Summer holidays have officially begun for our family. I celebrated convocation with my students last week. Ellie finished school, and we headed north to Matt’s Aunt’s cottage. We made it back in time for the major summer festival in my hometown.

As always, our objective is to do summer. Fill it with as much fun, relaxing, play and memories as we can.

We’re already off to a good start.

Here are some of the things we’re looking forward to and some of the things I’ve enjoyed recently.

Sometimes my phone starts playing music. Rather than explaining it as just a technical glitch, I like to believe it’s Matt, my Dad or his Mom with a message for me. The other day the above song came on, and no matter what buttons I pushed it wouldn’t stop playing. I had never heard it before, but it felt like a good description of how I’m thinking about this summer.

Finding creative places to read this summer has been a fun exercise. (Ellie is taking “exercise” literally. See photo above.)

This scavenger hunt from our local conservation authority has good ideas no matter where you live.

The ducklings have moved to the coop. I’m looking for a bathtub to add to their run and a chest freezer (doesn’t have to work) to store food. If you hear of someone getting rid of one, please let me know.

Do you know about the MAPL test for music?

Another Canada Day story, this year marks 35 years of the Heritage Minutes. “It’s amazing how a simple moment, a minute, can encourage you to learn more and to talk about more and to be involved with the discussion around our past, our present and our future.”

This quote has been on my mind since Father’s Day.

Matt and my Dad are now memories and ghosts for Ellie and me. Someday I’ll be the same for her. This summer will be part of how Ellie remembers me in her future.

Those memories don’t have to be big.

I hope they will be our tradition of camping out on the summer solstice, the day the turtle showed up in the chicken run, the playground I made her, hiking in the woods, and all the love and joy we share.

April was a month of family.

The month began with Easter and an epic egg hunt and outdoor games with my whole family here at the farm. We all had so much fun. I spent an evening at a dinner theatre with my friends–a different activity for us and a nice night out together. Yesterday, we went to a community breakfast with Matt’s whole family. It is so special when everyone makes it to a gathering and we can all spend time with each other.

We also spent a day with my brother helping him prepare for a big renovation at his house. It’s been a while since my brother and I have worked together, but we fell into our old rhythm easily. It’s a family rhythm all my siblings share. It comes from years of working with my Dad and my Mom. From being one of six. From sharing what has to be done and balancing everyone’s needs.

I love feeling that rhythm. I enjoy construction and hard work. I love contributing. My brother’s renovation is a big and important thing for his family. It’s exciting and a bit nerve-wracking. Supporting him, his wife and their kids and doing a little bit to make things easier is meaningful.

Showing up, whether it’s for celebrations or for work, is important to me. Earlier this year, I came up with a “life razor” inspired by The 5 Types of Wealth. The idea is to develop a “single, identity-defining statement” that describes how you approach your life. Mine is “I am a person who takes care of the people, places and things that matter most to me.”

I use this statement to make decisions about what I’m going to do, whether it’s hosting a get-together, spending a Saturday swinging a sledgehammer, mowing the grass so the farm looks nice (soon), texting a friend or having a quiet “home day” with Ellie.

Here are some other things I am caring about this month

Cleaning up litter from the roadside is one of the ways I take care of the farm each spring. One of my favourite storytellers shared his unique perspective on littering.

April marked one year with the chickens.

We went to a fibre arts festival a few weeks ago, and it was so inspiring to see people’s creativity. Honourable mentions go to the Quilt of Belonging, Canadian Centre for Rural Creativity, Felted Art by Pat (her heron and hen were standouts) and the KW Garment Sewists Guild.

Source: House of Leaders via Sterling Hawkins

We’re ending April with some tree cutting with Matt’s Dad, a great example of us caring for each other and the farm. I’m going on a field trip with Ellie. And we’re preparing to host Matt’s aunts and other family this weekend. Lots of care.

Who did you spend time with in April? Any crafty inspiration to share? Does anyone else have a life razor or personal vision statement?

How is it almost April? I feel like I blinked and March was done. Wow.

Spring is sneaking into the farm. From snow at the start of the month, we’re now seeing little green shoots popping up in the gardens. We’ve started a few seeds inside and have been boiling lots of sap for syrup. Cranes are hanging out in the fields and red winged blackbirds have returned to the pond.

There’s been lots of fun with our domestic animals and family too. St. Patrick’s Day, March Break and birthdays gave us reasons to enjoy being together with everyone. The chickens are laying steadily, and I made my first batch of devilled eggs for a party with my friends. They were good, but it’s a lot of work for a two-bite snack. We marked Matt’s birthday as well.

We’re looking forward to more fun as spring settles in.

Here are some of the fun things that caught my eye this month.

We marked 14 years at the farm.

My friend has started Whiskers and Books. She makes “blind date with a book” bundles, where you don’t know what book you’re going to get. When I was struggling to find a book I liked, I bought a package from her and her choice was a good one.

Ellie and I both enjoy baking. We found these videos where professional bakers bake as they did in Victorian times very interesting. We’re now watching a series on Victorian farming.

I’m going to try making these peanut butter Easter eggs this week.

These adult Easter activities are hilarious. We did the money egg hunt a few years ago and it was a lot of fun. (The post also makes a convincing case of why it’s a good thing for kids to see adults having fun.)

I love the wood cabinet in our bathroom. I’ve seen a few in kitchens recently, and now I’m thinking I should do something similar.

Source: Country Living

We’re ending the month with a dentist appointment–which I’m bundling with lunch with my Mom to make it more fun, more progress on the playroom and preparing for Easter. Easter is my favourite holiday, and we will be hosting two get-togethers. The farm is the absolute best place for egg hunts.

Did March go fast for you? What did you celebrate this month? What wildlife have you spotted at your home? Any fun Easter recipes to share? Any good book recommendations? Any interesting videos to pass along?

February is the month of love, and that is amplified in our family. We celebrated Valentine’s Day, Family Day, Cigo’s gotcha day and several birthdays. The biggest celebration of all is Ellie’s birthday.

Ellie is helpful, loving, thoughtful, enthusiastic, kind, careful, sensitive and happy. Most of all, she is fun. I never expected to have as much fun with her as I do.

To celebrate Ellie, here are a list of fun things we’ve been up to recently.

We love to play games in our house. Two recent hits are Hurry Up Chicken Butt and Happy Salmon.

The Ultimate Kids Baking Book is excellent. Ginormous Elegant Elephant Ears are a highly recommend.

There are those that hunt monsters to harm them and there are those that hunt monsters to help them. Which one are you? We are definitely on team help after reading The Trouble with the Two Headed Hydra. We’re looking forward to the other books in this series.

We loved watching the Olympics together. The “Out of Shape Olympics” series was a fun addition to the competitions.

These paint-like markers are a big hit with our artistic girl (and me).

We’re wrapping up birthday celebrations this week with a surprise adventure day and more fun.

What made February fun for you?

I am writing this from the couch in the living room watching flames dance in the fireplace while snow swirls outside. Later, I will put on my snowshoes and head out with Cigo for a field walk. I will stop at the barn to check on the chickens and Cedar. Then I will return to our cozy comfortable house.

The farm is my favourite place to be, whatever the season.

What we present online is usually a highlight reel. The best of our lives. Not the hard or mundane. My first paragraph in this post is no different.

Shortly after I wrote it, the fire fizzled out. When I went for my hike with Cigo, I didn’t strap my snowshoe on properly and it was close to falling off.

I repositioned the logs and the fire rekindled. I stepped carefully, held up my toes and the snowshoe stayed on. Sometimes life requires adjustments. It can still be beautiful and fun, even when it takes extra work.

January has been a beautiful and fun month. We had my Mom’s birthday and celebrations lasted for four days. We skated on the pond and went skiing. We had a thaw and then a deep, deep freeze and lots of snow.

The chickens, who have gone into an untimely moult, have been staying inside. We’ve had some unfortunate feather situations and less eggs. Cigo bounds through the snow and comes home with snowballs frozen into his fur. Cedar, who has the thickest fur, rarely stays in the barn and is determined to break into the house. He comes running anytime the door opens and has perfected his timing for sneaking in while I’m wrangling buckets, baskets, leashes, dog, eggs and mitts. He’s also discovered there are sometimes treats–like our gingerbread house or my Mom’s birthday cake.

Life is beautiful and fun.

Here are some other things I’ve enjoyed this month.

I’ve used Passion Planner as my daybook for years. Their goal setting template is a useful tool, especially at this time of year when people are looking for a reset. I gave it to all of my final year students at the end of last term.

I read The 5 Types of Wealth between Christmas and New Years, and it’s stayed with me. It reinforced what I value and how I make decisions for my life. Though I have some quibbles about the author and class, I think it’s a good reminder of what’s most important in our lives.

“You should decorate and design your house… to make you happy.” I love this designer’s philosophy. I also love her happy house.

A perfect meal for a cold January. This Sweet Potato Chickpea Chili is simple, quick, full of vegetables, tasty with a bit of heat–even for this non-chili fan.

I’ve kicked off home goals 2026 with Ellie’s playroom. She would like multi-coloured tie-dyed walls, so we’ve been looking at wallpapers, but haven’t had any luck yet. I’m considering trying sponge painting. Anyone have any advice?

January wraps up for us with another big snowfall. We’ll be starting the week shoveling out–and a day off from school. I have some client work and marking for my course. I’m also planning on tackling a tricky task in Ellie’s playroom.

How has January been for you? Share something highlight reel worthy… or maybe not so much.

Over the weekend we hosted Matt’s family for a pre-Christmas get-together. This gathering has been happening since Matt and I were dating–more than 25 years. Over that time, the family has changed. Four people have died. People have joined. Marriages have begun. Four babies have been born.

Family changes. There are losses and additions. Tragedy and joy. Friction and love. Family can be hard. But it’s worth it.

On Saturday, seeing these people playing, laughing, talking, eating, enjoying together was very special. It is definitely worth it.

Here are some other things from this month that are worth it.

I have a new niece! I knit this hat ages ago, and my Mom had it still, so it went to baby M. It’s such a cute baby girl design.

Another motivation to return to knitting, the Campaign for Wool Canada videos are so beautiful and inspiring.

I made these scones twice this month. They have the flavour of cinnamon buns with a fraction of the effort.

Our new bathroom is done! And it’s beautiful.

I love so much about this house. The small size. The traditional style. The colours.

A friend of mine posts beautiful thoughts of the day every morning. This one feels appropriate for a post talking about family, whether your family is two or many:

I’m grateful my families (all of them) choose each other and value being together. It’s not always easy. But it’s worth it.

Sometimes at night before I fall asleep, I play a little game with myself. I call it “Good Things That Happened.” As I lay in bed, I think back over my day and single out the good moments.

They can be as simple as my breakfast eggs, fresh from our chickens nicely cooked with perfectly runny yolks. They can be a hike with Cigo, a conversation with a friend, a fun adventure with Ellie, a get together with family.

Big and small, these moments are all good things. Taking a moment to celebrate them helps me appreciate my days, the people around me and my life.

October was full of good things that happened. In this month of Thanksgiving, I encourage you to think about the good things in your life and in your day.

Here are some good things from this month.

Dates, bacon, mayo, sour cream and cheese might sound like an odd combination. But they made a tasty dip that was a hit at one of our Thanksgiving celebrations. The recipe came from this fun, funny cookbook.

While I’m on Thanksgiving recipes, this was (kind of) the recipe I used to cook our first homegrown turkey. Smitten Kitchen is my go-to for all things cooking. Her recipes are so well tested and reliable. The way she lays out how to do Thanksgiving makes all the cooking very manageable. (I also made her stuffing and gravy.)

Moving on to a different holiday, Ellie is going to be a skeleton for Halloween. I used these free bones for our pattern and this week will be sewing them on the pink pants and top we already made. (Ellie wanted to recreate a pink skeleton onesie she wore for her very first Halloween.)

Preparing for the worst is still on my mind. This book had some really good tips and thought-provoking stories.

“There’s a joy in being the best you can be… Today’s efforts make tomorrow’s dreams” Another profound, fun song from Jesse Welles. (On the subject of profound, listen to some of his protest songs. His writing is powerful.)

I’m rounding out the month with a visit with a friend I haven’t seen in a dozen years, a return to teaching after our mid-term break last week, and of course Halloween. More good things.

What good things happened for you in October?

September has kicked my butt. I’m teaching again and loving it again. But I have three classes plus a new course that I’ve never taught before. Setting up the courses, making my lessons, marking assignments feels like it’s taking all my time.

Add in fall and the looming spectre of winter and everything else that I have to do for the farm and it feels like a lot.

I don’t like to come here and complain. I’m grateful to have a job that works with my life and that I enjoy. I’m grateful to have an amazing girl that is so much fun. I’m grateful to have this special place that feels like a sanctuary most of the time. Also a big part of my to-do list, but most of the time a source of peace.

Amongst the busy-ness of the month here are some things that provided some breaks and distractions

Happy cows.

I’ve never been into historical sewing, but Bernadette Banner is so engaging, entertaining and educational. All of her projects are super interesting, but Greensleeves is a standout.

Another favourite sewing personality, Emily Hallman, has returned to Instagram, and she’s as full of inspiration and motivation as ever.

Another great sewing resource that helped me figure out the bathroom shower curtain. Jann Newton has tutorials from beginner to advanced.

Despite how full my day is, I try to start with a hike with Cigo. I’ve added a weighted vest to my routine to try and up my fitness a bit more.

I am also still trying to prioritize care. This podcast really helped me adjust my habits, and even though my schedule has been super full, I’ve been doing a bit better on sleep.

This week is about teaching, marking, month-end for some of my client work and a much-needed haircut.

What was September like for you?

Summer is such a special time. It’s hard to feel it coming to an end.

Ellie and I had a campout on Saturday. Probably our last campout of the year. As I was packing up the tent yesterday, I thought to myself, “I hope Ellie remembers this when she’s older.”

I hope she remembers the things we did and the fun we had. I hope she feels like her Mom put in the effort to make things special for her. I hope she realizes how much I love her and that she’s the most important thing in my life.

The two phrases below came up in one of the books I read this summer. They fit with how I try to live my life and feel especially appropriate now.

Here are some other things I came across this summer

We are in the midst of our summer tradition of raising monarchs. We’ve released two butterflies so far and our last caterpillar changed into its chrysalis this weekend.

The lifestyle of the world’s oldest chicken.

Ellie’s fascination with Greek mythology continues, and we’ve been “Greeking Out” with this podcast. The Oracle of Wifi is hilarious.

Another summer read that I’ve been thinking of as I prepare to return to the classroom.

We are continuing to “do” summer through this last week. There will be a park, possibly a beach, and our annual tradition of a “fancy waffle.” The more ice cream and toppings the better.

How are you feeling about the end of summer holidays? Do you have any favourite summer memories?

I love summer. We’ve had beach days, cottage days, home days, adventure days. We are doing our best to “do” summer, and we’re having so much fun.

This month’s round-up is outdoorsy, cottagey and summer-inspired.

If you’re able to give this video a watch, you’ll be using YouTube to plant a forest. (Please take a minute to watch the video.)

I have cottages on my mind after our annual getaway with my family. I love Sarah Richardson’s designs, and her “Island Rescue” project was fun to follow. I think the living room is my favourite space. Or maybe the kitchen.

My love of summer started at my grandparents’ cottage. This cottage is on the same lake that I grew up on.

This unique multi-generational home (not a cottage) was built just down the road from my grandparents’ property.

This book was a call to keep moving, keep adventuring. Just what we’re going to keep doing this summer.

We’re finishing off July with swimming, paddling, camping and more summering. Lots of fun and love and joy.

How has summer been going for you? Are you a cottager, camper, beacher, other?