~early summer dance~

Summer Dance

Night fall

Green fills air and under foot

There's a dance yonder in field with a thousand fireflies

Won't you dance with me?

Soul filled to brim with fullness

Child with summer feet and mother worn

Won't you dance with me?

Fill your soul with the likes of mine?

Free, spirited child dance this dance.

Spring grass at fingertips, storms, clean air swirls.

Prelude to summer, white clover and honeybee.

She's in the field; hair tossed and nightfall.

Come dance with me.

Blackberry Winter

Ode to Blackberry Winter

Ode to the winter that breaks away in early spring providing us with mist in the air, pink irises and skies at dawn.

Ode to the smell of damp earth and the wayside annual bush painted white against barbed wire fence.

Ode to the early morning lark that sings its familiar song on meadow post.

Ode to the greenest of grass and the coldest of dew on our feet to greet us on early May mornings.

Ode to the steam rising in early morn on pond and pasture. Yes, the return of that familiar sight and smell.....coupled with honeysuckle and sweet fragrance that fills roadside and route.

Ode to the rebirth of fresh new days, life, and the fruits of living.  Ode to the Blackberry Winter that chills and warms us all the same.

It's been a while...... :)

~spring feelin'~

So this week has been a bit sad and full of worry and work. Also, it's brought Brock a year older and Gary as well. (My pictures do not load again, so getting them on here is now another challenge for the technically disadvantaged: me :)

Words escape me, but this is truth: where there is life, there will be also death.

There have been a plethora of things circulating in this mind of mine...life is so busy as of late.....

Here are a few things I know today: My husband, Gary, was born to coach. This I know. I've seen it over twenty years as he worked passionately in the field he loved. I know he misses it. It is a part of who he is and the talent is natural with how it flows on the field and out of the players......I miss that for him. Believe me, it made our life busy...but I know it is what he was born to do. Another thing, my kids are growing up amid this busy life...I must carve some downtime to slow and just be with them. I miss Vermont in the spring.....about a year ago today I was skiing for the last time with the boys on Okemo and Hilly, Ava, and I took a snowy spring hike on Mt. Tom. I remember the smell of March and its feel after the snow melted. April brought the promise of summer........today's weather reminds me of an April. I can tell 40 feels a little older, and although the changes are subtle, there is change in everything here and the people. Change is constant. Feel up for Mary Oliver? I do believe I do. 

“to live in this world

you must be able
to do three things
to love what is mortal;
to hold it

against your bones knowing
your own life depends on it;
and, when the time comes to let it go,
to let it go” 
― Mary Oliver,

Such a hard thing to do.......

One more thing: I would like to clone myself much like the movie Multiplicity..........yes, that is all. 

~Cooper~

~ A birthday ~

Listening: Kodaline "All I Want"

https://youtu.be/cqJoVlnmdFQ


Celebrated Hillary's 8th birthday...time is sure flying. She requested ice skating and to begin the day, we had a basketball game. We won. Then, we were off to skating. It was a chilly, sunny day. All the girls (for the most part) met us at the house to travel to Nashville. It was a large time! To beat all, Hillary was also the grand prize winner for the Super Bowl winnings! Everyone got squares and I even won one! And yes, we don't even know what we are signing up for!!LOL

Hillary had several girls over to spend the night and they all passed out watching....."Coat of Many Colors, Dolly Parton" Too funny. I'm sure parties will advance over the years...but this one was too cute. They played school, dressed up, played Shopkins, and makeup , of course. I love you, Hillary!
Pictures to follow:

This weekend I also picked out a 1 and a 5 and it happened. It finally sunk in all this time......time between years.....it stood still for a moment. I have a soon to be 15 year old son. The one who rode a green gator that probably had 100,000 miles on it up and down Luther Lane road, the one that made me a mother, the one I wore non-smear lipstick for as I would go to work.....I had to kiss him about a million times and hated to mark him up good before I had to take him to daycare  lol. We were in love....The first one gets to try out about everything.....he's taken gymnastics, camps, wilderness camps, ....such a large variety. But the variety, keeps him diverse I suppose.



It's spitting snow, colder, and I'm a little down. Circumstances that just are. Just is. Let us remember those who have put up great fights and failed. We do. This. Is. Life. We are constantly in circles. My goal: to learn from everyone who crosses my path. To learn. Not that everyone that crosses it, it is meant to be....but what can I learn? Sometimes, frankly, it is nothing. But some, oh, they are so rich in this department.

~bare~

Bare. Trees. Bare, the field. Blades stand slanted, bent by wind. Maybe confused. Maybe seeking refuge behind their buds. February warmth by sun only to be forsaken with chill. Oh, the daffodil with their braveness to peek through this cold ground.....and greet us with smile and sun. 

It's happening. Daffodils are about 5 inches out of ground now. Oh, and the groundhog did see its shadow....so, perhaps an early spring.....yes, just maybe. I predict 2 more snippets of snow: next week and toward the end of February. 

This weekend we will celebrate Hillary's 8 year old birthday at the ice-skating rink with friends. Happy Birthday, sweet ~ Hillary. 

"The lonely stand in the dark corners of their hearts.

I have seen them in cities, and in my own neighborhood,

nor could I touch them with the magic that they crave

to be unbroken. Then, I myself, lonely,

said hello to good fortune.  Someone

came along and lingered and little by little

became everything that makes the difference.

Oh, I wish such good luck

to everyone. How beautiful it is to be unbroken."  ~ Mary Oliver

What does this communicate to you?

I read this today and loved what it evoked -meaning-connectedness......do share what you think. Coffee, tea, anyone?  :)

Below.....more pics of the adventures this past weekend. 

Brock and Coop enjoying their food after the mountain.....skiing in short sleeves.....today.

Old Mill selfie of Hilly

Swimming!

Little Bluegrass.....

~ Winter and, then, summer~

Yes, it was a blizzard last week....8 inches....and 65 this weekend.....with a stormy Tuesday as I sit with a hum of background noise and rain and write. Tornadoes possible. It is a nice rainy night....just right. This weekend our team played their last game. We lost by 1 point! 

Then, we left for Gatlinburg to take the boys skiing. Cooper misses Vermont the most........out of all the kids. He misses his new experiences he had there....especially the skiing part - the brotherly love on the mountain....the chocolate waffles....the unsupervised moments......terrain park. It was about a year ago we had our fire! That is something I won't soon forget!

Below are some pictures as of late. 

Peace....and Feel the Bern....lol

Hilly and Coop- at dusk sledding

Me .....with Precious and Vandy at sunset

Our trip with Hilly and Maddie

Ferriswheel

She always manages to get that money on our trips......lol

Paisley - Amy and Ej's wee one....Hilly loved taking care of these younger ones.

Kayla & Jo Jo

Our Team

I'm so happy I can offer her a reason to write......:)

The prompt.....What is something that disappoints you?

LOL really loud