Another Journal Behind Me

Yesterday, as I sat in sweltering heat, too hot to do anything but read, write, watch a movie, or take a nap, I filled the last page in another pretty journal. I always feel a sense of accomplishment whenever I cover the last few pages of my journal in my handwritten words and put it away with all my other past journals in a box, safely tucked away. And I feel renewed inspiration and adventure calling me in the virgin pages of another unmarked book. Sometimes I hesitate to mar the untouched cleanliness of a new journal with my hand that will often complain, and whine, and write things I may later be ashamed of. But that is all a part of human life, my human life. And alongside pages filled with anger and sadness are pages filled with beauty and happiness. My journal is my friend who hears me out on all the good and bad things I have swimming around in my head. It is part of my story. And when I open a brand new one I feel like I am opening a new and hopeful chapter in my life.

   "Isn't it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet?"

--Anne of Green Gables

Farmer Fairy

For half of my family, 'tis the week to be camping. Both Rachel and Dad are on a church camping trip up in Tahoe for a couple of days, and Elizabeth is backpacking with our bible study group in Yosemite until Friday. That leaves Mom, Matthew, and I to hold the fort down here at home.

One interesting factor in this is that all the regular chicken wranglers are gone at once for the first time. So, what do we do? Hand out garden hats and take charge of course! Chickens are creatures of routine: they eat, they lay eggs (except Bob,) and they put themselves to bed at dusk; and the little ones are now big enough to be pretty much independent too. So, with a straightforward list of instructions to refer to, caring for the flock has been a cinch.

We still have to count the littles. There's one. 

Two, three. 

Four, five, six... slow down girls, I'm getting you all mixed up! 

And I have to gather the eggs.  It took some looking to find these.

"Ollie-Ollie-Oxen-Free!"

"One of these things is not like the other..." 

A total of four beautiful eggs. 

And now, a tale of two trellises. (Sort of.)

Since Elizabeth has moved in to the house next door, and been busy with her work and chickens, she hasn't had very much time for gardening. This year we had just a small one. Plus she's making plans to cultivate the little yard next door into a lovely garden (of both vegetables and flowers!) So, earlier in the season I started taking care of watering the garden exclusively and have now taken full responsibility for it.

A few days ago Elizabeth and I planted some crookneck squash starters and zucchini seeds in one recently vacated bed.

 

 It's a little late in the season to be planting squash, but we all missed fresh, homegrown squash. Except for maybe Rachel, she doesn't really like squash.

 Still too soon to see any zucchini sprouts. 

We also planted three rows of radishes (above), and a second trellis of peas. We took the seeds for the second trellis from some dried pea pods from our first crop of peas. Homegrown seeds! 

Pea trellis, senior. 

 And last but not least, our single volunteer tomato plant is still plugging away. I'm still waiting to see red on it. 

I love taking care of my own little garden, watering it and harvesting produce. I call it my kitchen garden (I like that term) and I'm already thinking up plans for it next year.

 Life is so beautiful.

Isn't Life Ironic?

 Last night, after months of painstaking work with the most difficult yarn I've ever handled, I finally finished this blue shawl.

After three days of chilled rainy weather (yesterday it positively poured) I finished this warm garment just in time for the return of typical summer heat. Oh well. I love summer, and though it will be a while before I'll get to use my new shawl, I'll be content in my Hawaiian dresses until the fall.

As my next knitting project, I think I shall knit a Sontag, a soft, pink one for my Mom, which she's been requesting ever since we saw Little Dorrit. 

But first...

...I think I need to tidy and organize my work basket. But not today.

Today I have a full day. First I have a meeting with the Harold B. Pricklepants Society to discuss our current read, The Dean's Watch by Elizabeth Goudge. (Just the title is compelling, with its multiple meanings.) Then later in the afternoon, if all goes as planned, I will be going to the movies with my sisters to see a truly masterful cinematic work that we have been looking forward to.

Monster's University!!!

The First Day of Summer

It's the Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year! After a few weeks of chilly Norway summer (as my Mom affectionately calls it) I'm once again ready for summer's heat. Not to mention the flowers.

While discovering all these treasures in the garden I also discovered how addicting it can be snapping pictures of such a beautiful place.

Runty is not as cute as the puffy little chicks that are everywhere this year (see my sister's blog, Pursuing a Jeffersonian Education, for chick details) but he's still a fine figure of a bird.

Tonight we will celebrate the longest day of the year by spending a late evening outdoors, feasting, talking, laughing, and maybe even a little swim.

Beauty is all around us, outside...

...and in. 

Happy first day of Summer!

"That was Magic."

Some days I just wish I were a different person, that I had a different personality or different talents. Writing or playing music when you are not enthusiastic can be so very difficult. I try to force myself and sometimes it's a disaster. Other times it rewards me and makes me feel lively again. Sometimes all it takes is to say, "You know what, I'm not going to play my harp today. I'll play another time when I really want to." Other times all I have to do is sit down before that angelic instrument and I'm at home.

There was something all wrong about yesterday. Perhaps it was the fact that my Dad was away on a Wednesday when he usually only goes away on Tuesdays. Maybe I'm still getting used to my sister living in the house next door. The house is different with her moved out. And maybe I was just having a bad day.

My harp needed to be played, I try not to go more than two days without playing it under any circumstances and I know I hadn't played it the day before, but I was uninspired. I told myself I would just play a few songs, no need for a concert. So I did.

A few days before I had pulled out some classical pieces that had not seen daylight for quite some time. My repertoire includes classical music, some Celtic, hymns, show tunes, and popular songs. (Show tunes and pop songs are my favorites.) Classical music has pretty much always been my least favorite category, even to the point of my detesting some of the pieces I had to learn in the days of lessons. But you can't eat chocolate croissants and strawberries all the time. Every now and then you need some wholesome wheat bread, cheese, and vegetables. Sometimes the pop songs are not enough for me, and I need the nourishment of old classical music.

As I played through a Sonatina by J.L. Dussek, Automn by Marcel Grandjany, and Etude de Concert by Marcel Tournier, I remembered how beautiful they were. The strings made a sound, light and tinkling, that could summon fairies. Again I wondered, as I have too many times, "Why don't I play these more often? They're beautiful."

When I strummed the final flourish of Etude de Concert, my Mom came into the room (turns out I had summoned a fairy!) and asked me what I had just played. When I told her, she said, "That was magical." I wholeheartedly agreed.

This is Victoria.

 

I've Moved to France!





 Without leaving my house at all! Our home has been undergoing some changes. My older sister and cousin are moving into the guest house nextdoor. Both my parents used to have offices there but have recently moved them back to our home base.

This lovely curtain, depicting a French cafe, used to hide the sliding mirror closet doors in my Mom's office, but since she doesn't need them now, and I just so happen to have closet doors identical to those in her previous office, they've been given to me. I think they add a lovely new touch to my room.

As of last night my room has undergone several small renovations. Aside from the curtains we moved some pictures,

 

 

 and with help from Elizabeth, I even redid the space on my dresser.

 

 

 



 It is now almost solely devoted to music (something I'm sure I can't live without) and is a lot less cluttery. I think it looks much better than before.

As to the rest of the house, Mom and I have been unpacking and moving the unbelievable collection of books we've accumilated, and Dad has been relocating a piece or two of artwork. (Mom collects books, Dad collects artwork.)

Mom's new tea library.

A lot of books stacked against an upstairs hallway wall. Soon we'll have bookshelves for them.

And Daddy's art gallery.