3.22.2019

First



The homely song of red-winged blackbirds rises over the sound of rain, and flashes of red, gold, and black cross the treetops. Lent is a good time to be tired and sick. It's a good time to remember human need and frailty while also remembering joyous life ready to burst through the surface-- Love hanging heavy on a bony tree. 


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Here lies the end of August through the new year, and now I'm caught up to 2019. Give me a handshake!


























































































































































































































































































13 comments :

Making Cents Of It All said...

Beautiful photos. You have been very busy.

Full of Grace said...

Loved being updated with you and your beautiful family, thank you for posting :) Even though we never see each other, I think of you often and ask Rebecca about you and your littles (and bigs now) when I see her sometimes. I hope all is well (it sure looks that it is) and I am still holding onto hope that when it warms sometime we can plan to meet at a park and see each other in person again to visit. Enjoy your day!

Abigail said...

Thanks, Marybeth!

Elizabeth,
YES! I get my news via Rebecca, too, and it's downright shameful how long it's been since we've seen]each other in the flesh. Not to put the burden of visiting on you, but ANYTIME you want to drop in, please do! Even if you're just driving by (for whatever reason...way out of your neck of the woods) and want to stop in for a few minutes. I'll clear a pathway to the couches, and we can catch up. :P

I know you're a busy mama with all the schedules of your kiddos, but spring's gotta come soon, and we could meet up pretty easily. Hope you and the family are all well!

Mrs. Marc Otto said...

You blogged! So excited, I was laying in bed sick when I checked, and had lots of fun looking through the pictures. The one where you are bringing home the Christmas trees should be framed. And I love your board and bat house. And of course, that picture of Annika! Is it just me, or does she look like the perfect mix of you and your husband? A genetic win! For some reason, my fourth daughter looked like my highly expletive, heavy drinking, Vietnam vet Uncle. After she was born, the first thing anyone ever said when they saw her was, "She looks like Uncle Dave!" But I think she's growing into it. ;)
Happy spring! *M

Abigail said...

Yup. Like I said, it's good to be sick and tired during Lent.
Better yet to be sick and tired when a Big Ol' Dummy out East blogs FIFTY-SEVEN POSTS in the month of March. I live to serve.

Our Nixie has always been the spitting image of her Papa, until she hit puberty, and now suddenly people are saying she looks just like me. I'm delighted by this, poor girl. So, yeah, I think she's ours. :)

That comment about your daughter has us cracking up. "She looks like Uncle Dave!" is due to become a new catchphrase here in Nanticoke.

Abigail said...

p.s. The mailman just drove up with your letter to Annika...and now we know WHY you're sick in bed. GIDEON!!!!!

Rebecca said...

Well, that's not fair. I seem to remember the first of this avalanche saying something akin to "I will publish a few dribbles a day so as to not cause a monsoon" or something of that sort.

And then- WHAM! The TIDAL WAVE!

gasping....for.....air.......

How am I going to be able to comment on all those noteworthy, happy, hilarious, adorable, quirky, commentable posts?!?

It's been a fun ride though!

My favorite picture of this post, and one that gives me supreme happiness is the one of Skylark flashing that jagged teething grin in her plastic thingy (the word escapes me...) Bouncy seat? Wobbler? You know what I mean. I have never witnessed such a remarkable toothy grin on any baby before and, like her downy puffball head, I felt it needed proper documentation.

I also liked the extraordinary skyhigh corn- which, given the brown mud outside, is exciting to think about. Living greenness! Flourishing plants!

heidiann(e) said...

Handshake? Indeed, and a standing ovation beside!

These are all so beautiful it makes me ache.

Abigail said...

Rebecca,
Completely fair! In my defense, a full two weeks have passed, and even if I posted a dribble of three a day, the grand tally would still be an impressive and overwhelming 42 posts. Plus, immediately after stating my plans, I re-stated my position (i.e. changed my mind completely) in the comments. :)

Furthermore! As much as I love your comments, comments being to my blogging habit what a delicious bag of molasses-spiked oats would be to a stubborn mule, you are living life, nurturing life, and carrying a wee life, to boot! Blog comments on shotsnaps are rightfully last priority, and as much as I love them, you have no obligation, even if I DID post a dribble at a time instead of the usual monsoon.

And, yeah, that picture of Snaggle-Toothed Skylark is the best. Annika took it (along with a funny video) one summery day.

Heidi,
Thank you!
Coming from someone I know is sensitive to beauty, that's a high compliment.

Rebecca R. said...

Ah, I can’t possibly like (LOVE) these photos enough!

Abigail said...

I bet if I had framed them all in the right way to put on Magnabilities jewelry, you could! ;)

Deborah Purdy said...

What a fantastic bunch of photos. They make such a sense of homeyness spring up.

Abigail said...


Thanks, Deborah! Now if only they could make spring spring up...