February Flora

Spring has been eager to start since the beginning of winter. It's been an anomaly, an unusually warm year, a year without real winter.

Back in November, I had a dream that provided me with such an optimistic outlook about the upcoming season. I dreamed that I woke up one day and said to myself: "Oh, that wasn't too bad!" THAT, in the dream, referred to winter.



And boy, was I right. Or rather, my dream, so far, has been proven truthful. Some dreams do come true, especially with a little help of El Niña (and you know...a little something called global warming)!



Generally, my early pre-dawn walks with the pup don't give me enough light for photography. Most days, we walk in silence, noticing small things as the world wakes up. More recently, the walks are getting lighter during the same time frame which allow us to notice more things: more life, more people, more flowers...in February.



Winter is still here, though, don't let the green stuff fool you. It was 24 degrees on our walk this post-dawn morning, a little later than normal work-week walks. I strapped on the camera. Katie and I were on a mission to find that perfect February flower.



It's not so easy, you see, to be a photographer and a dog-walker at the same time. Even with just 25 lbs on her, she can yank that leash pretty well if something excites her canine nose. We did what we could... We had to forgo some cool blooming anemone due to another dog barking right as we walked by the beautiful blooms. As I said 'Leave it!' to my dog, I had to say 'Leave it!' to myself, too. There will be another one on the walk, I assuaged myself.

Though not quite an anemone with a light peach color hue... We did find another February flower opening in the morning sun despite the freezing air.  The trusty crocus – always a sign of Spring – no matter how near or far.

A Sledding Retreat

Sometimes when you are casually re-invited to someone's house, you think they may be saying it out of courtesy...as in, in theory, you are welcome to return, but the chances of that happening is close to nil. Last fall, when we went out to Hopewell Springs, the home and property of our dear friend Michael, he made a suggestion that we came back out again sometime. He even suggested winter time as the hills on the property are good for sledding. I made a mental note, and thanked him for his generosity.



The more we get to know Michael, it was clear that his 'suggestion' was a genuine invitation. He truly meant what he said. And so, during the first real 'winter' weekend we have had all season, I recalled the invitation, and invited ourselves out to the country. Michael did not hesitate, and twenty four hours later, the kids were on the sleds, and the dog was bouncing in the snow.



I am pretty sure that at some point, we all had smiles on our faces, all at the same time.



Going out to Hopewell Springs is also a bit of a retreat. Michael is a lover of art, and beauty. His love of nature greets you as you enter the foyer that reminds you of a room in a natural history museum than an everyday front entrance.



As you find your way through his bright and airy home, you find more things that will stop you and invite you to linger. Collections of cookbooks, begonias, vases and pottery. Paintings that rival museum collections, some of which were done by Michael himself.



At one point, after a refreshing snowy outing and a scrumptious homemade sushi lunch, I found myself enjoying a cup of green tea, looking out to the snowy landscape outside, a cookbook on my lap. The feeling that sank in was one of peace and tranquility. I was warm, content, and happy.



It occurred to me that I was on a mini-retreat.



And I've got to believe that my children felt the same way. Thanks, Michael, for such a lovely gift of friendship and generosity; for sharing your home and your heart. We already look forward to returning to Hopewell Springs.

The Big One

On a snowy day last week, I checked for gifts from the coop as usual. Sometimes I find one egg, sometimes I find two, sometimes I find nothing, but an empty nest with two white golf balls.



That day, two beautiful newly laid eggs sat sweetly side by side. One was smaller than the other (We know that usually Squash lays a 'smaller' egg than Butternut). Together in my hands, they felt warm...and hefty. I thanked them, and came inside.



I placed the eggs into their usual containers, next to some of our own eggs, and a few left over from a local farm. And then it struck me. These eggs were a bit special.



Though we always think of Squash's eggs as being small, apparently they are the 'normal' size compared to the other chickens' (Squash's is the brown speckled one).



And then, there is... Butternut's! I think this image says it all.



It is so big that the carton can not close. It is so big that we were all amused by it, and wondering what (if anything) we should do with this BIG one. Our biggest egg yet!

P.S. Our chickens get scraps from the kitchen, as well as leftovers... from grapes to rice to meatloaf...Perhaps that explains it?!

The New Addition

It's been many months in the making, this new addition of ours. Hours of search, trips to the shelters, and talks about this possible new addition. Why do we want a dog? What kind of dog would suit our family? When should we get a dog? How would we take care of the dog?



These questions came up almost daily for what felt like months. The kids, well, let's be honest, one of the kids, fell in love with the idea of having a family dog. She put her heart and soul into searching for a possible canine: petfinder, dog breeds, and dog rescue websites were permanently fixed on our internet browser.



Being the parents that had never had a dog of our own, nor did we grow up with one, we were being blindly led by the young one. She devoured all books about dogs and learned the breeds by heart. Occasionally we would feel like we were leading her as well, from an intellectual point of view. Along the way, we met several possible canines. Some were too big, some were too small, some were too needy, and some were just plain 'not right.' There were disappointments, and tears, but we all remained patient.



And then, on the most snowy day that we have had during this very mild winter, we drove 45 minutes west of our home, to a rescue place. A Corgi rescue, to be precise. Dozens of short-legged friendly dogs greeted us at the door. The house was dark and musty of dog scents. We entered cautiously, looking for the dog, Katie, that the rescue couple had told us about. "She would make a great first family dog!" That sounded promising.



Katie was outside, going potty, when we got there. As soon as she came back into the house, she came right up to us. She licked us, let us pet her, quietly without barking. We took her for a walk around the block in the snow, and before we reached the end of the first block, we knew she was ours.

Katie the Corgi is our newest family member. Sweet, loyal with a little spunk. That's exactly what we were looking for. It was worth the wait, and oh, the things that she has already taught us in the way that only four legged friends can. Priceless.

Cleveland in January

This was my second visit to Cleveland. Uncanny, and unplanned, we were there at about the same time last year as well. So Cleveland, I only know you during your coldest week (according to the meteorologist), but I do like you, quite a bit.

Maybe it's the lake, or the more familiar Northeast feel. Maybe it's living the hotel life, and being away from the mundane. Maybe it is all of the above.

We did a lot, and also a lot of nothing. It was the best way to while away our weekend as a family, in the city that I only know without anything green and plenty of snow. Next time, Cleveland, I promise to come see you when you are warm and flushed with life. I'll bet you can put on quite a show.

Between Christmas and New Year's

When we landed in Puerto Rico, the flight attendants wished us Merry Christmas!  The next time we boarded the plane, the wish had transitioned into Happy New Year!



In between that time, we bathed in the warm sun, and soaked in the warm rain of the self-proclaimed "Enchanted Island." Around here on the US mainland, it's sometimes considered the 51st state. For us, it was our first taste of this Latin - Carribean island, our refuge from the Midwestern winter (albeit, a mild one so far).



I've got to say, it was a bit strange to 'leave' the US, only to enter a US-territory that sometimes felt so very American, and other times, not at all. There were moments during the hard tropical rain storms, or by the lines of coconut trees that made me feel like I should be in my home country. But the ubiquitous salsa music that filled the air, the restaurants, and even the churches, quickly took me away from the Thailand trance. I was in a new territory all together.



We spent the first two days in Old San Juan, the capital filled with history, charm, and more American tourists than any other places we have ever been (outside of the US). We loved the vibrant colors, the old fort and the beautiful coastline. The walkability of the old town made it very friendly for exploring, and because it is really compact, we got to see most of it within those two days.



After which, we were ready to head out of town, into the hills, and down to the sea.



In the hills, not far from the town of Luquillo, we rented a chalet for the duration. The way the rental was set up, it was almost like we came to stay with an old friend, Dagmar. A friend with six dogs, to be precise. A friend with an extra house that overlooked the valley, with an ocean view in the far distance. A friend who took care of our children as though they were her own grandchildren, and made us an authentic Puerto Rican dinner for our last night on the island.



The chalet was well situated between the ocean, and the rain forest of El Yunque. We took advantage of both, but definitely took more of the former. The rain forest was nice and all, but most people would agree that sun and sand should outweigh rain and forest at the end of December.  Besides, being in the rainforest with dozens (or hundreds) of other Americans on vacation was not our idea of vacation.



And so, we found ourselves on the beaches of Luquillo, and Fajardo on most days. There was an interlude of a kayaking trip into a bioluminiscent lagoon one evening as well. The moon was only a sliver, and the stars were present among some rain clouds. We paddled in the dark through a mangrove forest that emptied into the enclosed lagoon where the microorganisms in the water lit up with any disturbance. It looked magical. It was magical.



The new year promises to be a good one. Will it be magical like our evening in the lagoon? We will just have to wait and see.

Happy New Year to all.

Merry Mary

A week or so ago we went to a church in the Italian village neighborhood of Columbus. The men at the door greeted us with "Buon Giorno!" and part of the mass was said in Italian. It's still all Greek to me, but the church is beautiful, and this statue of Mary and Gabriel was stunning.

We are off for a week, to a place where mass will be all in Spanish, and the air will be warm.

Merry Christmas to all, and a very Happy New Year!

Holiday Chicken Cheer

Chickens are easily entertained. They also eat everything, including, yes, chicken. The more we get know them, we are finding out that they do have their favorites. One of the foods they seem to enjoy the most is sunflower seeds.



These are roasted, and salted sunflower seeds. That might make a difference, and might be good for their diet in general (they need some salt like we do). They will run up to us now, if they think we have any of these little seeds to sow, directly onto the ground, especially for them.



Claire had a brilliant idea recently. She carefully stuck the seeds all over an apple, and hung it up for the chickens in their coop. It was a fun way to feed them, and an entertainment to boot. The apple would move away from their pecking, but somehow they managed to get them all out, in a rather short amount of time.  Who said chickens weren't smart?

All good things must come to an end, of course. And this treat did just that for them.



It's a good thing that there is warm earth for them to dig, and 'bathe' in. Two dirty little chooks, all filled up with sunflower seeds. Happiness could not be simpler than that.

December 10

We are deep into December now. Yet it was just a day or two ago did we feel like winter has actually arrived here in central Ohio. There were flurries falling, and frozen chicken water. The roofs are now painted white in the morning with frost. The buzzing of the central heating system has become more of a constant background music, along with holiday tunes from the children's hums.



Winter is here.



Together with an additional egg that we found in the coop today, on the opposite side of where the other layer (Squash) had been using as a nesting area.



Perhaps these chickens are territorial? No matter, we were elated to have found the newly laid (bigger) egg. Butternut, the new layer, got a few extra deserved hugs and smooches throughout the day.



What we also found in the branches by our house was a wary red-tailed hawk. A predator who loves small pseudo-flightless birds. Beautiful they are, yes. But a little too close to the coop for our liking. He (or she) must have a nest nearby for this was not our first sighting of this creature.



Ah yes. Life is full of excitements. Eggs, hawks, and even this frozen stick of ice. December 10th has been a good day.