I found a surprise in the garden, just before Christmas. I have never grown cauliflower before, and on a whim planted little starts from the farm store last fall. I thought they were duds. I shrieked when I discovered this one perfect little white head. We ate it as part of our Christmas dinner. I keep wanting to mention it, but it just didn’t fit with all my Christmas photos!
There is a big gap between our front door and the floor. I have sewn many a draft dodger, only to have them rip, spilling rice all over the floor. Lately we’ve been throwing a blanket on the floor. Trudy then voluntarily blocks the cold wind from creeping in.
We aren’t sure what they are doing in the tree. It’s possible that they wanted to investigate the pine cone bird feeders.
Purple cabbage that hasn’t got much to show for itself yet.
Just in the last few weeks, Silas has started sitting for stories. He carries his little board books to Jonny, and is particular about which ones he wants to read. Mommies Say Shh! is probably one of our favorite books for toddlers ever.
When I was a little girl, I quite enjoyed dressing my little brother Daniel up like a girl. He had lovely golden curls and long eyelashes. My girls had some fun with Silas recently. He obliged their fancy, and got all fancied up himself. He then headed outside, clearly on a mission. He gathered a little armload of “firewood” and headed back inside to deliver it to the woodstove. Examining this photo, I believe Silas is wearing a bit of purple eyeshadow!
Dear Gabriel knit Silas a bright blue hat. He is so proud to see Silas wearing something he made.
There. I feel like I’ve tied up some loose ends: wanting a record of these little things, and realizing that the best thing to do is to write them down.
Saminda says
Ginny,
I stumbled across your blog some days ago, and have been soaking up your delicious pictures and words ever since. Just 2 short years ago, I too was living on property and homeschooling my three beautiful children. Since then my marriage has broken down, we are now divorced and my ex-husband already engaged to be remarried. I now live in a little townhouse near the beach, 4 hours south of what was our beautiful land. The care of our children is shared between us. Of course, they now attend school.
Looking at blogs of homeschooling families used to bring me so much encouragement as a fellow homeschooling mother. Sadly, I’ve been through 18 months of staying away from blogs. My own included. However, God has brought me to a new place of peace and healing. I’m now working on a new blog. My children are doing wonderfully well in spite of everything. All this to say – I LOVE your blog. I’m so happy to be in a place emotionally once again where I can read and enjoy and soak in the beauty in other people’s lives – without wishing it was my own. Thankful. 🙂 Oh, and I love the way you write. So beautiful. Love the chickens in the tree (ours used to do the same!), and Silas’s lovely blue hat. Blessings xxx
Erin says
Kudos to Gabe on the hat! It is something to knit a hat that fits perfectly!
Rachel says
Ha ha, I remember dressing my little brother up like a girl! Would it be mean to take a picture of the photo and put it on Facebook?!
Anna says
I’m so glad to be reading and catching up. Silas is such a beautiful little man. I love the blue hat and the thought that went into it. Precious.
Jennifer Miller says
I’m so jealous that your cauliflower grew. I’ve tried for three summers and have never gotten anything that looks halfway decent. I’ve since given up. I think it’s because it gets so hot, maybe if I planted it much sooner.
Ellie says
Beautiful pics…………………………warmed my being. Thanks much!
I live in southern BC – do you think I could grow cauliflower too?
Ginny says
I’m sure you could, you would just plant it earlier than we do further south.
Emily T. says
I’ve made draft blockers for our home using denim from old pairs of pants and sandbox sand. The denim holds up really well!
I love the hat Gabe made and I love the fact the girls dressed up Silas! He’s just too cute.
jacquie says
I’ve learned that chicken’s who like to roost in trees have developed a wonderful survival skill!
Rambling Follower says
And Silas has such a lovely tail Ginny!
Ginny says
ha! yes, he does!
Sonja says
I think random parts make the whole in our homeschooling mom lives. Love it! I’m often amazed at what our dogs will turn into beds. If it’s somewhat soft and on the floor, they claim it! 🙂
Nahuatl Vargas says
Beautiful bites.
Nadja says
I always so enjoy your random-photo posts. Silas is gorgeous–with or without purple eye shadow!
Rach says
Lovely beanie for Silas – what a kind brother! I too dressed up my little brother… very cute!
Jo @ To a Pretty Life says
Lovely, lovely photos! Especially the tulips. I’m starting to pine for tulips, as I do in midwinter. My next Costco run may produce a bunch or two of hothouse tulips, since they don’t bloom here for 4 more months.
Susan @ Tea & Cake says
A visual feast of the special little ordinary things that make life grand–loved it!
Kim says
Beautiful!
Mary says
The hat is darling! And congrats on the cauliflower!!
Nikki says
Will you please tell Gabriel that the hat is beautiful – it matches his lovely eyes! And I really really love that bed-hair photo of Silas – isn’t baby hair the best thing ever!
meghann says
Julia dresses Asher up all the time, too! He comes downstairs wearing thrift-store dresses and princess shoes. And his hair is long enough I believe he would pass for a little princess very nicely!
I love your canine draft-stopper. What a sweetheart… xo
Suddenexpression says
The hat is great! Gabriel did a wonderful job and Silas seems to enjoy showing it off. I can’t wait till my little girl sits through a story. Reading with kids is such a wonderful thing.
Tracey says
Congratulations on your surprise garden find, there is nothing like fresh cauliflower right from the garden.
Kim says
Beautiful pictures of your family!
Liesl says
Freshly picked cauliflower for Christmas dinner? How lucky! I bet it tasted delicious.
And no little boy is immune from being dressed up by his older sisters. Your photos will make for fun times in the future, looking back. 🙂
Becca says
Congrats of the cauliflower! It’s so funny, I forget that most of the country does not exist in the freezing, cauliflower killing weather that I do. I am always pleasantly surprised when I run across a post about gardening in January!
Funny, I remember dressing up my little brother too!
heathermama hawkes says
such sweet memories. and yeah on the cauliflower. 🙂
Crystal says
Hi Ginny, can I just please ask what type of carrier Silas is riding in at the end of your post please?
Thank you! 🙂
Ginny says
Hi Crystal! That is a Boba carrier. We bought it because our Ergo carrier was in tatters. I think that the Ergo is nicer and more comfortable for the adult, but the Boba has a higher back support for the child which is nice for smaller babies.
JenMun(a) says
oh this is so heart warming and the blue hat looks just perfect!
sarah
Heather says
Love the flowers – so pretty. And a cauliflower – delicious. Boys in dresses make me smile. Who wouldn’t want to get all fancey and sparkly for a bit. And the hat – kudos to Gabe.
On a side note, we will be returning to VA at the end of the month. Only 6 weeks or so this time. Wondering about weather. I noticed hats but also short sleeves!
Ginny says
Virginia winters are wacky. It’s freezing one day, and balmy the next….you never know!
Ginny says
so you’ll be here for february and half of march? I would pack for winter. You can always shed layers down to a cotton shirt-even a long sleeved one. It shouldn’t be too warm. My kids clothes aren’t always a good indicator of the temperature here. They run around half dressed when it’s cold. We are in the 50s this week. It’s lovely, but not technically warm.
Lisa G. says
I really have to improve my knitting skills; if your boy can knit a hat, then I should try doing something like that! 😀
Amy Caroline says
Oh goodness Silas is getting big! Where does the time go?
I didn’t have a little brother growing up so I used to dress my boy cat in doll dresses and let him go outside to show his “friends” how wonderfully he looked. That is until my mom informed me he could get hurt wearing a dress and climbing a tree. If only I had a little brother in those bygone days….
Grace says
Oh! And one more thing, I forgot to say how much I LOVE your tulips! They are my favorite. Followed closely by peonies, and then ranunculus.
Grace says
My brother used to dress up like a girl, too. He turned out quite normal, despite Patrick Madrid saying that’s not possible. 😉 Silas is so cute…in his dress, with his book (we live Mommies Say Shh! too!), in his previous little hat!
Love Trudy and the door!
Congratulations on the cauliflower, it looked amazing!
Grace says
Er, that should be PRECIOUS not previous. Thank you phone.