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It was a busy spring. Busy not with gardening, but definitely with other growing. Our family grew by one. Our love grew and our laundry pile grew. (I'm pretty sure my thighs grew.)
If you are family or if you are local, then you have already met our smallest princess, but for everyone else, meet Violet Mary.
She arrived in February, chubby cheeked and beautiful. She is worth all the sleepless nights and she brightens all our days.
And I don't even mind having less time to weed the garden.
Some of our first harvest -- yeah! The garden has been less of a focus this year than it has in recent years. I had less time this spring to get out there... It was a very pleasant surprise to see a patch of peas spring up on their own! And now these strawberries! We have a new handful each day. Not enough for a batch of jam yet, but our strawberry patch is small, and only in its second year, so we're pleased. And we're having berries on our cereal every morning. Love that.
Me at 39. A little sleep deprived. A little worn out. But excited too. And determined: I much prefer the horizon before me to the road behind.
One of my favorite lines:
The light of the dawn is burning my eyes, and that's just where I want it to be. (Kenny Loggins)
I thought about writing a list of 39 random things about me to celebrate my birthday and a jump back into blogging. But instead of listing things I've been and done, I want to imagine things I can be and will do, things I meant to do but haven't yet. Possibilities. I'll keep doing a lot of the old things, the same things; I am grateful to be at the helm of this crew. But while some of these are sensible "To-Do" items, others are little wishes that got dropped along the way. Therefore, without further adieu, I give you:
39 Things To Do Before I Turn 401. Read the Book of Mormon (again)
2. Carry a sketchbook
3. Carry a camera
4. Quit! Sugar!
5. Lose 20 pounds
6. Attend an art workshop
7. Add a stamp to my passport
8. Swim in a lake
9. Sit on a beach
10. Make quilts for all the babies
11. Teach Julia to read
12. Speak French
13. Throw a pot
14. Submit a piece to the art museum
15. Learn to knit
16. Finish a painting
17. Finish a children's book
18. Write poetry again
19. Send handmade Christmas cards
20. Create something for Dad's house
21. Run a race
22. Hike Maple Mountain
23. Build a solar oven
24. Learn to cook with a solar oven
25. Bake more bread
26. Blog more
27. Write more letters
28. Study the Constitution
29. Erect a flag pole
30. Build a barn
31. Remodel the bathroom32. Take the kids to Disneyland
33. Put an emergency kit in my car
34. Create a studio
35. Fill a journal
36. Complete The Artist's Way
37. Learn something new and musical
38. Live in the present! Let go of the baggage!
39. Pray every day
Happy Birthday, Me.
This just might become our best year yet.
