Ferry Bluff State Natural Area

We really have landed ourselves somewhere very special, which I guess was kind of the point in moving, we wanted our kids to be able to run and explore a creek close to their home, to grow up with a sense of awe to bodies of water, land shaped by a river, rises in the earths surface. A respect for the land that is hard to get in an area of the planet where so much of it's spaces have been made worse by human interaction.

With the help of a new friend, we found ourselves at Ferry Bluff, which just happens to be right across the river from the natural area closest to our home, Mazomanie Bottomlands. It was awesome to climb up on that bluff look across at the sandbars (I love sandbars!) and think of all the adventures to come for us on the banks of this river. To see kingfishers, bald eagles and sandhill cranes all so close to this place we now call home, witness the nocturnal activity of the beavers as we explore, it all makes the heartache of leaving a place that is familiar a bit more bearable.

To let my boys just play, thought staying out of the water isn't their best skill, was refreshing. They quickly took to being beavers with their new friends. Hauling branches into the river to float downstream. Gnawing branches (sometimes too literally), packing sand into their lodge, putting food stores by for winter... the natural world is amazing as is role playing with your kids.

I also felt on this day that River started to understand a bit of his name. We didn't have river in our vocabulary much, but now River lives by a river and will be able to explore his namesake. I don't know what he thinks of this revelation, but he knows that his name is something we call something else and it isn't another boy like Big Asher. It is all spinning in there.

Fall Adventuring

To continue familiarizing ourselves with our new environment, we have been spending time exploring the park across the street. The other day's hike didn't start off on the best foot, the parental challenges of motivating your kids sometimes are beyond me, we get off on the wrong foot, struggle out the door and then every decision seems to be a fight.

Sometimes we can get out of the funk, like this hike when we decided to forage for plantain for a hand salve, and raspberry leaf for tea. I love for our hikes to be open ended and for them to take the lead, which is the majority of the time, but sometimes it helps to have something to direct them... get us out of our bad morning.

Snacks along the way help, a sunshiny perfect fall day makes it pretty good.

And a hill for riding bikes down (they will be wearing helmets next time!) makes it pretty awesome.

River's New Vest

I found my needles and works in progress and was able to finish a knitting project before the temperatures went down. River outgrew his first vest and let me know that he wanted his next mama hugs in orange. I had originally planned on making a front pocket on his vest as he loves his wallaby pocket, but realized I wouldn't have enough yarn and wanted to do something, so I tried some cabled owls, which I love, and he loves which is more important.

Here he is as the wonderful toddler model sticking out his belly to show you his owl pals.

He gave the vest a true workout today heading downhill on his bike.

There are too many things on my knitting list right now. i know I have lived in Wisconsin for many many winters, but I have never mothered in Wi and want to know that the boys are warm when we adventure out. I know the biggest adventure spoiling for Asher is cold hands, yet the boy really does not like mittens as they interfere with climbing and most glove just suck at retaining warmth...

Blue Mound State Park

There are so many parks around us to explore! We have a great little park across the street with a wonderful creek to explore and fields behind it which we have yet to really explore and then the map is loaded with green space. Our first venture out as a family abandoning our mile long project list was 20 minutes south to Blue Mound State Park. Right off the trail we found a recently felled oak that was wonderful to climb and explore.

We found tons of acorns, ate hickory nuts and walnuts and enjoyed the October shorts weather.

I don't know that I will get my full fall love post this year, so I will just shout is our here, I LOVE FALL. I missed fall in Wisconsin and am so happy to be back for this season.

Oh, and these boys, they are rocking this move. I really expected some sort of problem. They have started to miss friends, but are dealing with their emotions well by role playing being their friends which is so wonderful I think I may have to do the same, as I think the missing of my gals is going to hit hard this week.

The Tree Farm

Just a quick post to let you all know about the awesomness that we stumbled upon! A pick your own vegetable farm! Oh, it was so what we needed, fresh veggies, fresh air and something unique so close to our home, in fact closer than the nearest grocery store!

The boys were thrilled to use the pocket knife to cut cabbages and salad mix. Dig up parsnips and carrots.

I am sure that Asher would have lived in the brussel sprout patch if given the option, he was so happy to eat the little things right off the plant.

And of course some large machinery to round out the perfect visit.

Just what we needed on Sunday afternoon.

The New Flock

After a week without our chickens, we could no longer go without.  A quick trip to a home on the opposite end of our street, someone who sells brown eggs and our new flock has arrived.

The boys were thrilled to have a new black chicken, as that was the one they named in Urbana, so now we have Peck the second, otherwise known as Peck 2.

We hope these new ladies will do some weeding!  The garden really needs some help and love, and I really don't want to do all the work.

Everyone took part in building the chicken tractor- sorry for the backwards order of the pictures.

Finding Home

We are slowly, ever so slowly trying to make this place our home. Finding new places to eat snack and watch the birds (so many!)

New places to color outside.

New places to hike and explore.

New places to read as much as we like.

And new places to dig and be in contact with the earth. I am not sure we have gotten over the hump of upheaval and am sure we will be slow to make our way out of this transition... but soon, my sewing machine will be set up, my winter knitting projects will have their spaces and I will be happy to document the actual living we do here.