Unseasonably Wonderful

Our weather went from FRIGID to a sudden turn of "early Spring-like" temperatures yesterday.

After our school lessons were done, we ate lunch, cleaned up, and headed out to the fields to bask in the bright, warm, winter sun.

The sky was so clear and so blue; with just a white wisp of cloud here or there. It was BEAUTIFUL.

We needed only our sweaters, which the kids tore off after only a few moments of running :)

We lay down flat in the open field, to feel the rays soaking into our faces. At one point, we could see 6 streams of "artwork" left behind by soaring jets, zig-zagging across the vast canvas of the open skies; all at once!

I love the energy that children have. After a few rounds of football, Benji decided that he was thirsty. We all agreed and lamented that we hadn't thought to bring along some water. During the summer months, we have water out in the fields; but my husband shuts down the faucets when the weather turns cold enough to burst a pipe.

That doesn't stop energetic young children, however. "We'll go get some Mommy!" they cried...and, back to the house jaunted 3 of them to tote cups and a pitcher full of fresh, clear water! (Our field is about 1/4 mile from the house!)

"May we go to our mountain, Mommy?" they asked.

I smiled. I think back to when my eldest daughter, who is now 27, married, w/two children of her own, had a "Winnie the Pooh Tree". Why was it called that? Well, no reason, other than she used to spend hours circling this HUGE tree at the top of our road, 'round and 'round and 'round, singing the "Winnie the Pooh song". She LOVED that tree.

We're in a different house now and her young siblings now have "their mountain"; which, essentially is just a mound of dirt with a bent tree limb that holds their weight and thus, bounces perfectly, to become a pretend horse. This little spot sits at the front of our property...up the hill at the start of our driveway...but, close enough to the road that I don't allow them to play there unless my husband or I am with them. 

"Sure!" I said. "Go to your mountain"...and off they ran...again...MORE energy. Oh! How I enjoyed sitting in that open field, under the warm sunshine, watching my children in their little grove of bare winter trees, bouncing on their pretend horse and climbing "their mountain".

I can't think of a nicer way to spend an afternoon.

I am so blessed.

My children are healthy, they are strong, they are imaginative, and they are FUN! They make me laugh and I am so glad that I get to be with them each day.

The highlight of our time outdoors, in the unseasonably wonderful weather, was a little snail that Sarah found.
I thought it was dead. She insisted it was not and proceeded to fashion a tiny "nest" in the grass for her new little friend. She gently laid him in his "nest" and waited and watched and waited and watched.

Along with being energetic, children are patient.

Sarah's patience paid-off.

She was right.

He was alive! And, he came out of his shell and delighted us for the next half hour, as we watched him crawl and stretch and carry his home upon his back.

TA-DA!!! SCIENCE LESSON; hands-on!

LOVE when that happens!

Mary Helen got a camera for Christmas. She loaned it to us yesterday, which made us very happy because we wee able to take some  photos for our nature blog. (We haven't been able to post there for a long time because we've been without a camera...again.) We hope you'll stop by and see the little video we posted of
"Buddy, the Snail" and a few other highlights from our afternoon stroll along the trails and fields of:

HOME!