We were slammed with snow this week, and the older kids out of school for two days in a row. That's unusual, really...Maine tends to clean up after a foot of snow quickly. But the snow just kept coming, and we found ourselves home, having not left in a few days. It resembled a bit of a three ring circus around here, to be honest (complete with hula hoops and some silks) - six kids a little bit on the antsy side (the blizzard wasn't great for playing in....oh but today it will be!). Still, I took great pleasure in watching how everyone eventually found a way to entertain themselves - or each other. It was a bit like musical chairs as I saw different combinations coming together and then dissolving before another match was made. It's never anything I can predict, either - who will end up together and for how long. Sibling relationships are so fascinating to me, and on a snowy day with us all inside, there was plenty to observe. In between trying to get the animals fed, somewhat keep the house clean, and squeeze a bit of my own work in as well. And feed them all. Once again, the cupboards are bare. They eat! So. Much. I've been handing a lot of cooking duties over to the kids, hoping to instill in them the confidence for a few of what I consider essential stand by meals. How to roast a chicken, or the basic process of creating a soup, or making your own granola. They're all tolerant of my nudging in this direction (the end result of food helps motivate), but Adelaide is taking it and running with it. She's been very much into baking for a while now, though she'd mostly prefer to make sweet things. Understandably. Everyone is a fan of the person who walks into a room with a plate of chocolate cupcakes. But heartier breads are becoming fun for her too, and she made us this One Bowl Gluten Free Banana Bread twice this week, much to everyone's delight. There's a recipe for a Rose Chocolate Spelt Cake in the next issue of Taproot, and she's anxious to get that one in the oven. Maybe this weekend. It might be just the thing to enjoy when coming in from wintry snow play, of which I expect lots in the coming days.
Wishing you and yours a wonderful weekend ahead!
