The Menagerie: Lima & Bean

One day in the autumn of 2014, I came across two tiny kittens who had been dumped in the yard of a family. I brought the kittens home and got to the busy task of feeding them. They were tiny and hungry and we had to feed them with small bottles and syringes. They spent a lot of time the first couple of days eating and becoming stronger. We called the girl Lima and the boy Bean.

We wore them in baby carriers and fed them and cuddled them and they settled quickly into this life with humans.

Then our young papillon stepped in. We'd noticed that she was fond of the babies and then she took it to a new level. She gathered them up and laid down so that they could nurse. Though she had never had babies and did not have milk, she would lay there for hours and let them nurse, curled against her warm furry body, a doting surrogate mother.

Lima and Bean grew quickly and when they hit about ten weeks old, a dear friend came to pick them up. They now live with two other cats and a very doting eight year old who, as it turns out, Lima is particularly fond of. I hear that Bean occasionally wreaks havoc with his antic and he's even eaten a gnome!
But they are home......

Snowy Winters.......

We've been in Maine for over three years now, this is our four winter, and I have to say- I love snow. There is something so magical about it. I know that sometimes people dread it or get tired of it or just plain hate it here but after so many winters of gray and rain, I am so happy to be in a place that has winters of sunshine and glittering white snow. I feel like a kid!

Occasionally winter will run long and my toes will be so tired of being cold but beneath that, there is such a love of snowy winters that lives in my heart.

This winter has been particularly mellow and mild and I find myself missing the constant snow fall and cozy fires. I admit it- I don't miss shoveling but I do miss that magical snow fall that makes me think of hot chocolate and snowmen and sledding. The kind of winter days that end with tucking in with the kiddos and making a gnome. 

Of course, there was that night I came home to snow gnome in my driveway complete with knitted beard from our dress up box....

So, I dug up some of those wonderful snowy memories.......

Weekending- Gnomes of the Week

And during the week, I made gnomes- oh those gnomes!!

Every weekend I list up the gnomes that were made during the living that took place that week. Here are the newest gnomes of this crazy and enlivening daily practice. Their dates of creation and any personal tidbits are located below each photo......

This fellow seems particularly cheerful and ready for adventure- it seems fitting since he is, after all, a New Year's Day gnome..... (created on January 1, 2016)

I felt the need (no pun intended!!) to do something soft and small and along came this tiny gnomeling. Such a sweet and gentle, giggly soul she is! Surely a bringer of joy! (This gnomeling was created January 2, 2016)


This fellow is a big fan of sledding and wakes up every morning ready to get started- such energy! Such enthusiasm!
(This gnome was created on January 3, 2016)


This gnome is a weaver and she loves nothing more than bringing color and patterns together with her loom and her clever hands.... Such magic!
(This gnome was created on January 4, 2016)


As you may guess, I have become extremely fond of a gnomeling in a pointy hat. This little one loves singing and has such a keen ear for a tune!
(This gnomeling was created on January 6, 2016)

This fellow is quite knowledgeable on many, many subjects and enjoys nothing more than an animated, intelligent conversation with another being...
(This gnome was created on January 7, 2016)

Yes, you may have noticed there is a gnome missing- for Tuesday.
I actually can't believe it! I forgot! I did and I only realized it when I woke up on Wednesday morning. I had had a wonderful afternoon felting with students at a school on Tuesday and came home a little tired. Perhaps my brain equated the felting class with actually felting but somehow, my brain let it go. I still can't believe that I did that but, this is one of the lessons we learn with a daily practice: forgiveness. It is important to understand and embrace our fallibility and know that that are mistakes don't define who we are, they help us learn and grow and evolve.....