Welcome Spring

We had a glimpse of lovely warm weather yesterday. We spent the day outdoors...preparing garden beds and boiling more maple sap. Yes, we threw ourselves in to making syrup again this year. After last year I wasn't certain I'd attempt it again considering the investment of time and effort required to get just a bit of syrup. But, oh well it's just too delicious to resist. And we do have several mature maples only steps from the house. And now we have nearly two gallons of syrup for the upcoming months!

And with our wonderful weather, Lilla had the opportunity to wear her new outfit Grandma brought back from India. She just loves to jingle the bells attached to the skirt:
And investigate all the sparkly mirrors attached to the shirt.
But now she says enough with the photos, Mama. Put this lens cap back on please!

Chess with a six year old

The other afternoon Rowan and I played a casual game of chess. Or so I thought.
Everything seemed to be going smoothly for me, until...
Suddenly Rowan had me in checkmate.
Hmm. Looks like I ought to crack into those chess books.

Greetings from Lego land

Not too much going on. Here we are in March and the weather is very lion-esque. So we're indoors a lot: stoking the fire, eating too much and living in the midst of toy land:


Legos, anyone?