moments from the middle of winter

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We celebrate the middle of winter, Brigid's Day, Candlemas. Inside and outside.


We have been reading stories of Brigid. Yesterday we wrote a small play about her, and the girls and I performed it for Jason this evening.

We had buttercup squash soup for dinner. We baked "snowdrop cookies". We only make these cookies on this day and on the winter solstice.


Earlier in the afternoon I was thinking about what kind of painting we could perhaps do tomorrow. I had a thought of Brigid's well and imagined trees intertwining above it. Then I suddenly decided I should sit down and do a crayon drawing. (Done mostly with beeswax block crayons.) As I started I realized the picture was going to be much more spring-like than wintery, but I decided that was okay, it is nice to look ahead at this time of year. It has been a while since I have practiced my drawing like this. It was nice to take the time for it, I would like to do it more often.

I wrote a Brigid blessing on a small chalkboard and placed it with the drawing next to our table at dinner. And we lit a new candle.

(And you see, all that was this evening, with a dark and snowy sky. So no photos to share...)


And earlier in the week...

A wonderful outside day, so much sunshine, so much happiness and running around!



Time with our horses.


The girls were so delighted with the smell of the dried up grasses and flowers in the hay.


Chessa told me I had to stand with my eyes closed and the sun shining down on my face and take deep breathes of the hay and it would feel like summer. Of course it really did.
Then the girls tucked bits of the dried flowers and grasses into their braids.


And inside play...



Setting up camps.


Doll picnics, doll parties, lots of doll love and play.


Chessa's dolls get much more worn that Chloe's ever did. Smudged faces, dirty hands, scuffed feet. So loved. I am noticing here that Isabella's mouth is quite messy. Hmm, it seems someone may have been feeding her...


She looks like her dolls.


And just this one perfect photo of my dear eldest child. But so many wonderful moments with her.


Wishing you all wonderful mid-season days!


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