« September 2014 | Main | November 2014 »
. . . . . . . . .
{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.
. . . . . . . . . .
This week, in my kitchen...
Soup season has begun in earnest! Butternut Squash Soup last night (with apples too), with toasted walnuts and chives as toppings. Squash Soup isn't a favorite of some of my babes, but with enough fun toppings and of course a big slice of dipping bread, they fill their bellies. Another soup that's made it's way to the table recently is a variation on this African Chicken Peanut Stew. Peanut butter in soup! The kids were pumped about that. My boys have requested Chicken and Dumplings for tonight, and I'm more than happy to oblige. It'll be just the first time of many in the coming months that we make that simple soup that pleases everyone.
Have I told you about my favorite new crackers to make? Oh! These are amazing. I've been such a fan of the Lesley Stowe crackers for a while now, but given the rate at which my family can eat their way through a box (faster than you can say ready, set, go), it felt so silly to buy those. Of course, the recipe to make them ourselves was to be found online, right here. They're the real deal, and they are so, so good.
I am done (done, I tell you!) with fermenting and canning and freezing the beans. But many other things still coming in from the garden are making their way to the dinner table. Lots and lots of brussels sprouts, kale, spinach, chard, beets, carrots, and of course the stored potatoes and squash. Kraut is in progress - in crocks and jars all over my kitchen counters. And being that we are currently out of "finished" kraut (it's all still fermenting!), I am very eager for the next grilled cheese with sauerkraut sandwich I can make. Yum.
And lastly, I leave you with a new family favorite. Of course everything is a hit when you add bacon, but we are really loving this combination. I start with a pound of bacon, chopped and sauteed in the wok. When it's cooked, I remove the bacon and all but a few tablespoons of the bacon grease. Into that, I fry garlic, brussels sprouts (chopped in half), lots and lots of kale, and some chives all with just a bit of tamari. When those are all tender, I add cooked brown rice udon noodles to the wok for mixing, and put the bacon back in. I've made it twice this week for lunch, and was met with many happy faces at the table.
Oh this time of year really is such a grand one in the kitchen, isn't it? With all the harvest from the garden giving us such a feeling of abundance, and our bellies calling for warmth and comfort that the kitchen provides. I am enjoying it so.
And you? What's happening in your kitchen this week?
(Photos by Calvin.)
I finished my Shalom, knit with the yarn I spun from Cinnamon (the sheep). I've made this sweater twice before, but never have I made it following the pattern exactly, and keeping it sleeveless. I had just the right amount of yarn to do that. I got gauge with the handspun, but could have used to add a few stitches to the body or at least ignore the waist shaping. No matter. I like it as it is - open in the front, with no sleeves to get in the way. It's warm (so warm!) and will be a perfect sweater for layering when an extra bit of warmth is needed out there. I can't think of a sheep I'd rather wear than Cinnamon - she's a sweet one, that girl. And isn't it amazing how her coloring translates into the yarn? I'm fascinated by that - the depth of color, the color at the tips versus closer to her body, and how that all blends together in the process of spinning...and yarn...and then a sweater. So good, this whole process is. I am in love with it all.
My epic barn clean out continues. From an entire wall of totes with children's clothes (12? 15? I can't remember), I am down to just three now. Two are full of clothes that are currently in-between sizes of my five babes, but will soon fit one or another. And one - that's right - just one is full of baby and toddler clothes too precious to donate, too special to cut. They're for saving. (To fully disclose, handknits live in another place entirely so there is a wee bit more I have stashed. But still, major improvement!) I'm so pleased with the progress. And so pleased that I've been able to find a few moments here and there to start stitching on the first one - for Calvin, my nearly fourteen year old (not so) baby.
The cutting, at first, was difficult. More than a few times I went to Steve with a teeny tiny onesie in my hands and tears in my eyes, to ask his advice, "cut or save?" Where will it be better enjoyed?" he sweetly and patiently answered each time, though I don't think he recognized many of the things at all. A sentimental guy, to be sure, so perhaps we don't all associate with textiles in the same way! With time, I got a bit ruthless about the cutting. Because while that adorably-striped blue and white onesie with a gentian violet stain on it (from treating thrush) evoked strong memories from me .... I realized that to my future adult son (or his partner), it might really just appear to be a stained Gap onesie from 2001, which - in fact - it was. Cut, cut, cut - much more sentimental, much more useful as a small square in a quilt that will keep him cozy and feeling loved. Ah....what a process this has been.
I'm using a wide mix of fabrics for this quilt - it's a true hodgepodge and nothing is perfect about any of it. There may be some funk in the lines, and I'm trying to just roll with that. It's fun, really - this mix of things to be stitching with all at once. For the jersey fabrics, I'm using squares of fusible interfacing to keep the pieces from getting too stretchy. That, and I just discovered - right in front of my eyes (literally), the Super Stretch stitch on my sewing machine (more specifically, it's number 9 on my Bernina Aurora 430). Between those two things, it's been easy to incorporate jersey into the cottons, fleece, and other fabrics this quilt will be made of.
I'm in no rush to get this quilt finished, or the others. In fact, I think the littlest ones I'd like to continue gathering fabric for, maybe even for a few more years. The older boys piles feel more 'done' to me, and I suppose that's a result of their age. Firmly in the teen years with the baby, toddler, and early childhood years behind them - along with the clothes they wore. Maybe I'll finish Calvin's before his birthday in January, and maybe it would be nice to hand Ezra his on his thirteenth birthday. It seems a wonderful way to carry - literally - a bit of the silliness, fun, warmth and love of their early years with them whenever they might need it. Yes, I like that. I hope they do too.
Today, we're enjoying the last two shows in a long run of Alice in Wonderland with the Children's Museum and Theatre of Maine. With my sweet and funny Ezra as the cockney-speaking, eagle headed, lion bodied gryphon. So much fun.
I hope you and yours are enjoying what remains of your own weekend!
Today, we bring you a giveaway from SouleMama Sponsor, Nest European Toys + Home. In Lisa's words:
"We offer a large selection of European and North American made products for babies, children and adults, and for the home: wooden toys, arts and crafts, organic baby products, bed, bath, and kitchen wares, and solid wooden furniture. We carry Ostheimer, Grimms, Haba, Ruskovilla woollens, and many other lines. Our goal is to carry products that are high quality, great value (in every sense of the word), sustainably sourced and produced, and aesthetically pleasing.
Follow our Blog and visit us on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest."
SouleMama: What inspires you?
Lisa: This is a great question for us. We talked about it, and we're going to say: 1) our children, 2) our customers, & 3) ecological stewardship.
Our children inspire us in many ways =D, one of them familiar to all parents, I'm sure --> in the manner of necessity being the mother of invention/ inspiration. Our son is almost three and a half, and our daughter 18 months, and we scramble each day to keep up with their developing minds and active bodies. It's 'trial by toddler' to see that our products fit the lifestyles of active families with little spare time, or little desire to spend their time on the less important things. Therefore, we really pride ourselves to offer products that we can see firsthand can be 'useful tools' for families - things that engage kids, that they can connect with, that gives them quality time, that they'll choose to sit down and play with.
John-Paul: Our customers. It's really nice to connect with customers on the phone or in person. As an online store we don't have as much personal contact with our customers as we did when we were a brick and mortar store, so when we do have a conversation or get some positive feedback it definitely inspires, and we value knowing our customers a little, and how the items they order work out for them. It's really motivating when customers let us know how much they appreciate the products we carry, and particularly when those products aren't available in their communities. We have lovely customers. Lisa and I remark on this all the time. It's a real gift for us.
Lisa: Ecological stewardship is a pillar in our shop's founding mission statement.
John-Paul: Sustainability is a principal concern when choosing which products we carry. We feel inspired carrying products that are made from natural materials like wood, cotton, and wool.
SouleMama: What's the product that you are most excited about in your shop right now? Tell us about it.
Lisa: We always have new products coming, and old ones we discover or re-discover depending on ages and stages and seasons. In the next few weeks, it's a lot of bedding and rugs, and things to help stay cozy and keep our inner warmth glowing over the winter. New Swedish hanging lamps are arriving soon. 2 new styles in wood, and 2 copper lamps, both with beautiful glows. Starting around the first snowfall, we enjoy to hang our star in our front window. JP turns it on around dusk each day.
Most-used in our house lately:
Apple divider: My three year old asks us to use it almost each day for the last few weeks.
Marble runs (still tops the list). We are huge marble run fans now that we've experienced how delightful and absorbing they are for our son (and us). We have the 'large ball' sets for our 18 month old.
Our Petit Collage puzzles made with vegetable inks. I am always looking for puzzles that don't have strong off-gassing. These ones are sturdy pieces in the hand too, as are the new HABA beginner puzzles. It's a little early for my 18 month old, but we're playing match the baby with the mommy.
The playsilks (our son's first Christmas gift was a playsilk, and this is hands-down our favourite interactive activity with a baby to gently wave a playsilk in the air back and forth above them). But still for the ages both our kids are at now, it's just a magical moment of re-balancing and joy when we have the playsilks out.
This rubber ball set. We have a long hallway, and sometimes when there's too much energy and emotion too off-load at the end of the day still for our busy boy, and we can see that soothing and books just aren't going to cut it, we play catch, or monkey in the middle, or handball. These balls are nice and light for indoor (and sibling) play, but good size in the hand for kids.
This mini-container I love for taking little treats or pills or whatever little thing I need out in, but the kids have opened and closed it a thousand times. It's very satisfying to open and close. It has a silicone liner (no grating metal on metal), but it's not a smelly silicone, like some can be. So, I'm really happy with this line of stainless we carry as not too off-gassy like some out there.
We have a lot of new figures from Ostheimer en route. Ostheimer is one of our absolute favourite suppliers. The care that they take just shines out from all of the toys and wooden figures. Our son is really into imaginative play where we make the figures talk. Lately, a few of them get locked inside the prison during the course of play, and the knight comes to rescue.
We really personally enjoy the products we offer for sale, and we feel inspired to find items that we feel this way about. There are so many times we'll be playing with a particular toy with one of our children or watching them play, and John-Paul or I will remark to the other later about how good we feel about selling it in our shop. We know we're selling good products for good family living, and people don't have to worry about off-gassing or such things. We feel good about our business, we value our relationships with our suppliers, and we love walking into our warehouse, with all its sights and smells.
SouleMama: Is there a special place that inspires you?
John-Paul: We lived in Oldenburg, Germany before we married. It's a lovely, small city, with an attractive old town and a lively atmosphere. We loved going for walks in the old town, spending time at the Christmas markets, and visiting the bakeries, cafés, and, of course, the toy stores. We value the traditions of Germany and the high quality standards - whether it's a pint of beer, a loaf of bread, a well-built house, or a beautifully made wooden toy. We also respect their concern and practical regard for the environment, their creativity, and the fact that they still craft and manufacture so many things themselves, including many natural products.
SouleMama: In your mind, what is that one thing which makes your business different?
Lisa: More than 95% of what we carry is made in Europe or North America and is biodegradable - made entirely of wood, wool, organic cotton, or silk, or of base metals. We have some plastic for water and sand play (but also some good non-plastic options here too). We recognize that plastics can themselves be sustainable in some sense as they lighten the load on the Earth's mining resources, travel lightly, and can sometimes be quite durable, but we're happy to source and offer alternatives to stem the tide of plastics production and waste.
Also, we don't have a retail or marketing background or training; I mean, that is to say, we're not choosing products because we think they have a great pricepoint, will be really popular or a money-maker, but rather we are offering items for sale that are inspired by certain values we hold dear and that we have personally selected because we think they're great products. And we're pretty choosy. ;> Quality, sustainability, aesthetic appeal, and safety are all very important to us, and we source from manufacturers that have similar shared values and whose products meet those standards.
For today's giveaway, Nest European Toys + Home is generously offering the following gifts to THREE winners:
To enter today's giveaway, please leave a comment (one entry per person, please) in today's post. I'll close comments by 9:00 am EST on Sunday, and announce the winners, chosen via Random Number Generator, shortly after. Comments closed! The winners are...
Love, love, LOVE Nest!
Posted by: Toni Buzzeo
Just love this give away. Something for everyone.
Posted by: Karoline
Great products! Just in time for gift-giving to an expecting friend.
Posted by: Jocelyn Dockerty
Thank you, Nest European Toys + Home!
. . . . . . . . .
{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.
. . . . . . . . . .
A few rainy days, and a cozy fire going in the woodstove means that I've finished spinning Emily's fleece. I'm so pleased with the lovely gray color. Putting it next to the girls I've already spun - Anne and Cinnamon - I am feeling so grateful for the color diversity. And so tickled to know that even more of it is coming when we shear everyone this fall - it's a Shetland rainbow out there (so many color possibilities with this breed!)! I think my yarn is getting a bit more even, and a little less overtwisted with each skein. Certainly, there's a lot of practicing happening.
I have just one fleece left ready to spin - Charlotte, who is Anne's twin and shares her coloring. I'm going to do my best to pace myself with it. But soon enough, after shearing and sending ten more fleeces off to be prepared, I'll have plenty to keep me going through the seasons ahead. Until then, I'll knit....
Surely it was the last warm day like that we'll have until spring comes. We spent it together out of doors, clearing the pasture that is really starting to look like a pasture these days, at least a wooded pasture. Pine logs were stacked, to be at the ready for maple syrup season. Anything we can use for firewood was brought closer to the house. And much of the brush in this pasture was burned. Snacking on apples, playing with goats and sheep, climbing trees, and sneaking in a row or two of knitting all fit in around the work of the day - moving brush, picking up rocks, clearing small stumps. All in the glorious golden sunlight of an autumn day we knew to be one of the last. And we all slept well that night.
I'm almost embarrased to admit how much solving an organizational problem pleases me. But I bet you understand. My house is anything but a super clean, super tidy place. I completely believe that a good mess is essential to the process of creativity and play. But I also believe that everything having a place to belong is an important part of that, and that a certain level of clean, empty space allows for all the peace and freedom in which to create and play (messily), and live in harmony (as much as we can). It sounds grandios, but I believe it deeply.
All that to say, when I can find a 'place' for things, I feel like this family machine runs just a bit smoother. We've struggled with organizing all of our winter gear since moving in here. There is no 'mud room' and hardly a closet to be found in this two hundred year old house. Last year during the construction of Gram's room, we did gain one closet which was one huge step forward (just off to the left in the first photo below). Our coats live there, and shoes stay out in the barn. And now, as of this weekend...we have a place for all the (many) hats, mittens, gloves, scarves and cowls that it takes to keep a family of seven warm through the winter season!
I searched and searched online for a solution that wouldn't cramp this end of the room too much - preferably something that would be flush against the wall. And I found this. I followed the plans exactly, did my best to love the jig saw (it was easier this second time), and put it all together in no time at all. Again, it got a milk paint treatment, though with one coat less than the firewood box - I wanted it a little bit lighter and perhaps more rustic looking. I'm especially glad that the size of the boxes helped us to pare things down just a bit, to keep things simpler. Everyone has enough room for two mittens/gloves, three hats, and a scarf or cowl - nothing more. You'll notice just six spaces on the shelf - for a house of eight. Modifying the design to include another box would have meant that no one could reach the top shelves. Plus, Gram keeps her things in her room. But me? Um, I've got a bit of a scarf problem. My things are currently filling that packbasket, which is entirely ridiculous, I know (I'll figure out a plan for that soon). For now...a deep sigh of relief that we have a place for all of our wintry things, and everyone knows where to find them. And just in time too - there's a chill in the air that's arrived these past few days, and it's time for the woolens!
Oh that pull to come inside is getting stronger and stronger! And with it, of course, the need to nest - to cozy up our spaces, to freshen things up, and to make sure that all the little corners of our home suit all of us and the needs we have coming in the season ahead. I've been wanting to change things up in the living room - it needed something, but couldn't quite puzzle out a solution that would fit into the budget I had in mind. But oh - paint! Of course! And with this mostly NorthWest facing room, I thought it was time to change out of the lovely, but slightly gray blue that we originally painted these walls. Let's try white! I said, to much skepticism from everyone else at the table. But they trust me, for better or worse, and Dove Wing (by Benjamin Moore) really was just the right white for us, and for this room. It feels so much brighter, open, and bigger even. Just the things we need to feel about the space in which we'll spend so much of our time in the coming colder, darker months ahead.
The other thing that was needed in this room was a new firewood box. While it was great fun for Harper to "repair" our old, ancient, falling apart box on a weekly basis, it was a rather inefficient and messy system. I found a few shaker-style boxes online to use as inspiration. After surveying what we had on hand for wood, I got to work on puzzling out a box that would fit, and that I thought I might be able to construct. Yes, a glass of wine and sewing tape totally help in carpentry planning. (No worries, the building started the next day!)
And so I built a box. Not the most amazing of feats, but it sure did feel like it when at the end it was all in one piece, and miraculously square(ish). This project did involve a new-to-me tool. I'm not sure how I feel about the jigsaw - I'd like a little more control than I felt like I had with it, but to be fair I will give it another chance on the next project. Maybe I'll get the hang of it. In the end, the box isn't exactly what I had envisioned, but it's close enough. Perfection doesn't have any place in beginner projects of any kind, I say.
After building and sanding and all that jazz, we did a little bit of painting, Miss Annabel and I. I used Miss Mustard Seeds Milk Paint - first a light wash, then a bit of rubbing with beeswax, two coats of the milk paint, followed by a light sanding, then two coats of hemp oil. All of that was SO much fun, and especially lovely for my need of instant gratification as it took only twenty or thirty minutes between each coat. And of course, super fabulous that because of the mild ingredients, I could say YES to the help that was being offered. (I think milk paint might be my new best friend.)
But the best part of all? It holds wood! A whole lot of wood, actually. Two and a half wheelbarrow's full, which means that the number of times I have to remind someone it's their turn to fill the woodbox will be fewer this year. A small but important detail. Just like this box. Oh it is so satisfying to fill a need with my own hands, imperfect and and useful all at the same time. The timing is just right too, for I think the fire we lit in the woodstove last night just might be the one that doesn't go out until March. I'm feeling good about this little corner that will keep us warm through the months ahead!
After sunshine and balmy temperatures yesterday, today is damp and chilly. Just perfect, I think, for a cozy day spent in front of the fire.
I wish you, too, a lovely end to your weekend!
Today, we bring you a giveaway from SouleMama Sponsor, Conscious Clothing. In Rose's words:
"Handmade, hand dyed organic clothing for women and children. Specializing in hemp, organic cotton and bamboo, locally made and ethically source.
Visit our shops for adults and children."
SouleMama: Tell us about the beginnings of your business.
Rose: I started Conscious Clothing in 2002 when my second child was born. I had been sewing for years, but the journey into motherhood brought me to the idea of starting a company which offered organic cotton clothing, blankets, and diapering products for a growing group of mothers in my community. It’s amazing that only 12 years ago these baby basics were nearly impossible to find!
These first products were so popular with women that I soon had requests for adult clothing. It was around that time when I started learning about dyes and the dye process and began using hemp fabrics as well.
Since then, I’ve opened 2 Etsy shops as well as a third online store, vended at countless shows across the country, sell my products in nearly 15 stores in 8 states, and ship to customers in countries around the world!
SouleMama: In your mind, what is that one thing which makes your business different?
Rose: I love creating new designs. It’s the sweet part of my job- designing pieces that fit together with your existing wardrobe and make it easy to get dressed every day!
I love being cozy and warm up here in Michigan, so my hemp/organic cotton fleece is a favorite fabric! I enjoy making hoodies and interesting necklines to snuggle into. Pockets are a must! These pieces have longevity in your closet and durability through dozens of washes.
The bamboo basics are perfect under layers this time of year for their insulating properties. Mixing and matching these pieces with the texture and colors of my hemp linen smocks and pants is the basis of my line.
Not many artists on Etsy are utilizing hemp linen with its hard working and long lasting quality. I feel its what people love about Conscious Clothing- wearing that same pair of hemp pants year after year!
SouleMama: What inspires you?
Rose: I’m often surprised at what inspires me! This time of year its all about color and I have been dyeing fabric day and night! Even after years of dyeing, I’m still thrilled when I get beautiful shade of red or pink on my favorite hemp jersey. I’ve been working on new colors for my infinity scarves which will become available again in the next few weeks.
SouleMama: Tell us what you envision and dream for the future of your business.
Rose: As my business grows, I have had the opportunity to hire incredible and inspiring people from my community. I continue to stay true to my ideals of hand made, local, and sustainable products as we meet the growing demand from conscious consumers who really do care where their clothing is coming from and what they choose to support.
As we grow, so do the children! And making space for a gaggle of teens in your home and therefore in your studio/work life is a pretty big challenge!
We are in the planning stage of building a new studio space which will accommodate all of the needs of Conscious Clothing- space to design, cut, print, sew, dye, warehouse, and display our unique clothing!
We hope to break ground in the spring of 2015. It is an exciting project and I will be documenting the process as we go on Instagram and Facebook, so please follow along!
SouleMama: How does the balance of family and work play out for you? if applicable, how has motherhood affected the work you do?
Rose: At Conscious Clothing, we are a family business in all aspects of the term! While working at home has its obvious advantages, it also has its disadvantages.
First of all, you just can’t ever seem to get away from it!
There is no leaving the office at 5:00 and going home to relax. It is always there and there is always something unfinished demanding your attention. And being there for the kids means you are also there for every argument and sword fight that inevitable spills into the studio!
On the other hand, my children are growing up in a very creative environment where they are encouraged to make things, and have a space to do that. They love going to shows with me and putting together outfits. My oldest daughter edits my listings and my middle one always updates my Instagram! The youngest is the one with the big ideas and wonders why I have an XL, and XS, but I don’t have the size “extra medium”?
My partner has recently quit his other job as a furniture maker to be on board full time with Conscious Clothing. He is the mastermind technician, mechanic, screen printer, top-stitcher, and studio builder! Its been a very exciting year for us all!
For today's giveaway, Conscious Clothing is generously offering the following gifts to TWO winners:
To enter today's giveaway, please leave a comment (one entry per person, please) in today's post. I'll close comments by 8:00 am EST on Sunday, and announce the winners, chosen via Random Number Generator, shortly after. Comments Closed! The winners are...
Awesome clothing, and she's just right up the road from me! Small world. :)
Posted by: Mary
I'm feeling so drawn to this beauty..
Posted by: Erin
Thank you, Conscious Clothing!
. . . . . . . . .
{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.
. . . . . . . . . .
With fall officially falling and winter perpetually lurking ,our minds are now scanning the landscape to compile, amend and hopefully tackle our to do list. For me, getting the animals situated tops the charts and requires a bit of forethought because once the snow and ice lock us down it is far more difficult to move a coop or a hoop house or realize we should have nudged everything a little bit closer to the house. We learn a bit more each season and become better equipped than the last even if it comes by the school of hard knocks.
Last winter when Peach the cow arrived to stay in the new barn, we felt pretty well prepared for her. But the coldest winter in decades taught us more than a few things about large livestock, preparing for the worst and homesteading in general. We had to; shuffle sheep around to new housing when they didn’t jive with the new arrival, make a heavy duty extension cord that could run the milker when it was 10 below the donut, bring the milk machine tubing inside every time to keep it from icing up, haul about 25 gallons of water a day from the kitchen sink when our outside, freeze-proof hose bibs froze, balance down extremely icy paths without spilling the water and then again with milk and lots of other lessons of the same ilk. None of these things really kept us from thoroughly enjoying her stay, but they have served as small bits of knowledge that we file away to avoid making the same mistakes in the future.
This winter my game plan begins with moving the sixteen laying hens up fairly close to the house. They are the only critters that don’t fall directly in Greta’s domain so it’s nice to have them in sight. If old mister fox comes calling I’ll be able to see him from the window with a flashlight. No sense leaving the confines of a toasty house to go chasing something that may be nothing. Also, I’ll feel so very smart when I don’t have to shovel a path all the way to the back of the garden after every storm.
The 5 ducks I believe and hope will be content to stay near the pond in their little coop even when the pond freezes up. I’m also pretty interested to see if we get enough rain this fall to fill the pond back up for winter skating. It’s a pretty small town, perhaps we can get the fire department to come give us a fill up if we really need one! The thing I’m most curious about with the pond is if it will remain it's current shade of ducky mucky, emerald green once it fills up and freezes…yeah, green duck ice for skating? Perhaps not.
The sheep are currently counting ten and we’ve been figuring out our short term plan to balance our fiber needs with the meat that they can also provide. We’ve already separated Clove the ram to breed him with Charlotte and Emily…oh stop, they are not relation (although that is acceptable in sheep social circles). After a month of that action we’ll ship Clove off to friends at a neighboring farm for the same kind of service (good work if you can get it). We’ll also butcher two of this years lambs to thin out the flock for the lambs coming in the spring. All of the sheep will get sheared in the coming weeks. We skipped fall shearing last year and found that their coats were much dirtier come spring and, if you can shear in the fall and then again in the spring, why not do that?
I’ve got a reliable hay source right here in town and he brings it right to my barn door for a fair price. I use square bales for their maneuverability compared to round bales, even though round bales are cheaper. I can also feed them square bales right in the barn and not worry about the hay getting ruined out in the weather. Our lot is 90% wooded so growing hay for winter consumption isn’t really part of our future plan. That said, we will continue to clear pasture for more summer grazing. So, the sheep will eat hay and have shelter in the barn we made last fall. We are going to make it bit more weather-tight than last winter by installing a sliding door on the front and blocking off one of the side entrances, time permitting of course.
What else? 5 children, but that’s a long story….how about goats! How could I forget our two little goats that have been the best pets and brush clearers over the last year that we’ve had them. They’re Nigerian Dwarfs that we got from a friend with the intention of breeding them so Adelaide could have a bit of a milking project and well, so far they are pets. We’re looking for a buck to service the ladies and have some little two pound goat kids in the springtime. Two. Pounds. One of the many reasons we got Greta was to watch over these little babes when they come. They’ll get a private suite when the buck is here but then they’ll winter in the barn with the sheep with whom they’ve worked out a fairly cordial relationship.
Fall and preparing for winter remind me of that moment right before the big storm hits. Before you hustle around the yard picking up kids and getting clothes off the line or shutting windows. That moment when you just watch the sky darken and move with a fury in your exact direction, whipping the trees into a frenzy and sending electricity right through you. Amidst all of these slow and deliberate preparations of the coming season I feel that storm brewing and the Earth has a pulse so palpable I can’t help but stop to just try and take it in completely.
Animals have pretty simple needs for the most part. Give them food, water and a clean, dry place to sleep and they’re quite content. Most assuredly problems will arise. Something will freeze up or ice will form where it never has before and cause problems or a big wind will blow something apart and we’ll be out there in freezing temps and blowing snow trying to get it remedied. It will happen, always does. And then next fall we’ll have another bit of knowledge to move ahead with. For now, we’re just getting ready for the storm.
I can hardly begin to describe what a pleasure it is to be spinning the sheep that I know. Truly. Sometimes, spinning their wool (and then knitting with it) is just as ordinary as can be - meditative and calming, soothing and rewarding in the finished product. But every once in a while, it dawns on me that I know the very animal from which this wool in my hands came from. This is Anne, I think. Anne who was born here two years ago to Emily. Anne who is the only ewe not to have lambs of her own. Anne who is a little more skittish than the rest, who takes a little more time to get close to, who kind of does her own thing. That Anne. She's the one whose fleece I'm spinning right now.
I know that with this next batch of fleeces it will be far more economical to combine by color rather than keeping it separate by sheep. And that will be wonderful too. But oh, it's a pleasure doing it this way now. Sheep by sheep. One at a time. Each one ball of roving, each skein of yarn, each finished object connected to an animal, a certain personality and spirit, that lives in our backyard. It is a joyful and fulfilling feeling, to be sure.
Anne is now all spun up (is that the proper terminology? It sounds good), and at least I can say that I'm consistent in the results. Similar to Cinnamon, Anne's fleece started out weighing 1 pound, 7 ounces and finished as just a little over 400 yards of what is knitting up to be an aran weight yarn (because I'm still a one trick pony...maybe someday I'll get to a worsted or even - gasp - sportweight!).
I did start knitting with Cinnamon. I'm making a Shalom, this my third, but first of course with my own yarn. I'm excited about that. Opening up all of my currently in-progress projects bags, however, made me laugh a bit. All is well and good for now, but I best get knitting on all four of these before the depths of winter hit. Because come February, March and April, the rule is all color all the time. Maybe that's when it will be time to start playing with some dye. For now, though...with the riot of color outside on the trees and on the ground, and the flurry of the season, all these neutral, soothing colors are just right. And, well, just so happen to remind me of those sheep of ours out in the pasture.
Sometimes I worry a little bit that that I may sound redundant in my writing about the seasons. And yet, I cannot downplay the importance of it to our life. Living where we do, our days look so very different from one season to the next, based on the weather and the temperatures and the work of that time of year that must be done, and the fun that can be had. It is not just something we pay a lot of attention to, but rather something that is always the undercurrent of what we do, and how we feel, and how we shape the way that our time is spent. Right now, I am feeling the simultaneous push and pull of the autumn season. The push to get out there and get everything done that needs to be done before it's too late. And the pull inside that is drawing us closer to the hearth, home, and the calmer work of our hands. I want to go out and harvest the last of those green beans, but oh, I'd like to sit by this fire and spin a little bit longer.
That urgency of autumn is beginning to be felt, as we draw up our "To Do Before The Snow Flies" list and realize just how much is on it. Of course, it won't all get done. At a certain point the snow will fly and this, that and/or the other thing will not be done. And we'll be just fine. For our 'urgency' of course is not the same kind of urgency that I'm guessing was felt by the original farmers of this old house two hundred years ago, or even a hundred years ago for that matter. If we run out of garlic (we will), there is the grocery store that we visit frequently enough. If we run out of firewood, we could always fill that tank with oil and turn the furnace on ("it's as simple as that - you just flip a switch!" my older boys jest with us when splitting/stacking/hauling firewood becomes a bore). And if we run out of hay, well...there's always someone who will be selling some in the middle of the winter.
Yes, the urgency might not be anything like that of the generations before us. But in our attempts to live closer to the earth, I think there's still an air of it that is felt, and we are there right now. There's no need for panic about that to do list, nor is there room for just sinking right on into that cozy spot in the corner by the fire and ignoring the list. The push and pull of this time of year finds us trying to balance both of those things. Cleaning up the pastures and gardens, tightening the barn, stacking hay and firewood, storing our food....and simultaneously....beginning to draw in, nurture ourselves and rest a bit after a long season of good work.
We've just spent the weekend gathering with friends, around the fire pit, with wool blankets and warm drinks - another sign of the season as everyone's schedules become more free for visiting. Today we will get the hay tucked into the barn and pile up the leaves for next year's garden mulch. We will work our bodies hard, and feel the cool autumn air in our lungs. And then, we'll come in - a bit earlier than we would have a month ago - and share soup, and maybe sit and spin a spell. Harper already announced his plans to start a fire in the wood stove tonight. And I think that's just how we should do it this time of year - both inside and out - working and living and playing hard, and warming ourselves at the end.
Wishing you all a most wonderful start to your week...
Today, we bring you a giveaway from SouleMama Sponsor, OTTOBRE design. In Eleanor's words:
"OTTOBRE design® is a pattern magazine for those who love sewing. We publish four OTTOBRE kids magazines and two OTTOBRE women magazines per year. The company behind the magazine is Studio Tuumat Oy, a family-based company located in Lapland, near to Arctic Circle in Finland. Our magazine is now published in eight languages: Finnish and Swedish (our native languages), German, Dutch, English, French, Russian and Spanish."
SouleMama: How did I become a translator for OTTOBRE design?
Eleanor: Hi, my name is Eleanor and I am one of OTTOBRE designs team of translators.
I started by sewing the designs. It seems so obvious doesn’t it? I have two teenage sons and an eleven year old daughter. Ten years ago when I started sewing regularly, finding patterns for my daughter was easy (the difficult bit was choosing which pattern to sew) but for my boys the choice was so limited it was depressing. When a friend sent me a link to the OTTOBRE website saying “Hey, did you see these cool patterns for boys?” it was a revelation! At last some fashionable but comfortable clothes that my boys wanted to wear and I wanted to sew. And of course as a bonus…cute patterns for girls too!
I haven’t stopped sewing since!
When the kids were small I would leaf through the magazine and pick out the designs I wanted to sew, later the kids would grab it before I could and make their own “wish” lists. Now they are teenagers, if I want the clothes I sew to be worn and not just take up space in their closets, I have to involve them in every decision, from choosing the fabric and notions to which seams should be topstitched. It’s wonderful to see each child’s individual style grow and blossom and to be able to encourage them to enjoy wearing clothes that are home sewn but still fashionable.
As a translator I get to see the new designs in advance so the kids come and peek over my shoulder when I open the photos on my computer. They’ve already made their choices in the winter issue; we are just waiting for the patterns. So what did they pick?
My oldest boy made big “puss-in-boots” eyes at me when he saw this gorgeous corduroy jacket in the party clothes collection.
My second boy likes a more laid back and casual style so he’s asked for the cool geometric sweatshirt and the pants with the fun detailing on the back pockets.
My daughter has fallen in love with the party outfits…all of them!
And also the everyday clothes for school
My one regret, the children are growing so fast…too fast as there are some lovely patterns for younger kids and babies that I’d love to sew too.
Why not leaf through the magazine on the OTTOBRE design website and make your own wish list?
Happy sewing!
For today's giveaway, OTTOBRE design is generously offering the following gifts to THREE winners:
To enter today's giveaway, please leave a comment (one entry per person, please) in today's post. I'll close comments by 8:00 am EST on Monday, and announce the winners, chosen via Random Number Generator, shortly after. Comments closed! The winners are...
Thank you for the chance to win.
Posted by: nicole young
I love Ottobre patterns! Thanks for the giveaway!
Posted by: Misty
While my ten and twelve year olds are not as enthusiastic about mom sewing for them as they used to be, I have a two year old who loves anything I make. This would thrill the both of us!
Posted by: Casey
Thank you, OTTOBRE design!
Today, we bring you a giveaway from SouleMama Sponsor, Aurora Shoe Company. In Alyssa's words:
"The Aurora Shoe Company was founded on the idea that a good pair of shoes should be made well and fit comfortably. We use American made materials and create all of our shoes in house and by hand. Assembled organically, using simple cuts of leather and minimal stitching, our shoes mold to their owners’ feet the way that only natural materials and careful design can.
We enjoy using our blog to feature the travels and adventures our shoes have been on. Close to home, or around the world, we love them all. We invite you to submit a photo by email along with a description. Of course, photos are also always welcome on our Facebook page as well."
SouleMama: What's the product that you are most excited about in your shop right now? Tell us about it.
Alyssa: We’re very excited to be launching the first new Aurora Shoe Co. design in more than 20 years! The boot that we’ve been designing, prototyping and sizing for over a year are finally ready to share!
Our North Pacific boot offers the same full grain Horween Leather you've come to expect, paired with a denser and heavier tread Vibram sole. Our commitment to comfort includes our trademark rounded toe box and adjustable laces in both leather and cotton so you can decide if you'd like your look to be rustic or refined.
It's been a long and careful process and we think you'll love these boots as much as we do.
Available on our website starting October 15, 2014.
For today's giveaway, Aurora Shoe Company is generously offering the following gift to ONE winner:
In addition, Aurora Shoe Company would like to offer SouleMama readers free shipping on all domestic orders received through 12/15/2014. To receive the offer, please enter "Soule Mama" at checkout.
To enter today's giveaway, please leave a comment (one entry per person, please) in today's post. I'll close comments by 8:00 am EST on Sunday, and announce the winner, chosen via Random Number Generator, shortly after. Comments closed! The winner is...
Those boots are amazing! I really need a new pair of shoes and Aurora Shoes are perfect!
Posted by: Tiffany Michele
Thank you, Aurora Shoe Company!
. . . . . . . . .
{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.
. . . . . . . . . .
We are being blessed with such a lovely start to the fall season here. It's been a treat to spend hours comfortably in the garden, cleaning things up, harvesting what is left and making plans for next year. Our frosts have been so light that there's really very little damage to things like the basil and other herbs. I think we had the last of our tomatoes this week, and definitely the last of our cucumbers. We're moving on mostly to the root veggies and brassicas now, enjoying bringing all of that in and onto the table. I made a very late planting of peas and radishes (that went in August 1, I think), and though they aren't the hearty and robust plants that grew earlier in the season, it's still a treat to be eating peas and radishes in October!
I sorted, labeled and tucked away just over one hundred and fifty pounds of potatoes for winter storage this week. I'm so pleased - it's more than I've ever been able to grow. And well, you all know how many beans there are. Potatoes and beans? We can do well by those. Add in all the beets and carrots and cabbage and I feel quite satisfied at the end of this season with what we're carrying into the next.
In an afternoon, the kids and I planted two hundred narcissus and tulip bulbs around the house and gardens. I'm so excited to see those come up in the spring - especially since there was a great deal of mixing up the bags with all the little hands helping me. It will truly be a surprise to see what grows where!
We had our first fire in the wood stove just last night. While there is still more to be done in the garden, it is mostly a quiet place these days. I think it's time to say goodbye to these weekly garden updates for the year. Thank you all so much for joining along and for all the great advice and commentary in the comments each week! And cheers, to our 2014 gardens!
I know that some of you have been quite curious about just how much yarn comes from one sheep. I was too! I've processed fully just a couple of our fleeces, but never in a methodical enough way that I could really trace it, ounce for skein, or sheep for sweater, or however I wanted to measure it.
And so, today I bring you Cinnamon. Everyone's favorite sheep (she really is) and Mama to this spring's Nutmeg and Clove (our only ram, who incidentally, is sticking around, which means oh boy, there's only more yarn coming my way).
Mind you - everything I am about to tell you is coming from a complete novice, please do keep that in mind. We have practically no idea what we're doing, but we're certainly doing it. And so...
In the spring, we sheared the four ladies, just before lambing season. We're on a twice a year shearing cycle with our sheep - they're due for a haircut this month. It seems to grow long enough, and if we leave it for a full year, it just becomes matted and more difficult to deal with as a fleece. I've chosen not to coat our sheep - at least for now. Amazingly, they stay fairly clean without. Everyone with experience (meaning not us) who visits them comments on just how clean their fleeces are, and so I'm riding that and not bothering at the moment with the expense and hassle of coating ten sheep. That might change in the future, I don't know.
(These two photos are Anne, not Cinnamon, obviously. But I didn't take a photograph of Cinnamon's roving entirety and wanted you to see what that was like, as a whole. Anne's up next.)
This year, as I told you, I sent those four fleeces off to be cleaned and carded professionally. Cinnamon's came back as roving, weighing just under 2 pounds. They're tiny sheep, these Shetland - I don't think any of ours weigh over 80 pounds. That's part of the reason we chose this breed - I love that they are manageable by me and the older children, and that when the need arises, I'm perfectly capable of picking one up or wrestling them to the ground (of course I'm much more graceful than that. Ahem).
Sending those fleeces off for some help in processing may just have been one of the best decisions I made all year. Being a new spinner, I can't tell you what a relief and blessing it is to be spinning with such perfect roving. And how much time it has saved me in the hand carding that I was doing before! I was able to get right to spinning it these past couple of weeks, and it was such a breeze having it so beautifully prepared for me. I was surprised at how fast it all spun up - I finished with Cinnamon and started on Anne last night.
The finished yarn from Cinnamon, now plied, and with the twist set and all skeined up, is coming in at a total of 600 yards. I haven't done a swatch but I'm guessing it's an aran weight if not a bulky, even. (Someday, I'm promised, I'll be able to spin something other than 'fat yarn'. That will be lovely.) I've labeled and stored it and will keep going on the spinning for now. Perhaps this winter I will return to it with knitting needles ready to transform it into something else.
I'm not exactly sure what this will become. It's still quite 'new spinner' yarn, meaning not entirely consistent and I think it requires just the right project as a result. But soon enough I'll find just the right thing for this yarn, and hopefully the spinning will keep getting better, and before long I'll be able to fulfill all the requests coming at me from my family. They're having a lot of fun dreaming those projects up - "I'd like a Cinnamon hat!" or "I want a Jane sweater!" or "How about Charlotte socks!" and "A needle felted Clove pig!" And the list goes on....
Until then...I'll keep enjoying the process and all the learning and fun that comes with it - from lambing season to sweater wearing. Enjoying...and pinching myself every once in a while too. This really is happening, in my own backyard.
We have yet to have our first fire in the woodstove, but I feel it coming. Yarn is beginning to occupy my hands more than it has been for a whole season, warming pies and soups are preferred out of the kitchen, and little ones chase the sunshine around the house for all their artwork and reading pleasure - just like the cats. Everything is beginning to feel cozy, and I'm finding myself in that lovely and always-welcome autumn nesting mode. Tidying up, cleaning out, rearranging and changing things up - all to make room for the kind of living and playing and working we'll be doing inside in the months ahead. There are so many gorgeous autumn days still to enjoy and we are certainly doing that....oh, but I think we're all looking forward to coming in too.
It has been ages since I last visited our friends on North Haven island. So long that I swear I only remember wrangling two young toddler boys on that ferry ride. I've been so looking forward to returning to that special place for a while now, and am happy to say I did just that these past few days. But what made this trip extra special was the company I shared this time around. There were no toddlers to carry, and no work to think about, for this trip was a trip with dear girlfriends. My first, I must confess, since becoming a mother. That's right - fourteen years. We have always made a great effort in our marriage and in our family for time alone with friends, and I certainly am spoiled (and blessed) in that time away that we take for a night out here and there with our friends. But so many things can so easily get in the way of a multi-day trip. Breastfeeding, budget, schedules, logistics. And before you know it, while shuffling little ones to (and hosting) kid sleepovers every weekend...you can't even remember the last time you had a sleepover with your own girlfriends.
A multi-day slumber party - that's just the thing this Mama needed and it was everything I could have hoped for - a whole lot of eating, drinking, knitting, reading, sitting, and laughing. Doing nothing, and everything at the same time. And done around some of the most lovely of extended friends in one of the most beautiful places in Maine (I dare say). Our time was spent bouncing around between the lovely Nebo Lodge, the super fun Calderwood Hall, and the incredible Turner Farm.
On the drive home, we talked about our take-aways from the weekend. Such as, I'm totally inspired to recreate the built-in linen closet of my dreams that I saw in the halls of Nebo, and I think my rock walls need some prettying up like the ones I saw at Turner Farm, and I want to plant some quick-fire hydrangea, and I'm switching SmartWool long johns. You know, the important stuff that can only be discovered by spending time with the ladies you love. But more important than the linen storage (which is very important, you know) is my biggest takeaway of all. I love my friends, and I vow that it will not be another fourteen years before my next sleepover. In fact, I'd say I've got some time to make up which might be done by a girls weekend once a season for a few years. Yes, yes...that sounds just right.
Today, we bring you a giveaway from SouleMama Sponsor, Mata Traders. In Katie's words:
"Mata Traders is a Chicago-based fair trade fashion company. We partner with women's cooperatives in India and Nepal to launch two vintage inspired collections each year.
We post about the background of the company, the lives of the women in the artisan groups in India, the design process behind our pieces, and lots more on our blog."
SouleMama: Tell us what you envision and dream for the future of your business.
Katie: In an ideal world, everyone will be wearing Mata! Just kidding. In the garment industry as a whole, we'd love for consumers to, at the very least, know where their clothes are coming from. The reason the garment industry has turned into the factory monster it is today is largely based on the fact that people didn't feel a need to question companies about their process. Luckily, people are learning, and asking, and demanding to know, and we just hope that trend continues.
SouleMama: Tell us about your customers.
Katie: Our customers are, simply put, the BEST. They are the perfect mix of fashion-conscious and socially-conscious. They care about the world and are taking whatever steps they can as consumers to better the lives of others while maintaining their own level and standards of style. Our clothes work for a wide range of women–whether chic or casual, conservative or daring, budget-friendly or spend-happy. They're also quite loyal, which is really flattering!
SouleMama: What's the product or offering that you are most excited about in your shop/class right now? Tell us about it.
Katie: We're pretty excited about being able to incorporate some new fabrics into our fall collection this year. Though we'd been limited to a specific cotton before this season, we now have some dresses with satin cotton and cotton twill that are a little bit softer and sleeker. Also, our next collection will have several jersey pieces, which is a brand new world for us!
For today's giveaway, Mata Traders is generously offering the following gifts to ONE winner:
To enter today's giveaway, please leave a comment (one entry per person, please) in today's post. I'll close comments by 8:00 am EST on Sunday, and announce the winner, chosen via Random Number Generator, shortly after. Comments closed! The winner is...
Love Love Love!
Posted by: Leisa
Thank you, Mata Traders!
. . . . . . . . .
{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.
. . . . . . . . . .
I know. Not exactly the garden photos you're used to seeing here in this Thursday garden update! My apologies - I entirely misread the weather forecast (or maybe the forecast was just wrong) and didn't plan on a rainy wet morning. It is not a morning that I should be out there with camera. And so - a bit of fall from this week for you to look at instead.
But I have been in the garden. As often as I can, out there cleaning up and harvesting and preparing soil. You will not believe that I am still getting beans and just picked another full bushel. My freezer is overflowing with beans, and I've used every jar I have in the house for fermenting them. Everyone's a fan of the fermented beans, so I'm glad for that. But still, all the beans! Also coming in are the last of the beets (this makes us all a little sad), a few more stalks of brussels sprouts, lots of cabbage, carrots and many greens. Oh, and turnips, which are new to my garden this year.
I haven't planted garlic yet, nor have any of the two hundred narcissus bulbs I purchased (what was I thinking?). There is still time, and I look forward to doing it soon. Maybe next week.
Though other work and inside projects are drawing me in, I am still feeling reluctant to say goodnight to the garden for the season. There's more time and more to do and more moments out there to enjoy in the lovely light of autumn. So let's meet back here next week for a bit more garden chat (and pictures) shall we?
. . .
If you're keeping garden notes and photographs and want to share it with the rest of us, do leave a comment with a link so that we may take a stroll through your garden too! It's a delight to see what and how things are growing all over, and to read the comments with such great gardening wisdom! Thank you all for continuing to share in this little project.
We’ve just passed the fourth anniversary of the move from our house in Portland to just a little beyond the outskirts. I guess it could safely be called the country. Well, for the two oldest boys in particular, life had truly started to blossom outside of our little house in town and its immediate surroundings. They were city kids with urban style and a growing eye for the diverse culture all around them. Our place there was sandwiched between a seldom used park, the river and an encroaching industrial complex. We utilized every inch of that park with our off leash dogs and kids - graduating from backpacks to strollers, on foot and then biking on the narrow trails that wound up and down along the banks of the river. In many ways we thought of our Portland house as perfection, the kids had room to roam and we were smack in the middle of a lovely little city and all of its offerings. However, as is often the case, there was a downside to our tucked away, secret home. We always had one eye on the industrial park across the road. Our lot was zoned as industrial, we couldn’t add on in any way as a residential property and, even if we found a loophole to adjust the house for the needs of our growing family, there was no guarantee what sort of development was going to happen all around us. As Amanda and I contemplated our options, the kids continued to thrive and, like any good city kids, they viewed the concrete, pavement and steel of the industrial park as play opportunities, equally viable as the trails into the trees out back.
We would go on the weekends, when the parking lots were all empty. Helmets were mandatory as we rode on every sidewalk and curb and off every loading dock on bikes, scooters and skateboards. We each had our favorite spots around the park loop and we’d hit them in procession. Generally everybody lost a little skin on the unforgiving manmade landings. They had spent enough time at the skate parks to mimic the raw toughness of climbing back on that wheeled horse after being thrown. These were still the early days of my fatherhood and I was continually inspired by their bravery and willingness get up again after a fall.
As our move became more of a reality we talked about how things would be different and how we could still incorporate the most important things into each of our lives. We talked about all the pros and all the cons and we cried about all the memories that we made in that little place in the city. We cried a lot and we talked a lot and then we made our move.
Now it’s been four years. Four splendid years of real hard work, a birth, twists that we never even imagined, turns that we knew would happen someday (and then someday came) and all manner of ebb and flow. We’ve got growing kids at five different levels of development, of which one is usually requiring an extra level of effort to figure out at any given time.
One thing we’d always talked about building - and it has constantly gotten shelved for a variety of reasons - is the halfpipe. We’ve built a treehouse, chicken tractors, mobile sheep shelters, a permanent livestock barn, hoop houses and a number of inside projects. We’ve taken many of those things apart and put them back together as something else as we keep a constant rotating pile of scrap in the barn for the next project need. When a 13 year old young man looked at me nice and squarely and said, “Pop, can we build the halfpipe this year?”, well…all I could picture was that seven year old boy that kept getting up off the hard pavement because he really wanted to learn how to skate. And the nine year old boy that didn’t really relish the idea of shifting his whole life around to live out the dream of his crazy parents. The shifting needs of the homestead are essentially never ending and in that moment I realized that in another four years this kid would be looking back on his childhood and another block of memories from this place. “Yes!!” I said.
Calvin has long been the master of making makeshift bike ramps out of firewood and scrap lumber and he transformed the upper barn into a bit of a skate park that gets used year round. I give free range to most of my tools with a couple of easy rules; don’t treat it like a toy, it’s a tool and put it back on the work bench (damn it). So, armed with a little bit of experience, he helped me build a halfpipe. We only worked on it together. When he went to summer camp I let the base sit there untouched and he had to whack the weeds back so we could continue when he got home.
We got some encouragement and sage advice from an old friend and his family that built their ramp when their own boys were Calvin's age (love to the family Brown!). They lent us all of the plans and notes which are still available here. When I asked about the super expensive surface material they said, "We just went with plywood, man!" And I had that nice relieved feeling you get when talking to someone that is right on your wavelength...
We tried to remember that this project was about the process and I reminded him that the ramp would last for many years but we only get to build it once. We pecked away at it, some days longer than others, a little bit after dinner or before a class. Sometimes Calvin would head out before me to cut a bunch of 2x6's to the length we needed or bring out all the material before I got there. Usually we drew a small audience and had to come up with creative ways to keep the other kids busy, marking boards (that generally got remarked when we needed them) or getting ice water for the crew usually made them feel like they were helping out. When we got down to the end we both got excited and put the push on to finish it up. A few touches aside, it is complete!
We continue to try and balance the needs of our city boys who like the country and our farm kids that like the city. At an early age those boys got a taste of the stage and the performing arts and also the sound of pavement underneath their wheels. The memories of our old place are too numerous to count. Memories of our very early days of parenting when our older kids were so little and before the youngest were born. We uprooted them a little bit and transplanted them out here amongst the trees where the new halfpipe sits. It's a new place to ride and the next memory awaits.
Hello October!
And welcome back to the newest Sponsors here at SouleMama...
creating eco friendly treasures with locally raised fiber & foraged plants for you & your home.
. . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . .
Hand Knit Scarves, Hats and Accessories
. . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . .
wool yarns, sourced and spun in the US
. . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . .
Check out all of their handmade, natural, and creative offerings - and those of our other Sponsors - in the days and weeks to come. I thank them and you both for your presence and support here. And if Sponsorship is something you're interested in for your own business, please be in touch!
Greetings! I'm Amanda Blake Soule - mother of five, author of four books on family creativity, editor & owner of Taproot Magazine. I live with my family in an old farmhouse in Western Maine where we raise animals, grow vegetables and make lots of things. I write about it all here on the blog. Thank you for visiting!
