~~~

Some days, it feels far more important to stay home then go into the office.

But alas, the show must go on...

A couple massages & we'll get back to those Legos.

xo

On this Solstice Night..

Yule is one of my favorite holy days of the year.

A day to give thanks to the Sun & slow down to appreciate the beauty of Winter.

It is so very important to me to pass down this feeling of reverence to the children.

I hear a lot of people grumbling about the cold, the snow, the hectic pace of the holidays & money.

Put your wallets away, pull away from the mall & step away from the gift wrap....

Slow down.

Breathe deep.

Enjoy the simplicity of Winter.

I hope for my children to grow up with a sense of how to really appreciate each phase in the yearly rhythm.

Slow down & take it all in...savor it...let it wrap it's arms around you

until you are giddy with joy & wonder.

Take a walk through the quiet Winter woods...

feel the tingly way your cheeks get & pink up after being in the cold...

enjoy the taste of snowflakes falling on your tongue...

fall on your back & make a snow fairy flapping your arms wildly through the cold wetness..

Appreciate the way the shorter days make us slow down & rest as a family...

Breathe deeply the aroma of fresh bread, sweet treats & soups pouring out of the kitchen...

Let us show gratitude for the light rather then cursing the dark, cold days.

It is tradition, that we take a lantern hike at dusk on the Solstice.

The lanterns are simple mason jars that the kids decoupaged tissue paper on.

When lit up with a votive candle, they glow like stained glass.

Christmas cookies & hot cocoa are brought along to snack on as we

give thanks for all the things the Sun does for us.

"If there was no Sun, we would have no food or light, Mama.", she said.

"If there was no Sun, we wouldn't have gravity & the planets would collide & explode!", he said.
We really pondered this for quite awhile & I have to say, it is quite a thought to dive into.

It was making my mind wild thinking about all the Sun does!

"All year long, the Sun had worked very hard, rising & setting day after day. All year long, the Sun had fed everybody on earth, shining & shining, giving energy to the trees, the flowers, the grasses so they could grow and feed the animals, birds, insects & people. All year long, the Sun's gravity held tight to the Earth and the Moon & all the other whirling planets as they traveled around, until the poor Sun was dizzy watching it all. Now the poor Sun was tired & could barely get up in the morning & after a short time needed to sleep again. So the days grew shorter & the nights grew longer."
~ from The Rebirth of the Sun by Starhawk


"So the children lit their candles & put them in a very safe place, each flame was a little spark of the Suns fire. And the Sun peeped out from between the arms of night, and saw all the little fires, and began to feel warmer & brighter & younger still."

After about an hour, we arrived back home to warm soup & fresh bread ready for feasting.

It was time to circle round the tree & play cards after

Mama gave the littles a special, magical Solstice gift.

May you never lose that sense of wonder that fills your soul at this time of year

& may your days be forever merry & bright!

With much Love & Gratitude,

Sara

{ 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. If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

Head over to soulemama to see more lovely moments.

For a moment, as her girl friends we're "ohhing & ahhing" over each others dresses before the Winter Program, I saw a glimmer of the woman she will one day be in her eyes.

Time stood still.

~~~

She said to me, " A really special thing happened today. After we sang, an old lady walked over to me & gave me a huge hug & had tears in her eyes. I think THAT was the Christmas Spirit, Mama."

~~~

She said, "That is the coolest thing about him. He likes things that are old & original."

When we got off the phone, I realized how important that is to his personality.

It was decided, my 11 year old needed his own antique record player.

{ this moment }

a single photo capturing a moment from the week. a simple, special, extraordinary moment. a moment to pause, savor and remember. inspired by soulemama. if you're inspired to do the same, share a link to your 'moment' in the comments!
. . . . . . . . . . . . .

( this moment )

{ early morning beach walk before school }

{ Afternoon stroll through the Dunes..we have been blessed with some great weather this week!}

"Surround Yourself with High-Energy People
Choose to be in close proximity to people who are empowering, who appeal to your sense of connection to intention, who see the greatness in you, who feel connected to God, and who live a life that gives evidence that Spirit has found celebration through them."

~ Dr. Wayne Dyer ~

Have a Blessed Weekend!

~ Pumpkin Butter ~

::Ingredients::

28-oz. fresh pumpkin puree

(split, gut & steam sugar pumpkins for about 40 minutes,

scrape out the flesh & discard the rind...mash)

3/4 cup apple juice or cider

2 teaspoons ginger ( I grate fresh ginger)

1/4 teaspoon cloves

1/4 teaspoon mace

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1-1/2 cups organic brown sugar or local honey

Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook, stirring often, for 35-40 minutes, or until mixture thickens.

Fill Mason jars and refrigerate for up to a month.

Pumpkin butter can also be frozen for up to 6 months.

Yield: 3 cups.

Snow!!!

This is THE most magical day of the year,

The morning we wake up to the seasons 1st snow fall.

7am brought shrieks & screams

& children jumping on my bed.

Snowpants on, digging through the hat/scarf basket & out the door they ran.

This morning called for a pot of hot tea & warm quinoa porridge.

Savoring the stillness of it all before the busy day ahead.

Looking out at the vastness of white

Snow had fallen throughout the night

Footprints in the virgin snow

From whom they come I do not know

Winter it has come at last

Can’t even see one blade of grass

Ice it forms on the lake

But not thick enough to take ones weight

Soon the kids will be here

Sleds out and snow ball spheres

Making angels in the virgin snow

And having fun wherever they go

The day goes and darkness comes

Kids gone home to there mums

The snow falls throughout the night

Erasing all that days snow fights

A clean sheet in the morning light

Ready for that days snow fight.

May you find stillness & beauty in your day!

Three cheers for SNOW!

{ This Moment }

This week, I am grateful for...

~ The man in front of me in line at Red Cup that paid for my coffee.

~ A client called me after his massage to thank me again & tell me tell me to stay blessed.

~ A friend in pain that allowed me to help her even though she is feeling vulnerable & wanting to be alone.

~ A friend making it through a rough surgery who is now on the road to healing.

~ A teacher sent me an email thanking me for raising a wonderful child.

~ A lovely champagne brunch for one of my best guy friends wedding shower.

~ A weekend that was full of parties celebrating birthdays & halloween..all the amazing circles of friends that were brought together at each event.

~ The kindness of a couple friends & my mama who listened to me as I broke down exhausted & at the end of my rope with this single mama gig. They listened to me & heard me.

~ This great group of new friends I've made through creating this natural parenting group.

Little bits of kindness scattered through the days..♥

Infinite Love & Gratitude... Pass it on..

What are you feeling grateful for this week?

~ This & That ~

This week...

My Mama came by with several boxes of canning goodness for me.

Passed down by her Mother & my Dads mother.

Old enamel pots, ancient mason jars (and some newer ones), a sieve,

funnels, an apple peeler & more.

What a treasure!

It was so fun to unpack those boxes & put the equipment to use again!

I started reading these two lovely books.

The Big Book of Handspinning is on my Christmas wish list. :)

I bought some beautiful alpaca roving at the last farmers market that
I can't wait to get on the spinning wheel!
I also started knitting a new baby hat for the Mothering by Nature store
in a lovely purplish kettle dyed Peruvian cotton.





Two sneaky children ran off with my camera to take photos of their lego creations
(and some silly shots of each other!)

I woke up at 3am worried about a friends surgery

& not being able to fall back asleep,

made the most of it by canning

3 jars of apple sauce & 8 jars of raspberry jam

from the berries I froze that we picked this Summer.

Tried a new breakfast recipe (a winner!) out with the kids.

Creamed Quinoa

1/2 c. quinoa(rinsed)

1 c. milk ( I used rice milk)

1 pat butter

Heat the milk to boiling and reduce flame.

Add quinoa and butter.

Reduce heat to low careful not to let

the milk boil over (as it tends to do).

Cover the pot and check every few minutes

to stir and test the texture of the quinoa.

Fully cooking the grain should take about 10-15 minutes.

Scoop the quinoa into a bowl.

Pour a tad of cream on it if you'd like.

We scooped a dollop of our pumpkin butter on top.

Next time, I'd like to add fresh chopped pears or

apples...maybe walnuts

My children loved it without any sweetener but I'm sure some maple syrup or honey would be delish drizzled over the top.

This is a fantastic warm before school breakfast.

What's new in your home this week?

Pumpkins!!!

This Week in my Kitchen..

I know I am not the only one & in the spirit of keeping it real on here, I have to admit..

When I am stressed, I cook.

I keep my hands busy & the people around me nourished.

It brings my mind down from the threat of over thinking.

This week, my kitchen has been a busy place. There was Apple Sauce made after one last trip to the orchard to pick what was left of the Fugi & Braeburns.


Pumpkin Butter was experimented with. This batch turned out pretty good using local honey in place of sugar. The littles loved it mixed into pancake batter, warmed and slathered on top of those cakes, in their morning oatmeal & on toast.

We made what I have to say was the yummiest quick bread I have ever made in my life.

So yummy, in fact, that I never even got a photo of the end result.

It is ( or shall I say was... *ahem*)

Honey-Walnut Bread

from The Tassajara Bread Book.

Do whatever it takes to get this cookbook into your kitchen.

You won't regret it.

There were also plenty of soups, stews, breads and some homemade pasta made & topped with the pesto I canned a couple weeks ago. While I admit, all this cooking has not been all that good for my hips...something about tying a vintage apron around your waist & taking a deep breath..inhaling the aroma of whatever is bubbling away on the stove.. it helps.

It really does.

{this moment}

3am.

The wind just started picking up...

the beginning of what they are calling

"The storm of the century.".. "The Great Lakes Cyclone."

It's the weight of his hand on my shoulder,

telling me everything will be alright,

that I miss most.

I don't like facing the storm alone.

{ this moment}

( lovin' on the farm kitties...our weekly trip for milk, eggs & Amish butter )

This week I am grateful for...

1. The many massage clients who allow me to lay my hands on them & help them to relax & find their center. They in turn, help me find mine.

2. The passionate, inspiring group of parents who showed up for the 1st of what I hope turns into a long run of monthly meetings for a new Attachment Parenting & Natural Family Living Group I am a part of starting.

3. Sanders Farm...our local family owned resource of raw milk, local honey, fresh eggs, Amish butter & lots of farm entertainment.

4. The little girl who crawled into my bed this morning for "one more snuggle" before school.

5. The young man who is becoming a little activist & planting seeds for

change every where he goes.

6. The head of the labor & delivery unit at our very conservative local hospital coming to me as a massage client & changing my view on what hospital staff believes to be normal labor & birth...giving me the chance to discuss my own 2 homebirths with her...& offering to give my number to women in need of a doula.

We have the ability to change the world every moment.

We plant seeds with every action, every word, every thought.

What are you grateful for this week??

.....

The cold breeze blew in from the window

&

I was reminded of all I have to do before winter sets in.

Yet again, I coudn't sleep.

{ 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.