Puppy Visit

Here they are: six Irish Terrier puppies, six weeks old, with lovely Mama Red.  The girls were thrilled to be in the middle of a pile of puppies!  At one point, cousin Cora had all six of them crawling over her!  It is amazing how the puppies have grown over the past two weeks since we last visited.  Their little beards are starting to grow and their personalities seem more distinct.  Rosie is still the smallest and Moose is still the biggest, but they all seem closer in size now.  

Mama Red is quite the patient mother.  Patient but firm.  She let all those pups (with needle sharp teeth) nurse for a few minutes, and then when she was done, she was done!





In a few more weeks, if all goes as planned, one of the little boy pups will be coming to live with us.  We may even get to dog sit Mama Red for a few days as well!

5.23.2012

My happy helper, checking on the sun tea.  Thank you, Meryl, for the inspiration! A little mint, a little lemon, a little honey.  So simple, so delicious!

5.21.2012

The meadow in front of our house was decorated with delicate dots of blue this morning.  Here they are: the first wild flowers of the season that are new to me.  The 'volunteers' that I dreamed about discovering in March; a cluster of beauties that was not written into our garden plan.  

Part of me wants to look up the 'official' name of these flowers—their life cycle, their properties.  Another part of me loves not knowing anything except for how lovely they are, dancing among the tall grass just beyond the fence.  

Follow Me

Amabel is our early riser.  Her eyes open wide as soon as she stirs.  And as soon as her eyes are open, she begins to talk.  She has important ideas to share, dreams to recount, questions to ask.  She is ready to play.

Much later, Ellen slips out of bed, rubbing her eyes—her fuzzy hair like a halo around her warm head.  When Ellen wakes up, she listens.  She figures out where everyone is in the house.  Today she slowly pads into her sister's room, guided by Amabel's voice—chatting, singing.  Whatever her beloved Amie is doing, Ellen joins in effortlessly.  

This afternoon, I happen to catch the girls just as they run outside in their bathing suits (five minutes before Ellen decides she would rather wear nothing at all).  The sprinkler is on!  Amabel boldly leads the way into the spray.  Without hesitation, Ellen follows.  As Amabel gives a running commentary on their brave foray into the water, Ellen laughs and laughs, repeating her sister's directions.

Amabel creates a story line.  Ellen listens.  Amabel casts the characters.  Ellen takes her part.  But it isn't always this way.  Ellen has learned, from Amabel, how to be the creative director.  And Amabel has learned, from Ellen, how to follow along too.  

When I reflect on the things I have hoped to teach them, I realize that they have probably learned most from one another.  What an incredible gift.

5.15.2012

I thinned the radishes.  She made radish soup.  Then she watered the strawberry plants with the radish soup.  She is wearing a vintage handmade dress that my mom found at a sweet little thrift store.  I think it was meant to be a garden dress, don't you?

5.13.2012

More family time: cousin love.