Everything else!

I'm running out of steam! AND the kids are home from their sleepover. AND Kali just went and picked up 3 bushels of broccoli side shoots and 2 of cabbage that I need to "deal with." So not included in the other 4 posts from today, but scrapbook-worthy:

I think we can call it an annual tradition now that it has happened a few times, with the expressed hope from them that we'll continue to say yes to their requests yearly! We hosted the Shenandoah Permaculture Institute's class again for a half day tour of Tangly Woods. Half the time is looking at our physical house with a particular interest in passive solar design. The remainder of the time is used for a fly through tour of the animals and gardens, trying to tailor the time to what each year's particular group is most interested in. The time is always short and also a good chance for Jason and I to pause briefly, be in the same space together, and have a chance to reflect out loud to others what we are doing and why. 

After the group left, Jason and I had the rare opportunity to go for a hike with just Alida! What a special few hours!! Every time we carve out time to spend with our children individually, it's always so fun and we yearn for more of it! So we hatched an idea with Alida and it was unanimously supported and voted into our schedule at our last family meeting - a rotating Sunday hike schedule where Jason and I get to regularly go for a walk with each of our daughters. We'll kick that off after we savor this next string of hosting dearly loved friends and some weekend travel. 

Our stinging nettles are BEAUTIFUL right now and it's my new favorite greens for rolls.

I love fall colors and flowers!

Some of our chickens really like to get high! Can you see the hen? 

Our small group braved the elements the other night to come join us around the fire for a time of catching up and making a dent in the 3 vats of soup I had made the day before! 

That sprinkly evening has not been typical of our fall weather to date. Many more days have been like this one! I LOVE Hensley's Pond in the fall (and spring...and winter...and summer...)!

And last but not least, some of us can't quite get enough little people time!!! We have started doing some "Bear care" at Tangly Woods and normally 3 of the 5 members of our family are at the ready to scoop this precious one up! It is not surprising that some of my daughters would have inherited by magnetism to babies. This is super sweet AND it also means I must really savor my times in their home where I have him all to myself. He's growing so fast, discovering his hands (and things he can do with them), smiling and "talking" to us, and generally brightening up our world with his sweet little self! I want so very much to live in a world where every little person that enters it is as wanted and cherished and respected and loved and cared for so tenderly. And I wish that everyone that wanted to bring a baby into their home would also have an abundance of community support to do so. Our individualistic society is not providing that and leaving many caregivers too tired to fully savor and enjoy the early and intense years of parenting. I get to soak up my time with little people in a new way at this juncture - during the daytime hours and not losing nighttime sleep. It does bring back many memories to have a little one on my front while puttering in the kitchen. I need to brush up on my skills, but it felt very familiar!

Keeping Bear one day and Luca the next is a very stark reminder of how fast these babies change into little people toddling about with ideas in abundance. Luca's vocabulary is expanding, but it isn't quite keeping up with all the things he'd like to tell us about. That said, he is actually quite good at charades and we normally can figure out what he is telling us about! 

It was only recently that it was possible for me to transfer Luca onto our bed for his nap. I had always held him up until that point. I laid him on the bed for I think all of two naps. And since then I have no desire to lay him down. I know that it won't be all that long until he won't snuggle in my arms for naps. And so I just soak up the feel of his little body next to mine, feeling so grateful to be "Nell Nell" to him!!