Maple Sugaring

I can feel it. Spring is coming - just 21 days. As the earth warms here, the sap rises, and that means it's maple sugaring time. The naturalists at the Environmental center (and Shuts Environmental library we frequent) give maple sugaring demonstrations every year, and we finally made it over to Central Park to learn a bit about the sweet, yummy stuff.


Suitable sugar maple trees (at least 10 inches in diameter) in the sugar bush (stand of sugar maples) were marked with string. The children in the group were asked pick out one of the untapped trees. (You can see tapped trees with plastic jugs collecting sap.)

The guide drilled a hole through the bark and about 1" into the sapwood and inserted a spile. Owen tasted the sap, but I was sitting on the ground nursing and missed the chance.

Trees scar over after the tap is removed.

In commercial operations, they can use lines to collect the sap from a group of trees.

The sap is boiled to evaporate the water. It takes about 40 gallons of sugar maple sap to make a gallon of syrup. The large, shallow pan allows ready evaporation because the maple tea (patially reduced sap) has a large surface area.

Afterwards, everyone enjoyed a sample of maple sugar made from the park maples.
Caedmon got a ride in a blanket since I left the wrap at home.

Owen got in a bit of puddle jumping

and playing while we were there too.

Vegan Black Bean Soup

We recently adapted this recipe for a yummy dinner enjoyed with some of Abram's students. We served it along with Lancaster Carolyn's kale salad. Yum!
Vegan Black Bean Soup
olive oil
1 1/2 onions, chopped
6 cloves of garlic, crushed
9 c. bean juice and water or veggie stock
6 c. black beans (soaked overnight and cooked until tender)
3/4 c. rice
1 c. chopped bell pepper
small hot pepper, minced
2 stalks celery
2 carrots
6 T. red wine vinegar
1 1/2 T. chili powder
1 1/2 t. cumin
1 t. oregano
1/2 t. ground black pepper
salt

In a large pot, cook onions in olive oil until tender. Add garlic and cook 1-2 minutes more. Add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Simmer until veggies are tender (~30 min.) or longer. Serve with avocado, sour cream (vegan or not), and chips.

Caedmon's Doings

Caedmon's been . . .
pushing up - what an string boy!

Cooing to anyone who will listen

riding on my back more and more

grabbing anything he can get hs hands on - table cloths included

snuggling every chance he can

Visiting Cousins

How nice it is to be near family - well sort of near. Jesse and his family recently relocated to Maryland - a short 2 hour drive from us. This weekend, we finally made it down for a wonderful visit.
Rossitsa made two wonderful meals. The kids played beautifully. The adults talked. I just couldn't have asked for a better day.
Owen and Kalina had a ball playing the whole day. We are entering a new phase I hope (fingers crossed). Pity I didn't get a shot of the dynamic duo in action.
Caedmon soaked up lots of snuggles - especially from Kristiyana.

Iliyah wanted very much to "hold the bebe." He couldn't get enough of it. What a sweetie!

He was super cute eating mango after the kids came in from playing in the cold.



I'm hoping for another weekend date with the cousins soon!

What Owen's Been Up To

Owen's been
making lots of play houses (I can't even recall what this one was - maybe a castle?.)

snuggling Caedmon

cooking with Mama and Daddy - Chopping is his favorite job.

hanging clothes to dry

finding trash - I mean treasures

painting blue. . .

. . . skies

sewing a gnome


building and, um, climbing? getting?

constructing Egypt on the back porch

drawing in the sun (Yes, it still exists!)

and
winning our newest game, Castle Keep

Family Game Night

We've been having a family game night on Wednesdays since we returned to PA from our holiday travels. Tonight we played Carcassonne, and we have also enjoyed Memory (pictured above - the Dr. Seuss version), Guess Who, Bendominos, Hi Ho Cheerio, Camp, Old Maid, and Charades.

Thriftin'

Trip to Goodwill:
gas . . . $3.79/gallon
set of white dishes that match ours . . . $5.97

coin sorter . . . $0.97

seeing Owen dump the coins and sort them again . . . priceless

Keeping Warm

Things to make us feel warm:
tights - a new discovery of Owen's for playing Robin Hood (or in this case, maybe King Richard?)

a wool vest for Caedmon to match Owen's sweater

the new avocado plant growing on our windowsill
(Owen has asked to sprout one multiple times. The first few tries were done with water only, but this last go around, we planted the pit half-in the dirt and kept it moist. It took about 8 weeks, but it finally sprouted! We're going to add it to the odd collection of things to carry about the earth with us as we move. Also on the list is Owen's placenta in the freezer.)

window stars (click here for a great tutorial)

Sunny Days

I here it was 70F down South recently. I must say I'm a bit jealous. I think the last I saw of the sun was in 2010 - down South:

Micah and Owen on a walk to the creek

Caedmon and I on the same walk



Owen riding on a bee at a park near the Coosa River

I even had to break out the shades.

Owen ended this trip to the park with a glorious romp through the mud puddles under each swing. We laughed our rears off, but the other family who were there looked appalled and told their sons they couldn't do that. Poor kids.

Yoga - A Big Step

I just wanted to report that today I went back to yoga class. The last class I attended was the day before Caedmon was born. It felt wonderful to stretch and relax and re-center myself. It was particularly nice to be able to do all the poses as intended. Yoga with a giant belly is nice, but it was even nicer being able to fully relax all the way down to the ground in child pose and to stay on my back the whole time during shavasana (corpse pose for relaxation).
Caedmon and Owen got to hang out with Abram from 5-6 while mama went to yoga. Caedmon even got to try a bit of pumped milk from a bottle - not sure that he needed any or got any as I nursed him right ahead of time and there didn't actually seem to be any missing from the bottle. It was the first time we'd been apart for any appreciable time.
I am looking forward to more Thursday evening yoga classes this semester.

Kale Salad

Here is a yummy recipe from my friend, Lancaster Carolyn. It was a hit at the Tot Spot potluck when she brought it and a hit again at an F&M potluck when we took it. We even made it again the next night because we didn't get as much as we wanted.
Lancaster Carolyn also says that this salad is really good topped with sauerkraut. Here is my method for making sauerkraut - a great boost of probiotics and vitamin K.

Kale Salad
2 bunches fresh, organic curly leaf kale
Apple cider vinegar
Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 cup nutritional yeast (I order online in bulk, but can be found at Rhubarbs in smaller quantities)
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

-Trim tough stems off of kale and rip leafy green part into bit-size pieces. Place in large salad bowl.
-Pour enough apple cider vinegar on top to coat all leaves. Toss to coat.
-Pour enough olive oil on top to coat all leaves. Toss to coat.
-Sprinkle the yeast on top. Toss to coat. You may need more than 1/2cup depending on how much kale you have.
-Season with cumin and salt to taste. Toss.

Note: My favorite yeast is Lewis Labs Brewer's Yeast available at health food stores and online.

Snow, Snow, and More Snow

I haven't seen the ground since January 8. That's 25 days - almost a month. Before that, it was a bit spotty. While it used to make me a bit giddy, I'm really not that big a fan of snow anymore. As a child, it filled me with happiness to wake up and see snow for a snow day meant a day out of school. But it gets old.


Caedmon's first Christmas was a white one on Pa Billy's farm.


Dad, Micah, the boys, and I got snowed in at Wellington while Abram was in Texas for the conference and interviews.

Caedmon and I tried to get the snow packed down for some sledding, Phydeaux was not in to mood to help.

Dad took in snow we scooped for snow cream (that never got made - oops!).

Owen donned his new sweater and a borrowed hat and gloves.

Caedmon was snuggled down in my jacket.

Abram spent one night in the Dallas airport and finally got a flight back to Nashville where he was rescued by his dad. The boys and I waited another day and drove up to meet him in Tennessee. It was quite a trip. It took almost five hours (usually a 2.25 hour trip). We stopped in one lane of traffic for 40 minutes on the interstate, and I hopped in the back of the car on the interstate to nurse the baby. There were parts of the interstate that had only one lane plowed. I'm not signing up for that kind of adventure again.


We got more snow after we got back home, and Abram and Owen had a good time sledding in our yard:
Weeeeeeeeee. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . .wipe out!

Then we got 10 more inches last week.


Owen dug a wombat hole. (Yes, we know they don't live in the snow.)

And had a snack while he sat in it.

This week we have had a few light dustings of snow and now ice.

I'm ready for the spring which Owen assured us will come again.