Home Life

 Facebook memories reminded me that we had snow two years ago...

And that Elsa and I went out to give the tulips and daffodils a word of encouragement.

I'm not sure if we were behind schedule that year, or ahead this year, but today the grass is green and my daffodils are in full bloom.

We are enjoying a lazy Saturday morning, keeping the house quiet and allowing the kids to sleep in.

Micah and I crossed paths in the kitchen and had our annual early spring conversation on plans for the gardens and orchard this year.

We stood at the kitchen window sipping coffee, making remarks on the yellow finches at the feeder, and establishing what we'll do with that empty, awkward spot in the flower bed.

A reasonable plan was confidently decided as we poured fresh coffee, made our way to the other window, and discussed the demise of a dwarf spruce that sadly didn't survive the winter.

We laughed at the house cat leaping at a red cardinal as a few children, one by one, made their way down the staircase and into the living room to watch vintage episodes of Bugs Bunny, a Saturday morning tradition.

After instructing Micah on what exactly I'd like hauled to the dump, starting a batch of laundry, and thinking about the two pounds of ground beef I've been thawing in the fridge for days but can't seem to find time to fry up, I realize how peaceful our home life is and how lucky I am.

I'm thankful I learned as a young wife how to accept people for who they are, instead of miserably trying to coerce family situations into my ideal.

Everything seems better when it's uncontrived, anyway.

The kids have been finishing up their school work for the year. The girls completed their Language Arts course this past week. To finish a book of lessons and assignments that we've been working on since August always feels like quite the accomplishment!

We're all so proud!

I'm looking forward to the completion of the school year, so I can move my attention and efforts to the gardens.

A beautifully mild, sunny day this past week required all my self-control not to zip over to the nursery down the road for plants and flowers.

Looking ahead at the weather tells me we still have a few nights below freezing approaching.

It's okay. I can be patient. I have a book to finish.

Lately I've been into reading children's books for my own enjoyment.

Before you laugh at me, remember C.S. Lewis said, "A children's story that can only be enjoyed by children is not a good story in the slightest. No book is really worth reading at the age of ten which is not equally - and often far more - worth reading at the age of fifty and beyond."

It started with, Heidi, by Johanna Spyri.

That book was pure delight, and even changed the way I viewed the majestic row of pines that, now in my mind, stand knowingly and authoritatively on the other side of our meadow.

Then I read, The Good Master, by Kate Seredy.

I bought it for Nola a few years ago, so she read it first, but it, too, was bewitching.

Both stories possessed a striking similarity in that there was a sickly, spoiled, city character who moved out to the country and found healing. Of course, having lived out in the country myself for the past fifteen years, the idea of fresh air, sunshine, forests, streams, slow-living and privacy having a profound impact on a person is not lost on me.

"He brought me out into a spacious place; He rescued me because He delighted in me." Psalm 18:19

I now find myself half way through the enthralling, Where the Red Fern Grows, by Wilson Rawls.

I have a vague memory of having to read this in sixth grade. But that was so long ago, the story seems fresh and new to me now.

I hope to be finished by the time my tulips are in bloom, then I'll pass it on to Soren to read.

The main character reminds me so much of him.

💐

~ Courtney 

Keeping Busy This Winter

 I'm still energized from a late night "out on the town" last night.

Roman and I went to see Les Miserables at a local theater with friends.

The teenagers sat together, and we mamas sat in the row behind them.

It was a little... ahem... expressive in spots. When the house lights came on at intermission we looked at each other, wide-eyed, and one mama said, "Racy!" Another said, "Do you think the kids caught on to any of that?" We all reassured each other that we were certain any suggestive implication went right over their heads. *wink 

I was nervous beforehand about how my hip would do, but was thrilled when the night was over and I realized I was comfortable the entire evening.

Getting back into these normal, pre-surgery activities comfortably is a huge relief for me!

It was a great night and a great show!

Back at home today we were too entranced with the bright sunshine and warmer air to be cooped up inside. So we finished our schoolwork quickly and drove down to our lovely, nearby park.

I've been wondering lately about the little stream that flows at the park. I hadn't been down there since last fall.

With this milder than normal winter, was it thawed and flowing? Was the water level low due to the small amount of snow we've received this season? Would there still be ice chunks and stagnant water in places?

We decided today was a good day to found out.

😎

I was looking forward to a peaceful amble along the water. As much as I am attached to my route on our own trails, sometimes I crave a change of scenery.

I was curious if the smell of earth could be detected in the air. You know, that glorious early spring smell of earth that smells like fresh, clean soil? I also wanted to listen to the birds. Unfortunately, the birdsong at the park was faint, and there was no fragrance. That was wishful thinking on my part. It is still technically winter. 

But on days like this the hope of spring can be sensed in the air, so I am grateful for that.

This past weekend was quite different - very windy and cold. Nola told me she was bored. She had used up her allotted "screen time," and the beads for a project she was working on had run out. I thought about the activities I busied myself with as a child on boring winter afternoons. I told both my girls that sometimes for fun I would look through my mother's magazines for a beautiful and inspiring photo,  then try to recreate it on a separate piece of paper. 

If my mother was throwing away old, used magazines, I would also like to sit by the fire with a scissors and cut out images to use later for various crafts. 

This seemed to appease them for a while. Elsa looked through an old magazine of mine; animals being the chosen theme. She tore a few pages out, then attempted to draw them all on a piece of sketch paper to make a zoo.

One thing led to another, as things like this tend to do, and the next thing we knew we were at Hobby Lobby looking at craft and art materials to keep the girls occupied for the rest of winter.

Thankfully, places like Hobby Lobby are inexpensive enough that the girls could each pick something out.

One selected a paint by numbers kit. The other a How-to-Draw notebook. A bracelet making kit was 50% off so we grabbed one of those, too, for them to share.

It's nice to have supplies on hand for down time in the winter months. They've been happily busy with these quiet, creative pursuits, and I'm happy they have something productive to turn to instead of screens.

💐

~ Courtney 

Cupid is Coming and a Nature Walk

 

I walked all the way to my swing for the first time since surgery!

We've been experiencing unseasonably mild temperatures lately and lost our snow, leaving a drab landscape. But the bright blue skies and warmer weather have been a delight!

My physical therapist recently gave me the green light to begin walking on my trails again, as long as I'm careful.

He advised me to not worry about walking fast or walking for too long, but to focus on walking well, going just a little farther each time.

Which is how I ended up comfortably at my swing.

Micah came with me to help me watch out for divots that might make me trip, and also to keep me company.

I have my range of motion back, and most of my strength has returned. The focus now is returning to my natural gait as I walk. It's important to me that I don't develop a limp as I heal, so with the help of PT and family members, (who will point out if I'm walking with a hitch) my current state in recovery is forcing myself to walk straight, balanced, and well. 

We went through the meadow on our way back to the house.

And while we're on the topic of walking, I'd like to provide updated information on something I recommended in a previous post... The virtual walking I watch on YouTube is a channel called Out and About Walking. 

I had just mentioned one of the episodes, but there are many to watch. I find them so uplifting and relaxing. 

💘💘💘

But the current project around here is preparing for our family's traditional Red Dinner in honor of St. Valentine.

Elsa helped me set the table, and Nola is making sugar heart cookies.

On the menu for our romantic dinner for six: 

Lasagna

Fresh salad with bright red tomato slices

Garlic toast

Fruit salad

Nola's cookies

Red fruit punch

The house cat fulfilling his duty as the family's gargoyle. 

(Or maybe he's just watching me hang a string of heart garland.) 

Either way, he amuses me.

😉

"The greatest thing you'll ever learn is how to love and be loved in return."

Cupid is coming! I'm off to get ready....

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

💐

~ Courtney 

The Next Installment of Discover Green Bay, and the Start to a New School Year

A noticeable change in sunlight 

and cool, late-summer rains

are helping to usher in a new season.

I am ready to say goodbye to summer and slowly embrace autumn.

By slowly I mean, I am not willing to bring home mums or pumpkins just yet, but I am enjoying early fall flower arrangements, cozy family suppers, and preparing for a successful new school year.

Our family study on "Discover Green Bay" has been going well.

We recently did a scavenger hunt downtown on a beautiful, warm evening.

You download an app and follow the clues, working together as a team.

Then, you submit a photo of your group accomplishing each mission to move ahead in the game. 

Sometimes it had us making fools of ourselves, ( like acting out a silent drama scene in front of the main doors of the theater ) but the whole evening was a lot of fun!

We stopped to eat here, at Al's hamburgers, for a greasy, delicious burger and a milkshake when our hunt was finished. After running all around the streets of downtown for two hours, we were starving to death!

One unexpected "discovery" in our Discover Green Bay series, has been that not everyone in our six-member family wants to do the same things!

One person mentions, "Museum," another shouts, "No!!" 

Someone suggests a walk along the river, someone else announces they're ready to head for home.

(You get the idea.)

In a way, having babies and toddlers was easier, because Micah and I were in control. You strap them in their stroller and you GO! .....

As a result of this, the valuable lesson of yielding to others is woven throughout our downtown journeys together.

We have talked about how going with the flow and doing what others want to do, with a cheerful spirit, is a matter of character.

Do you have the strength of character to spend two hours in a museum you don't care to be in, without pouting, because that's what the family wants to do?

Hmm, yes, these are life-long, important lessons.

Back at home, we have launched into school again with a promising, strong start.

I am excited about the 2023-24 academic year!

Because of good routine habits that were nailed down early on, our school schedule feels like second nature to us.

 Bible and Arithmetic always come first in the early morning hours, when the house is quiet and our minds are fresh.

After breakfast, we diligently work through the rest of our core subjects until after lunch, when we can finally dive into some noisier pursuits, such as piano practice, play time, and nature walks.

(Sometimes you need a buddy to do Algebra with...)

We have never had a formal, actual school room in our home. Throughout the years any table, couch, rug, or fireplace hearth had the capacity to turn into the school "room" for the day. But now that my children are older, they each have a corner of the house for their studies that is their own.

I've tried to place each of them by a window, because that's what I would like if it were me...

Nola is the only one who prefers not to be by a window, however, because she says it's too distracting for her.

Elsa, on the other hand, takes her books right outside whenever she can! 

It is the privilege, the responsibility, and the on-going challenge of the homeschool mother to learn her children's unique learning styles, and do her best to accommodate them.

The following is in accordance with my yearly goal of recording the children's grades and also their courses.

Elsa ~ 4th grade

Soren ~ 6th grade

Nola ~ 7th grade

(Elsa plays piano, too. I'm not sure why I left it out on her daily guide. Come to think of it... she is one who never needs reminding to practice each day, so maybe that's why. Also, Health is crossed out on Nola's guide because I forgot there is no separate Health book in 7th grade Abeka. There's a chapter in the Science book that covers Health, instead.)

Roman ~ 9th grade

We are tackling high school! I'm so proud. These are his courses in rough draft form. I'll type up a proper transcript later in the year when I have a better handle on things. For now I am still learning how to get him up and running for his freshman year. So far it's been great!

As for continuing homeschooling through high school, I have Hebrews 6:10-11 underlined in my Bible...

"God is not unjust. He will not forget your work and the love you have shown Him as you have helped His people and continue to help them. We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end."

It does take diligence, but we've been easing into the school year quite comfortably, and for that I am truly grateful.

Yesterday, we had our afternoon walk down to the swing for fresh air and our family read-aloud, and on our meander back we stopped in the orchard.

Our plums were juicy and sweet and ready for picking!

That was all the inspiration I needed to spend the rest of the afternoon baking.

Elsa helped me get the plums washed up...

Some were used for spiced plum bread, and the rest were placed in a bowl for easy munching.

"Autumn is the mellower season, and what we lose in flowers, we more than gain in fruits."

- Samuel Butler

As the years progress, it seems the Lord continues to show me Scripture verses that confirm my decision to homeschool.

This morning during my quiet time I read this:

"All your sons will be taught by the Lord, and great will be your children's peace."

- Isaiah 54:13

I am thankful my children have grown up on curriculum that has faithfully pointed them to the Lord.

Homeschooling really is a lifestyle of peace, and I feel quite fortunate to be able to do it another year.

Thanks for reading,

💐

~ Courtney 

Bouquets for the Home

 The season of fresh blooms in the house is here again!

(My first official bouquet of the season. This was last Monday and it looked great all week long!)

Early morning meanders around the yard, with clippers in hand, is part of my daily routine each summer.

Something about it - the vibrant birdsong, the sparkling dewdrops, the smell of country air first thing in the morning... grants me the most luxurious start to the day.

This morning, when I opened my Bible app to begin my morning readings, I saw thunderstorms were due by 7:00am. I purposed to finish reading as soon as possible so I could get outside to beat the rain.

By 6:30 I had completed a chapter in Acts, two chapters in 1 Samuel, and noticed subtle grayness coming over the sky. 

With Abigail's stunning and noble response to David's men fresh on my mind, I donned my rain jacket, grabbed my clippers, and headed outside.

I don't like to disturb my gardens too much by over-clipping blooms, so I walk all around the property looking for various textures and flowers to snip. One sprig here, another over here... all meld together in the vase at home for a beautiful bouquet.

Abigail's words were still with me by the time I had found my way into the orchard, considering my next clip - pink cherry blossom, or white apple blossom?...

When accepting David's proposal to be his wife, "She bowed down with her face to the ground and said, 'Here I am, ready to serve you.' " (1 Sam. 25:41)

Isn't that exactly what the life of a wife and mother is? A life of service.

How I wish someone would have taught me that when I got married at only 23 years old. 

"The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

The barn cats found me in the orchard. Their meows of, Good morning, where have you been? We're starving to death! put an abrupt end to my contemplations on the matter.

After filling their food bowls and deciding I had enough clippings, I returned to the house, greeted by a quiet kitchen, and the strong smell of fresh coffee. 

I set to work right away.

Tall pitchers function nicely for this.

Lately I've been using this hand-painted antique pitcher gifted to me several Christmases ago.

I filled it all the way up to the top with cold water, then stuffed some boxwood down into the bottom to act as a "frog," holding everything in place.

Seeing this fresh bouquet on my table as my first accomplishment of the day motivates me to continue working on my household tasks.

Today's tasks include:

Watering houseplants, mopping floors, cleaning bathrooms, being content in my "life of service," and resting in the truth, on this Mother's Day eve, that God chose me for this home and family.

"He determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live." (Acts 17:26)

xo,

~ Courtney 

The Benefits of Snow

 If one were to follow a county road in northern Wisconsin out from the slushy, grey city, and to an old farmstead surrounded by forest and fresh snow, you may find me, small against the backdrop of one-hundred year-old trees, dressed like an eskimo, and breathing in the solitude of a winter moment.

One must first be willing to venture out from the cozy heat, don tall, waterproof boots, then traipse through untouched snow, never knowing if the next step will be a couple inches deep, or a couple feet.

With the onslaught of an active snowfall also comes a reverent silence from nature.

Like a mother placing a blanket on her baby, shushing her to sleep, a heavy snowfall blankets the earth, reminding us that winter is a time for rest.

There was a time in history when people followed the natural rhythms of the seasons. 

The darkness of winter meant quiet evenings by firelight and early bedtimes.

Since the invention of electricity, and the acceptance of it into our homes, we now over-stimulate ourselves with artificial light, tricking our bodies into thinking it's still daytime many hours past dark.

I am thankful it is almost spring, and shifting an hour forward this weekend will return to us our long-awaited evening light. But as I reflect back over this past winter, I can't help but wonder if we push ourselves cruelly when nature intends for us to rest.

I pitched the idea to my family recently that we should consider not taking part in any out of the house evening activities next winter. 

No one jumped at the idea. 

I recommended creating our own cozy family activities that we could enjoy at home instead.

*crickets...

"But what if we tried it for just one winter, like an experiment," I pleaded. 

I'm convinced the benefits would be plentiful!

We would feel calmer and more stable mentally and emotionally.

We would be healthier as a result of getting more sleep and staying out of the germ-filled public.

It would be safer for us, not having to drive through ice and snow in the dark.

Then, after our restorative winter at home, we would be ready to emerge in the spring invigorated and with fresh spirits. 

Nature sets the example for us in this.

Did you know snow holds many benefits for the earth, preparing it for spring?

Some farmers call snow "the poor man's fertilizer."

Snow contains plant-absorbable nitrogen and sulfur, moisturizing the earth.

When winter releases a whole season's worth of snow, the nutrient-rich blanket gently percolates through the soil, watering it completely, so our gardens can emerge invigorated and with fresh spirits.

"For as the rain and snow come down from heaven,

And do not return without watering the earth

Making it bear and sprout,

And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater;

So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth;

It will not return to Me empty,

Without accomplishing what I desire,

And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it."

Isaiah 55:10-11

There probably aren't very many weeks of winter weather left, but as long as we're living in a snow globe, I will marvel at the creative hand of God and the renewing benefits of snow.

❆  ❄  ❆  ❄  ❆

~ Courtney 

Summer's Last Stand

 At times I am charmed by the thought of using my blog for any little inkling or insight that may sweep through me. To sit down at my computer during a quiet moment and just see what flows out... To play the fun game of, Can I make what's fuzzy in my head clear on the page?

Since we tend to be wholly in love with all the circumstances of this glorious summer, I get such inklings often.

This fleeting summer has had a glow all over it. But with autumn crouching at the door, it is soon losing its magical quality.

So I am naming August this year, Summer's Last Stand.

Against the superior odds of cooler temps looming, and ordered school curriculum arriving, we still swim down at our pond almost daily, without any thought or worry that it will all end soon.

Once we arrive, gone is the assault on our senses, the relentless invasion of our privacy, and we can just be in silence and enjoy.

We talk about giving the pond a proper name.

Woodland Swamp is being considered.

Or perhaps Woodland Cathedral. The cathedral part after a book we're reading. The main character, Freckles, carved out a reverent spot for himself in the Limberlost forest that he named, "Cathedral."

This is the same book that inspired me to be, "transacting affairs of importance with the flowers," if you remember.

To keep my home dressed for summer all season long, I really do transact affairs of importance with my flowers regularly!

It saddens me to see my favorites (tulips, lilacs, peonies, etc..) end for the year. But I do still have some blooms standing their ground!

Hibiscus...

English roses...

Phlox...

Lilies...

Clematis...

Black-eyed Susans...

 And Hydrangea...

I love routine.

Anything that is established, enduring, and unchangeable is a great comfort to me.

The perennials we have had on our property have provided that sort of comfort to me.

I can count on them year after year.

Living in the same place for so long has taught me the importance of possessing a sense of rootedness to a place. And for that I am thankful.

In the spirit of Summer's Last Stand, we have a fun little getaway planned that I hope to share pictures of soon.

In the meantime...

Here's to the final few weeks of summer.

💐

~ Courtney