(Larkspur likes to dress up her desk and serve snacks to Beatrix. On today’s menu: banana ice cream, which is a mixture of mashed bananas and ice.)
(photo by Keats)
(photo by Keats)
(photo by Keats)
(photo by Keats)
I’m glad that Keats decided to take some photos yesterday. Otherwise, I’d have little to share today. I haven’t had much interest in my camera this week.
Honestly, something is wreaking havoc on me right now. It may be sleep deprivation, as Silas is having a terrible time at night. I think that surely it’s his teeth now. And then there is this crazy weather. It’s warm then cold, warm then cold. I’ve never had daffodils blooming this early before. I should be happy to see them, but in a way their presence is making me sad, because it’s just not time. Like many people, I often struggle as the seasons change. I love the change, and look forward to each new season, but something in my being, that is outside of my control, doesn’t. So to have spring weather one day, and winter the next, and for this to have been the trend this entire winter here in Virginia, well, that may be to blame for my moods. I’m not all full of doom and gloom, I’m just a bit off. It will pass as it always does. And I’m keeping busy in the meantime. I’ve picked up a new obsession: cross stitching. Heaven forbid that my fingers be idle for more than a minute or so. But, more about that later.
On Saturday morning, Beatrix and I (and Si) took a trip downtown to visit the cross stitch store for my second time in a week. Bea makes a wonderful shopping companion if the trip is purely for pleasure. Watching her interact with strangers is a pleasure in and of itself. She is my first outgoing child, a surprise to us all considering that she burst into tears at the glance of a stranger until she was two years old or so. She never fails to bring a smile to someone’s face with her current favorite greeting, “Merry Christmas!” Those who stop to chat and ask for her name and age will be expected to reciprocate the information. Walking to the cross stitch store, we passed a very cute children’s book store. Beatrix darted inside, turned back to me and remarked, “I’ll just stay here. In the waiting room.” The woman behind the counter was delighted with this proclamation. I promised to bring her back by after we visited my store, and I kept that promise.
After we finished running our other errands, (one to use the potty at the library because Bea, on a whim, decided to wear big girl unnies that day!) we had a conversation about the importance of being friendly. Beatrix wondered why anyone wouldn’t be friendly. At three years old she believes that the whole world is her friend. She’s friendly because she’s happy, and I think she genuinely wants to connect with people, even the perfect strangers we pass on the sidewalk. She isn’t afraid of anyone. She loves with no worry that someone might refuse her friendly greetings or questions. I love her beautiful spirit.
I finished Jonny’s hat and I am on track for finishing the rosary shawl that I am knitting for a friend, thanks to a new Rosary album. Praying, singing, and knitting (and a bit of cross stitch!) There could be no better way to push through the rest of February. The “real” spring will be here soon. In the meantime, Jonny let me sleep late this morning. I feel better already.
Adrie says
I know just what you mean – the arrival of spring is always strangely hard for me. My acupuncturist once said to me (about this) “In spring, things are coming up” and that made it make more sense to me, somehow. She said a lot of people have a hard time in the spring. Anyhow, wishing for some peace for you. Blessings.
Rebecca P. says
This time of year is terribly hard for me also. I just try to be patient with myself and I remind myself constantly that this will pass. But…
oh how I look forward to working in my craft room with the Spring breeze blowing in the open windows. And I can’t wait to be floating in my swimming pool on a hot summer afternoon. sigh…..
EG says
I love that she expects adults’ names and ages! So great. And I really can’t get enough Silas.
Sherri says
I know how you feel… the weather here in Washington state has been the same. It’s been so nice for the last week and now cold and rain today. I love the hat you made, the colors are gorgeous and the yarn is beautiful. You always pick so wonderful yarn and pretty colors. Love the phots by Keats too, he is a great little photographer.
Keep your chin up 🙂 Spring will be here before we know it.
steph says
Keats did a lovely job as stand-in photographer! Good job!! If the world was only run by three year olds!!! Such a loving spirit. Merry Christmas, Bea!!!
Cary says
Hope you are feeling better today- I feel the same way. I know mine is sleep deprivation, having a 6 week old is exhausting- I’m not sure what I will do when she starts teething! I will say a little prayer for you tonight; that tomorrow will be a better day!
lori says
love the hat on jonny!
renee ~ heirloom seasons says
Oh Ginny, ever since you told me you were starting a cross-stitch project it has been on my mind. I love this little glimpse, and the beautiful threads… I need to know more!
How sweet and full of love your Beatrix is! My girls are sweet and full of love too, but if a stranger speaks to them they usually just give blank stares. If they like the person they give a shy smile. Chloe will answer questions. Chessa will stay silent forever!
Sounds like you will survive February. Hope you get more rest soon!
XO
Maria says
February sounds wonderful. I’m enjoying February because a year ago I was off my feet and out of work, stuck inside all the time because of the snow. So I’m happy to be in February, participating fully in it. “The waiting room”….hahahahaha… good for Bea!
PS I’m glad Keats decided to take pictures, too 🙂
Kristen says
Love the story of your sweet, friendly girl. I love watching my children as they interact with the world and am overjoyed by their innocence. Fantastic job on the hat – I love it!
Annie says
Oh wow, I love Keate’s portraits of Silas, clever lad !
Knitting, the perfect thing to see you through the February blues 😀
Sarah says
I rarely comment on here, but I wanted to thank you. Your blog and pictures are so simple and pure. They make me happy. I homeschool my 4 kids and I just love reading how you readliy accept your childrens’ differences and struggles. I try to do the same but sometimes I worry too much. You are doing a great job.
Victoria says
Hearing about Bea’s natural friendliness is such a bright spot to my morning! We had a neighbor (who sadly moved last year) whose daughter similarly couldn’t fathom that there was a single person in the world who *wasn’t* her friend. She was such a delight to be with, and your story of yesterday fills me with warm memories of her.
Kathy says
Wonderful hat, and wonderful stories of friendliness. Our NC winter has been similarly unexpected — warm one week and cold the next — and it has made it hard to really settle in to winter and then prepare for spring. The rhythm seems all off, but I’m hoping that true spring’s arrival in a few weeks will get us back to more expected weather. Cross stitch was my first needlework/fiberwork love. My grandmother taught me when she lived with us one summer when I was 10 or 11. I put it down when my daughter was small, but would like to pick up some unfinished projects and wrap them up before long. Knitting is just so much easier to tote around!
Rachel Wolf says
A friend who homeschooled until this year (when her girls requested to go to school) learned about Martin Luther King and the civil rights movement this winter. They were absolutely dumbfounded that racism existed/exists. They found the concept absolutely absurd. They, like your Beatrix, sees the world as a place filled exclusively with kind people. Those are the only sort they’ve ever met. What blessed kids we have.
Mor Natalia says
I just want to thank you for your fantastic blog, you inspire me very much and you are fantastic. All the craft and that you homeschool all 6 children. You are great, I wish I could do the same.
Marj says
Love Jonny’s new hat and your shawl looks yummy. Love the color. I find that I buy 2 colors of yarn. Purples and greens. But I force myself to order other colors. I just ordered $50 worth of yarn that is all totally unnatural for me. And I hope I’ve not ordered yarn that I won’t wear or use. I just like purples and greens. But I can’t have everything purple and green. Although I wore a purple and green blouse to church Sun and everyone raved about those colors on me. Who would have known? It was just a hand-me-down from my sister that I wore for the first time. Our weather is bizaare just like yours. My day lilies are coming up!!! We still frost at night but daytime is short sleeve weather. It’s too early for Spring. I’m confused like you. Love ya…
Lia says
I have to ask… how on earth do you count stitches AND Hail Marys at the same time?
Ginny says
That pattern doesn’t require any counting, and when I pray the Rosary, either Jonny leads, or I pray along with the Rosary album that I linked to. Trust me, complicate it a bit, and I wouldn’t be able to do it!
Gae says
Do you pray the Rosary with your children as a family or just you and Johnny?
Kelly says
It’s amazing how much better we start to feel when we actually get the sleep we need… I got the chance to nap recently, and I feel soooo much better for days after that!
Melissa L says
Keats took some GREAT pictures! I bet he could start his own blog with much success (like his Mama). Thanks for giving us snapshots of your life, for your honesty, and for welcoming us, virtually, into your beautiful and very genuine home.
Evi says
It’s funny how one child can be so different in the ‘friendly’ business, isn’t it? Our first six were all reserved and mostly stared at other people with out saying boo! The seventh on the other hand was and is very outgoing and from when she was tiny, had no problems talking to or following other people. We have had to be very careful as she just wandered where ever she wanted without so much as a backward glance!! Now she is 9 and ready to go hiking/camping through other peeps paddocks and fields – on her own!! It does make life just a tad wearing!!
PS – you make Beautiful Babies xxx
Jacq says
Funny you should say you have had no winter, because we have had no summer at all! Normally at this time of year we would be sweltering in the heat, but no, I have the heater on! Autumn is just around the corner and I am starting to think it will never be swimming weather!
Jacq
Amanda says
beautiful pictures as always. i, too, have been struggling this winter. we haven’t really had any snow or cold here (chicago land). normally, we’d be ankle deep in snow at all times. i am looking forward to spring.
McKenzie says
Ugh. I know exactly how you feel in regards to the weather. On Saturday around noon it was about 50 degrees, and the next thing I knew, it was snowing! It continued to fall all through the evening and we woke up to a beautiful blanket of snow. By noon Sunday it was all melted. It’s just too odd. I think transitions are difficult for everyone, but if you’re really in-tune with your natural surroundings, it’s especially shocking. I just want one extreme or the other. Cold and snow or warm and spring.
And yes, idle hands make it even worse, so have fun with cross stitching. I organized the kitchen cabinets yesterday.
Tori says
I always love reading your blog posts and especially this one. I too have printed off today a pattern for a warm hat for my husband – hope it turns out half as good as yours! Cross Stitch was my first needlework love and the day I found out I was pregnant I did a HUGE Beatrix Potter alphabet for my daughter which took 2 years – so glad it is finally up on her wall! : http://madewithloveuk.wordpress.com/2011/06/21/beatrix-potter-alphabet-finally-compelted/
thanks for sharing, we too have daffodills and it just seems wrong doesn’t it!
hope things feel a littlemore positive for you soon x
swanski says
Beautiful work on the hat! I have that shawl pattern in my queue and I think I might have to start one soon- As always I enjoy your Beatrix stories!
Heather says
Ahhh, my daughter also has never met a stranger. She loves deeply and her smile is contagious. I cross-stitched a lot in my youth. Now I find myself enjoying knitting more. Every now and then I think I may start to embroider.
Courtney says
I have been feeling the same way with this crazy Winter/ Spring weather. Its hard to get into a groove with it changing all the time.
Darcel says
I know how you feel with the weather. It’s really taking a toll on me lately. Love the hat. I just learned to knit a few days ago, and I’m so excited! Glad the extra sleep has helped.
Mary says
Nice hat~ i will have to check out that pattern. I understand the unease with the weather changing so much, it’s been that way here also. Beautiful colors on your cross-stitch, I haven’t done that for ages. Thanks for sharing…
Nicole Spring says
My K is the same way. She LOVES chatting with anyone and everyone. I love it, but I had a slight concern of her with strangers. We watched her walk right up to a man at the park the other day. Harmless this time but still… Ughh. I don’t believe in the whole stranger danger thing though, either. She’s so happy and fearless, I don’t want to change that. Ok rambling 😛
Gae says
Nicole this is a hard one isn’t it. We like to encourage friendly and helpful kids too but the whole dark side is a little hard to deal with too. Finding balance is the key and still not sure we have th balance 🙂
annita says
Ginny, the same has been true here in NC. My teenage daughter and I were just talking this weekend about how “off” we’ve been feeling as well. She and I are both sensitive to the change of seasons/weather. It has indeed been a confusing winter! Love your pictures as always. Peace. +JMJ+
Dina says
My periwinkle is blooming. The flowers are all confused!
teresa c says
The begining of spring has a terrible effect on me as well, there were years when I felt exhausted after a night’s sleep… and I didn’t have children then! I hope you find some healing in the making (I always do) and perhaps in the sunshine. My guess is that we don’t have such different weather since we’re aproximately at the same latitude… And good luck on the teething, is there any thing you can uso for help? here we have a gel that supposedly helps, but my son doesn’t suffer a lot (he just gets a running nose for weeks when teething!)
Jeannine says
I would be happy with a solid week of cold, icy, snowy weather so we could sled and complain about the cold and drink cocoa. Then I think I would be ready for spring. But I don’t like this noncommittal weather, either.
Ruth says
The weather the world over is out of sync this entire winter. Here in Ireland it is the same, very mild even by our own standards. Love the hat and have already added it to my favourites as a great pattern for my husband and sons. Children at that age are so wonderful to watch them interacting with the world around them. My 3 and 4 year olds are like that on trips out and its fun to watch how they always get a smile and their questions answered from others. As cross stitcher and knitter I find the two hobbies mesh together easily.
heathermama says
my middle son Sagan was my social butterfly when he was little. after a couple years of being practically attached to my body, he was this little ray of sunshine. always saying “HI!” and chatting with people. whenever we went to the park he would make a bee-line straight to whomever was sitting on a bench and chat with them.
although AZ usually gets spring by feb, we normally have a bit of a chilly (for us) jan. this year it has been warm (60-79) for almost a month now. i hate to say it because we will be so hot soon enough but i sorta wish it had stayed cooler longer. oh well.
the hat is lovely. 🙂
Ashley says
I am SO glad to hear that I am not the only one out of sorts with this weather. I keep hearing everyone being so excited for the warm weather, but I’ve almost felt the complete opposite. I really enjoy the seasons, including the coldness of winter, so this back and worth, back and forth is just crazy! Praying you and I both get through the next few weeks 🙂
sheila says
Bea is such a sweet little spitfire….I enjoy reading about her antics….and her sweetness. 🙂
The embroidery bug has just bit me….but I enjoy other’s embroidery ambition. 🙂
jennifer says
Love the color of the shawl. The weather is getting to me too…this time last year we had a foot and a half of snow on the ground here in N. IN, yesterday my kids were jumping in mud puddles….and were barefoot at times….the weather is just to freaky to enjoy. Plus, I feel like the weather is pushing me…I still have way to many indoor projects to complete before spring! Not to mention how this weird weather will effect our maple syrup making…… oh well, I need to just enjoy what we have.
I was at my favorite local fabric/quilt shop and thought of you and Beatrix. There were at least 6 or 7 different kinds of Beatrix Potter fabric……sooo adorable.
Have a great week!
Cynthia says
I love the hat and the colour is wonderful. Thankfully Beatrix gives you so much joy – she is an all around lively kidlet with so much personality. I too have really missed a traditional winter and the cold/warm/cold/warm is reeking havoc on my joints. I hope that this is not a trend that continues throughout the rest of the year.
molly says
the hat is BEAUTIFUL (i never though i would say that about a hat. a gray, ribbed, man’s hat. but there you have it. beautiful).
as is beatrix.