Warmly And Affectionately Yours....

Where does the time go? Does it sneak out the open window when my back is turned? A slippery trickster who somehow can be too much or too little at the same time, it seems, and never whichever one you most want.
Jay has been gone a month now, and we are on the final countdown to his return in a few days. And in these weeks that seemed to stretch interminably we have somehow done very little, yet a lot has happened.

For example......

....these five little dearlings arrived quietly in the night a week ago. Five little bundles of joy that have leant the house a hush, a desire to creep and whisper and peek every so silently around the door at this little nest of sweetness. There is something so heartening and reassuring about tiny baby animals, it brings out the softness in even the coolest teenagers! And what is most heartening is that each of these little things is going to a home we know and love so we will be able to continue with the sweet love affair that has begun here in our home.

We have, as always, been surrounded by the most wonderful friends who fed and entertained us beyond measure, and who remind me just how lucky I am to have somehow landed in this place that seems to have an excess of Remarkable Humans who take the true meaning of friendship to heart and deliver every time.

And they also brought much sustenance, joy and laughter, through two suspected cases of Fifth's Disease, a dose of Chicken Pox, which was swiftly followed Croup. *sigh* I may be wrong, but these things only ever seem to happen to this extent when Jay is away....!
And on the subject of joy, can I just share this wonder with you? Elaine Prunty, she of Jaboopee fame created one of her marvellous Toy Portraits of this little family of mine. I Laughed Out Loud upon opening the package that Jimmy the Postman brought to my door, so thrilled and delighted to receive it.

L to R: The Eldest, My Only Girl, The Dude, The Smallest, Me (yes, the taxi driver!), and My Hero. 

So now, as the last few days tick by, and as Jay's homecoming approaches, it feels as though I have got the better of time for a while, (until that is, I read back at just how little writing I got done, and how little blogging too!) I take a moment to look around and once again feel a deep Gratitude for all that I have.

Where We Stole Away To.

Does anyone else feel that sense of urgency?  That sensation of an unseen hand tenderly lifting the lid on the year, letting the sun in to warm us, to bring us to life? We feel our roots stretch out, digging into the dark earth, our limbs reaching up towards the light, eager for it's sustenance, and all around us Life begins to stir in the warmth.

We are back to school, yes, but the late Easter break means suddenly we are facing the end of the school year, and I watch as the children shake off and leave behind the last of their winter mantles and run full pelt towards the sun.

Easter was abundantly chocolatey, and full of egg hunts and lazy pajama days. 

The blossom is early on all the trees!

And the sun hardly faltered once. So much so that no sooner were they in to eat, than they were gone again, my kitchen echoing with their departing cries and dashing footsteps away into the sunlit garden.

We took a few days trips, but in the end, not as many as we had planned. Somehow, once the sun came it was hard to want to go anywhere.

We have had two full weeks of astounding sunsets. How is it possible to not tire of this?

If you'd like to see, do please take a peek over on my blog A Year At My Backdoor.

And we had a birthday. A rather important Fifteenth Birthday!! 

Yes, our Eldest is now fifteen. It seems rather unbelievable actually!!

And though today is back to the slightly cooler weather more normal for this time of year,

still, we are on the right side of Spring now, headed in the right direction, aren't we?

Here's to the days of summer that are rolling in on the tide.