late in the season, after everyone else's leaves have been raked into neat piles along the road, our maples take their turn. we hide deep in piles...we yell as we dump armfuls onto one another's heads...we throw handfuls in the air just to watch them fall back down...for a brief time our world turns yellow and we are happy to get lost within it.

summer in the backyard...barefoot in dresses...daisies in bloom...messy hair without a care...

we've got a baby in the backyard...and i'll love her until she starts sampling our flowers.





there's been cobwebs around here, no doubt...but it is spring and spring is nothing if not a time for new beginnings...

these curtains are only supposed to be up in the summer...the windows are drafty and oil isn't cheap...thicker draft-reducing ones should be up by now...but these beautiful lace curtains...somehow they fit the windows perfectly, like they were meant to be...they belonged to my great-grandmother...she would wash and stretch them out on wooden frames lined with small nails to dry...she would use natural dyes, like onion skins or tea, to change the color..dear memories for both my mom + aunt...the almost-winter morning sun shining in makes me happy i'm slow to change with the seasons...even if it is cold in here.

around here...up high and down low...halloween time.

been busy capturing bits of spring...right here in our backyard...

i love the way she plays with her "friends"...i love the way she speaks gently to them and gives them each a kiss...i love the way she tucks them in...i love the way she makes sure there's room for all of them...even if it's on the floor.

thursday's heart says c'mon in and play...

wednesday's heart(s) appeared one day...

this week...a heart a day...monday's heart is something yummy...
ps. not sure where january has gone...but it went quick!

around here...in the windows...

took a bit longer this year...but the sparkle and shine has begun to appear around here...

when the power went out, the nerves finally started to show...getting them to fall asleep was hard, but we camped out on the floor in the room furthest away from the tallest trees...we listened to the wind...in the morning woke to hear the little one say "look, it's not windy out anymore" and the saw the trees still and still standing...s'mores on the woodstove made the nights a little less dark...never did this before, but will certainly be doing again....and again...sandy took it relatively easy on us...and for a seven year old, seven (at the least) unplanned days off of school isn't so bad...for so many though, things will never be the same.

yesterday...before hurricane sandy's arrival...today we wait and hope our trees have strong roots.

today a little girl looked out the window and sang..."rain, rain, go away...come again another day...put my  boots on, put my boots on, i want to go out to play"...and we did...just as soon as it stopped raining.

started to do a little halloween making and decorating....when we stepped outside to catch the bus, we found mother nature had been busy doing the same...

last day of summer, but the tomatoes are still coming...just part of this week's share from our CSA farm ripening in vintage basket bowls...could use about four more of these just to hold the rest.

more artsy little things happening with the help of those vintage baking pans...

"they match, mama. i'm gonna wear these, i think".  if the shoe doesn't fit...wear it anyway...just as long as it matches.