Bracing & Then Embracing

There we have it - our first winter snowstorm.

This wintery weather was not a surprise.  As such, I spent the morning galloping around the farm doing all the last minute preparations needed before the snow began to fly.  I brought in all the hoses, cleared off the back deck and front porch so they can be easily shovelled, moved all the wheelbarrows back to their respective barns, stowed away the duck pool, relocated all the garden tools indoors, stashed all the random soccer balls and buckets laying around, put away the last of the kids' outdoor toys, etc.  I was busy, busy, busy but we are now are officially braced for winter!

Once Alistair woke from his nap, my outdoor tidying time was up so we turned our attention indoors.  I am more than happy to embrace some warm and cozy indoor activities when the snow begins to blow outside.  Ali and I made mushroom soup for lunch with the last of Ian's shiitakes, did laundry, watered the plants, dried some tea leaves, and played, played played!

Ali's favourite game right now is "chair jail". He manoeuvres himself inside the rungs of a kitchen chair which he thinks it is hysterical, until suddenly he realizes that he is stuck and I would imagine quite uncomfortable. Then it's Mama to the rescue! The second he has been extracted, the game becomes fun again and he immediately returns to putting himself back in chair jail. He played this game over and over and over.

If only adults could be so easily amused, it would certainly make our long Canadian winters pass by in a blink.