Time And Tide

Here we are in August.

I have heard people say recently that the summer is going too fast, but I can honestly say ours has not.  Besides our two trips (and one still to come), our days have moved slowly.  We've circled from park to beach to park to library, home again and out again, as our day and desire takes us.

But time is moving on. Colton will turn three years old.  Audrey will be starting preschool in a few weeks.  I am excited for the experiences the fall will bring, but I'm also sad to leave our schedule free days behind.

As for today, we are heading to the beach, again, to soak up the freedom of these days.

Up The Coast

We traveled up the California coast last week, north on Highway One, to my family's property.  This is the land of my grandmother's mother.  Its story is as long and winding as the road to get there.  It is wild and fierce and soothing to the soul all in breath.

Fog can hug the coast for weeks at a time, but we were lucky to have four days of glorious sunshine. The black sand was hot enough to scorch my bare feet, but the Pacific cooled them with aching waves.

Audrey and Colton are just the most recent children to discover H Creek's secrets.  My cousin's children, and my younger cousins, and my brothers and I, and my older cousins, and my dad and my aunts and uncles and their cousins, and their parents, all explored the meadow, the creek, the pond, the sand and the sea.  The generations pass and still H Creek remains unchanged.  For that I am so thankful.

(Yes, I wore my lonely sea here.)

April 15

Most of the snow has melted now, but goodness it was disheartening to wake up to a 23 degree morning.  We went for one last romp this morning, but somehow "April 15" won out over "snow" in my dressing plan and we went outside without snow pants, gloves or hat, all of which we needed.

Worms are Audrey's latest obsession.  (Thanks, Wild Kratts!)  We have had more worm "rescues" in the last two days than I can count (living free and in the wild!).  Yesterday, the side walk in front of the library was covered with dried up worms.  Audrey had two in her hand when I told her they had to be returned to the dirt and not brought into the library.  She put them in the dirt, but apparently thought that next worm she found would be ok to bring in.  It wasn't until a librarian (a nice one), asked me, "Is she supposed to have that? *uncomfortable laugh*" that I realized Audrey had a shriveled up, fried worm in her hand.

Worms on the sidewalk are just another sign of spring, although I'm not sure what a worm on the snow is a sign of....

On The Bright Side

Instead of dwelling on the returning cold today, here is what we did in the beautiful spring days last week.  Park. Botanic Garden. Beach. Lovely.

Aaaaand right now, snow is falling.  Spring is not for the faint of heart.

Spring Fling

The snow in our yard melted quickly on Thursday and Friday in the warm sunshine.  We headed out and found peeking green and white in the sea of brown.

My own solution to the lack of color around here was to get this new bag.  I've been meaning to get it since my birthday in January, which was during this crazy week.  It makes me so happy just to think about my new, bright bag.

There is still plenty of snow around town and we were back to freezing temperatures over the weekend.  But still, it was nice to see some color.  I'll be on the lookout for more this week.

Happy Monday!

Windows Wide Open

Monday was the day I've been dreaming about since mid January.  The temperature crept into the 50s, snow and ice melted into rivers and ponds and I opened every window in the house.  They stayed open for only 10 minutes, but it was wonderful, it made me feel hopeful, to have the fresh air breezing through the house.  The kids rode their bikes through the puddles and mud without hat or mittens and jackets unzipped.   Hello, Spring! I wanted to call. But I knew better.  

Last night it snowed. And this is how Winter and Spring will dance through the next weeks (and hopefully not months) - widows open one day, winter wonderland the next. 

I have actually enjoyed the dark days of winter, snug in our house and snow falling deep. This year particularly I have so loved watching Audrey and Colton together.  Their imaginations have blossomed in the hours of uninterrupted play.  (Of course, there have been rough days, but most of the time I remember that this is a season and will not last forever.)

But in March and April it feels like winter will never end. The days grow longer and Easter approaches and I wait daily to see blossoming tulips, greenery dressing all the trees, to turn my face toward the sun's warmth.  And wait and wait.  I have expectations for Spring and am disappointed to the point of despair when it does not unfold as I think it should.  This year I don't want to fall so low.  This year I will (try to) accept the season as it is.  Today I will be thankful for the snow.

Big Basin

Will you indulge me as I  share more pictures of our trip?  Craig and I hiked through the Redwoods one morning at Big Basin State Park while my parents explored another trail with the kids. We were there mid-week so the trail was quiet. Our footsteps were softened by earth below and even the sunlight seemed delicate among the trees.

Banana Slug