katiemae_days

sunshine daydream...

Ski day all day for me and my girl this past Friday. One of the many lovely points about my girl's school is we have no school every other Friday. Now that I the Mama am not working out of the house, these Fridays are dedicated as special days for me and my girl. We've gone to donate goods to a shelter south of us, head to the Childrens museum also South of us, baked and hunkered down at home and this last Friday due to the 35 inches of new snow up at the mountain, we skied!

The day was glorious as the sun was beaming strong, with not a cloud in the sky. Fridays mean discounted lift tickets for me so the day skiing is just a bit more economical. We skied and stopped and skied and stopped awe-struck by the magnificent views abound. The majestic peaks of the North Cascades rising to meet the sky accounted for many photo opps and "aw man aren't we so blessed to live here!" moments.

My girl leads the way down each run, so happy to be on skis. And I am getting my old Telemark legs back slowly, feeling like I can free my heel just a little more with every turn making me also very happy to be on skis now following my little one down the mountain.

We ran into her teachers coming off the chairlift and she was over the moon to say the least. I remember that feeling of seeing my teacher out of the classroom when I was a young girl. Teachers out of context become like rock stars and for my girl, the feeling was no different. She was star-struck for a few minutes and fell silent as she asborbed the moment of seeing her teachers on skis. We took a run and rode the chair up with them and by then she was in the talking spirit sharing her stories.

We skied until the lifts closed at 4, my girl by this time quite tired. We packed up, put in a book on tape and head home feeling peaceful and very grateful for this stellar day.

A magical day for sure, just she and I up in the beautiful hills. Feeling free and easy. I felt grateful for the sunshine, for the ability to get up to the mountain to ski, for the adventure with my girl and for the many magical moments of this day.

the weekend and what i love

Loving:

1. Tulips. For me, a sign that Spring is coming even if a couple of months away. For now though, Spring appears our dining room table.my favorite color.

2. Handmade cards, using what we have, scraps and paints and pastels, markers and crayons and seeing where freeing our creative minds and hearts goes

3. My girl in her tights and boots. oh yes, how I wished they made these in my size! But more, I love her free spirit mixing and matching to her hearts content. Free and Easy!

4. This picnic bench in our neighbor's yard. I just like it. Feels old and good to me.

5. Receiving a bounty of amazing crocheted hats for Warmth for Washington, thanks to the creative and giving hands of Mia over at Homespun Helpers

6. A completely relaxing Saturday. A walk to town with my girl to pick a special Valentine's chocolate, locally made, for her and one wee one for her Papa.

7. Family ski day! What a great day. Grateful I was to feel so in sync with the three of us riding the chair together and skiing down. The Papa is not always free from work to spend the whole day playing let alone skiing up at the mountain nearby. Hearing the laughter and joy from my girl as she blazed down the hill with her Papa and Mama in tow, yes this I love.

8. The mountains. Beauty to behold, stopping to just look at these majestic and grand peaks and all kids of gratitude about where we live.

9. My girl ready for the day. A full day of skiing ahead(and it proved to be). We skiied until the lifts closed!

all skate....

No pictures for this post though I sure wish there were some to mark this day in my personal history. Yep, after hrumph 30 years or so I think, I donned a pair of ice skates and made my way round the rink round and round again. Big thanks to the Papa and our girl encouraging me to grab a pair of skates and give it a whirl with them. See, I would have been the one snapping pictures, the pictures I wished we had but the Papa in a rush forgot the camera. Just as well, this way I had no excuses for not getting out there. I didn't bring knitting, I didn't bring a book so what else could I do but skate.

What a gift this was, our wonderful town has put together a celebration week of sorts and there are all sorts of family activities going on for free. Magic Shows, Puppet Shows, Free admission to the Children's Museum, Music Concerts, Sleigh Rides and Ice Skating. So naturally given the gift of free skating, the place was packed full; good though for running into good friends with their kidlets also taking advantage of the free skate. 

This was pure exhilerating, streaming from the inside out-fun.  Smiles and laughter round and round. Seeing our girl filled with joy out there on the ice made it extra sweet. As I went round and round, I pushed myself to let go of the rink wall a little more each time. My girl would shout with glee "Mama you let go!!" And I did. I even did a hand hold with the Papa away from the wall and skated with him for a couple of minutes. Now this felt like a big feat for me that's for sure..maybe not to the degree of a  triple flip, double-lutz but hey, I let go of the wall! The more I was out there, the more I started to let go and glide remembering the feeling of skating when I was a kid. I grew up in South Florida not exactly the mecca of winter sports activities; so ice-skating was not something we did that often except back in grade-school when  "Polar Palace" the local rink was the hot-spot for many saturday afternoon birthday parties. I guess by the time I was in high school and off to college though, I just never went ice-skating.  So today, 30 years felt a blink of an eye. And I'm so glad to get back out there, now circling round with my family...

And  in flurry of inspriation from our big day on the ice, a mama friend and I are scheming for a women's night out on the rink soon..skating, women friends and hot-toddies hmmm now that sounds like fun too.

We're off to the midwest for a few days to see the Papa's family. Happy, wonderful new year to all of you. Wishes for a peaceful, beautiful time. See you in the New Year!

on skis....

Today my girl and I hit the road with our dear neighbor pals and went up the big mountain about an hour and one-half north of here. The drive is beautiful. 50 miles on the same stretch of highway. 

Rain has melted our snow away in town but big snow was falling up North and as we neared the mountain, the snow got much heavier.

White snow skies lead the way but just after we put our skies on, the sun broke through to find gorgeous blue skies...for awhile.

I'd skied once last year with the girl and we are ready do more this year. Lessons will be in store for sure this winter so that she can get past the point of what I can show her. And more so, I definitely think its better for both of us if she learns with a teacher who isn't her mama and who knows alot more than me about skiing. But for now, the plan was to take advantage of the free rope tow terrain and have a day and we did.

Our neighbor friends have a girl just the same age as mine and these two had a blast. They were riding the rope tow on their own and skiing down the wee hill wanting more. For our last little run, they took off their skis and hiked just a little higher than the rope tow could take them so they could ski down a little farther than they had before. The catch with the rope tow is its free so it makes the ski day more affordable. Just after lunch, those blue skies I mentioned were soon forgotten as the snowfall returned. We took our last run. And ahh the disappointment for having to leave the mountain. "One more time...I don't want to leave"...my girl yelled and yes I'm not mincing words--she yelled it out loud....but the disappointment passed as it does...And tonight, before she fell asleep..she asked when can we go again?  Soon, I'm ready I said...Yes a great day with great friends.

The action shots are on my friend's nifty super pocket size camera..which I hope to have soon..but for now here's a little pre-ski action.

rhythm in sun and snow

Friday's sun ushers in another snow-full weekend.The Papa and our girl play with friends on the hill up the road. For hours.

Saturday a day for errands on foot. Long walks in the winter chill and deep snow. Quiet, time within. For miles. So good.

Sunday, my favorite kind of day. Unplanned. Organic in the day's unwind. Hours of play with our most wonderful neighbor friends. Kids playing and climbing, sliding and sledding. Mamas and papas too, right along. Back indoors for lunch and play. Little ones dancing, singing, putting on shows. Mamas baking and being. Loving the warmth inside as we watch the snow come down. Late afternoon leads into dinner altogether our family of friends. Easy, joyful, laughter filled kitchen with little ones and big.

Sliding into Monday. New snow, my own fresh tracks. The walking kind. Slightly wishing I could find some used boots to go with my old pair of xc skis... in time. After work. Errands with my family. Coats to donate. Food to buy. Roads slightly treacherous now. Homeward bound. Family movie night. Homemade chicken chili and "The Sound of Music." We sing the songs we know and smile. "Oh Mama I can't stop singing either, just like Maria.." my girl says. Sweet moments.

Climate change, I know accounts for much of this snow. As snow like this in these parts well its just not the weather du jour. But for now we are loving being right in it. Grateful to be safe and warm. 

a day in the snow....

Snow Day

Our phone rang very early this morning to let the teacher around here no...no school today! I woke up with the phone, glanced at the clock and somehow thought it was 6:30am. I got out of bed, hopped on the computer and happened to glance at the clock again only this time, I could see the numbers and it was  5:34 am! What can I say the 5 looked like a 6 on the clock in our bedroom. That was just a little too early to start my day today since I'd stayed up until almost 2 am working on cards, cleaning up address lists and listening sort-of-watching late-night TV. So I thought it wise to crawl back into bed and nestle under the covers for a couple more hours sleep. Only problem there, I couldn't sleep. I tried. I lay there, closed my eyes and when I did thought of all kinds of projects I wanted to do like make these. So I figured why not get up and just do it. And so I did. I baked Molasses Spice cookies early this morning and oh man they made the house smell really good. Molasses Spice cookies on a snowy morning just seemed like the right mix.

As I stepped out this morning, I thought it would be fun to document the snowfall throughout the day so I took photos every hour or so. We figure maybe 4 inches total by now. And just know 4 inches is big snow for this little town.

The snow came fast and sideways at points carried in by a light wind.  By mid-afternoon, we walked up to the Park just up the street from our house and went sledding with the neighbors. And in a surreal realization that I will share with you here..are you ready for this, I think this was the first time I'd ever been sledding. Really. I grew up in Florida so as a kid, well sledding just wasn't one of our regular wintertime activities. I went to college in the Midwest and lived in the Northeast but somehow I didn't make it sledding or if I did I guess I don't remember it and I dare not wonder why.

And this was a kick today. Ridin solo and then tandem with my girl and later with the Papa hootin and hollerin down the hill. Now this was some good free wheelin fun.  The "Yahoos" and belly laughs proved to be such a release for what I hadn't even realized needed releasing. After awhile and feeling quite chilled, I head home first and made a big hearty pot of whatever's-left-in-the-fridge-that-needs-eatin soup with homemade bread. Perfect for this winter's night.

And more snow on the horizon they say. I like it.

on the subject of trees....

The rains have come--winter is on its way. The ground is wet well let's not mince words..its saturated. Trees limbs hang heavy, waterlogged, and the air feels damp and cold. Yes winter is approaching in the Great Northwest or maybe its here already. Today was the day though rain or shine we went to find our tree for the Holiday.

We headed North to the county, first stopping at some friends to drop off all sorts of native trees the Papa grows and sells. So while we were going to be cutting a tree, we were making sure all sorts of new trees were getting planted...Justification about the tree we were to take down will run throughout this post I'm sure...

Back to our visit though, our friends live on five acres out in the county. My girl and I and their kids had an extra amazing visit. Their boys gave us a tour of the land....

We found a lone apple from Fall, waterlogged but still a feast for birds in flight to feast upon...

We met their ducks and chickens, roosters and puppy. We got beautifully educated on all the birds they've spotted near and far.

Their home is full of art, music and nature seamlessly melded in their daily life. Hanging out with this wonderful family made for a slow and easy mid-afternoon, where hours passed without even realizing.

After saying our goodbyes, we went to find our tree. For years, we opted on not getting a tree for the most practical reason that we've often traveled during Christmas to see family and secondly we had a thing about not wanting to buy a cut tree. So in those years past, when we lived in the bigger city and even when we first moved here,  we decorated potted Cedars or young Doug Firs and were fine with our wee "Charlie Brown" trees. Last year though,  we would be celebrating Christmas for the first time on Christmas in our new very old home and the Mama here wanted to get a little bit bigger tree not that I don't love good ole Charlie Brown.

And this year, while we will do a little family visiting, it won't be until after Christmas so we decided to do the tree thing again. We all labored a bit over cutting down a tree again this year. Justification presided though as we went to a family-owned tree farm where trees are grown for agriculture and the purpose of this season. Getting our tree there supports a small business and let's face it walking out in the fields, singing songs and deciding together on just the right tree was all kinds of fun.

and then we found the one........

Here's our girl helping her Papa....

We came home, fed our tree some water then hung the lights and a few ornaments to start. My girl and her Papa definitely have their decorating plan on the order of the ornaments.  My girl proudly and gently instructing me to make sure when I hang the ornaments that I let them dangle freely as much as possible. Hmmm, I like that.

An added to this original post a bit later this evening, a snapshot of our tree. I walked downstairs to get some tea and felt so happy to see the warm glow of the lights in the quiet, still darkness. I thought about our day, the big smiles on our girl and our sweet time together.

Yes, winter season has made its way; and holiday festivities have begun making the chill in the air feel just fine. Hope you are enjoying the start of winter too wherever you may be.