This week

::A rare sunny evening perfect to catch the light off the riverbank- as the falcon shrieks overhead.
:: Canada Geese- one of my favorite birds- nesting on the islands of cliffs- a very safe place for chicks
:: A Mallard nest in the lone patch of standing summer savory in the garden- not a very safe place I'm afraid- only two eggs left at last count- I'm almost afraid to look today- the girls will be very upset not to have ducklings in the garden
:: An awesomely typical N face
:: Wicked pinstriping on an old safe- good inspiration
:: Snowcap beans to pretty to plant without a picture
:: The first Johnny Jump up (aka Heartsease), quickly plucked and smelled.
:: Good Mother Stallard Beans ( I think)
:: Tree Planting- each year we've been getting a few trees and they've mostly died which is so so disappointing- this year we went all out and spent money to get good quality trees- a whole orchard worth- 6 apples, 2 hazelnuts, a pear, grapes, arctic kiwi, a couple of roses- hopefully we fare better with these ones- the quality seems much improved.
:: N has been starting to use my camera- I thought these ones of her legs were charming because they so capture those moments of figuring it out- lots of 'pant shots'- but pretty good for a 4 yr old with macro setting- those sweet little feet!

This Moment

"this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. "

-Amanda Blake Soule- over at Soulemama

Lichen

This spring has been a slow starter- and I've found myself outside staring at bare trees and branches, straw coloured grass and the tips of bulbs peeking out through the soil. One bonus to this type of spring is the chance to appreciate what we've got nature wise right now. It's easy to be enthralled in the natural world in the fall and the late spring and summer, even the dead of winter has some obvious beauty to it, but the in-between times can be tough- the promise of leaves and flowers seems a long way off out here, and we're caught in this liminal state where it feels like early spring has overstayed it's welcome and true spring isn't springing fast enough.

You have to look at the subtle to find something that can absorb you while you wait for the obvious things to hurry up. It's a push to go past flowers and start studying the shape of the trees- the shadows of branches on a weathered table top, the golden and grey lichen that thrive on those branches, the way that the straw coloured grass matches exactly my little one's hair.

Maybe the lesson this spring is teaching me that savouring subtlety is one way to thrive in a liminal state, when you're not quite where you want to be- but you're on your way- maybe it's best to enjoy the small things- the microcosms- and forget about the end result for a bit.

I've tucked these pruned branches into a cast iron planter I have standing outside- and am enjoying their architectural shapes while I wait for the sweet peas to grow up around them.

Finished!

Finally I've finished N's button pillow, I started it when I was pregnant, three hearts- one for each family member. I don't know why it took me so long to finish- it sat for a long time mostly done- I suppose until recently I couldn't trust N not to jam every button in her mouth while I was sewing it on, but now she just looks at it- and carries it around, and points to her favorites.

So sweet playing with the buttons in a sunbeam. - she was engrossed in it long enough not to notice me taking photos of her- and that never happens- she's very in tune to the sound of a camera clicking.

Breathe

"The sun, with all those planets revolving around it and dependant on it, can still ripen a bunch of grapes as if it had nothing else in the universe to do"- Galileo

This quote puts everything in perspective for me- that no matter how busy we are- no matter what giant tasks we have on our lists, the smallest of our tasks is also important. And that even while focusing on the big ticket items we can spare some concentration for the daily minutiae. But most importantly to me it implies that you can do so lovingly- that a full busy life is no excuse to slog through the daily routine, frustrated that you have to stop what you're doing and, yet again, change a diaper.

It's no secret that savouring the small moments is key to enjoying your life, but for me this quote allowed me to see 'interruptions' as a chance to collect my breath, and relax, to step outside the big picture, if only for a moment- when I can remember to think of it, that is.