A few happy pictures

We've been enjoying the beautiful weather around here, getting our porch up and 

running, planting some flowers and trying out our sunglasses. 

Fun times with Sammy

Sam prepares for summer

Freshly painted chairs and table and some pansies and ranunculus to
brighten the porch

This is the finished project! Yeah for a new chair!

Double Birthday Bash

March has been a whirl of birthdays so far- unfortunately we forgot to

take pictures of our Lebanon birthday celebration of Dad D and Adam's birthday bash last Sunday! It was a fun time all around! 

This past Sunday we celebrated again: Dad and Adam

Mark, Bec and Sammy had a splendid birthday meal

The birthday boy

The birthday cake - Sammy kept saying "More birthday"

He liked his cake

Present time

Supper by the Fire

This has been one of our favorite Wintertime traditions- supper by the fire. As
spring begins to make subtle appearances we've been savoring the end of winter
with lots of fires. 

Our new favorite salad: Orange Salad with Avocado and Shallot Vinaigrette


1 TB chopped shallot
3 TB olive oil
1 TB fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt
fresh pepper to taste
2 large oranges
1 avocado
2 TB thinly sliced red onion (optional)
1 TB chopped italian parsley

Combine the first five ingredients in a small bowl. Whisk together, taste, and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
Cut the peel away from the orange then slice in 1/4 '' rounds.  Arrange on two separate
plates, top with sliced avocado and onion (if using) Spoon a bit of the dressing on each plate. Top with fresh parsley
and serve immediately. 

2012: The Year of Tolkien (and friends)

2012 marks for us the Year of Tolkien in which we plan to read all of Tolkien (or re-read) and since we're almost finished the Lord of the Rings and it's only February, we may branch out to read the works of his friends, the Inklings.  After the big works of Tolkien we will enjoy the lesser known:
-Leaf by Niggle
-Mr. Bliss
-Tree and Leaf
-Mythopoeia
-The Homecoming of Beorhtnoth

In devoting a year (or how ever long it takes us) to the wonderful writings of this author we feel as if we are spending time with him in his study by the fire, talking over his Noble characters and  finding our own Mines of Moiria in our daily lives.  Join us if you like!

Snowy Saturday

It was a beautiful snowy Saturday

And to Julia's baby shower I went

There was feasting

And gifts

And helpers who will be very glad to have a new cousin soon

One Winter Project Update

Our Winter has been full of many projects, but one of the most

exciting has been learning how to cane a chair.  This chair was a curbside find from good friends 

and it graced our front porch beautifully until the seat fell through.  That is a rather significant problem 

for a rocking chair.  The lovely thing is that Dad is an expert at caning chairs - rush, cane or reed and so lessons began.  This week we finished the seat and began the back of the chair.  Here are some before pictures to remind us of the process when we are happily sitting on the chair this summer

We may stain the reed when we see the finished project but for now
we're enjoying the finished weave.

A Weekend with Friends

Helping build cabinets

8 Months pregnant Mama Julie-Yeah!

The first official meal at the Bucey house- even during construction

Dear Friends and our impromptu Banquet

Celebrating a special birthday!

This was a special cake too- gluten, wheat, egg, sugar, dairy free!

What a Big Girl

Fun Melted Crayon Projects

The finished project