Patriot Day

In memory of 9/11 and with love in our hearts for all those fighting for freedom, here are some patriotic images from around the house - including our little immigrant from Fröken Skicklig in Germany ;)

Happy to be 8!

Elsa was absolutely radiant on her 8th birthday! She woke up so excited and happy, immediately put on her new dress, opened her most anticipated present (a little set of handmade fairy dolls), and got ready for her baptism. She was so excited to be baptised on her birthday! Surrounded by family and friends who love her, she was glowing all day long!

An Enchanting Day

A chance encounter with Twig, the wandering fairy the moment we stepped inside the gates. Two little princesses listened in awe to her sweet fairy pipes and held out thier hands for a shiny green fairy stone.

Robin flew in the rigging like a first-rate pirate.

A break for lunch - giant roasted turkey legs, broccoli & cheese soup served in a boule, shepherds pie, onion pasty. We picnicked on the grass under the shade of the trees, soft breeze blowing, sounds of pipes and flutes and harp drifting through the air.

Jesse & Lucy relaxing in the dappled light of the warm spring sun.

Jill, with friends Katie and Barry, enjoying the merriment and adding plenty of thier own.

It was a beautiful, warm spring day. The boys left tunics and tabards at home and stayed cool in their billowy linen shirtsleeves, the girls in drifting silk and linen skirts, hair in braids or blowing in the cool breeze. We watched tight-rope walkers, jugglers and acrobats, a phantom playing the clarion bells, blacksmiths and glass blowers and a very convincing hypnotist; shopped for scented bath salts and gypsy scarves, wooden swords and dragon puppets; ate strawberry Italian ice, a huge roasted turkey leg, broccoli and cheese soup served in a bread boule; sipped blood orange Italian soda with cream, and finished the day sitting on the grass under a tree, listening to bagpipes and drums and nibbling on strawberry pastries and cinnamon buns. It was a moment spent back in time in an idealized world of magic and romance, beauty and art. Yes, a very enchanting day indeed!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

No Kiddin'...You're My Valentine!

Happy Valentine's Day!

I hope you all had as warm and lovely a day as we had here.

xoxo

The Big Freeze

Walking on the ice in the goat pasture.

Icicles from the garden hose.

Saving the citrus fruit with charcoal burners through the night.


Our frozen yard!

Ice in the pastures, irrigation ditch, and backyard along with some visiting mallards.

We have had some very cold nights this past month. It is unusual for our lows to get much below freezing, especially not for so many nights in a row. But we had 20 degrees farenheit for several nights, and that required extra care for our beautiful citrus trees. We were able to save the fruit, and the trees themselves are hardy, so no worries! We had irrigation the day before the last freeze, and the entire yard was a frozen lake next morning. Of course Robin and Elsa were thrilled, and despite warnings from the doctor to be careful of Elsa's already broken arms, and Robin's sprained foot, they just couldn't stay off the ice! It was a lovely and unexpected visit from King Winter, and thankfully very short. Of course, it is possible we will have more freezing days ahead! If so, we will welcome them with warm hearts and the hope of spring.

Merry Christmas!

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!