Because it's Tuesday and an especially crowded Tuesday for the young parents, little Snowdrop will be spending the afternoon at the farmhouse.
That means everything else for me has to be plugged into the hours of the morning. And so I'm the one volunteering to open up the coop. It's a motivator to get me up and moving.
Still, I stall for a bit. It's too cold for the cheepers to come out of their huddle. As I look out at the very gentle sunrise -- the kind where there is just a faint wisp of haze, giving us a cornflower sky...
... I see that we have visitors at the farmette. I know they hope for young fruit tree bark. No luck, my deers! We finally protected the trees from your assault! And indeed, the deer move on...
Breakfast. A jubilant meal. I don't know why we are especially spirited today, but we are.
I tell Ed that if we're to ski, it has to be in the morning. And that's fortuitous, because we have that gentle sky now. The afternoon is to bring more snow.
Very quickly, after our morning meal, we head out.
The trails aren't groomed yet, but there are tracks now that we can follow and, too, we're back in the swing of things. Yesterday it took us 1.5 hours to do our park loop. Today we did it in 45 minutes.
(at crossroads)
And just before noon, little Snowdrop arrives! She's sleepy at first and so I am content just watching her and letting Ed have a swig at keeping her in her restful state...
... but in no time she is ready to be entertained. We explore the world of bunny rabbits and penguins.
(Is that a dimple, or what?!)
And she is such a good little Snowdrop, that I even have time to bake another cornbread. (The last one was to be shared with the cheepers, but Ed whittled away at it enough for me to feel the need to make a second -- this one with fresh corn and kefir.)
Little Snowdrop enjoys the fragrance of baking at the farmhouse.
The snow comes as promised...
I put on Raffi's Douglas Mountain. A children's record that I had played some thirty years ago. Snows are a-falling on Douglas Mountain, Snows are a-falling so deep, Snows are a-falling on Douglas Mountain, Putting the bears to sleep.
... and little Snowdrop and I dance and dance.
That means everything else for me has to be plugged into the hours of the morning. And so I'm the one volunteering to open up the coop. It's a motivator to get me up and moving.
Still, I stall for a bit. It's too cold for the cheepers to come out of their huddle. As I look out at the very gentle sunrise -- the kind where there is just a faint wisp of haze, giving us a cornflower sky...
... I see that we have visitors at the farmette. I know they hope for young fruit tree bark. No luck, my deers! We finally protected the trees from your assault! And indeed, the deer move on...
Breakfast. A jubilant meal. I don't know why we are especially spirited today, but we are.
I tell Ed that if we're to ski, it has to be in the morning. And that's fortuitous, because we have that gentle sky now. The afternoon is to bring more snow.
Very quickly, after our morning meal, we head out.
The trails aren't groomed yet, but there are tracks now that we can follow and, too, we're back in the swing of things. Yesterday it took us 1.5 hours to do our park loop. Today we did it in 45 minutes.
(at crossroads)
And just before noon, little Snowdrop arrives! She's sleepy at first and so I am content just watching her and letting Ed have a swig at keeping her in her restful state...
... but in no time she is ready to be entertained. We explore the world of bunny rabbits and penguins.
(Is that a dimple, or what?!)
And she is such a good little Snowdrop, that I even have time to bake another cornbread. (The last one was to be shared with the cheepers, but Ed whittled away at it enough for me to feel the need to make a second -- this one with fresh corn and kefir.)
Little Snowdrop enjoys the fragrance of baking at the farmhouse.
The snow comes as promised...
I put on Raffi's Douglas Mountain. A children's record that I had played some thirty years ago. Snows are a-falling on Douglas Mountain, Snows are a-falling so deep, Snows are a-falling on Douglas Mountain, Putting the bears to sleep.
... and little Snowdrop and I dance and dance.
Raffi... wow! Shades of the past... so cool that Snowdrop grows up with the best of old and new! And she's lucky to have you to share it with her. Plus lucky that Ed is getting into baby rocking too.
ReplyDeleteRaffi, Rosenshontz -- dusting off the vinyl and playing them again! Love those simple melodies and lyrics!
DeleteYour snow has made its way here, already. Looks like it'll drop a few inches and then move on, drawing another raft of snow behind it. I don't know about you but we're beginning to make up for our lack of snow earlier in the season.
ReplyDeleteYou've posted some lovely outdoor pictures lately, Nina. There are several where I've paused and thought to myself "That looks just like a painting."
Thank you -- snow makes outdoor photography fun again!
DeleteI wish we lived near enough to be helpful to our new parents, but they'll be self-sufficient like we were. I thought it made us tighter as a couple and more confident as parents. Even the tough stuff (stitches, swallowed penny, 105 fever, hernia repair at 6 mos...) we handled. I realize that doesn't add up to anything too tough. :)
ReplyDeleteWe still grew close relationships with both sets of grandparents, whose visits were treated like a great celebration! Even as teenagers, they didn't make other plans if their Grands were coming to visit!
Now Mom is 87 and in the physical rehab center, and the grandsons and their wonderful wives all write and call her. Mom is doing so well! She's happier than she was at home.
I think my being close to the young couple does not make them less self sufficient.
DeleteI'm glad your mom is doing well!
Didn't you know? my comment was not about you. It was my own perspective from our own experience. Side by side with yours, but different.
DeleteYou don't just want an echo every day? Pretty picture, cute baby, pretty picture, cute baby.
Cheepers cheepers. :)
We still sing "Eli Beluga" to Eli rather than Raffi's Baby Beluga. When he was non-verbal but knew some animal signs in ASL, Eli would stand in front of our CD player clapping his hands together in disgust at us for not understanding what song he wanted. It turns out, he wanted "Joshua Giraffe" (somewhere in the middle the lyrics have a line about alligators and that's the sign for alligators). It took forever to figure out what he wanted. All that to say, I still love Raffi. Have you heard his song dedicated to Jane Goodall? It's wonderful. (and a random aside, the book "Me…Jane" might be a wonderful addition to Snowdrop's library.
ReplyDelete"Eli Beluga" ( :) ) is probably my favorite! And no, I did not hear the one for J.Goodall (off I go to search!) and thank you SO MUCH for the book recommendation. I have all the ones you picked for me in a previous comment!
DeleteThe scant snow we had is long gone. I think blizzards are energizing until they become messy and paralyzing. :) I guess that's why I've enjoyed your photos.
ReplyDeleteAt Facebook I've posted a photo of baby David on my back as we hiked through snow that was thigh deep. It was insane. We were on the north face and it was extremely cold. It's an adorable photo though.
My housekeeper makes iron skillet corn bread at least once each week and shares generously. Yum!
Snowdrop seems to be responding to her surroundings! The changes happen so fast. Remarkable!
My children had the benefit of nearby grandparents and great-grandparents. These relationships so deeply enriched their lives - and I'm forever grateful. Unfortunately my three children live in different regions of the US. Not only are their aunt and uncle ties diluted, I feel the grandparent elements have been sadly short-changed. My children had magical times on a regular basis with their grandparents. Weekly rituals developed - like Sunday brunch or supper on summer nights on the screened porch or trips to the zoo or museums or amusement parks or a quiet evening reading books or taking an evening stroll to the corner for an ice cream cone or perhaps making homemade ice cream.. Every single moment became an important moment in my children's lives. It has been my sorrow to not have that kind of intimate relationship with my grandchildren. When we are together I try to create as many memories as possible, but it's not the same. Little Snowdrop is fortunate. Your influence will be significant - infused with joyful memories and important lessons.
What lovely images! I can see the vignettes just by reading your few sentences!
DeleteIt's the ideal, in my mind. America is so vast, mobility is so high that in reality, it becomes nearly impossible to maintain that casual proximity. Short vacations, long distances -- this is what families face. I know you have great times with your threesome (plus spouses and fiancee) despite all the obstacles and encumbrances. That's to your credit. And what you do with your grandchildren -- I'm thinking of that cross country train trip -- is nothing short of remarkable, given all you have on your plate these days. Magical times come in many shapes and sizes and it seems to me you've managed quite well to create a land of magic around your mountain home and beyond.