Friday, March 19, 2010

farewell to winter

We are very in between seasons here... some days will be like spring, but a few can still be winter... much of the snow has melted away, but not all...

The girls have now spent many long days outside, at least the long driveway is clear enough for lots of running up and down.

They had been watching those piles of snow, knowing which ones would melt away first, and talking on and on about all that they would be creating out of the mud for their "fairy house people" this spring. (but so you know, they are not really fairies, they are just people like us, but they are very little. of course there are real fairies too, but that is very different and these are not them.) Their first long days work... chairs, baskets, cradles, dolls, there is nothing they will not make out of the mud! Of course later in the season the grasses, flowers, leaves, and seeds will provide much of what the fairy house people need.

The hillside facing our house, just across the dirt road, sunny and bare, brown with pine needles...

and the family of deer that sometimes make their home there, browsing in the sunlight, or sleeping in their shady beds...

All day long, the girls playing out front in the sun, the deer right up on the hillside, it was like they were spending the day together. If a car came along the deer would pause, listen, wait. But the talking, singing, laughing and going about of my girls caused them no concern. How happy we are to share these days with those sweet animals.

Oh yes, I almost forgot to mention the day when the deer where off somewhere else, so the fox visited instead! Look closely and you might be able to see... (the girls would not go out that day!)

It was supposed to snow all weekend, or maybe rain if we're lucky, or maybe nothing. It did snow a bit this morning, but see what the sky was looking like in the afternoon. Pretty nice! Of course it was snowing again by evening, but just the tiniest flakes, they really were dancing, floating about in all directions, even up. The wind has been blowing strong, not sure what it's saying though, it's cold but it feels so good and fresh.

Even if winter chooses not to leave us quite yet, there is still such a bright happy feeling in the air. And tomorrow we will celebrate the first day of spring. Wishing a very happy new season to you all!

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi! Nice to find your blog here. I see you re homeschooling. Have you always been?

Glad you are enjoying outdoors:-) spring spring!!

FrontierDreams said...

After the root children made their appearance here we spent all day outside today. It was perfect! We would be happy to take some of that snow off your hands for you, though :) XO

* * said...

Such a beautiful post ushering in spring!
I love that the deer and your children happily 'played' alongside one another, it is amazing how animals can sense the gentleness of children!
Happy Spring Renee!! : ) xoxo

Grace said...

I have two little gals loving faries too.
Looks like a lovely life you have carved out for yourself-

Mama Ash Grove said...

What a beautiful place you live in!
Our girls would have such fun together- my big girl loves to sculpt things out of mud for the fairies!

Indigo, madder, marigold said...

happy spring to you Renee!!!
Oh those scary foxes...and such a beautiful sky.
Blessings! -angie

Stacy said...

What a wonderful, uplifting post! I love the fairy items and that the girls were outside playing along with the deer all day. What a wonderful way to grow up. And the fox ... that's exciting!

Heather said...

What a beautiful world you have for your girls. We are really in-between seasons on the Range as well, in fact, we are waiting for some pretty heavy to start feeling between today and tomorrow. Thank you for sharing all of the beauty that you have created for your family

6512 and growing said...

Those girls sure are good builders. The people "like us who are very little" will be very pleased.

March is such a funny month, such a straddler. Snow boots and short sleeves, right?

kendra said...

renee, i love the little hands in your banner! (the fairy abode is incredible! i have honestly never seen any like this - what lucky fairies!!! - i mean fairy house people, of course!)

Anne said...

Happy Spring to you...:)
Autumn has arrived down here...

Hullabaloo Homestead said...

My girls would love to play near the deer. How nice to live so close to nature..and a fox, that is a sure treat too!

:)Lisa

Appleshoe said...

So glad to find your blog. It's very peaceful here. I love the little lamb and the mud fairies. You truly are blessed. Take care.

Kelly said...

Hi Renee
It is wonderful to start enjoying long days outside again. Your girls look so full of joy and energy running about. You live in such beautiful surroundings with the deer so close. This week I have been so grumpy with our weather. It has been very wet and grey so no long amounts of time outdoors but I will remember your optimisim and joy in the coming of spring even though she is being very shy. After all the chill of winter has gone, the days are much longer and there is more energy and growth. Have a lovely week.
Best wishes
Kelly

Linda said...

Happy Spring to you Renee!

CeCe said...

Such lovely Springtime shots! And such creative girls you have there, playing and working away for the little visitors sure to come. Mud is a great medium, isn't it? :)

themagiconions said...

I just love the mud creations! And the fox... I enlarged the photo and saw him, sniffing the snow.
Blessings and magic,
Donni

Amanda said...

I love the mud furniture! So great! How exciting to have a fox visit.

Heather said...

Wonderful to see the mud creations. How fun! We've been enjoying having deer back to visit recently too, so fun to watch them look for things to nibble.