Low Tide

This year we went the day after the lowest tide to the cove to see what we could see. I am amazed at how much animal life is around us. The highlights this year were starfish, crabs (large and small), and one anemone.

Did you know that crabs molt their entire shell, legs and all? If they are caught before growing a new shell, they are called soft shelled crab. It seems that we could spend hours there strolling the waters edge, looking for treasures.

Time seems to stand still while we are there.

Then, once we hit the car, everyone is exhausted. We tried to find where our creek flows into the sound during low tide this year. However, it seems to peter out before it gets to the water.

Our summer weather has been so nice so far. The kids have been out of school since the 16th. So far so good...

Midsummer Night

The sun goes down,

The stars peep out,

And long slim shadows

Flit about.

In velvet shoes

The quiet dark

Comes stepping soft

O'er wood and park.

And now the world

Is fast asleep;

And fays and elves

Their revels keep.

They fly on the backs of the grey-winged moths,

They skim on the dragon-flies green and gold

On shimmering dew-wet grass they alight,

Tiny petal-skirts whirl, gauzy wings unfold.

The fairies are dancing beneath the moon

Hush! See the shimmer of their twinkling shoon!

- Elizabeth Gould

(Sorry, I should have posted this last week!)

Fathers and Strawberries

I'm so glad when daddy comes home,

Glad as I can be;

Clap my hands and shout for joy,

Then climb upon his knee,

Put my arms around his neck,

Hug him tight like this,

Pat his cheeks,

Then give him what?

A great big kiss.

Anonymous

I don't normally think that these two items really have something to do with each other. However, this past weekend we spent our time enjoying both. We visited Mazama in the Methow Valley to celebrate Brent.

We could not have a better Dad at our house. We are so grateful for how hard he works everyday, how much he likes to have fun, and he is willing to challenge himself to grow. He is also really good at math and building things.

While there we hiked up to beautiful Goat Peak. This is the second time we have made this trek, once about 9 years ago, and again this weekend.

It is a very steep climb, however the view and the wildflowers along the way make it so worth it. At the top there is a fire look out that is staffed by Lightening Bill, and his two dogs. He is quite a character, and a gracious host. He thinks he was there on our last visit, as he has been spending the fire season up there for 15 years. We visited with him, signed his guest book, petted his dogs, and he took our picture. The way down was much quicker and easier. The weather was beautiful.

We stayed in a simple cabin and ate great food that we prepared outside on the grill.

On the way home we stopped by a strawberry field to pick berries.

We all participated, although Brent and Maddie are the only ones who will eat them. We walked Maddie out to the field and showed her the berries. She was so excited!

She then began picking and eating strawberries, really big ones, stem and all, one after the other. As you can see, I think we should have weighed her on the way in, and on the way out.

Imagine what was going through her mind. How many times in life do we allow ourselves the joy of walking into a field of (insert something you love) that is just waiting for us to experience it? And if there are, do we allow ourselves to participate in the experience freely?

Baking Day

l

Finally we have had our first baking day!  This has been on my mind for quite some time.  We built the cob oven two years ago.  Up until now we have only made pizza in it.  As my mind has continued to work on ways for us to incorporate more of a rhythm to daily life, I have dreamed of having a baking day, using the cob oven.  One of the steps that lead up to this were beginning to bake bread weekly.  This was followed by baking cookies or muffins along with the bread weekly.  I had to get used to planning what we would need each week that could come out of the oven.  Now it has finally come!  

On Sunday we baked pizza, bread, and a chocolate cake in the oven.  Braden helped by brushing the oven out.  This included climbing in and out of it several times.  

Brent built and tended the fire and coals.  Lindsay helped by looking for four leaf clovers in the grass.  

Maddie helped by opening and closing the door several times. 

 

I put all the doughs together and brought them out at the right time.  We all made pizza and ate it while the other items baked.  I loved the adventure of experimenting with temperature and timing.  Everything tasted good!

Love-feast

We gather 'round this table,

Where bodies are renewed,

Where hearts appease their hunger,

For we feast on more than food.