How I Know Spring is Near : Tell-Tale Sign #1:

... the chickens are restless ...

... and so are WE!

How about you?

Love,
Jodi

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So Much Spring ...

Ahhh.... spring is everywhere.

Birds are grabbing their nesting materials ...

We have the most adorable spring goats that we are bottle feeding ...

We have ordered 8 chicks to add to our chicken coop...

Hubby is building new outbuildings everywhere to add to our homesteading collection ...

And the seeds we planted not so long ago are soon going to be ready for planting (photo to follow).

Last year my spring was filled with selling our home, moving, readying our new home, enjoying "city" life here in Bangor. But I think this year, I am going to spend it enjoying a bit of country life on the 16 acres that we enjoy just outside of the city ... adding animals, gardening, designing new projects for Halis, etc.

Even my Dad is getting the farming bug. He wants to buy a pony this spring. For what? I don't know. I believe in farming animals that offer me something in return. A pony? Only if he can make me some money by giving pony rides! That is the only way you will catch me shoveling his sh*t. (In case you are wondering - the goats are for milking).

Well, hope you are enjoying spring as well! It feels good, doesn't it?

Love,

Jodi

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Signs of Impending Spring ... in Maine.

The indoor seeds have sprouted:

The chickens are venturing outdoors and laying again:

Critters are coming out of hibernation:

Mud is everywhere:

The canoe is finally peeking out from behind a mound of snow:

I am waking up a little bit happier each day.

The sun is sticking around longer.

Isaac and I venture further into the woods each day.

And I am finding Halis sexier every day ... as the spring air brings with it that natural urge to procreate (I bet you wish I hadn't said that).

So - are you feeling "Spring"?

Love,

Jodi

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Seed Starting ... With Pleasure!

So, I have never really been a successful gardener. I always way over think it ... planning, reading, and sketching until I become so overly anxious about whether or not I am doing it right that I ruin all my best laid plans by being overly cautious. Not this time - I tell myself - because I have a 4-year old who wants in on the project. Out with the superego and in with the id. Just get the dirt and the seeds ... and lose all thoughts on "doing it right".

I thought I would make a day of introducing the whole indoor gardening idea by starting with a trip to the local Blue Seal. I asked Isaac what kind of seeds he wanted to plant, and he replied, "Beautiful flowers to give to my Mommy." Awwww. Because we have recently joined a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) we have no need to grow veggies this year ... so we opted for sunflowers, gourds (for making bird houses), basil (for pesto), cantaloupe, lemon balm, johnny jump ups (Mommy's fave) and organic soil (of course).

When we returned home, we got right to work:


Isaac SO loved the dirt. It was a great learning opportunity as well ... we talked about how seeds grow, where seeds come from, what plants need to be healthy, when we can plant these outdoors, etc. A great unschooling project.

Then Mommy thought it would be a great idea to fill lots of little jars with dirt and grass seed so that we can have little mounds of grass all over the house in time for Easter. Such a Martha Stewart-y thing to do.

All of this for about $35. Not bad for planting about 216 little circles of seeds in dirt. If all grow well, that's a lot of plants! I think we may end up selling some at the end of the driveway.

Thanks to my four-year old, I may actually enjoy gardening this year :)

Have you started planting seeds yet where you are? Indoors or out? I would love to know what you are planting.

Love,

Jodi

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Snow Castles.

Me: "Isaac, look, Mama knows how to make snow castles!"

Isaac: "Wow Mama, that's really beautiful."

Isaac:

Isaac: "Thanks Mama! Now can you make me another one?"

I think I made about 50 snow castles yesterday. All were completely totalled. I say give that snow a good swift kick and tell it to get the hell outta here. I am so done with it!

Spring is coming .... even if I have to drag it by the earlobe.

Love,

Jodi

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MUD ... the Joy of Spring.

Mud IS good. (click for some serious mudding!)

We are still without internet on our new homestead, but I suppose that gives us more time to enjoy the great outdoors rather than the great Wide Web (But oh, how I miss the web). I have so appreciated your recent comments and e-mails ... and I hope that you will continue to check back here even though my responses and posts have been few and far between ... please stick around ... as there is much I look forward to sharing with you all.

Life here in the city is better than good. I see my best friends nearly daily. My son walks to his grandparents house every morning for a brownie and a glass of milk (a traditional Renshaw breakfast). My Mom and I hang out our windows to chat with one another. And I have developed a regular thrift store schedule (oh the bargains!). Life is good.

I hope you all are well. I should have internet in a week or so :)

Much Love,

Jodi & Family

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Refreshed & Very Much Alive.

I think that you have to live in a Northern, snowy state like Maine in order to fully appreciate how refreshing Spring is to the body, mind and soul. After months of seeming hibernation, Spring becomes an awakening and a re-birth in every possible way. I find myself wanting to dance, sing, play, make-love, make plans and spend every possible moment outdoors. I want to shed all these layers of clothes ... coats, hats, mittens, sweaters. I dream big, I reminisce, I appreciate. I cleanse my home of winter debris both indoors and out. I open the coop door to release the chickens back out into the natural world. I open my house doors so the earth can breathe life back into our dusty home. I turn the music on just a little bit louder. I contemplate a new haircut and some new clothes. I become hopelessly re-attracted to my husband.

I become fully alive again ... and it feels so good.

There is a time in life for rest and reflection (Winter). But that time is not now. Now is the time for birds to sing and play ... for buds to bloom ... for new life to come into the world ... and for all people to rediscover their beauty, their songs, their joy ...

Happy Spring My Friends!

love,

Jodi

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Mud Season (again).

Mud, Mud, Glorious Mud! I love the smell of it. I love the feel of it. And I absolutely love that its appearance throughout our yard (and state) means that Spring has finally arrived. Soon the flowers will begin to sprout and bloom ... the birds will return to nest ... and the grass will be lush and inviting. Yum! I am so ready for this.

But until the bliss of Spring sets in ... there is "Mud Season". I have now lived in Maine long enough to know that you don't park your car in your dirt driveway during this time ... you never wear nice clothes (as the bottoms of your pants will always be caked in mud) ... and you never let the dogs enter your living areas after they go outdoors to do "their business". These are just a few concessions that we make in order to enjoy the glorious spring, summer and fall seasons here in Maine. (Believe me, we make many more concessions during the winter!).

Thankfully "Mud Season" is a short one. In just a few weeks, we will be tending to our lawns and spring blooms. We will be watching birds settle into their nesting areas. And we will be playing ball in the yard. But until then, Isaac will enjoy every blessed moment of what may turn out to be his favorite season of all!

Wishing you glorious spring blooms, many winged visitors and at least a little bit of mud :)

Love,

Jodi

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A GIVEAWAY!

When one has nothing clever to say, perhaps it is time for a give-away!

Please leave a comment on this post (with your e-mail address) and I will include your name in a drawing to win a set of my CELEBRATION OF SPRING notecards from my Etsy shop.

If you let others know about this giveaway via a link on your blog, I will add your name to the drawing an additional 5 times. Just leave the link to your blog post in the comments section as well.

Thank you all & good luck! The drawing will be held next Tuesday, April 8th.

Happy Spring & Happy April 1st :)

Love,

Jodi

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Welcome Spring! (Sort of ...)

Welcome Spring!

Happy Birthday Mom! You are the greatest :)

Happy Birthday to the late Mister Rogers! (Are you wearing your sweater today?)

Now, Universe/God/Creator, it is officially "Spring" now so I am begging you to bring on the sun. I mean, down on my knees pleading. I am ready to negotiate. At least stop the snow - please. Or lift some of the clouds. Let the sun peak through a bit so we can be sure it is still there. I promise to appreciate it. I really do! I will bask in its warmth daily. Please consider my pleas. Oh - and the pleas of my Mom - who is begging you for the same. And its her birthday. Come on, be a sport.

FYI: The above photo was taken last year at this time. If I showed you the weather outside today, it might only make me cry ... snow, rain and lots of clouds. So, I am instead showing a hopeful photo.

I am hopeful ... forever hopeful.

I hope that the first day of Spring is lovely where you are. Truly. No hard feelings if you are enjoying the sun and lack of snow where you are ... just please send inspirational photos and maybe put in a good word for Maine in your prayers :)

Love,

Jodi

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An Egg is Quiet.

I have faith that spring is coming despite the seven-foot snow piles in my front yard. I have been here before ... in that limbo of a March in Maine ... where the sun shines but the snow continues to fall. I know that in just a couple of weeks, I will be "enjoying" mud puddles that are often twelve feet in diameter and at least six inches deep. I will be watching (and hearing) all my bird friends return to their spring/summer feeding and breeding grounds. My chickens will begin frolicking in the grass and laying fresh eggs. And Isaac and I will be outside WAY more than we are in.

With spring fever (and we DO get spring fever around here ... big time) fast approaching, I have been pulling out some of my recent "spring" book purchases for all to enjoy. And I SO have a favorite this year: An Egg is Quiet by Diana Aston and Sylvia Long. This book may go down as my favorite non-fiction picture book of all time. Perhaps it is because I am so enamored with eggs in general ... perhaps it is the amazing illustrations ... or perhaps it is the simple way that this book conveys so much knowledge and wonder. Any which way, it is a wonderful way to learn and appreciate the way that so much of life is created and nurtured through "eggs".

You can visit here to learn more about this book, but I wanted to share some of the incredible illustrations here as well:

This book inspires me in so many ways. Each time I look through it, I get especially excited about letting my hens hatch out some of their own chicks this year. It has been a while since we have done so. And I look forward to sharing the wonder and beauty of this experience with Isaac.

I hope you are all finding your own special ways to welcome (or summon) in spring this year.

Love,

Jodi

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