no. 9: winter's presence

Winter is here! Last week, we had one night where the temperature dropped into the single digits. We've been piling blankets on the bed, wearing our shoes and sweaters inside the house and resorting to using our space heater. But despite its inconveniences, I welcome winter.

Winter has brought with it little flurries of snow that gave us a little surprise one morning. There was a thin layer of snow over everything, crunching beneath my feet and turning the landscape white and pristine. There is a beauty to the bare branches, the traces of snow, the frost left on windows, the way your breath appears before your face when you exhale. I enjoy bundling up before going outside, like I am gearing up for an arctic exploration. All the layers make me feel safe and comforted as I go out to face the harsh winds and freezing temperatures that seem to be at war with life itself.

The other morning, I couldn't start the car because the ignition wouldn't turn--it was so cold the ignition was frozen. I just had to ride my bike to work that morning. It was a reminder how I am, at every moment, at the mercy of this world. How any feelings I have of control over my life are an illusion.

But the beautiful thing about humanity is that we learn to adapt. I've been thinking about people who live their lives in temperatures below zero, through winters with just a few hours of light a day. Isn't it incredible? It makes me a little more willing to put on another layer before going to bed. Winter's not so long.

- Luke

oh, it has been chilly here, but we've found warmth. the beat of bob dylan's {black crow blues} are singing us through the lowest of temperatures & a variety of lemongrass + honey teas are warming our souls.

in all honesty though, i was not ready for the cold. when the snow fell, i was dreaming of warm summer evenings. when i put the extra flannel blanket on our bed, i was romanticizing the idea of bare legs & summer dresses. so, waking up to freezing temperatures... i was a little less than excited.

but as i walk to & fro, staring up at the sky to see the limbs of trees bare, forming patterns in the sky, i am reminded of the bits of joy during this time of year...

the joys of family, the comfort of a warm home, & the little bits of beauty in the darkness of winter fill my mind. oh, the many blessings for which to be thankful.

-natalie

no. 8: arkansas travels

We spent the week of Thanksgiving traveling down to Arkansas to visit family. Though Natalie and I met in the middle of Missouri, we both grew up in Arkansas. And yet it can seem like we were raised in different worlds. While I grew up in a college town in Northwest Arkansas, Natalie was raised in the much more rural and country Central Arkansas. While staying with her family, we were able to spend a day in Little Rock visiting the thrift stores and shops that Natalie and her friends would go to on the weekends. For me, it was a window into the life that Natalie led before I met her.

In downtown Little Rock, we stopped at an old drug store to take pictures. Walking into that place was like waking fifty years into the past. It still had many of the original signs and displays that must have been made in the 50s or 60s. After that, we had coffee at the Starving Artist Cafe and looked at the displays of local Arkansas artists like Little Bird Baskets. We drove around some of the more artsy and affluent neighborhoods and had a delicious pizza at Damgoode Pies. The whole time we were with Natalie's best friend, Tori. She is always a great person to hang out with and it is wonderful to see how much she and Natalie understand each other. She and Natalie have the kind of friendship a person only finds once in a lifetime.

During Thanksgiving break, we were also able to spend quality time with both sides of our family. Natalie and I are truly blessed to have such loving and supportive parents. We are always greeted by a welcoming party when we arrive at my parent's house in Fayetteville, my three younger siblings lining up to give us hugs. If there is one thing to be most thankful for, it is family--the family we were both brought up by and the family Natalie and I are creating together.

- Luke & natalie

no. 7: planting for spring

hello, dear friends!
we got in from a week of traveling yesterday & only wanted to unpack, read a few more pages of {the history of love} together, & hit the hay. we hope you had a lovely thanksgiving! ours was filled with lots of company, family & friends, good food, lots of love, & many naps.


before the holidays, we managed to fit in a bit of planting. we spent the earlier part of the week with luke's brother, joel, who helped us dig up the earth, & plant a bit of new life... a variety of daffodiles & blue bells.

we'd like to give you a little tutorial on how to plant & take care of bulbs. we hope you'll enjoy!

1. gather all your tools
you will need...
+bulbs (you can find these at most gardening stores or farmers markets)
+hand-shovel or regular shovel
+ nutrient-rich soil (compost) to mix in with the dirt already present
+gardening gloves (unless you're the type who likes to get their hands dirty!)

2. you're probably wondering about this nutrient-rich soil...
unless you have a compost nearby like we do, you can buy a truck-load of compost from most cities or a bag of nutrient-rich soil/gardening soil from most gardening centers. it is important to fertilize the present soil with new, rich soil in order to better feed your bulbs & also provide drainage. if you don't have a compost pile, i'd recommend you trying it out! you can learn about composting {here}. if you do not have an outside area for composting, try {this} method... unless you're not into worms.

3. alternative places to plant
if you do not have a place to plant your bulbs, you can also plant them in pots! they'll do just fine! make sure to only plant one or two bulbs per pot. although terra cotta pots are pretty, they can sometimes crack in cold weather. we have never had this happen, but others recommend against them. if you do decide to go the pot route, do not bring your pot inside. just like outside bulbs, potted bulbs need the chill in order to bloom in the spring.

3. dig, baby, dig!
once you have spotted out the place where you'd like to plant, dig a hole that is twice the size of your bulbs. place the bulb facing up.

4. bury the bulb
once you have placed the bulb facing up, mix half compost/half soil & cover the bulb. make sure it is not compacted.

5. water your new friends!
make sure to thoroughly water your bulbs until the mound of water is soaked.

important tips
once we finished, we covered our planted bulbs with dried leaves. hay is also a good cover to use.
it is important to plant soon so that your bulbs have enough time to sit before spring!
so get outside & enjoy the warmer temperatures while they last!

-Luke + natalie