I hope you have a great day  :)

Sorry for the long blog break. It wasn't intentional. I thought it had only been a week or two but when I pulled the pictures off my camera last weekend I discovered it had been a month. There were 1469 photos waiting to be downloaded! How do I summarize 1469 photos? I've been trying all week with little success so this morning I decided to just pull out a dozen or so and make a list to go with them.

1. Maisie now has 12 teeth. Crazy. She can also climb onto the rocking chair, follow simple instructions ("Go get your robot shoes."), and express her opinion about things (No, she doesn't want a bath). We're pretty sure that yesterday she was coming out with a word for squirrel (sounded like "curl"). She loves to see the ducks and goats that are on our way home every day.

2. I made a blanket  for Maisie. It's just a light weight one. Flannel pinwheels on one side and yellow minky on the other. I put one of her name tag labels on one corner. So far she cries when she sees it. I don't know why. I'm sure she'll like it eventually.

3. The last of the snow disappeared, the birch tees came into leaf, the weeds came up, and our garden went in. I did it over a couple of weeks and a little later than usual but we've got peas, beans, squash, radishes, nasturtiums and turnips all coming up. I got three tomato plants and a hot pepper from a friend who had too many seedlings. The tomatoes already have flowers and I'm looking forward to the fruit whenever it arrives.

4. Maisie has developed a firm love of the out of doors world and gets at least as excited as Abby at the suggestion of a walk. She'll bring us our shoes and drag us to the door.

I just looked over and Maisie is playing with her clothes (she's still in pajamas) in the animals' water dish. We got the clothes out so we could put her in something dry (she's been playing with the water dish for a while) and they are now sopping wet and being waved around like flags.

5. We made strawberry ice cream. It was a really good. The hardest part of making ice cream seems to be deciding what kind to make. We were thinking of trying chocolate peanut butter chip next but the rhubarb is ready for picking and I think vanilla rhubarb gelato would be delicious.

6. Maisie experienced rain. We all get pretty excited about rain at the beginning of the summer. It's so novel after eight months of snow. I especially love falling asleep to the sound of it hitting the roof. Few things are cozier.

7. We tried fiddleheads for the first time. I found them in the grocery store one day and decided it would be fun. They look pretty cool. I steamed them, then sautéed them in some butter and garlic. I thought they would taste like asparagus but it was more like spinach with a firmer texture.

8. I grew sprouts. I don't know what got me thinking about sprouts this spring but suddenly I was really into them and completely unsatisfied with the choices in the grocery store. I got some seeds and a little mesh lid and tried sprouting in a mason jar. I was ridiculously easy and fascinating to watch. I took pictures every day for the week. Unfortunately I didn't have any plan for what to do when the sprouts were ready and they got mouldy while I was thinking about it. Still, the growing of them was lots of fun and I know I need a plan for next time.

9. I started a sweater for Maisie. It's going pretty slowly, especially since for a little while I was going backwards, but I hope to get it finished in time for her to wear it this summer. Or at least before she grows out of it.

10. Identifying body parts has become a favourite game in our house. Socks are removed to reveal wiggly toes, elbows are pointed out with glee, tummies are proudly displayed, and did you know that everyone has ears?

We go for a walk just about every day. On weekdays Maisie and I walk home and collect Abby and go out on the trail. A couple of times a week my mum join us and stays for a cup of tea while Maisie has her snack. These pictures are from our walk last Monday. Lovely weather. Warm, not hot. No bugs yet. Still the remains of piles of snow in the shady places under the trees. Pussy willows blooming. Maisie tries to grab my camera. Abby tugs on the leash to get closer to a good smell. Perhaps a squirrel has gone by recently. Most of the lake is still covered in ice but the little ponds around the edges are ice free. There area a few ducks around. Maisie tucks in against my chest. So sweet. Fluffy, summertime clouds. Still, glassy water. Someone's work gloves. I hope they come back for them. Green, growing things starting to emerge. Maisie deciding that she's tired of walking and would much rather have some milk. Soon, sweetness, let's get home first. The muskeg is dull and brown right now but soon it will be covered in tiny white flowers. Abby spots a couple of ducks. The end of the trail is all willows. And a bit of mud. Tea for me when we get home. Maisie has a mandarine orange. She likes the squirrel on my mug.