September has felt like a really long month to me. As I’m writing this update, I’m amazed with everything that has happened.

Ellie started school (a new school with a bus ride and lots of new experiences, including an awesome ice cream shop up the road, which means we’ve become regulars on Friday afternoons). I started school (second year teaching, so I’m enjoying making the courses more my own and seeing if the changes I’ve made are working for the students. First assignments came in last week, and I’m impressed with what they’ve done. So far, so good).

Cigo met a porcupine and a skunk. Ellie fell off her bike and broke her arm (2 1/2 weeks to go until the cast comes off).

I celebrated my birthday (met up with some friends, had a lunch with Matt’s Dad, two of his aunts and one cousin, and had a dinner with my family too). We went to Ellie’s first concert, a local cider house, our favourite playground and a treetop adventure course.

I’m also working away on the coop and the barn cleanout (donned a mask and tackled a big squirrel nest last week, which is as much fun as you might guess… and smells like you might guess too).

Whew.

Life is very full. But life is good. Ellie is enjoying school, thriving with the lessons, and has made friends. She has done so well with her arm and multiple visits to the hospital. She is a confident, capable, caring person, and it’s so special to see her grow. I feel confident in what I’m doing (teaching, parenting, DIYing, householding). Cigo rolls with it all and makes things fun (mostly). It’s a juggle, but we do our best to find the balance that works for us and take time to just be, just us.

Here are some of the other things that have filled this month for us.

This barn/house blew me away. The reclaimed elements, the space, the nooks, the balconies, the beams. What an amazing space.

I’ve done a good amount of sewing this summer, including two skirts based on my go-to skirt pattern. I’ve probably sewed this pattern at least a dozen times. It’s easily customizable with lining, pockets, side zipper, bias fabric, wider waistband, pegged skirt, gathers… pretty much whatever you can dream up.

Julia Turshen is a new-to-me chef. I checked every one of her cookbooks out of the library and made something from each of them. My Mom bought me this one for my birthday, so I can have it in my own collection. I love cookbooks. I love Julia’s messages around social justice and consciousness. Bonus points for her name.

Ellie became obsessed with playing cards this summer, and she shows no signs of stopping. Bicycle cards has been a great source of new games for us to try. (And for playing cards with kids, the skills of one game build for another. Ellie is now up to Euchre and Blackjack. Great lessons for strategy, memory, math, winning, losing and so much more. Plus a great way to fill the time during long waits at the hospital. Thank goodness for kind staff who will track down a deck of cards late on a Friday night.)

I don’t know much about Emily Carr, so this book was illuminating (and I want to see more of her art). The Indigenous peoples’ experience described was an even more powerful story than Emily’s journey.

“It’s a dying culture anyway.” He spit over the rail, as if to dismiss her and her purpose and the poles.
“No, it’s being killed. Hacked to pieces. There’s a difference,” she retorted.

The Forest Lover by Susan Vreeland

We have one day left of September, and I’m hoping to max it out with Matt’s Dad, his chainsaw, some more coop work and maybe even check a couple of things off my fall to-do list.

How has September been for you? Did the month feel long, short, regular? What highs or lows have you had? (Hopefully no broken bones, porcupines or skunks.)