A good soak

Hey everyone! I always feel as if an apology is in order when I post because it's usually been so long. Honestly, I haven't been off the farm since baby E was born two weeks ago. B, C and E moved in on Saturday with help from my mom and dad and many others, including our good friends from Portland, Dan and Robin Plies. We've had a great time with them this week and they've really rolled their sleeves up and jumped in to the farm projects, one of which is the spa-licious CEDAR HOT TUB which has now been christened with great joy by all of us. There's nothing like a good cedar-scented soak with old friends, I tell ya. The boys even carved a phallus handle on the hot tub's woodstove shed to "hang things on." What does this mean? What do you hang on a woodstove shed? Anyhow, I'm hoping Chris will post some photos of the blessed hot tub event, along with one of B and I having a morning splash, as the three of them are in the cities today to close on their house. You'll see just how much fun we're having.

Dan and Robin have helped us with canning applesauce, hot tub and shed building, and digging a trench down near the barn help with drainage. We've taken many walks and yesterday Dan and I took Gideon and Colby out for a ride along the ridge. It's been lovely here - cool, crisp and sunny - and the leaves are beginning their fire-bright transformations.

The baby is a delight to have around, and brings a new dimension to our life out here. I'm enamored of his rubbery little expressions- sad boy, baby buddha, boob mouth. I think he smiles at me, but B told me it's just a muscle flexing. Now how would the "experts" know what a baby was feeling inside? At any rate, he's clearly a very advanced baby. He loves it when Chris vigorously bicycles his legs back and forth. I've really enjoyed watching B and C being parents. They're amazing - patient and dear and generous with their child (in terms of giving him up to me for loving even when he's in a good mood). I never knew how much newborns eat or poop. Ellis does both in abundance. He also loves to be outside. In fact, Chris built the hot tub benches wearing Ellis in a sling. The cats are even warming up to the baby in that they now venture downstairs even when he's awake. They're still not fond of the crying, however.

I'm loving my life right now. The only thing that's difficult is that Jay continues to struggle with work, and we both miss our Portland community (it's been pure pleasure to see so many of you this summer and fall, by the way). My dream for him is that we can start some sort of alternative school or educational experience at the farm for him to lead. I think he and Chris would be happiest working in that kind of environment.

Love and nekkid baby butts to all!

Charis