Viv and Hugh are back to school (hallelujah!) and I’m trying to be a little more intentional about baking with them on the weekends. A good friend recently reminded me what a great exercise it is - both for quality time, and for math, sharing, direction following, and patience… and it produces a stash of … Continue reading Whole Wheat Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
I was reminded recently that the point of a blog (or at least this one) is to write the family memories down lest we forget them. This is a thing I haven't done during the entirety of the COVID-19 pandemic, the beginning of which coincided with my sudden heart issues, and throughout which we survived … Continue reading COVID-19: Vivienne’s Take
It's our first spring in the garden at Wingate house, and among all the wonders unfolding around us, the poppies -- with their odd, hairy pods, their tightly packed tissue paper petals unfurling hour by hour -- are one of the greatest pleasures. Before they opened, Hugh reverently enfolded the pods in his little hands … Continue reading Poppies
The last few weeks feel a bit like a blur of work. We're in the midst of selling our house, so all the projects, paperwork, and anxiety that go along with that have been piled right onto our already full plates. It's nose to the grind time, that's for sure! Ryan returned from a trip … Continue reading A Morning Off
Eight years ago today, on a similarly sweltering 4th of July, Ryan tricked me into going on a picnic and popped the question.He made a first attempt at lunchtime, but I protested, given the heat, so he endured an air conditioned lunch with a diamond ring burning a hole in his pocket. We went to … Continue reading Engaged on the 4th of July
Ryan had to be in Kenya for work in January, and when he realized he was connecting through Heathrow Airport, he wondered if I'd like to meet him there with the kids for a week in London. He didn't need to ask twice! London has been on our list for a long time -- we'd … Continue reading London Itinerary
I'm resurfacing after a few tough weeks! Teething (sleepless) toddler, first colds of the season, work travel, and some more serious medical issues for Vivienne... it's all been a little too much. Lately, whatever the particular day requires of me has used up all available energy, not leaving much for elaborate cooking or creative projects. … Continue reading Easier Pumpkin Pot Pies
A smattering of things I've been thinking on, noticing, reading, and appreciating lately... Back to School Vivienne continues to love her new school and has SO many friends beginning that journey this year, too, with varying degrees of fear and excitement. More than any other year, I've loved hearing back-to-school accounts for all our little … Continue reading Lately
Writing about motherhood often feels like a futile exercise. How on earth does one capture and organize the three dimensional whirlwind of active bodies, the deep emotional valleys, the adventures, the quiet, private moments? I have always loved the economy of poetry -- the freedom to omit context or narrative and zero in on one … Continue reading Poems & Motherhood
I’ve always put canning in this category of “things really meticulous people who have time on their hands do.” Something that used to be done out of necessity, that is now essentially a foodie hobby. So, when Ryan decided we should try canning, I had reasonable questions, like, “Why?” And, “Do we really have time for … Continue reading Small Batch Canning
The Key to the House 