Sewing a la Maria Von Midwinter

For some reason, I felt compelled to sew my children matching outfits out of cast off linens.  Like Maria  Von Trapp in the sound of music.  Except, instead of traipsing around Salzburg in a bunch of old drapes, my kids get to loll at the beach in an old duvet cover from Ikea.*  To make it even more fun, I sewed them on a 1960s Bernina sewing machine and used 1960s wrap-around patterns (for the most part--thanks for lending me your machine while we were visiting Mom). I decided to spare Solomon from the matching outfits affair, since he is a boy and eleven (though he said he wouldn't mind a fishing hat).

Charlotte and Ariadne got truely matching outfits, and theirs are done.  Nova's was a different patern that I couldn't quite get my hands on.  I ended up winging it and hers still needs just a little adjustment.   Anyway, here are the results.

*I am aware these are sentence fragments.  I separated them out for dramatic effect.  However, I must still be conflicted about it because I felt compelled to add this note.

Ariadne's Five Month Baby Firsts

Ariadne has recently hit a number of milestones.  On Monday she rolled from front to back for the first time!  Above is a a picture from about a minute after the big event.  On Friday, we went to the beach, probably for the last time in 2012.  Ariadne took the opportunity to sit on her own for almost five minutes!  Again, a first.  She finally fell back just as I grabbed the camera.  Charlotte was there to prop her back up.

Since August, Ariadne has been enjoying her toes.  Here she is with her toes in hand on her baby quilt made by Granne.  It's no surprise that there is a corresponding yoga pose called 'happy baby.'

Madeline Island Camping Trip!

Okay folks, there are lots of pictures in this post, and a couple videos too.

In mid-August, we packed the car to the gills, squeezed ourselves in, and took off for Madeline Island.  Though the ride was long and arudous, fraught with construction and bored babies, we made it!  Dinner in Bayfield was a special treat.  The girls got to dance to an old fashioned Juke Box.  Wake Up Little Suzie, La Bamba (?), and my favorite, Summertime by Billy Holiday.

The ferry ride to Madeline Island was one of the highlights.  We caught a special 8:30 run--just at sunset.  

Waiting...

This photo was taken by a fellow passenger who has been going to Madeline Island for fifty summers!  (I must also say, she didn't look much older than fifty herself).

We camped at Big Bay Town Park, then went to the Big Bay State Park (just next door) for the day.

Our campsite, #17

Solomon loved starting and tending fires

Ariadne and I were in a separate tent.  The first night I heard the loud snuffling of a rather large animal, very close to our tent.  I was a little scared.  I called to Charles but he didn't wake up.  I finally plucked up the courage to see what it was, and it was something very large--Charles!

Magic and The Birchbark House by Louis Erdrich, which takes place on Madeline Island

The beach was wonderful!  And I can now say I've swum in Lake Superior.  It was crystal clear, shallow, and not that cold.  The sand was as fine as what I remember from the Carribean.  We could have stayed all day.  Here's what the others had to say about the beach.

Our trip to Madeline Island was all too short.  After two nights, we broke camp, took the ferry back and hit the road.   

Charlotte's First Day of Preschool!

Down a garden path,

with a froggy backpack,

past some friendly sculptures,

Charlotte goes to...

Preschool!

Today was Charlotte's first day of preschool!  She said it went very well.  Charlotte told us she played with play dough, played on the playground, and made a friend. She said her friend was wearing a pink shirt, but Charlotte did not know her name. 

Solomon is 11!

On July 27th, 2012 Solomon turned 11!!  I can't believe how big he is! (5' 2 1/2'' to be exact).  His actual birthday was the opening day of the Olympics, and we spent that at Grandpa John and Granne's house.  We had birthday cake and birthday dinner and watched the opening ceremonies.  As late July is prime time for camps, vacations, etc, we had his party a couple weeks later.

When it came to party planning, Solomon was very clear.  He wanted friends over for a water fight.  Then movies or video games.  And pizza to eat, along with root beer and marble cake with chocolate frosting.  And that's what we did.  It was glorious.

The Battle of Tree House

Foolishly, I'd planned to take them to the beach after a half hour or so--how long can four boys (and a couple tag-along sisters) have a water fight for anyway?  Turns out--over two hours!  The tree house was the fort--which changed hands many times.  There were water grenades, water balloons, water shooters, super soakers, buckets and hoses.  Double agents, negotiations, sneaking escapes, a photo journalist (who got caught in the crossfire) and Dad all played a roll.

  

Negotiations

The Trade

Back to Blogging!

After more than a year hiatus, we are reviving Midwinter Musings, our family blog.  While facebook reaches more friends and family, we've found that sometimes going in depth is worth it.  As time goes by, we've also found past posts to be of particular interest to--surprise--us!  Much as we think we'll always remember all the details, we don't.  It is nice to have a little something to bring it all back.

The Midwinters

Why We Pay to get Family Pictures Taken

 As I recall, this was the best shot out of MANY attempts at a Christmas photo for 2009.  By January we made a family trip to Proex.  Photographer friends of ours, go ahead and cringe, but you see the alternative.  While I am usually all for candid, do-it-yourself snapshots, there is a time and a place for the boring old, everyone is smiling photo.  Knowing full well how everything seems to take twice as long as it should, we all wore spring leaning clothing, and had our pictures in time for Easter.  The results were not perfect, we did get everyone looking at the camera at the same time, eyes open and throats unexposed.  Though I am glad we shelled out the money for a professional photo, I am also aware that years down the road I may like this one more, just as one of my mother's favorites is of my sister pouting at four years old.  

Winter Snapshots Part Two (Circa 2010)

Me and Nova at the top of the sledding hill

The kids after the Minne-Loppet (kids cross country ski event)

Luminaries from the Luminary Loppet (Charles and I skied this one sans les enfants, though it can be a fun family event too.)  FYI, the City of Lakes Loppet is a collection  of events including the 35k, 25k, 10k cross country ski races, sprints, kids races, and this more leisurely candlelit event. 

Gardening!

Today we have been gardening.  I picked up lots of plants at the Friends School Plant Sale Mother's Day weekend.  Lots of rain has kept them sitting in their pots.  No longer!  Now we have seven tomato plants, basil, thyme, chocolate mint, sage, rosemarry parsley, potatoes, peas, and tarragon planted in our front lawn. 

The apple trees are keeping all those vegetables company out front.  We put in two bare-root saplings about a month ago.  Until recently they've looked like sticks in the ground--the new leaves sure spruced them up.  Hopefully we'll have apples by the time Charlotte is five.  Our large walnut tree has restricted what we can plant in the back, so I will have to learn how to keep a tidy, attractive vegetable garden since it is now lining my front walk. 

Watermelon, bitter melon, cucumbers, corn and carrots are all waiting to be planted in the back (they don't mind the walnut tree's juglone secretions). 

My future plans include pear and cherry trees, black raspberries and saskatoons (juneberries or serviceberries to US residents).  Actually I somtimes daydream about a completely edible yard!  To further that daydream, I've been reading about a family in Pasadena that did just that--and then some.  Their urban homestead, Path to Freedom, takes the idea as far as I can imagine, and then a few miles more.  Happy gardening to all those who dig in the dirt!

Saint Lucia Day

Imagine an early Christian saint from Sicily becoming a major holiday figure for Scandinavians.  Yes, folks, somehow or other--that happened.  She was known for bringing food to those in need with a wreath of candles to light her way (her hands were full--of course).  Through some gruesome twists and turns of her personal hisory she also became the patron saint of eyes ( I will not go into detail here).  The fact that Swedish sailors translated her name 'Lucia' as light and that her celebrated day happened to fall on the darkest day of the year certainly helped this unlikely connection along, still I find it a surprising one.  Nonetheless, here we are, in the US, with my 1/4 Norwiegan (0% Sicilian) daughter playing the part of Lucia.  She pulled it off beautifully.  


Saint Lucia Day was one of my favorite holiday activities this year.  It will likely make its way into our holiday celebrations every year for at least the next decade.  It all started because I wanted to do something special with Nova.  (As I recall, I was a bit worried she was suffereing from middle child syndrome at the time).


We checked out the Kirsten's Surprise, the American Girl book featuring the Swedish tradition of Saint Lucia Day.  After reading the story, I was careful not to suggest anything.  Sure enough, Nova came to me, hoping we pull off our own Saint Lucia day surprise.  From there, we managed to sneak in a trip to the florists to get greens for the crown and a specal trip to Penzey's to buy saffron for the traditional saffron buns.  I'd let my mom in on the plan a week earlier and she had graciously offered to whip up a white nightgown and red sash.  Under the guize of wrapping presents, we were able to get the cosume ready.

Following the recipe listed here, we made quite successful gluten-free saffron buns, substituting gluten-free flour for the wheat flour.  I got them started and woke Nova up to help with the final shaping and baking. 

 

Hot chocolate and coffee rounded out our breakfast.   Charles and Solomon did not suspect a thing.  

I had forgotten how nice a good surprise can be...both to get and to give.  And a last picture with that golden sunlight of early morning.