Last Spring

 Somehow, we're on our fourth and final spring out west. We moved here in the midst of winter just over three years ago, and watched our little valley slowly unfold under the warm, western sun for the first time. And now here we are, three springs later and preparing to move back east.

I haven't had a good ramble in a while, so this will probably be a bit-of-this, a bit-of-that sort of post.

Disclaimer: all the cow photos are from January -- there's far more green now!

More and more rainbows have been finding their way into my life (this mug was my first faith purchase after we found out about this little one), and I'm treasuring the growing bump that signifies life within. I feel such relief in the first few days after my weekly doppler checks, and then as the week wears on I start to wonder... I'm fifteen weeks today, and counting down every day. We're finally past the gestation where we lost Baby J -- that's the one that's been weighing most on my mind from the start. It doesn't mean we're safe from loss now, but it's a relief to pass that particular milestone.

Obviously a few weeks ago! I'm trying to take more bump
pictures with this pregnancy.

I'm currently going through Spurgeon's commentary on the Psalms as my daily devotional. The two volumes of commentary cost less than a dollar at a charity shop, a small price to pay for such spiritual riches! It's slow going, both due to my time limitations and his eloquence. But perhaps that's for the better. It's also giving me the chance to "mark up" my illuminated Psalms journal, which I am very much enjoying. My Bible has room for notes, but not nearly this much! I'm hoping this is something I can come back to repeatedly over the years (though same pages are already quite full...) -- I'm adding dates to my entries, so I have some time reference for my comments and the (many) quotations from Spurgeon. He's so quotable! I think I'll break this study up into three 50-psalm units, and pause between them for some of the other studies that are waiting for me.

I'm also going to be starting a new prayer journal soon, as this one's nearly full! This journal was a gift from my women's Bible study when I moved out west. It seems appropriate that I'll just be finishing it when I move back. I highly recommend a prayer journal if, like me, you've always struggled to be consistent in prayer (and especially intercessory prayer -- it's so easy to forget who you've promised to pray for!). Inspired to start a journal by a friend from that same Bible study, I chose a "monthly" format. Rewriting my requests every month allows me to see what prayers have been answered, keep my list updated with the "latest" for each person/request, and even functions as a journal of sorts. It's evolved over the past few years, but now I have a structure that works for me and it's proven to be such a blessing.

One of the things we'll miss most about our town is the little Indian food truck! My lands, those folks can cook! The lady who runs the truck knows our order now, because we're creatures of habit. I always, always order the Lamb Rogan Josh -- because if local lamb is an option, why not? It's one of the best things I've ever put in my mouth. We're trying out some Indian recipes (mild!), and this Tikka Masala was our best effort so far:

There are so many calves in the neighboring fields just now! Two itty bitty calves were butting heads in a field as we drove by the other day. It's going to feel odd not to see hundreds of cows on my way to the grocery store after we move.

I happened to plan chicken pot pie on "Pi Day" (3/14), so I had to make a circular pie instead of the rectangular casserole I'd anticipated! Which also meant I had to make two pies, because my children eat like strongmen. Interestingly, I made a gluten-free pie crust for the second pie, and that was more of a hit than my faithful Betty Crocker crust on the "normal" pie. Go figure.

Rosa left me the sweetest message on my pincushion -- the downside being, that I can't bring myself to use those pins now...

I also had a massive knitting fail recently! My Ivy cowl, despite some modifications intended to avoid this issue, was a decided flop! Ah, well, I can reuse the yarn -- and I did learn some interesting stitch designs. I may give this another shot with a lighter yarn (mine was held double to get the weight, and I think it would be better with a yarn that has some drape).

I suppose this might have made an effective face covering two
years ago! Haha!

Some naughty little boy decimated a clump of daffodils at our church -- so we recued a few stems, and brought them home for our own enjoyment. I can't wait to have my garden back next spring! Bulbs are perfect for these black thumbs of mine; they're so easy and reliable. I am a little anxious to see what our house/garden is like after three years of renters, but I'm also just eager to be home.

We're finishing up our last few weeks of home school, and I'll feel relieved when that's done -- much as I love educating my children (and myself!), both the pregnancy and the upcoming move are taking up quite a bit of my energy -- mostly mentally, at this point. We'll all be ready for a break, and I'd like to take some final "field trips" while the weather's nice. I suspect we'll be taking some field trips back East, too, since much of what we've studied about early American history will be right around the corner. How I've missed Williamsburg! Perhaps that will be a good break from all the unpacking.

I've actually made it into my sewing room recently, so hopefully I'll have some stitchy projects to share soon. And I cast off a pair of socks, which means I need another "travel" project! It will probably be -- you guessed it -- more socks. *wink* What I really want to knit are little baby things, but I'm waiting to find out the gender before I go too crazy. I'm excited by the prospect of an October baby; lots of cozy knitting potential there. And what I ought to be doing is preparing for this move (it's shocking how much clutter can accumulate in three years when you have four littles!), as we'll quickly be entering single digits in our weekly countdown -- a thought that's simultaneously exhilarating and a bit alarming! Hmm, what to tackle first... 

Faithful

We had some much-needed Spring rain last week -- we get so little here that it's quite a novelty. But a few days ago the clouds parted, and after one glimpse of the sky I grabbed my camera and headed down the road to get a better view. It was the warmest day we've had this year, and the feel of sun on my skin was glorious. I only wish I could capture the beauty of the sky!

Some of the distant ranges are still snow-capped, which makes me quite happy:

The yellow-headed blackbirds are returning with other feathered friends, and after a silent winter I'd forgotten how beautiful birdsong can be. It's time to refill the feeder -- hopefully "Emma" the German Shepherd won't frighten them all away!

As I stood by the side of the road, soaking up the sunshine, I happened to look up and see a rainbow -- just a tiny strip of color directly above me. When I looked up a few minutes later, it had already disappeared.

It was a gift, a timely and gentle reminder of God's faithfulness. That very morning I'd been reflecting that images of rainbows now bring me more pain than joy after losing three "rainbow babies" in quick succession. But God ordained the rainbow as a promise to never again destroy all life on earth with a flood, vividly displaying His compassion and His value for the life He has created. My hopes of ever having another baby have dimmed with each loss, but my hope in the One Who keeps His promises has deepened. Rainbows should still bring me joy, because they symbolize more than a baby born after loss (which is a blessing, not a promise) -- each one is a reminder that God still honors a covenant He made with Noah thousands of years ago. More than that, He sent His precious Son to the cross to keep a promise made to covenant-breakers. Every promise He's made to me, He will keep.


What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written,

“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;

we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:31-39

Little Emperor

As I was working on my oldest son's Thistle sweater, I hit a wall while working the sleeve cap -- I tried several different wrap-and-turn methods, but nothing was coming out right (hello, holes). I'd just had the same struggle on the heels of Rosa's "Royal Rye" socks, and was tired of re-knitting the sleeve cap over and over. So I started another pair of socks, instead. 

Using the same merino wool I used for Rosa's socks (in colorway "Empire" this time), I cast on a pair of ankle socks for Little Man. I've tried making him socks once before, but they ended up being too large and I commandeered them. This merino yarn is so soft and squishy that it took some willpower to resist claiming this pair for myself, too! I'm calling them his "little emperor" socks, because the colorway name fits perfectly with our current homeschool study of Ancient Rome. 

Of course, casting on a pair of ankle socks was a foolish way to avoid wrap-and-turn problems -- within a few rows, I was ready to start the heels and in the very same short-row quandary that made me pause the Thistle sweater (so to escape my problem I created an identical problem. Good planning, that...). I could have just used the heel flap from the Rye pattern, but I really don't like heel flaps -- even though they supposedly last longer. A bit of searching brought up the Fish Lips Kiss Heel, which is only $1 on Ravelry. So many people raved about it that I had to try it. It ended up being the solution to not only my heel issues, but also my sleeve cap dilemma! I'm looking forward to having a "go-to" heel pattern for socks from now on. The pattern includes detailed instructions for making socks even if you don't have the recipient present, which I'd also love to explore at some point. I used to be terrified of sock knitting, but now I find it remarkably relaxing and satisfying. 

With another pair of socks off the needles, I was motivated to finish up the Thistle sweater once and for all. The sleeve caps turned out much better using the Fish Lips Kiss short row method, and after that it was a matter of finishing up the sleeves and weaving in ends and such. 

Little Man is thrilled with his new footwear, and it's so gratifying to see my littles wearing their handmade socks around the house! Perhaps it's time to knit a pair each for Laddie and Scout...

Hello, I'm New Here

We planted more daffodil bulbs last fall, and now we're enjoying the "consequences." From a mixed bag at the local home store, we've had some yellow-and-orange blooms, and, best of all, these gorgeous double-bloom beauties:

I've had a long-term love affair with daffodils, but the double-blooms make my heart skip a beat. Gardening had never really been a passion of mine, but the more I pursue it here in Virginia, the more I love it. There is wonder and delight in "possessing" such beauty! Now I just need my gardening skills to match my enthusiasm.

Fortunately, I don't have to grow everything -- the local nature trails are a year-round hub of growth. Like this little Mayapple, with its umbrella canopy still furled:

One day it will look like this, but not yet. I've seen wisteria here and there, so I suspect it's time to visit the trails again -- there's always a glorious display in the spring, and somehow I missed it last year!

Also new here, Opal apples. These gorgeous golden beauties from New Zealand were waiting for us at the grocery store. I don't usually fall prey to "fancy" (read: expensive) fruit, but these were under $1 per pound for some incomprehensible reason. They turned out to be some of the best apples we've ever had. I wish I'd bought all of them!

This is new, too -- a $2 find at the thrift store. It's a hideous skirt (in my humble opinion), but it's all leather! Four different colors of leather (and the "white" has a pearly, silvery finish), which will be perfect for baby shoes and what-not.

And last but not least, I had a "moment" and gave in to a long-term urge to buy wool from Wool and the Gang (50% sale + $15 off first purchase = Too much to resist). I think because of the name? I'm similarly tempted to buy wool made by Hedgehog Fibres, for no better reason than my love for their moniker! In my defense, I would never buy wool I didn't like just because of the name. Anyways, the perfect sale and the perfect sweater pattern converged, and now my "personal spending" budget is a little diminished. But no regrets here -- the wool (Sugar Baby Alpaca) is a sheer delight, and it came packaged in a branded paper bag sealed with a sticker. If only it were as easy to make a sweater as it is to purchase the materials...

That's what's new around here! The weather has been toying with us -- short sleeves and brilliant sunshine one day, cold drizzle the next -- but the birds and the flowers and the hints of green everywhere lend a hopeful aura, even on the chilliest days. Wishing some sunshine your way today!

Almost

Almost Spring -- after an unintentional hiatus, driven by the flurry of holiday bustle (so much sewing!) and the reality of life with four littles (we've had three birthdays since my last post), I'm feeling the itch to revisit this little space. I think I'd have been back sooner, if there wasn't a feeling of where to start? Or re-start, rather!

But perhaps it's the perfect time to restart, just as the world around me is doing the same. Camellias and daffodils, always the earliest bloomers here, are in a profusion of glory. Flowering trees are abundant, too. We've started walking at a nearby trail that I've rarely explored in the past. A variety of circumstances led me to try it out, and it's been lovely! A paved path meanders around a lake, with little side trails now and then that meet up with the path later on -- perfect for adventurous (or timid!) littles to practice some independence.

If we've brought a book, we'll cozy up on one of the benches and read aloud. Scout takes it all in with his round, blue eyes as his older siblings scamper about. Laddie's usually lagging behind a bit (short little legs!), but his expanding vocabulary makes him quite an amusing companion.

And the trip is not complete without a visit to some of the lake's reptilian inhabitants! A few invariably slip off to the safety of the water when we approach, but the rest are remarkably still. Even when my children are lobbing sweet gum pods at them...

I have such a backlog of sewing projects to share that I'll probably have to pick the highlights to share over my next posts. I never feel like I have much time to sew, but when I look back I realize that I've managed to finish quite a few projects over the past few months. I think that's more to do with years of experience increasing my speed than my having hours of leisure time! We've managed to (finally) complete a few furniture projects around the house, which I hope to share, too.

But now I'm off to mediate between some bickering hens. As if I needed more creatures to "mother!"

Spring, Virginia Style -- Fauna

 We've been getting to know the neighbors -- it's a rather "diverse" community of varying shapes, sizes, colors, and species.


Some swim...

Others hop....

This "itchy" fellow hangs out in our neighborhood, and can often be seen nibbling
on our neighbors' flowers!

Some waddle...

Others buzz...

Every encounter is a chance to show the littles something new about God's marvelous creation:

"See the terrapin's extra eyelid? Watch when his head pokes out of the water!"

"See that cardinal? Listen to his song!"

"See the pollen on the bee's leg? Now she will taken some pollen to the next flower she visits!"


Eyes wide open, ears attuned, feet eager to explore -- every discovery another reminder of the blessings that flow down from heaven, as the rain and sunlight bring life to the dormant ground.

Ask the beasts, and they will teach you;

the birds of the heavens, and they will tell you;

Or the bushes of the earth, and they will teach you;

and the fish of the sea will declare to you.

Who among all these does not know

that the hand of the Lord has done this?

In His hand is the life of every living thing

and the breath of all mankind.

Job 12:7-10

Spring, Virginia Style -- Flora

You may recall my excitement last year about the coming of Spring. Well, this year has surpassed last year's delights! Perhaps that's partly because we had the whole winter to heighten our anticipation, and it's certainly largely due to spending more time at the local gardens. And let's be real -- it's mostly because I'm finally in a climate where foxglove thrives.

I hold Beatrix Potter responsible for my unaccountable obsession with foxglove! I love many other flowers, but none so much as this. 

There were so many of them at our local gardens. Pink, purple, white. Happy, happy me!

But first came the daffodils, and the camellias. This was the only picture of a camellia that I took; I think I must have been overwhelmed by the variety and profusion. But really, what would I do with a dozen (or even half a dozen!) camellia pictures? I can't seem to resist taking photos of every lovely plant that catches my eye, which then languish in my photo files. Perhaps that's why I post so many on my blog! They feel "purposeful" if they're shared.

Lenten roses (hellebores) and dogwoods bloomed next -- we have five dogwood trees in our back yard, and one is planted right outside my kitchen window. How I waited and waited for that tree to bloom! Though the pink dogwood pictured below was a discovery at the gardens:

Summer snowflakes

Parsley

Tulips! Another rarity in Florida

One of my favorite discoveries at the gardens this year was lupine -- ever since we read Miss Rumphius, I have wanted to see lupine for myself. They're so lovely! Pink, purple, and white, just like the ones Alice planted. I have plans to add some to our landscape next year. I was tickled when we found the lupine covered with seed pods after they'd bloomed; perfect for showing the littles how the flowers made the seeds that Miss Rumphius scattered on her walks!

Our scraggly rosebush managed to produce a few lovelies -- I think it's badly in need of pruning! Perhaps next year it will do a little better.

And now, it's hydrangeas. Every shape, size, color. It seems that Virginia is a hotbed for my favorite plants! Though I haven't noticed any hollyhocks -- still, if foxglove grows here, I'd imagine hollyhocks would, too.

Another Virginia delight? Willow trees. I think I saw maybe one or two in our old Florida haunts, but here they grow everywhere! I have such fond memories of willow trees from my childhood in England, so I feel a warm glow every time I spot one here.

 And while our roses at home may be scarce, the local gardens can boast a much larger and impressive variety! In fact, I doubt I'll plant many (if any) roses in our garden, because I can always nip over there for my rose "fix." I couldn't resist a snapshot of these particular beauties, mostly because the variety is "Winchester Cathedral" (a lovely minster, and Jane Austen's final resting place).

I've saved the "fauna" for another post, because this is already lengthier than usual! It's been a chilly, rainy Spring, and I'm actually ready for Summer -- but I'm already looking forward to next year's Spring. More daffodils! More foxglove! Because "Spring" here is just a synonym for "Anticipation."

"He has made everything beautiful in its time."

Ecclesiastes 3:11