Harvest Moon Photo Tips

I thought this article by Amy Farnsworth over at the Monitor was interesting, especially the photography tips - each year I try to take a decent Harvest Moon photo, and each year I fail!

-The harvest moon gets its name because the light from the moon allows farmers to work later hours – past sunset – and harvest staple crops such as pumpkins, squash, beans, and wild rice, during this time period. The Farmers’ Almanac says “the moon typically rises an average of 50 minutes later each night, but for the few nights around the Harvest Moon, the Moon seems to rise at nearly the same time each night: just 25 to 30 minutes later across the US, and only 10 to 20 minutes later for much of Canada and Europe.”
The colors of the harvest moon vary and it can appear in red, yellow, or orange hues due to air pollution – mainly from forest fires.
Throughout centuries, the colorful harvest moon has inspired artists, painters, and poets. Many photographers have tried to capture images of the harvest moon, but it’s not very easy.
To take stellar photos of this seasonal event, Writer Geoff Gaherty of Space.com offers the following photography tips:
If your camera has automatic exposure, the scene will look too bright and the moon will be overexposed. The trick to capturing the harvest moon in a photograph is first, to zoom in with your telephoto lens to make the moon appear larger, and secondly, to underexpose the picture by a couple of stops, to darken the landscape, saturate the colors, and expose the moon properly.

wind, leaves, cider & pumpkin cake

I still get wildly enthusiastic about little things...

I play with leaves. I skip down the street and run

against the wind.

-Leo Buscaglia

Well, I'm finally back! The kids are back in school, and we've gotten through our usual first bout of sickness that always happens this time of year. We are slowly getting back into the swing of things, and while the kids do like going to school I still have a pit in my stomach every day I walk down the steps from the courtyard (see photo) without a little hand to hold. On a typical day I stop at the grocery store and then head home with a pit stop at my husband's 94 year-old grandma's house to run in her morning paper. I then go home and clean like a maniac or do what I can for my husband's work until 11:00 when it's time to pick up our daughter from kindergarten. On Thursdays I try to treat myself to an hour in the local thrift shop or some lounge time in the library. And then all of a sudden it's Friday and time to savor the precious weekend with my precious people!

After school tomorrow we are going to celebrate the first day of Fall with some pumpkin cake and cider in our little cabin in the woods. A fine dinner, don't you agree? :)

Summer Update

Like so many people I know, I've been crazily busy this summer and can't believe how it's flying by. My computer time has been extremely limited as I've been outside and running around with the kids so much. I almost decide to give up this little blog, but I know that once the kids are back in school and I have no one to eat my lunch with that I'll NEED it, so I guess I'll just call this a hiatus and return again in September.

Before I go, I would like to mention 2 things I've been enjoying recently - the band Iron & Wine and Michael Perry's latest book "Coop: A Year of Poultry, Pigs, and Parenting." Iron & Wine is perfect summer eve music, and the Perry book has "a literary gem on nearly every page" just like the quote on the back of it says. Here's a random paragraph from a random page:

"We begin on the easy path - a mown strip leading to the ridge past the old circular steel corncrib behind the granary. The crib stands empty beneath its rust-streaked galvanized cap, the iron mesh twined around the south side with a few stray ivy runners. For years it has done little more than sift the wind. At sundown it silhouettes against the sky like some ghostly aviary."

And that's just him talking about a corncrib! Awesome.

Between the dusk of a summer night

Between the dusk of a summer night

And the dawn of a summer day,

We caught at a mood as it passed in flight,

And we bade it stoop and stay.

-William Ernest Henley

Local Wonders

"The sky is like old blue denim just before dawn, with one round hole worn through, exposing the cold bony knee of the moon. I have been hearing the trilling of tree frogs. That frog - even one with the chirp of a bird - would live in a tree (not even in but on) , clinging with little suction cups to keep from falling, is the height of craziness, but forty feet in the air, light as leaves, their tiny hearts are slow and steady under kite paper skin, and their black eyes shine with moonlight. Let us praise all who ascend to such high places ont he sheer face of the world."

- From the "summer" chapter of the book Local Wonders Seasons in the Bohemian Alps by Ted Kooser

Thrift Shop Blues - The One that Got Away

Awhile back, Nan at Letters from a Hillfarm posted a photo of the most inviting Adirondack chair. It brought to mind a pair of weathered Adirondacks I saw for sale at the local thrift shop - they were $36 for both. I decided to sleep on it and stopped back the next morning, only to find them gone, their two marks still left in the grass. That day I vowed to never let that happen again - if I see something I love and can afford it, it comes home with me immediately.

I read about a similar experience in one of my favorite books - Garage Sale America by Bruce Littlefield. I don't buy many books because I'm always visiting the library, but this one I loved enough that I needed to own it. Here's his tale of "the one that got away."

There's nothing worse than the one that got away. It haunts you for weeks like a bad dream, eats away at your psyche like a termite on softened wood. I recently found myself attracted to a delicately aged pair of Bert and Ernie puppets sitting on the lawn of an otherwise innocuous sale of miscellany. My brother and I had them growing up. Ernie slept on the bottom bunk with Brian; Bert slept up top with me. I didn't buy them, leaving them to be taken by some more thoughtful brother, and I've regretted it ever since. It would have been fun for me to send Brian an Ernie with a mysterious note - definitely worth the ten bucks. It was a real missed opportunity, and I try not to let those happen too often.

-Bruce Littlefield

Help prevent birds from crashing into windows

I'm using a computer at the library right now, as my home computer is again on the fritz. While I hat to spend the money, I think it's time we get a new one...
Anyway, I feel like I have to hurry up here but I just wanted to post this link to a silhouette pattern you can print out for your windows to prevent birds from hitting them...

www.dteenergy.com/environment/pdfs/raptor.pdf

If this link doesn't work, just google "raptor silhouette window decal pattern" and it will come up.

My husband's grandma had so many little birds accidently hitting her patio doors and hurting themselves - we printed out a few of these raptors, taped them up, and haven't had a collision since.

Recipe for Preserving Children

I read this yesterday and thought it was so cute - it may have been around awhile and I somehow missed it until now. When I read it to my sister, she told me she heard it before - I was reminded of the time I excitedly told her about a new great recipe I tried called Jello Poke Cake. I was then informed the recipe had been around for years and years and was certainly nothing new! (I then politely reminded her of our 25 year age difference, me being the youngest).
Anyway, here's the "recipe" which supposedly originated on a vintage cookie tin.

Recipe for Preserving Children

Ingredients
• 1 grassy field
• 1 half-dozen children (or more)
• Several dogs (and puppies, if available)
• 1 brook
• Pebbles

Method
1. Into field pour children and dogs, allowing to mix well.
2. Pour brook over pebbles till slightly frothy.
3. When children are nicely brown cool in warm bath.
4. When dry, serve with milk and fresh baked gingerbread.

lovely little cocktail night

Here's a new cocktail recipe I tried & enjoyed last night. I think I've found a new favorite!

Fresh Green Gimlet
1 TBSP sugar
juice of 1 lime
4 TBSP vodka
fistful of crushed ice
dash of carbonated mineral water

Spoon sugar into large tumbler, squeeze over the lime juice and dissolve. Add vodka and ice. Swirl to mix and top with a dash of carbonated mineral water.

The recipe says to add mint leaves if you like. Makes only 1 drink!

Serenity Now!

Holy smokes, I haven't posted for so long that I almost forgot my sign in name!

In the last few weeks I have:

- Participated in the First Communion plans, preparation, and parties for my 2nd grader

- Been in a car accident

- Dealt with a skin cancer scare of my husband's

In the last few weeks I have NOT:

-Planted any flowers

-Read any books

-Listened to any music! :(

So I very much look forward to getting back to a normal routine! I think I'll start with going blog visiting!

Another year older!

My birthday was 2 days ago, and just like every year I chose a birthday theme song. This year it was "We Will Not Grow Old" by Lenka. Although the song is about a couple in a new relationship (which doesn't apply to me at all!) I just loved singing the title line with gusto in the kitchen, car, or wherever I happened to be on Tuesday.

Besides the little handmade gifts from my kids, my favorite part of the day was when my husband said "You really don't seem as old you are at all. Although sometimes you seem like you should have been born in the pioneer days with what you like to do." I'll take that as a compliment! And I'll go bake me a cherry pie from scratch while I listen to my very hip Lenka!

Lilacs & Moonbeams

Lilacs in dooryards

Hold quiet conversations with an early moon.

-Amy Lowell

Reading, Watching, Listening

I can't believe how time goes and that it's been so long since I posted - I had my husband's birthday and Easter at my house and spun out of control for a little while there. Anyway, here's what I plan on enjoying when I find a spare moment or two:

Reading:

Around the House and In the Garden by Dominique Browning (recommended by Nan of Letters from a Hill Farm)

I also just finished A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson about his hike on the Appalachian Trail. I haven't laughed that hard out loud from a book in a long time, and I plan to get Notes from a Small Island next.

And, since I've read it no less than 50 times the last 2 weeks, I must mention the children's book Little Hoot about an owl who actually wants to go to bed. My 5-year-old can now be heard saying "I don't give a hoot!" while playing with friends and/or stuffed animals.

Watching:

The Straight Story on DVD - "A heartwarming and poignant drama chronicling the story of Alvin Straight, an elderly man who drives his John Deere lawnmower 260 miles to make amends with his brother in Wisconsin."

Listening:

I still can't get enough of Brett Dennen! I also recently got Mason Jennings "In the Ever" from the library, but haven't had a chance to listen to it.

Of course I had Nick Drake's Pink Moon on repeat last week for the real full Pink Moon. Despite it's supposed sad meaning, it's one of my favorite songs of all time. I choose not to think too deeply about it and instead just picture a magical moonlit night (or a Volkswagon commercial).

Wit, Wisdom, & Rain

"On a day when I had wanted to work outside, had bought garden seeds and made plans, I woke up to rain - slow, steady, drippy, soaking rain. It's hard not to be disappointed. But the weather is nature's way of reminding me who is in charge, who makes the big decisions. The rain put me in my place."

From Living a Country Year - Wit and Wisdom from the Good Old Days by Jerry Apps

Found! Another Favorite Artist - Brett Dennen

As you know, I am a huge Jack Johnson fan. I discovered him a few years ago in a rather lame way - in People magazine. I like to think I've always been pretty "up" on things, but somehow I hadn't heard of him until his third album. Now he's one of my favorites, and often times I wonder who else I may have missed along the way. The other day I discovered another such artist - Brett Dennen - in yet another somewhat lame way - I was simply attracted to his cd cover art at the library. His cds "Hope for the Hopeless" and "So Much More" have been on alternate repeat play in my house for a week now. He has an interesting voice and lyrics that are timely and valid. He does things I love like rhyming "victorian" with "accordian" - "I'm gonna rent me an old Victorian Down in the Lower Haight, I'm gonna find me an old accordion. Play for the tourists on the Golden Gate." Please give him a listen sometime - you'll be glad you did! (I'd supply a youtube link here if I knew how!)

And you know me and my lyrics...

The power went out,

and the stars came out

and I went out for a walk in the dark

There were fireflies flitting

and I heard poets spitting

rhymes out in the park

I felt myself drift up off the ground

& I rose above the trees

And I saw my life in photographs

of faded memories...

From the song Who Do You Think You Are?

Find yourself a hillside

I love this springy book passage from Spring Snow: The Seasons of New England From the Old Farmer's Almanac by Castle Freeman, Jr. -

Now, before the trees begin to leaf, before the grass begins to turn green and grow, the land is unguarded. Get out and see it. Find a hillside, sit down, and look over the country.
The air is cold, but already the wind smells of plant life, growth, and earthworms. The land looks like a patchwork cover worked years ago by a stern old wife who distrusted bright colors and fancy patterns. She patched simple rectangles, mostly of common cloth and in common colors. Hardwood stands are brown; above them the belts of softwoods are soft green. Cornfields are a kind of dun color from the brown mud and the gray or brown of last year's stubble. Meadpws are tan, the color a of a pale fox. Where people have their gardens the patches are a fine, rich black. Only where gardeners and farmers planted cover crops last year is there now bright color, intensely green.
You can sit and admire the season. It's one of the shortest of them all. In a few weeks the world will be green. Even today, althought the nights are cold, if you're outdoors at evening you'll hear in the woods a single peeper sounding the same note slowly, regularly, over and over again like a bored kid dinging away at a piano.

- From the essay "Look of the Land"

Blarney!

Those rascally leprechauns paid a visit to my kids' rooms last night - they put stuffed animals on the ceiling fans, turned lamps upside down, and put underpants on the heads of dolls. They even turned our milk green in the fridge! The traps the kids made did not outwit the leprechauns either, but they left calling cards of a green foil-wrapped Cadbury Creme eggs to soften any disappointment.


Today I'm proudly wearning my hooligan Irish shirt, and I feel I have every right because my grandmother's maiden name was Garrigan (not to mention I AM a hooligan, every day)! I'll be making an Irish radio station over at Pandora.com as recommened by Nan at Jade Page Press to play during dinner tonight. Green jello, honeydew, pizza decorated with a herb-sprinkled shamrock, and green cake topped with green m&ms are on the menu.

"May you always walk in sunshine. May you never want for more. May Irish angels rest their wings right beside your door." - Irish Proverb


Happy St. Patrick's Day to you!

Awesome Way to Find New Favorite Music!

If you haven't heard of Pandora.com yet, please RUN, DON'T WALK to the website! I have been become addicted to it - entering in all my favorite musicians and finding new recommendations based on my taste. It is so awesome - you get to create your own radio station with only songs you love. It couldn't be easier to use - you can get going on it in less than a minute! Oh, and did I mention it's FREE? :)

The real description:
Pandora is an automated music recommendation and Internet radio service created by the Music Genome Project. Users enter a song or artist that they enjoy, and the service responds by playing selections that are musically similar. Users provide feedback on approval or disapproval, which Pandora takes into account for future selections.

Try it, you'll love it!

Harry Connick Jr. + Full Moon Tonight = Heavenly

Another full moon has rolled around again. I always like to play "moony" music on moony nights, and tonight my choice will be the song "Heavenly" by Harry Connick Jr. off his cd We Are In Love. I had forgotten about this song and how much I liked it - I brought the cd out for the first time in a long time for Mardi Gras (we were eating dinner, everyone wanted Mardi Gras music, and the closest I could come up with was New Orleans boy Harry!) Anyway, here are the lyrics, which I absolutely love. If you've never heard it and want to hear some truly celestial harmonies, check it out!

Heavenly

He's always happy

He never looks mean

Even if the sun

should come in between

The man in the moon is smiling

'Cause he's in love

The man in the moon is smiling

'Cause he's in love with the girl in the world

She's there in the evening

She never comes late
All day she spins around

But never makes him wait

The girl in the world is smiling

'Cause she's in love

The girl in the world is smiling

'Cause she's in love with the man in the moon

When two heavenly bodies glow

All the stars agree

A planet might be born

Maybe even a galaxy

And in the morning

They don't say goodbye

But with a kiss

They blend into the sky

Oh, they're smiling

'Cause they're in love

The man in the moon is smiling

'Cause he's in love with the girl in the world

The man in the moon is smiling

'Cause he's in love with the girl in the world

Heavenly!

And now a bit from the Farmer's Almanac:

• Full Worm - March Moon As the temperature begins to warm and the ground begins to thaw, earthworm casts appear, heralding the return of the robins. The more northern tribes knew this Moon as the Full Crow Moon, when the cawing of crows signaled the end of winter; or the Full Crust Moon, because the snow cover becomes crusted from thawing by day and freezing at night. The Full Sap Moon, marking the time of tapping maple trees, is another variation. To the settlers, it was also known as the Lenten Moon, and was considered to be the last full Moon of winter.

Sounds like even the moon would like to say so long to winter!

Garden Schemes & Dreams

"Nature does not hurry,
yet everything is accomplished."
-Lao Tzu

I've started my garden/yard planning list, and while it feels good to have somewhat of a plan down on paper, I can't help but feel overwhelmed. How I wish I had a gardening friend who could help me in my yard, and I in turn in hers - I bet it wouldn't feel like work at all. It seems everyone I know either has no interest in gardening or just has a wild yard that needs little tending.

Well, enough whining - I do have my kids to keep me company by digging for worms at my side, and a husband who is always willing to whip up a little raised bed or haul my heavy wagon full of wet weeds up the hill for me. Here are some of my notes for the yard this year - it's funny how in my notebook I follow almost every entry with a question mark -

-Field of poppies to north of barn? Must check if they are deer resistant.

-Ornamental grasses in deck pots instead of flowers? Too many bees by the sandbox last year!

-Add Creeping Jenny around boulders down hill?

-Make 2X4 raised bed outside patio door for lettuce only. Purchase bagged soil - do not let Mike dump in Bobcat loads of weed-seed-laden soil from the field.

-Buy a Harry Lauder's walking stick tree for the kids. Where to buy?

-Plant sunflowers near the mailbox - or would this bring too many bees around it?

As you can see, it's not an overly ambitious list, but it's about all I can handle right now. Even if I only accomplish one of these things, I'll be satisfied because it will be more than I did last year!

Friday's Quote - Hal Borland on Spring

My little dear holding one of our chicks, Mr. Peepers, last spring.

No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn. ~Hal Borland

Blue Moon Granola

Today I made this delicious granola recipe out of my Potluck at Midnight Farm - Celebrating Food, Family and Friends on Martha's Vineyard cookbook by Tamara Weiss. The recipe begins "You only get granola this good once in a blue moon!" - I agree!

Blue Moon Granola
8 C rolled oats
2 C barley flakes
2 C wheat flakes
2 C oat bran or wheat germ (or some of each)
2 C raw sunflower seeds
2 C pecans (optional)
1/2 C oil (canola or safflower)
1/2 C honey
1/2 C maple syrup
1 C dried cranberries
1 C raisins

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Combine oats, barely and wheat flakes, oat bran, sunflower seeds & pecans in a large bowl and mix. Stir the oil, honey and maple syrup in a medium saucepan over low heat until warm. Pour heated mixture over the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. Spread the granola out in thin layers on large baking sheets and bake for 20 minutes. Stir and bake another 20 minutes. The granola is done when it is golden brown all over.
Use a spatula or large spoon to transfer baked granola to a bowl. Repeat the baking process until all the granola is done. When cool, stir in the cranberries and raisins. Store in quart-size containers. This granola also freezes well.

Because my family doesn't like pecans or raisins very much, I substituted extra oats and cranberries and it turned out fine.

The recipe says this is delicious with plain yogurt flavored with maple syrup and a bit of ground cinnamon. I haven't tried that yet, but I know it's darn good on icecream!

Back to Reality

I'm back from sunny Florida, back to the Wisconsin gray skies, wierd, cold fog, and ice moats throughout the yard. We had a nice time, but it was definitly one of those "good to go, but good to come home" type trips. All of us get a little out of sorts on vacation - we all sleep poorly and miss our home routines. Despite returning to this bleak weather, 5 days in full blown sun was enough for us.

One trick I learned on this trip was to not wear my swimming suit every time to the pool. This allowed me to lounge with a book in a poolside chair while my husband swam with the kids. It was perfect - I got to relax, yet still had my happy dearies around me!

I managed to finish the book I mentioned last post - Made from Scratch - Discovering the Pleasures of a Handmade Life by Jenna Woginrich. I very much enjoyed it, having been through many of her newbie farm experiences myself. Here's a little excerpt from the "Chickens, the most exciting lawn accessory since lawn darts" chapter:

"After a few songs, I arrived at the post office. It was a small building you could've mistaken for a storage shed if you drove by too fast (which I did, and had to turn around). When I knocked on the back door, an old man with a basset hound greeted me and handed over the loudest cardboard box ever. I placed it in the backseat of my toasty Subaru and continued down the road to Diana's homestead - Floating Leaf Farm. A steep hill and some twists and turns later, I pulled into the driveway of the cedar-shingled, log cabin-style farmhouse. After all the snow we'd had recently, it would've passed for something on the label of a maple syrup bottle if it weren't for the year-old steer walking down the driveway to join the rest of its gang."

The author has a very nice blog: http://www.coldantlerfarm.blogspot.com/.

Leaving on a Jet Plane

In 3 hours I'll be on my way to Mitchell International Airport in Milwaukee to catch a flight to Florida. The family is very excited to go and see the grandparents, but I can't help wishing I was boarding a flight to somewhere like Maine, Cape Cod, or any other New England destination.

For the flight, I have a bag loaded with doodads to keep the kids happy - suckers, activity books, multicolor click pens, mini etchasketchs (sp?). For me, I have my Earplanes (ear inserts so my ears don't pop closed) and a new book I'm very excited about titled Made From Scratch - Discovering the Pleasures of a Handmade Life by Jenn Woginrich. We'll see if I'm able to even get through the preface on the plane!

lovely little full moon night

Full moon tonight - a perfect day for me to return to my long neglected blog! My mom is doing much better and the spring-like weather we've been having has done wonders for her mood (and mine). I'm sure we'll still get slammed with more winter storms, but days like today remind us that the flowers are getting closer to ending their naps. Yesterday at Walmart I was looking at the gigantic mountain of dirty snow in the parking lot - it must be 12 feet high - and was picturing the greenhouses and tables of blooms that will shortly replace it in the exact same spot.

The moon sure was bright last night - the kids and I turned off all the lights and made moonshadows on the walls. Tonight will be warmer, so I hope to get all of us out on the deck to "bask." If it's not too windy, we might even be able to eat dinner out there in the moonlight. Hmmm, what food goes best with a winter moony night - potato soup and crusty rolls, perhaps? Just pizza? Chocolate cake and wine? I'm going to have to think about this!

From the Farmer's Almanac:
February's Full Moon is called The Snow Moon. Since the heaviest snow usually falls during this month, native tribes of the north and east most often called February's full Moon the Full Snow Moon. Some tribes also referred to this Moon as the Full Hunger Moon, since harsh weather conditions in their areas made hunting very difficult.

Above is a photo of last month's moonrise over a nearby inland Wisconsin lake.

A Brief Hiatus

It's been awhile since I've posted, the reason being the death of my uncle, my mom's only sibling. My mom has always been such a strong person, but this time my sisters and I detected sadness not seen since my dad passed away 3 years ago. Therefore, we're all rallying around her with extra visits, calls, and outings. This leaves me little time for anything "extra" like blogging.

We're hoping things get a little better soon. When they do, I'll be back!

Bas Bleu

I received a new Bas Bleu catalog in the mail today. Even though I haven't ordered anything lately (my husband is in real estate, so you can imagine!), I do love their unique products and selection of books. Like a kid with a toy catalog, I did some serious circling of items I'd love to have - for some reason, I find this satisfying enough!

Here are some of the things I circled:
Birds-in-Shoes Postcards - How could I resist these "quirky" cards with woodpeckers in clogs and robins in Mary Janes? I'd love to get 2 sets - one to use for correspondance and another to frame as a wall display.

Book - The Rural Life by Verlyn Klinkenborg
From the book: "In every ditch, every hollow, a cold, sepia brew of last year's leaves was steeping in a basin of discolored ice. I found myself staring into the tangled woods, wondering why humans had never learned to hibernate and whether it was too late to think again."
I hope my library has this!

Book Darts Tin - Tiny shiny clips to use in books or magazines to "hold your thought".

Women Writers Umbrella - featuring authors such as Jane Austen and Emily Dickison. I'd love to retire the ugly umbrella I got free at the bank!

Book - Mrs. Mike by Benedict and Nancy Freedman
I am a Mrs. Mike, after all. I think the library will have this one.

Twilight Turtle - A nightlight that projects the starry sky onto the ceiling. This is supposed be for a child's bedroom, but I'd love to drift off to some constellations on my ceiling, especially after a glass of wine.

For the time being I guess I'll just thank God for the library, use post-it notes instead of book darts, and look out the window if I want to see the stars. But there's just no substitute for the birds-with-shoes postcards! :(

reading, watching, listening

Here's the latest installment in my "Reading, Watching, Listening" post category. I hope occasionally one of you stumbles on something interesting here - so many of my favorites have come from your recommendations!

Reading:

A Year in the Maine Woods by Bernd Heinrich - I just started this, so I don't have much to say except I like the cover! After this one I plan to read Wife in the North by Judith O'reilly, which I read about on the blog Lesley's Book Nook.

Watching:

Dirty Jobs with Mike Rowe

I've really been enjoying this show, especially because my kids and husband like it too and we can watch it all together. Other reasons for my enjoyment include Mike Rowe's sense of humor, voice, and muscles. ;)

Listening:

Music-wise, January and February are always odd months for me. The holiday music stops and I never know quite what to play. Many of my favorites, like Jack Johnson and Chris Isaak, seem a bit too summery this time of year. I've found this soundtrack to Imax's The Living Sea featuring Sting is perfect background music for cleaning, relaxing, or whatever I'm doing in the winter months. My kids also enjoy having it on when they are playing or doing crafts. The songs are so peaceful, and they remind us that winter's bleakness is only temporary.

2009

I'm posting this quickly, as my husband is in the shower and I don't need him looking over my shoulder at my resolutions! Maybe my haste will make what's important rise to the top?

My Brief Resolutions for 2009

- Try to walk a half hour each day (this is non-negotiable!)

- Say "no" if I really don't want to do something/go somewhere

- Make a little more time for myself instead of just complaining about it inside (If I can "make" my husband get the kids out of here for an hour so I can clean, then I should be able to do the same to give myself an hour in my little cabin, ALONE, without guilt

Nothing too exciting or life-changing, yet so important to me, Hopefully listing them here so I can revisit them often will help me stick to it all.

Now, it's time to chip away at another slab of the confetti cake I made yesterday!