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Unseasonable, welcome warmth has enticed us all outside, and the other day we went for a long walk, down past our pottery studio and along the stream and up into the meadow and around.  Lee brought the bow he made, and a quiver of arrows, and everyone took turns shooting, with much ado about making sure that everyone (livestock included) stayed well back behind the shooting line, but a good time was had by all.  The kids clambered over the rocks and the quickly melting ice and snow, and it was so balmy that their coats came off, and everyone got soaked, and I am stubbornly insisting that this really is spring, really, for real, although I think I’m out of luck, and also, no one wants the apple trees to get confused and start to bud before their time.

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I don’t really know why (although I do have some theories) but lately, even though the same annoyances and trivialities and behavioural issues, and conflicts have arisen, I’ve been feeling strangely elated to be able to spend this time with my kids.  I’m really appreciating and loving these days, and this stage, and these ages, and these people that I’m so grateful to be able to spend my life with. I’ll think about this more, and try to come up with something that I can spread around here.  I’ve experienced the other, the dark days, and the despair, and while that stuff always comes and goes to a degree, and while I’m sure this contentedness is weather-related and this-and-that related, I’m not sure if it’s entirely that, and not also a bit of something else.  More to come.

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xo, yo