Planting (226-240)

It is at once a very brave, and a very simple thing- entrusting a seed into the earth.

It feels strangely removed from the stack of gardening books on my desk, each waxing intricate about companionate planting, crop rotations, double digging, nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus, annual last frost dates, and vermicomposting. It's as if all of that book learning doesn't belong near the soil at all.

When you strip away all of the techniques and tips- the best ways to stake a tomato, the

flowers guaranteed to detract slugs and aphids, the organic materials that will ensure your beans

flourish, the correct way to manually pollinate corn, and the pros and cons of chitting potato seed- when you set all of that aside and get down to the actual business of being outside...

Well, then it gets a whole lot simpler.

Turn the earth.

Dig a hole.

Place a seed.

Add water.

Trust.

A 3 year old could explain it. Hell, a three year old did explain it to me, adding the sage advice that "it helps if you pull the weeds."

And I wonder, now that I'm pretty well finished with the process of planting, why I have to complicate it. Why we all have to complicate it. Why can't any of us just trust?

It really is ridiculously simple. Nature does all the work.

I love the planning. Don't get me wrong. I love the research, and it's not going to stop any time soon. Not until I get a major personality change, and while I'm not sure how those are running right now I'm fairly certain it's more then I can afford.

But I think the part I love best is when the research all falls away, and I get to finally get my hands dirty (literally).

What I love best is the simplicity of it.

And I think the part that's hardest for me, is the bravery of it.

The trust.

And #240...it has to be Trust.

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# 226. Zoo's

#227. A child's wonder in the simplest things.

#228. Baths.

#229. Icecream.

#230. Weather finally catching up to the season.

#231. A baby's newfound appetite for books.

#232. Iced tea.

#233. Newly mown grass.

#234. Sunlight on golden curls.

#235. Milestones conquered.

#236. My every-other-yearly night out clubbing. To remind me that I dont actually enjoy clubbing.

#237. Kind strangers.

#238. This guys smile.

#239. Phone calls.

Snow Day!

"Zeke look out the window."

"SNOW!!! It's a SNOW day it's a SNOW day it's a SNOW day!!!!!" he screamed while he literally ran in circles in his pajamas.

You see, this past July he received a stack of old books, one of which was entitled "Snow Day". It was an instant favorite that he made Josh read him before bed every single night for literally months. So saying that Zeke was ready for snow seems a bit of an understatement.

When he stopped running in circles long enough to yell "I need my coat!", head twisting wildly in a manner I could only assume meant he was searching for it on the ceiling, I sadly had to inform him that we weren't going out into the snow until we had all eaten breakfast- not to mention gotten dressed for the day.

I expected arguments, if not a full blown tantrum, but I think he was too excited for even that. Instead he froze, hands wide in front of him like some tiny football player, and yelled "OK! Breakfast! Come on, lets eat breakfast RIGHT NOW!" and started running into the kitchen.

I've never seen my son, a notoriously slow eater, finish a bowl of cereal faster and by the time Malachi (who cared more about getting every single cheerio into his mouth then about going outside) was finished Zeke had managed to get one of his gloves and both of his boots- no small feat.

And that my friends is why #82 is waking up to a winter wonderland. Not because I necessarily enjoy snow- I do not. Nor because I was looking forward to shoveling our driveway with 1 child strapped to my back and another with a glove that fell off 3,982 times- I was not. In fact, we are leaving town on Wed and I have already ensured that I will never be forced to drive until then. That is, unless I get desperate enough to trek to the South Hill for knitting group Tuesday night (and I might).

But this is real-life magic, folks. This morning- it's magic. And watching Zeke bound from room to room, window to window, exclaiming "there's snow here!...and more snow here!....there's even more snow out here!" to ensure and delight in the fact that we are completely surrounded, I've got to say- Its worth it.

#67-82 of 1000 Moments of Grace

67. The 25th Sunday after Pentecost- a promise of holidays to come.

68. Zeke playing quietly by himself on a morning when I really really needed that extra hour of sleep.

69. Long, long, dinosaur trains.

70. A library, and all the wonders it contains, just a mile away.

71. New haircuts.

72. New hats, and the idle hours that make them possible.

73. A surplus of overripe bananas, a "problem" easily solved by warm banana bread.

74. Books I've read 1,000 times, yet still cant put down.

75. The husband that lets me sit on a Sunday afternoon, hour after hour, not putting that book down.

76. Hand print turkeys.

77. That first person getting crossed off the Christmas shopping list.

78. Brothers holding hands in the car.

79. The normal, "do nothing", nights that I know we will all forget.

80. Those first few snowflakes falling, and the yearly debate of whether it will melt off or we will never see the ground again until April.

81. A working furnace on cold nights.

82. Waking up to a winter wonderland.

An Update on Preschooling and Two Requests for Advice

First: We are on week 4 of preschooling, far enough along to have figured out a rhythm and an early opinion of how it's going. I was uncharacteristically doubtful on whether this was a good idea or not, if it was too early, ect. I think I've been reading too many contradicting theories on early childhood. Or maybe just plain reading too much.

If you think that isn't possible, then you haven't seen my stack (in the end I read all those books this summer, excepting Shogun which I put off yet again, and adding instead the first 9 of the Sword of Truth Series, plus The Charlotte Mason Companion, plus 2 of Phylis Tickle's Farm in Lucy Trilogy).

I am happy with preschooling, however, though it isn't panning out the way I planned. In my mind it was all very official, us filing into the school room at some point after breakfast on Monday morning, with a fairly reliable and concrete "start" and "end", even if we left certain things for later in the week.

After the first week we did nothing of the sort.

Instead it's become a rather organic addition to our week. An art project here, baking there, activities available that weekly change, singing songs in the car and when we are bored, and of course books, books, books sprinkled into every spare moment. I think in the end its much more appropriate to Zeke's age, and more realistic for our family (especially adding Mal to the mix). The only difference between now and before we were doing "school" is that I am consciously preparing most of the activities to relate to a central weekly theme...or shall I say letter?

In September we did D is for Dinosaur, Z is for Zoo, and A is for Apple. Up for October is L is for Leaf, I is for Instrument, P is for Pumpkin, and B is for Bug.

The central weekly theme was a great idea; it's really helped Zeke make connections when we're doing paint stamps with apples, and going to the apple orchard, and making apple pie, and have a small stack of books about apples, all in the same week. But the letters? Probably shouldn't have bothered. We aren't even learning letters yet, Zeke is too little. So all it's accomplished is the necessity to think of something that starts with X.

We live and learn I suppose.

Second: I'm teaching myself to knit, continental style. I was informed this would be easier to learn then English knitting as I am not only left handed, but a crocheter. Also, it's supposed to be faster. So far, I have no evidence to make me believe otherwise on either account.

But then again, I have also only learned to cast on so far.

So if anyone has any 1. Opinions on continental vs english knitting; 2. Thoughts on knitting as a left-handed person; 3. Recommendations of how-to-knit websites or videos for continental or left handed knitting; 4. Offers to teach me to knit; or 5. general advice/comments then let me know.

I've come to realize that while I love to know new things, I pretty much despise learning new things. About 3 times now I've thrown my knitting needles to the ground in disgust at my confusion of yarn and fingers and vowed to never pick them up again. My husband, who was there, reminds me that I did the same with my crochet hook more times then either one of us cares to count, and now I am rather proficient.

Everyone should learn something new from time to time, if only because its so easy to forget how hard it is.

Third: I've been playing around with the look of this blog for a few weeks now. I really really love the simplicity of it, especially compared to my old and rather cluttered look. What do you think?

I'm also really fond of the "Stuff I'm Pondering" links at the right. So often I come by interesting blogs, opinion pieces, DIY articles, and the like that I would like to share, but I feel uncomfortable constantly spamming people via facebook "Look! I found this INTERESTING!" and don't have the time or inclination to blog all the time about other blogs for gracious sake. This feels a lot less intrusive then either option. It's there if you have the time and interest in it, but if you don't it's not in your face.

I do want to say, however, that it is Stuff I'm Pondering, not necessarily Stuff I Agree 100% With. It isn't some crazy Courtney's-Seal-Of-Approval, as if anyone would care. I am, however, ripe for discussion on any of them, so e-mail me if you want.

I'm not as sure that I'm fond of the "My Favorite Posts" button. Originally it was "Top Posts" because I realized that a good 1/4 of my traffic was going to a key dozen or so posts, and thought it would be convenient to highlight them. Then I decided to use a few of those, as well as a few of my personal favs for a list of favorite posts. But now I'm thinking I might get rid of it altogether.

Is there anything you think I should get rid of? Anything you think I need to add?

This is probably adieu until we get back in town next week. So have a good week!

The Stack

My reading list is getting out of control very fast lately. Very out of control. The two books that are starred I am half finished with but the rest are waiting to be read either in the large and precarious stack at my desk, my public library queue, or my wish list for future amazon purchase (I feel guilty buying books on the internet when I could be supporting my local bookstores but I just cant beat those amazon prices). I WANT to finish off this list by the end of summer. At a book a week that would have been laughably easy, say, 2 years ago. As it is...we will see how it goes. It may be accomplished and it may not.

I am not allowing myself to add any more to the list until it's done however. So stop blogging about good books for a while ok?

Non-Fiction:
*The Brothers Karamazov- Dostoevsky
Shogun- James Clavel

Parenting:
*You Are Your Child's First Teacher- Rahima Baldwin Dancy
Discipline without Distress- Judy Arnall
Siblings without Rivalry- Adele Farber
How to Talk so Kids Will Listen and Listen so Kinds Will Talk- Adele Farber
The Shaping of a Family- Elizabeth Elliot
Heaven on Earth- Sharifa Oppenheimer

Psychology:
The Male Brain- Louanne Brizendine

Cooking:
Artisan Breads in 5 Minutes a Day

Spirituality:
Keep a Quiet Heart- Elizabeth Elliot
Let Me Be a Woman- Elizabeth Elliot
The Ragamuffin Gospel- Brennan Manning
Letters to an American Woman- CS Lewis
Weight of Glory- CS Lewis
Reflections on the Psalms- CS Lewis

A new felt board and hopefully more to come

I want to try to start crafting again. At least every once in a while. I haven't since Mal's birth and I miss it. To start that goal off, Zeke and I made him a felt board this weekend, along with some simple shapes and the letters of his name. He was mighty impressed by the word "octagon" and said it about 1,000 times, pointing them out wherever we went. Unfortunately the difference between an octagon and a circle are rather obscure to a 1 year old... many of Zeke's octagons were, in fact, circles.

My plan is to swap out the shapes with something different when he gets bored with them and/or learns all his shapes. Maybe something for counting? Maybe some characters from a fairy tale we can tell? The possibilities are endless. Which is why I love felt boards.

My next project is going to be crocheting Mal some stacking rings. I already found a great pattern on Ravelry and I'm almost sure I can make it using leftover scraps since I'm not going to be too picky on mixing fibers on this one. I figure if one ring is cotton and another wool and then another silk its just going to add to the appeal right?

Wish me luck on finding the time. My gargantuan stack of books at my desk doesnt bode well for this.