Freshly Picked

Is there anything better than strawberries picked fresh from the garden? Today the sun is out and I ventured into our little strawberry patch to pick those plump, sweet berries. I was not disappointed.

Once rinsed, carefully settled into a bowl and placed on the table, I had to fend off little fingers to get a couple photos of our harvest. I snapped a few quick shots and then they could be contained no longer. Tiny hands grasped big berries and red juice ran down chubby little chins. Smiles all around.

There is something simple and sweet about eating fruit and veggies fresh from your own ground or eggs fresh from the coop. I hope I am passing that joy onto my children. I hope that in our culture of fast food and instant gratification that they are learning the beautiful pace of patience, of caring for, harvesting and truly enjoying you food. It is in this simple and slow joy that we figure out to enjoy life.

Enjoying Life

This is something I've been thinking a lot about lately. Am I enjoying life or am I just surviving it? I don't want to get so caught up in my to do list that I never enjoy my life. I have such a life to enjoy! Five sparkling babes, friends, good food, beauty in nature, decadent yarns, a husband I love... The list goes on.

I find I often get buried under all the work I have to do. Between the dishes, the kids' needs, vacuuming and taking out the trash I get tired and irritable and I sometimes go through a whole day without pausing and taking an hour or two to just enjoy. Enjoy the smile on my baby's face. Enjoy my daughter's laughter. Enjoy the big boys playing nicely together. Enjoy the sight of ripe, round tomatoes on the vines outside. Enjoy the song of a bird or the way the clouds drift lazily across the sky. I don't do that every day and you know what? It's a travesty!

This week I'm going to remind myself to enjoy. Sure, life can be survived but why bother surviving if you're not going to enjoy it?