(Almost) Wordless Wednesday

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday: A year without fox kits?

/ Katie / 19 Comments

For the last two years at around this time, a family of foxes has taken up residence under our barn. I’ve written about them before – a few times, in fact.

Mama and babies, and we’ve had the privilege of watching the kits grow and play. And y’all, they grow up so fast!

We’ve not seen them this year, though we do regularly catch glimpses of an adult fox hunting in our back field, and over the weekend, Graham saw her poking around near our barn. So maybe they’re just moving in a little late.

We shall see! And in the meantime, I’m glad we have cute pictures and sweet memories.

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday: Blossoms in the Rain

/ Katie / 18 Comments

We had our first big thunderstorm last night. It started at around 11:00 and lasted about an hour, with lots of lightning, loud thunder, and heavy rain. Then it moved on, but it left the rain behind.

This morning, things are looking damp and cloudy, but there’s beauty in that, I think.

A gray sky against dewy, green leaves and blossoms – there’s something so peaceful and striking about that.  

And I figure, whether you like it or not, the rainy days will come. So, better to just appreciate them for what they are, and find joy in a darker sky.

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday: Bluebell Season

/ Katie / 26 Comments

My other favorite sign of spring here in Virginia: the Virginia bluebell.

Just like the bright, striking pink of the redbud tree, the calm blues and purples of these little beauties just make so happy. And when you happen across a field of bluebells, it honestly feels a bit like stepping into a fairyland.

I wrote a poem about them last year, which I’ll share at the end of this post, just below.

I tell ya…there’s just something a little bit magic about Virginia in the spring.

Blue Belle (A Poem)

Lady Blue,
now ring your bell
through forest, field, and fairy dell,
from riverbank to village green:
the time has come for growing things.

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday: On Virginia Weather

/ Katie / 14 Comments

Today, it’s mild, bright and sunny. The crocuses are already blooming, and the daffodils are well on their way. The sky is bluest blue and absolutely cloudless. It’s a beautiful morning.

Hard to believe that just this weekend, things looked very different:

Oh, Virginia, you chaotic darling. I adore you.

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday: A Good Kind of Messy

/ Katie / 10 Comments

A couple of weeks ago, we went to an oyster roast on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. I don’t particularly like oysters, but man, I love an oyster roast. I love the smoky, briny smell in the air, and the gathering around the tables, and the sense that this is an old, beloved tradition that connects us to the people who came before, and will connect us to those who come after. And the mess. I love the mess.

Oyster shells everywhere, spilled butter and sauce, dirty knives and grimy gloves. I just love it. I think there’s something homey and comfortable about it, and about making that kind of mess with other people who appreciate the tradition, too.

And Graham does like oysters.

So, that’s a plus.

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday: A Good Laugh

/ Katie / 20 Comments

“Always laugh when you can. It is cheap medicine.” –Lord Byron

I love to laugh. I think a good laugh can work a whole host of miracles – cheering you up when you’re sad, releasing tension, just generally making the world feel a little less daunting, and also, decent pictures of me actually existing.

My friend got a new phone over the weekend and snapped this picture as he was trying it out. I don’t know what I was laughing about, but I’m glad he captured the moment. And I figured I’d share it today, just in case anyone reading also needs a good laugh. You never know, right?

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday: All Fixed!

/ Katie / 9 Comments

Well, mostly.

The wall’s patched, and the wet bar’s back in place, and the plumbing issue hasn’t resurfaced, so, yay! But we’ve got some painting to do, and this whole thing’s made us think about what other changes we’d like to make in the basement, and in the house generally. So, we’ll see where that goes. But for now, I’m relieved that this particular problem has been dealt with.

Old house life, y’all. It’s certainly never boring.

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday: Dumpling Memories Edition

/ Katie / 10 Comments

This photo popped up in my memories today.

On this day, which was a Saturday back in 2019, my friend Jessica came over for the weekend and graciously shared her family’s dumpling recipe with me. So, we invited over Graham’s brother and our sister-in-law, and together with Jessica, the five of us sat down and made dumplings.

200 dumplings.

I’d never folded dumplings before, and it was a really fun new skill to learn. And the end result was delicious.

Turns out, 200 dumplings isn’t really all that many when you’ve got five people and an entire weekend to eat them. They were well and truly gone by Sunday evening.

Maybe one day, we’ll all get together and do it again. That would be nice. And tasty, too.

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday: Cute Neighbors Edition

/ Katie / 16 Comments

We’ve had a lot more snow so far this month than I thought we would, and it’s been so nice. Graham’s been out in the yard snapping pictures (including the little bird from my last post), and I just had to share this one.

This family of deer lives in the woods behind our house, and they’re…not the best neighbors. They eat pretty much everything, including the blossoms from our fruit trees, and they often get stuck behind fences. We’ve had to rescue them more than once. But, be that as it may, they sure are cute, aren’t they?