Biochar burn, sabbath, daughter date and sick for Christmas

The sunset through the trees was beautiful as I rushed around to shut in the ducks and chickens. Now I'm inside with Christmas music playing, the lights on the trees glowing, and a sleeping sick child across from me on the futon (the rest of the family is at Christmas Eve service with my parents). She was worried she would be lonely while I dashed out to get in the  laundry, feed the pigs, collect eggs and then the final shutting in of the night. But by the last dash out and back, sleep overtook her. I wish I could take Alida's place. Kids anticipate this time of year so much and then to feel crummy when it arrives is such a bummer! But, honestly, I think she feels too bad to even care much. She hasn't kept anything down today and only mustered enough energy to wash up so she could decorate a few gingerbread cookies to set aside for when she feels good again. She was also my teammate for a game, advising me from her lounging position on how much to bid during our game of 7 Up & 7 Down. She didn't even seem to care much whether we won or lost - she is clearly sick! She did manage to participate in our gift exchange game with Grandma, Grandpa, Aunts Karen and Sue and seemed to perk up at least a tiny bit at various points during their visit (at least she could still make faces at Grandpa).

When she got up and threw up this morning, I was curious if it could be her body just repelling the vast quantities of sugar and processed foods she had consumed the day before. That happened to Kali once! The girls and I did a dozen plus errands yesterday and at half of those (yes 6 times) we were offered candy or cookies: first the pharmacist, then Santa at TJ Maxx, then Friendly City Food Co-op, then at the homes of two friends and finally at Bowl of Good Cafe when we picked up pig scraps (thankfully there we were also offered a big bag of salad leftover from a catering event that day). But the food hypothesis doesn't seem to hold much weight with the more sustained droopiness, multiple instances of vomiting and fever. Where she got it I'm not sure, but we certainly made our rounds in public places yesterday. Are the rest of us the next in line? Time will tell!

But I'm getting ahead of myself. The main impetus for this post was to share a little about our 6th annual biochar burn event. We've posted about this other years and the main things that change are that the kids keep growing more and more each year, a different group joins us, and we learn a few things each year to make the next go more smoothly. Last year's reflections include an abbreviated version of a meditation Jason wrote. As we were preparing for this year, Jason noted that he didn't feel very inspired to read this again so either wanted to write something new or find something else. I decided on a third option - I found other people to read his meditation! For me personally the meditation is something I could stand to read multiple times a year, and this year I found myself tearing up as we each took turns reading short sections of the meditation. It was probably having Alida and Kali participate in the reading and Terah's excitement and enthusiasm at being big enough and old enough and strong enough to help that touched me most profoundly. This is their life. They love being involved and a part of the rituals we are crafting in this place. That is what I want more than anything!

It was fun to have my parents around for this day for the first time, though not pleasant that my mom got a thorn in her finger from brush hauling that is still reminding her (painfully) of the day! A sprinkling of other neighbors and friends joined us either for the biochar burn or an evening potluck following. As always, it was a small crowd and I found myself wondering if we should nix the "public event" model. But then those that came seemed happy to be part of it and others sent regrets hoping to make it some year. So we'll see. It's at the point where we invite people not to help with the labor of it; we've got a system that our family could handle alone. It's more that it feels too meaningful and fun to not invite others to join us (especially folks that might like to try something similar in their home places of living/working)!

We do keep learning. Last year we had a pretty frustrating fire due to our brush pile not being fully dry. This year, Jason tarped most of the pile a few weeks back to protect it from rain. Other than one small layer that was pretty thick with leaves, we had very dry brush and thus a hot and much cleaner fire. In addition to feeling better about reducing the pollution created by the fire, it meant the biochar burn went FAST! We moved up the start time since last year we were burning until after dark. As it turned out the whole burn only took about 2.5 hours. So we were filling the pit with water well before dark/dinner. We used the entire brush pile and have a full pit of char that we already started putting compost on top of. And it was time - this year's pile was full to the brim!

While the chickens stayed their distance from the fire during the burn, they are quite thrilled with the removal of the brush pile, leaving them the duffy stuff under the pile to scratch around in. Within minutes of us clearing the pile away, they came in to start their work!

So that was Saturday, which means the next day was Sunday and our first day to try our hand at a "sabbath day." I'm going to use that word as I haven't found another word for what we are aiming for that does it better. Our hopes for our Sundays are that they will provide time for rest, a break from the work rhythms and routines of the other 6 days, and moments of connection with each other, ourselves and nature. Towards the end of the day Jason said something to me to the effect of not being sure how this will go long term but that the first day was really pleasant!

Jason and I enjoyed coffee and reading together before the kids woke. Once everyone was out of bed, we went out together to do the morning animal chores and clean up from the biochar burn (those were the only non-negotiable things of the day). When we came back in, we were all ready for a late brunch of nutty sweet potato waffles and the first of our 2019 bacon. Tanked up, we headed for Hensley's Pond. That netted us connection time with each other, with nature and with friends who we met up with there (unplanned). We enjoyed some great rock skipping on ice and a large enough persimmon snack that Terah's belly was feeling funny on the hike back!

We took two timed photos at the lake but the second was way too normal. This one is much more like how things really are most of the time!! We had so much fun lingering at the lake and swinging by Jonathan and Christen's on the way home that it was nearly dark by the time we got back. So no naps this Sunday but we did enjoy popcorn and another not so stellar Christmas movie that I had checked out of the local library. I really don't have a very good track record on picking out good holiday movies. Jason was gracious and said he didn't think it was as much about my selection abilities as what is available in the Christmas movie genre (any good suggestions for us?!).

I really needed Sunday to prepare me for Monday! For most of the day, the girls and I were in town for a little last minute Christmas shopping, the weekly pig buckets and deliveries rounds, and then a visit with a friend at a local retirement community (that was definitely the most relaxing and fun part of the day - putting together two puzzles while we visited). In terms of the shopping part of the day, there are very few stores anymore that don't leave me feeling physically, mentally and emotionally sick! The girls did great and I really don't know how I'd make it through a day like this if we had kids that were not fun to have along for errands. They help it be much better, but they can't completely eliminate that ickiness. That said, when Terah proudly run off to get her new gloves to show to yet another person and tries to enunciate clearly that these are "insulated" it is pretty cute!

One of the biggest challenges yesterday was fitting us and all the stuff in the car. While I wish we didn't need a car at all, I think most people would agree that we use more or less every inch of it. I could not get a good picture, but after our last pig bucket stop, the trunk was full/overflowing, things were stuffed under seats and on/around kids, and the full front all the way up and on the dash was crammed. The one restaurant had cleared out a bunch of stuff to take a long holiday break. And for some reason the store had 3 full boxes of bread. I did not want to complain but sure did wish when I saw it that I was comfortable driving our car with trailer in tow. Might need to work on that!

I had just enough time upon arrival home to do all the unloading, mixing up the next pig barrel, evening chores and freshening up for our date with Kali! For Christmas, we gave each of the girls a coupon for a date with us. We had to give them the coupons early since Kali's was happening before on the 23rd. Alida and Terah's will happen in January so stay tuned! Jason and I are clearly getting the best deal in all of this because we each get 3 dates (special outings with each of our daughters)! If they all end up being as fun as last night, it will be a big success!

We went to the American Shakespeare Center in Staunton to see A Christmas Carol. So much talent in one room! This was my first time at this playhouse and when I bought tickets I had no idea I had gotten tickets for seats on the stage. Kali and Jason were more into this than me. In the end, we were not on the side of the stage where audience members had hats put on their heads or coats thrown over them. Jason almost got offered an imaginary cup of beer but then the actor said he was too young. We had our hands shook in one scene but that was about it, other than being within a few feet of cast members much of the night. It's such a unique theater experience as they perform with all the lights on and involve the audience much more. Definitely one of the moments that got the most laughs was when Scrooge came in for the first time and was walking in through the audience and grabbed someone's drink and drank the whole can. He crushed the can, dropped it and moved on. How they stayed in character so well is beyond me. It really was incredible and perfect for Kali. She noted multiple times that it was an excellent coupon!

When we left, we decided to stroll down one of the main streets in Staunton before heading home. We came upon Split Banana, a cute little gelato shop. So we enjoyed gelato and talking about the play to top of the evening! We came home to a quiet house with Alida and Terah already sacked out upstairs in "the cave" at Grandma and Grandpa's.

While we had Kali to ourselves for four years before Nora joined our family, we rarely have time with just Kali anymore. So I believe I can say that it was an evening savored by all three of us!

The rest of the family should be rejoining us soon and I'm hoping Alida will feel a bit perkier after a long nap (or at least by Christmas morning). Time to get laundry folded and eggs put away...