Flowers
Originally uploaded by annamaren.

We have forced some blooms inside- while waiting for spring. We had a couple of warmer days earlier this week which kind of fed the spring fever. Then it kind of chilled back down again. It's what we expect in March of course. That's why we are glad of our indoor flowers!

New things drop into our lives unexpectedly lately. I was surprised to notice that L is pumping his little legs on the swing. He likes a little push to get going, and he’ll keep swinging for ages. Today he worked it up so he was swinging as high as K. Both swinging so high, laughing and talking and imagining adventures they were flying through.
When did this little guy learn to pump his own swing?
K has an opportunity to be part of a new children’s orchestra that is starting at Butler University, where she takes lessons. We had been talking a lot about both taking part in the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra in the fall. K has performance anxiety, but is curious about ensembles, so we had decided that we would try it this fall. The Metropolitan Youth Orchestra requires that a parent learn and perform alongside the child, which would have been perfect for K and I. However I just learned that the MYO lost a crucial grant at the beginning of the year, and is operating under very limited function right now. (It’s my guess that this new Children's Orchestra forming at Butler may be a kind of response to that? Who knows.) So the new Orchestra is forming now, and although it’s unexpected, K is going along on Saturday to check this out.
My own unexpected moment was catching the cold that has been going around, leaving me all tired with mild cold symptoms. I thought that if I were going to get it, well, I would have gotten it by now! But no, I had to wait until the nice weather! : )
Flexibility I guess is my lesson in all of these things. And a sense of simply expecting the unexpected after a while……

Mama's and kiddos launching the fairy kite.
Originally uploaded by annamaren.

Nice weather bought the first park date of our home schooling co-op.
What fun we all had playing all over the playground equipment, working so hard at making bubbles, and flying kites! It was so beautiful, just enjoying a little sunshine and the company of friends.
So nice that we hardly noticed the wind until the very end of the day. In the last five minutes K told me she had an ear ache, and by the time we packed our gear and got into the car, she was crying it hurt so bad. So we went home, having OD'ed on the park, and collapsed on the green couch.

Porch picnic...
Originally uploaded by emaho.

Jamie took this photo of A and K and L out on her front porch on Friday.
Having the sunshine, a little touch of warm weather..... ahhh we are so ready for some Spring around here!

G inspects a frame with Rob
Originally uploaded by annamaren.

The little bee-keeping with Rob is actually not K, it's her friend G. K and her friend both had the suit on for a while, and were in with Rob, curious and helping.
This was the first time this season that Rob inspected the hives. The hive he is inspecting in this photo is the hive of feral bees, the ones that were caught from a swarm out on my friend Jenny's farm. Last year we did not get much honey from them, but they have survived the winter stronger than the other hive. It's all very interesting.....
The bees were bringing back pollen yesterday- already?! I don't know where they are getting it from yet. But all the girls are happy!
K is keeping records with Rob for the two hives this year. And I think we might have the fun of entering some of their honey in the State Fair. She is pretty happy to be a beekeeper.