The Usual comments: 72

Sunny, quiet days. Playing, working, cooking, watching the man fix the house, which is apparently falling apart all around us. Ugh. Stucco repairs, rotted sills. Blossoms abounding. Sunlight through soap-sketched windows. Sleeping puppers. French braids. Playing the drums on my back with her fingers. "Drumsticks." She points to the neighbor's flowers and says, "Daffodils!" How in the world does she know those are daffodils? She knows everything. We marvel. Oh wondrous, glorious child of spring! I scoop her up like a cradled baby and smother her cheeks with kisses. "No, Mommy!!!" New boxwood shrubs, finally. Piles of crumbled stucco in my flower beds. Dust on my hellebores. Cluttered studio. I can hear the man pounding on the house as I write. Love and squalor. The usual.

Comments

The lovely light in your sewing room is spectacular!!

I am so jealous of your lovely weather...dreary, cold, snow/ice still lingering here in WEST VIRGINIA.

The little is growing up right before our eyes...make it stop, make it stop...she is so pretty.

Thanks for the post...made my day!

Such gently beautiful days. Amelia's hair is getting so long, I can imagine the fun you have braiding and decorating it.

Such pretty photos! Soft and tinted pink. Love.

I used to French braid my beautiful daughters heads..many years ago..Our eldest will be 40 this summer..our youngest just turned 38..and the years flew by.

They were so cute..Like Amelia..and I made their clothes..nowhere near as lovely as yours..
Our grandsons..love being UNDER our dining room table:)
You all have a charmed beautiful life..
Soak it all in~

Look at her hair!!
It is growing at the speed of light...

And your needlework ?♥

Stopped to read this after hours of de-cluttering craft supplies today -- a task made extra difficult with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia. Your words and photos relaxed me way more than the pain pill I took hours ago. Thank you.

I see lots of love, I don't see no squalor :)

I love the photo of her trying on your clogs. So dear.

I see a home filled with love! Your girl just cuter by the day!

I love your writing and your website to pieces. Thank you, thank you, thank you for sharing. Keep it up, keep it up, keep it up! (please!) :)

i stared at the first photo for at least a minute … just dreaming of how lovely it was and how we haven't seen your studio for so long … and your little dumpling under the table … too too cute for words … just so much loveliness :)

clogs. when my older son was much younger, he only wore swedish clogs (purchased from 'the gift box' in geneva...illinois, that is). some of his friends made fun of the clogs...until it rained and they couldn't get their shoes wet and brandon hopped in all the puddles knowing it was okay. mimi should have her own soon. i'm happy to see miss clover and the workroom. clutter?? pffftt!! no way, no how. brilliant post, as always, alicia. thank you.

oh that braid! kid hair has to be among the sweetest of things. and those liberty pants under that cute tunic. please make adult clothing. please? so nice to see a corgi nose on those quilts!

Studio sunshine, so nice.

Miss Clover Meadow looks so sweet.

Play time under the table - what fun.

Your sampler is perfect -nice job!

Surely you are living on a different planet than I am, Alicia. Flowers? I have a vague memory of those things. Enjoy! :)

Your usual sounds pleasant. Snow seems to be the usual right now and I would give anything to see a flower, Daffodil, or not.

The picture of Amelia looking through the pink checked curtains with the flowering tree outside brings on an ache similar to paging through an illustrated reader from the fifties. It shows life like we all wish it could always be...and often is, if only we noticed.

Under the table is the best place in the house! I am so in love with your sampler....completely lovely!

I realized today that now when you post pictures that are cropped wide, I search and search for sweet Mimi. Is she in the basket? Is she on the path? No? Onto the next photo. Thank you for sharing her!

That sweet girl is getting so big! Love the new cross stitch, too!

Cute how that age group love to play under the table. On rainy days I used to make a picnic for my toddler and me. She's 35 now and still enjoys picnics.

I love that picture of Amelia sitting under the table and between the chairs!! And yes they know everything. They catch on so fast, just a mere mention of the word for an object and voila! they know it!

Squeal!! You cross stitch looks almost ready to print out a pattern!?!?!?! Yes?

I love Amelia's top and pants, did you make the pieces?

Your little girl reminds me so much of my spring baby. She had that same long soft wispy hair when she was little. Also, I always love the phrase "love and squalor " and almost named one of my girls Esme just for that.

The usual.. is very good. I'm relaxing in my very own hotel room at the beach.. brought my friend down.. she lives in Bridal Veil and has not been to the beach in 20 years.. can you imagine? I wish I could here Mimi say "daffodils".. I bet it's very cute. ((hugs)), Teresa :-)