The Seasons of My Life

I was born in springtime, when the world awakens and breaks it winter fast. The chill warms into rain and shine to bring flowers of new growth and beauty. New life abounds infinitely, as creatures stir to co-Create, whether for the first time or once again. As is spring, so is childhood.

I was married in the summer of my life, where everything is bright and lively, anticipating the glorious long days of life, giving way to beauty, energy, and endlessness. I became a mom and wife in the same fragrant season with great slendor and awe, bringing to fruition a multitude of dreams and the next chapter to begin.

I have moved in the autumn of my life, back to a place where I was young. I revisit old haunts in memories, places, and images that transport my mind to yesterday, as I purposefully look to preparation of tomorrow. I am drawn to ready myself for the eventual eternal winter that will fall upon us all. I think of the generations who have come before me and the line that I perpetuate. Magnificent and long-suffering, are a great many who have come in turn, with fascinating stories of their own.

I see trees withdraw their energies and bring forth a beauty that is enhanced by the subtle drear in the air. Though the sleep of winter sits impending, the land tranforms to welcome her chill and twilight. Just as the apple tree needs a winter rest uninhibited in order to prosper, so too, the soul must prepare for the fruit it must bear through a season of contemplation and preparation, perchance to be reborn into the eternal spring of the Resurrection of all life into One Love and communion with Creation and Truth.

I find I do not fear death, only an unrepentant and mindless life lived, because we all must die to live again in Eternity. We die now, that we may live in eternity of the day of Resurrection.

School, Life, and Our Mountainside

So, we got Kat a real workbook for schooling. *GASP* This does not mean we are abandoning our unschooling approach to pretty much everything and she was a bit less than enthused, but at least it is Brain Quest with all kinds of pictures and bright colors. We do not ask that she do any of it consecutively, just that she find a few pages to work on each day. She is now more on board and is happy to see what she has finished bits and pieces, though it has only been a week. Miss Anna will be working with her on reading and language arts, which is half of the book, along with whatever curriculum Anna deems worthy to be taught, since she is a former language arts teacher.

Get this. Kat...likes...math! WOOT! She likes math like her mama and I am redicovering my own love for it as we work with angles and numbers. She is a lot like her papa in a great many ways, particularly with intereset in school subjects, but this is one we can relate to and do together. I was actually late leaving the house today because I got sucked into doing math with her.

Ok, I think I am finished with that bit...for now. Though we have not had any rain yet this season, which is rather unusual, the air has begun to change, while the plants and the earth make the push to sleep the winter away. I no longer feel the heat pressing in to drive us further into preparation of the upcoming winter, but even the trees and creatures have made it well-known that it is time to slow and what is done settles, but what has yet to be done, may wait another day. We are not amidst the autumn foliage just yet, but the transformation has set in and we will move with the tides of the mountainside.

I sit at coffee and think of the knitting to be done, all the while having two projects sitting next to me in a bag, awaiting my reimmersion. It will come in time. I realize that the cold, wet months to come will offer a great deal of time to knit away, but my thoughts turn to getting nestled into our little hobbit-esque house to seek solace and perhaps stumble upon peace.

Who knows how much I will be on here, but I will try to update things as it is presented to us. Much love to all!

Life, Farm, Anniversary, and Whatnot

So very much time has passed since I have last written, but here I am! I am not lost forever, I promise. That being said, we are settling into the realities of our new adventure. I say realities because have to come to ters on what our country life truly entails. We are 32 miles from town, but travel time varies depending on weather and, lately, whether there are hunters swarming the area because rifle season has opened and they are up and down the road. This winter will certainly be an interesting introduction into many things, but judging whether we ought to even attempt leaving our mountainside for town during poor weather, or how best to keep the woodstove, and even what and how much food stores to keep around. I expect I will have soup on nearly every day and the apples that we have picked for storage will be made into crisps and cider, or eaten whole.

The Farmer's Almanac says that, though we are having a longer and warmer than usual season of warmth right now, we should expect a wetter than normal winter, which means snow at our altitude. Even if we don't get the snow directly every time, we have a nearly 5500 ft. pass to cross on Greensprings mountain just to get to town, which will likely get snow when we get rain. It will be interesting, to say the very least, acclimating to the weather and whatnot, but I am extremely grateful that we got here when we did so we will already be used to our house and grounds. We are all familiar with most things in our new environment, so as the seasons finally change, I believe we will not have quite the adjustment as we might, had we come out sooner.

It has been nice taking some time to see family and friends. Church has also been a blessing and I was just mentioning to our new Matushka how it is nice that we have the solid cycle of the church year of feasts and services that stays constant, even amidst all kinds of change and disruption in life and family routine. Truly, it is a Godsend to have such grounding, because the whole world outside can change and fall apart, but the cycle and seasons within the church stay steadfast as an undercurrent of strength.

We are currently at a bed and breakfast for our anniversary, the 10th, to be exact. We are a week past, but it is perfect timing. It has crossed my mind that it is a bit odd to be on an anniversary getaway with Jay and be on the computer, however, we only use internet at our neighbors house, and relatively minimally at that. Last night was the first time in weeks that I sat down to watch a show with Jay and I have learned how much I can do, and even prefer to be, without tv and movies. That doesn't mean that we won't be cuddled up watching movies this winter as we stay warm inside, all the while the frozen grounds renew themselves for spring and a new crop, but I am perfectly happy not having the distraction.

We brought our bikes to the B&B and expect to ride to town 1 mile away and shop around, perhaps to have lunch/dinner. With breakfast so late, as we sat down at 10 a.m., I am sure our afternoon meal will serve a dual meal purpose and we will work on snacks and wine later. We have been the only guests, thus far, so we have the run of this historic two-story house to ourselves, I almost don't want to go to town. It is going to be another sunny, beautiful day, so we probably had better take advantage of it. I must say that I am not sure what to do with all this time without having chores to tend, but I did bring knitting and books, should I wish to get into them. We already talk about so many things as the days pass that coming to a place like this affords us the opportunity to chat in peace without interruption, but we also have few things to discuss. Now, to be sure, it isn't as though we are dull, but I think that we maintain ur marriage quite well that we are not in need of those things, but mostly not being responsible for a great many things in a day and being able to go out on a whim to little shops and eat whenever, not just between jobs.

In closing of this rather extensive blather, I would say that we all love our little life on the farm, in the country, quietly discovering many more wonders in life. We have 4 hens laying, 15 more who are up and coming, with 6 baby chicks awaiting their turn to be in the big house with the other lady hens. Our dogs love it, Kat is in kid heaven, with a creek nearby to always be able to wash and water her ponies and horses, the upstairs to herself, and her job as chicken mistress and resident spunky kid. Jay's health is also contnuing to be restored, bit by bit, and we both appreciate the honest and worthy work of the farm. We hope to roll into spring with a readiness to propagate and flourish!