Yesterday was ideal for walking in the mist. It hung heavily among the trees, making little paths appear, where no paths are on bright days, and playing tricks with the light. I would have liked to walk deep into the woods, following the mist and losing myself in the frost-painted ferns, but Luba was uneasy, she thought she saw things, and hunted for scents all afternoon, which made me uneasy - maybe there was something out there, lurking. A stray hunter, the neighbor dog who likes to wander, or something more. I stuck close to home and started a Danish pastry, insulting Luba’s nose but obeying her warning all the same. The rain came at night. It sounds so mournful, but I’m grateful it’s warm enough for rain - not ice or snow.
Today I’m practicing croissants again, along with the Danish. I made a batch last week that were good, but missing out on some of the flaky lightness, the new batch is on it's second turn. My husband is thrilled. He loves when I'm working on a recipe again and again.
St. Nikolas brought Yarrow a pair of new black shoes, she spent the morning stomping around in them and admiring herself in the mirror. He brought me two boxes of tiny red candles to make the season bright. Last night was our biggest success so far with night-weaning Yarrow, I'm thrilled with the hope that someday in the not-too-distant future my nights will be broken only by the stove and my own restless thoughts.
Got your letter, btw. Writing a new one for you in-progress.
ReplyDeleteWhat are your techniques for weaning the little one through the night? Afon is getting better. I mostly tell him, "No, sleep," and he puts his head back down, but he still wakes up, and from time to time, he just won't sleep unless he can nurse first. I make sure it's not that he's thirsty first. So maybe he had a little bad dream. :c
Does St. Nikolas come again on Christmas Eve? Or is that the time for family gift-giving?
My hispanic heritage calls for a celebration of 3 King's Day, but I'm partial to St. Nikolas. :p
Oh, and I love fog, precisely because of the mix of wonder and warning, I think. I would have obeyed Lub's nose, too.
ReplyDeleteTechniques??..umm, besides getting really crabby after the fifth nurse of the night..
ReplyDeleteActually, I'm getting better about being consistent, and we do a lot of the 'no, we sleep now' thing, which is finally starting to break through her little one-track mind. Sometimes though, it involves my getting out of bed and dancing her back to sleep, which is a long, long process. And sometimes she needs to nurse just to sleep..generally, right now, we've gotten so that after midnight I can usually get her to sleep again without nursing until 6, when we get up. It's a blessing. And I'm working toward convincing her to sleep - at least sometimes - all through the night.
We sort of like the idea of St. Nikolas helping the Christ Child deliver gifts on Christmas, doesn't that just sound adorable!?
Is 3 King's Day the same as Epiphany?? :)
Yes, 3 Kings Day is the same as Epiphany. c:
ReplyDeleteWould you be able to appease Yarrow with a bottle of milk you keep handy at the bedside, or would that not suffice?