about 20F when I got out to milk Opal. My fingers were cold. I knit myself a pair of fingerless gloves to wear for farm chores, and they do work, but the tips of my fingers being uncovered still get very cold. This morning, by the time I was done milking some milk had frozen on the bottom of one of my milking buckets, and my fingers felt numb. Still, despite the cold, I do love this time of the year, with its short, restful days and unhurried pace. I'm not ready to call it quits on morning milking yet, one because we love Opal's milk, and two because I enjoy the morning ritual of being with the cows. It's a nice way to start the day.

Sena and Aiyana were chosen to be on the Demo Team for their karate school, along with 7 other children. They’ve been putting together a routine and practicing it for about a month now. The routine is not finished yet, but they presented what they had so far at a black belt ceremony on Friday night. Here’s a link to a video, taken by the parent of a girl on the team. Sena and Aiyana are the two girls demonstrating the bo staff (long stick).

Peace