Decompression

 

What a wonderful week we had here on our little budding homestead. Athena finished school last week. On her last day, before the bell even rang, I got a call to come get her as she cut her head open. Lots of blood but no stitches. Thankfully. The weather has been so beautiful and we spent a lot of time outdoors exploring our woods.

 

I am less hesitant to walk the woods in the fall. The wasp nests have been abandoned. The little creatures are hiding in their dens. The paths are clearer when the leaves are scattered on the ground. No surprises hiding around a corner. The view is unobstructed.

We took the week to decompress. Sure, we did our daily chores, but this week was carved out to relax and realign and be together. She played with her magnets, tinker toys and Lincoln logs. She played paper dolls, modelling clay and did some drawing. She played outside only to come in with straw in her hair and sand in her boots and that unmistakable scent of a child who has dirt on her skin and wind in her hair. I know you know what I am talking about
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We walked the two brooks/streams/whatever their geographical term is, that edge the east and west sides of our property. There are little waterfalls, lots of mossy bog like earth and many many fallen trees. The maples that line the waters edge are huge, perfect for tapping. Some day. Some year.

Our neighbor said they saw a wolf the other night. Heard his low mournful howl. The coyotes are yipping most of the day. Communicating in the way that they do. Our dogs respond in kind. It is quite the chorus. Morning, noon and night. As we walk we see evidence they were there. Some deer hide, some bones and fur filled scat. It is a wonderful thing to me to live in such close proximity to the wild and unknown.

I was able to see the Northern Lights for the first time since we moved here, from a prone position in my bed, in the morning. The stars are so brilliant and night. It is so dark out here so they are easy to see. The big dipper rests outside my window around 10pm, just as I settle in to sleep.

Most of the songbirds are long gone. We are left with Blue Jays and Magpies and Ravens. All in the black bird family and all with a raspy grating voice. The chickadees and woodpeckers will stay all winter too. Nuthatches and Pine Siskins? Hopefully. We fill the feeders and wait. I have corn for the deer and some alfalfa for them as well. I doubt the dogs will let them get close enough to eat it. I'll save that for when the snow comes. When it is good and deep.

Speaking of snow, we are forecast to get our first snow over the weekend. 8 inches is projected to fall and it will stay as our daytime highs will not get above 0C. Old man winter is on his way and one little girl is giddy with anticipation. And one big girl too!

Next week we start homeschooling again. We are both looking forward to all the learning we have in store. The books and pencils are at the ready. We are trying a new approach but more about that later. We still have a few more days to linger in the space between what was and what is to come.