winter gifts

We are in the height of winter- and, boy, it could not be a more wintery winter. Something about winter makes me fully understand how fortunate I am. Laura Ingalls and her view of the icy roofing nails above her bed is an image that often comes to mind as I sit in my cozy cozy cozy house, while our new weather station spins on the shed roof declaring single digit temps. Thank you Jonny for building such a tight home and not being a mad man like Charles Ingalls who had a restlessness that kept his family on the move and not exactly out of harms way.



After making doughnuts for Hanukkah this year, Jonny made an oil lamp with the cooking oil,a ball jar, a growler cap, some pieces of cork, and an old sock (the good and industrious side of Charles?). Here Ava plays her recorder for us in its glow.





So, I love this time of year. When we aren't happy enough to be inside drinking coffee, making things of one kind or another, or eating too much with dear friends, then we take the half hour required to get everyone in their gear and out we head out into the crisp coldness of our New England playground. We are fortunate, again, to live on a lake and the skating can make the summer mosquitoes seem almost worth crazy swatting and fretting. When the snow is too thick for skating, then we just play, walk, make angels, or use it to cross over to the orchard for some more daring adventures.

Tobogganing anyone?


It is my intention to document and share the things I make. I think I will go back in time a bit and show off what we made for some holiday gifts.

For teachers we made beeswax filled walnut shells that float. I etched some glasses I got at the Salvation Army and they were so pretty. See...

Ava and her friend made these beautiful jersey scarves with freezer paper stencils. They are for the Aunties' necks.