March Break was always a highlight for me when I was growing up. A whole week off school. This year, it was a highlight again. Ellie and I didn’t do anything extravagant. We rested, played outside, puttered around and enjoyed the time. Ellie returned to her bike and learned to skip. The power of simple things, being together and enjoying this special place always amazes me. We had such a special week.

The highlight of the week was ordering our birds! Thank goodness the coop is close to being done.

I’ve also made progress on some other projects. The office is nearly finished, and I’ve made most of my selections for the bathroom. I’ll be sharing some updates soon.

Here are some other highlights from March.

I got to visit this special home and reconnect with some special people. Every detail was so carefully considered.

I took my Dad’s air compressor and my chop saw to a “dare to repair” workshop. The services were free, and the volunteers got both tools working again. I’m so glad to be able to reuse rather than replace.

Climate change is happening, and our homes, cities and towns are not built for this.

Canada is in an election campaign. The Conservatives are following Donald Trump in their strategy, philosophies and policies. This is not the direction I want for Canada. I encourage you to vote and vote strategically.

Book of the month is The Overstory. It was devastating and beautiful. The writing is amazing.

With only one day left in March, I’m looking ahead to April. This week has four (!) family birthdays. I’m also meeting with a cabinet maker who will hopefully be a good fit for our bathroom. Then there’s the coop, the office, teaching… life is full.

What was the highlight of March for you? Have you heard of repair clinics like the one I went to? I encourage you to seek them out in your area. Anyone else feeling anxious about this election? Who else is wrapping up projects? Or looking ahead to new arrivals!

February has been a month of ups and downs.

Ups: Snow like we haven’t had in years (thank goodness for our farmer and his big tractors). (A little) more project progress. Ellie’s birthday.

Downs: I got sick.

February took my word of the year–care–and gave me a hard reminder that I need to take more care. I was sicker than I’ve been in a long time. Five days of chills, aches, not sleeping, and generally feeling miserable. Projects halted, the couch and I spent a lot of time together, my focus became what was absolutely necessary and going to bed early.

I of course was extremely frustrated to be so unproductive.

But I know I’ve been pushing myself for years and I need to take better care of myself. I’m hoping this illness was the wake up call I need. I’ve been slowly working my way back. I haven’t made any significant progress on the office, bathroom or coop. I’m taking twice as long to mark my students’ latest assignment. I’m going to bed about an hour earlier than usual (sometimes more). I’m still a bit frustrated at what I see as a lack of productivity, but I’m also proud of myself for making smarter choices.

Here are some of the things I’ve been up to this month.

I am not a rock climber, but I love watching super capable people do incredible things. This climb is epic, but the partnership is even more special.

Also incredible? This kayaker who was “swallowed” by a whale

Other favourite documentaries I watched while stuck on the couch: Edge of the Unknown, The Rescue.

I’m finishing off the month with a surprise adventure day for Ellie’s birthday (celebrations have been epic), lunch with a friend, a consultation for the bathroom renovation, and hopefully a return to the coop.

How has February been for you? Have you had any celebrations? Illnesses? What is your snow situation? Any documentary recommendations?

The year is off to a great start for us. The pond has been frozen this whole month, so we have been skating. It’s so special to be able to walk down the hill and go skating on our own pond. I also took Ellie skiing for the first time, and I’ve gone snowshoeing twice.

I jumped right into a few projects and have been making great progress (updates to come). Progress is always so motivating for me.

We even had a glimpse into what’s ahead for us this spring when we went to a backyard poultry workshop and got to meet some newly hatched ducklings (click through the slideshow above for fuzzy cuteness).

Life is full and fun.

Here are some other things that I noticed this month:

A beautiful ode to a hammer

I love this church-inspired home. The antique furniture in the kitchen is an amazing look.

I’ve been using Floorplanner.com to map out some of this year’s home goals. It’s easy to use, free, and is a great tool to visualize my plans.

Mel Robbins is a new-to-me podcaster. Her Best of 2024 episode was full of interesting people and impactful advice. Most of all, it confirmed I’m on the right track with some of my choices.

Of the 37 books I read last year, Eve by Cat Bohannon is a standout. By page 10, I wanted everyone I know to read it. I think everyone (regardless of whether I know you or not) should read at least the introduction.

How has January been for you? Where are you finding inspiration? Anyone else have a standout book from last year? Who else has been getting outside? What’s motivating you?

As we end the month, I am still reflecting on Remembrance Day, the US election, the state of the world, the future and my place in it.

Here are some links that have resonated with me.

“Voting can not be the only way we engage in our democracy… Real change demands ongoing engagement in our democracy–not just casing a ballot every four years.” – On Canada Project

Dear Mr. President – Jensen McRae

“If something horrible was happening to you and your people how would you want other people to respond?” – Viet Thanh Nguyen

Microdosing hope – Brené Brown

“The working poor are like the ultimate philanthropists. They are giving us their safety, their security, their time so that the rest of us can get stuff that’s cheap. There are a lot of costs to that kind of cheapness and we all bear them.” – Peter Goodman paraphrasing Barbara Ehrenreich

“You are awakening to the same country you fell asleep to.” – Venice Williams

“Black, Indigenous, Queer, Disabled Peoples are all still here, still doing the work that helps us all survive.” – Allen Salway

Fall has come to the farm. The colours on the trees are spectacular, and it’s been lovely to hike around the farm and spend time outside.

The fall fair is an important tradition in rural communities. Ellie planned for the past year to enter a cake in the baking competition. We baked. We decorated. We competed… We won! (Ours was the only cake entered.) Our girl was so, so excited to see the first-prize ribbon on her cake, and she now has the ribbon proudly displayed in her room.

Here are some other highlights from the past month.

“There comes a time in every chicken coop’s life when you’ve got to be finished.” Good wisdom from Beau Miles. (I also have plans to use some scrap metal we have hanging around.)

This ranch home is so full of personality. I love the powder room vanity and living room fabrics

We are finishing off the month with, of course, Halloween. Ellie is going to be a witch and she is very, very excited.

How was October for you? What’s fall been like in your area? Have you won anything lately?

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.

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.)

The smell of fresh cut hay filled my room on Friday night. As I lay there, I felt like the bed was rocking under me, taking me back to my hours in a boat last week during our annual cottage getaway. It was like I was in two places. My body home at the farm, yet my mind still on vacation.

It’s hard to believe we’re halfway through summer already. The cottage week with my family is the highlight of my year. All of our kids have embraced cottaging as much as my siblings and me. Watching them play together, swim and ski–and push themselves to try new things and master new skills–is so meaningful. Plus getting to ski myself, play with the kids, and hang out with my family is special too.

Writer Nicole Ziza Bauer mirrored some of my feelings about summer in the latest issue of Magnolia.

We’ve had lots of special moments so far this summer–both here and away, on new and well-worn paths. And we have more to come. I’m going to take a holiday from the blog for the next few weeks and focus on summer.

Here are some of the things that have been part of our summer so far.

I love fish tacos, and I finally made them at home. This recipe was tasty and easy.

This chocolate peanut butter pie was so good I made it twice this month. (Bonus it’s vegan and gluten free.)

I bought new bathing suits for the cottage (an upgrade from my 5-year-old suits). This one is my favourite. This was Ellie’s choice.

“I want to light the Olympic torch,” Ellie said as I tucked her into bed on Friday night. Watching the opening ceremonies with her was so much fun. My highlights were the light show on the Eiffel Tower, the torch run through the streets of Paris and Celine singing from the Tower.

I’m still deep in summer mode, but I’ve been saving some back to school tips from my favourite parenting account.

I hope that your summer is going well.

Anyone have some good summer recipes to share? What about good summer reads? Any other Olympic fans? What were your highlights from the games so far?

Summer is underway here, and it’s been so much fun already. Ellie is finished school. We’ve had ice cream, a heatwave, water fights and a campout. We’ve gone swimming, strawberry picking and to the zoo. We’ve also done some work on the coop, mowed the grass and tackled the usual household chores. In all, it’s been just what we like–a good mix.

I wrote an article for our community newsletter about my summer philosophy. I’m going to share part of it here in the hopes that it encourages you to “do” summer.

“A few years ago, I made the decision to “do” summer. That meant saying yes to opportunities that came along, soaking up the great weather, being a bit flexible on the schedule, and spending time outside. Nothing was overly complicated or expensive, yet we had the best time.

How to “do” summer

Summer should be relaxing and fun, and our activities should help to achieve that. Eat meals outside instead of in the house. If a friend invites you to go swimming, say yes. Notice the animals, insects, birds, flowers that share our environment. Maybe have a campout in the backyard or stay at the park a bit later. Enjoy some farm fresh or homegrown food. Find simple moments to experience the fun of the season.”

As we begin summer, here are some of the things that I have my eye on.

The transformation of Bluestone Cottage has been incredible to watch. Daniel’s style is one of a kind.

I had a terrible crick in my neck last week. I’m hoping this pillow will help.

I love a furniture makeover. Repurposing a hutch into a gardening station is something I never considered, but I love the idea. And my Mom has the perfect hutch in her basement…

Can we improve our physical health by changing our mind?

Why women should get outside and embrace adventure.

We’re ending the month with our first summer getaway this week. I’m also anticipating at least two ice cream cones. I hope that you will consider “doing” summer, whatever that means for your family. Have fun and embrace the season.

How have you celebrated summer so far?

I feel like I’ve been going full speed ahead this month. My main focus has been the barn cleanout I mentioned last month (hence my office, above). It’s not been the most fun project. It’s a bunch of stuff Matt had that he enjoyed, but it’s not something I’m interested in.

There’s baggage because it’s Matt’s and he should still be enjoying this. There’s also baggage because it’s a tonne of stuff (and some it is a pretty big mess).

But one of Matt’s friends whom I’ve not heard from since Matt died and that I had no idea how to contact reached out to me just as I started to sort through things. He immediately offered to help, so while I’m counting and organizing, he’s cold calling and trying to find people who might be interested in this stuff.

I feel like Matt had some influence on his friend, so it’s nice to know he’s with me, doing as much as he can for us.

The cleanout has felt all consuming, but I am making progress. I’ve also had some time to get lumber for the coop, work with Matt’s Dad to continue to rebuild our firewood, celebrate Matt’s Dad’s birthday, chip up a whole tonne of brush, plant some trees with Ellie, join a community clean-up to pick litter out of ditches, do a bit of gardening, have a few work meetings, and do a bunch of other things. I won’t say there’s balance this month, but there’s productivity.

Here’s some other things I’ve been up to.

We had our best asparagus harvest yet! This tart and this pizza were excellent ways to enjoy it (Smitten Kitchen never lets me down).

I bought these nesting boxes for the coop (influenced by the Elliott Homestead)

Detach, discover, delight, determine–the steps of a digital detox (via Darren Whitehead on the 1,000 Hours Outside podcast)

50 things I hope you know (1,000 Hours Outside again)

“A book of relationships: with the animals, with the land, and with a calling” (quote via the book’s editor)

I’m considering buying a ceiling fan for our front hall to help regulate the temperature between upstairs and down, but I’m not sure how much of a difference it will make. Any advice?

I’m finishing off the month with… you guessed it… more time in the barn. I’m hoping to make some really good progress this week. I also have a special project for one of my clients, lunch with one of Matt’s Mom’s friends and Cigo’s annual vet check-up. I also really need to mow the grass. It’s getting hard to distinguish between our lawns and the hayfields.

Who else is going full speed ahead? Has anyone achieved “balance” this month? Any other asparagus fans out there? What was the highlight of May for you?

As I look back over April, I feel like it was a full, good month for us. Seeing the eclipse at the farm was a super cool experience. We also had our first patio dinner of the year, five family birthdays, some progress in the gardens, some progress on the coop, a little project in the house, an Earth Day double tree planting, and watched (virtually) my sister run the Boston Marathon.

Oh, and I also wrapped up my first year teaching. Teaching has been a great experience, and I’m looking forward to going back in the fall. But for now, I’m savouring a bit of time off before Ellie finishes school and we’re fully into summer.

As long time readers know, I often gauge the progress of spring by when (and whether) our forsythia blooms. This year, the forsythia was loaded with blooms by mid-April. This is in line with last year, but still later than our first year at the farm when it bloomed by April 2. I’m attributing the blossoms to the mild winter, as I assume temperatures weren’t cold enough to kill the flowers. The timing I’ll attribute to spring, which has been a bit cool so far. The handsomes I’ll attribute to Cigo.

Here are some more links from April.

The perils and puzzle of income taxes

I managed to sew this sweater while it’s still cold enough to wear it (I had hoped it would be ready for Christmas… then Valentine’s Day. It turned out spring was the deadline.)

April is our first 100+ hour month for the 1,000 Hours Outside.

Lessons in Chemistry… and patriarchy, cooking, parenting, rowing, love and life

Simple rain barrel idea

Eight ways to measure wealth – only one is money

I’m finishing off the month by reconnecting with a long-time friend and some more progress on the coop. I’m also going to kick off a big barn cleanout project that I am not excited about. Though it will be nice when it’s done.

What was the highlight of April for you? Did you watch the eclipse? Or the Boston Marathon? What projects are you working on at your house? What signs of spring do you watch for?