hello my friends. i have been dreaming of warm, lemony sunshine that goes bone deep, livens you, gets you running barefoot down the fresh cut lawn without a care in the world. for now, i stand near the woodstove filled with sweet, burning ash and oak logs -- the heat does warm to the bone, but calls me to rest instead of run, curled up in a wool blanket drinking mug after mug of lemon tea, sweetened with honey. I'm noticing that the light stays out a bit longer than it did earlier in the season, and i feel a little stirring inside -- like spring fluttering its eyelids before waking.

i really do enjoy winter cold and snow, no fibs, but it has been a bit too much of a good thing this year. Single digit temperatures have been the norm this winter, sometimes just barely climbing into the double digits. that means it is often too cold to enjoy the snow and we wind up staying in a lot...


...watching icicles melt and freeze, drips frozen at their tips. Staying in can have its perks if we get creative. We make art with this fun book, this, and projects with this one. Snuggling, reading library books in mommy and daddy's big bed is another pleasure -- Rose asks for this book every time. Time for baking too -- let's see -- this week we've done vanilla almond valentine cupcakes with plenty of pretty sprinkles, banana bread and homemade playdough. The kids play "beach" (they toss the couch pillows on the floor to make the waves) and dress up in front of their new mirror - 'cowboy witch fairies' and growling lions with magic wands lurking all about the house -- and me, i am given the honorary role of "monster mommy" -- all i have to do is shriek a bit here and there when they run to me. they scream and throw their hands up in the air, run away and come back to do it all again.



Wild adventure! That's what my blog feature in the latest Artful Blogging is all about. Below are a few sneak peeks of my photos that they featured. I enjoyed discovering some wonderful bloggers in there that are new to me. I highly recommend picking up a copy.



sunday morning paper 'arts and entertainment' section with coffee. i look forward to it. simple pleasures.

and i had to share this gal's music -- her latest album is one i play over and over.

My son is doing well, but we are still in limbo until another appointment at the end of the month. i do feel an inner calm about it and am trusting in that instinctual feeling. Thank you for your warm, sweet, comforting words -- i wrap them around me like a blanket -- they mean more to me than you may think.:)