Shifting gear.

A little too early, but very needed, I am now slowing my pace down considerably with regards to all the have-to-dos in my life. With a big baby onboard, a lot of energy is poured out; and yes, it is different to be pregnant with two kiddos from before, plus a job, plus a house, plus a farm. So after a few and very clear signals from this body of mine, I figured it was time to listen up and tune down.
I guess it's all about realizing that the world actually is capable of turning without me too - and that now, looking at the big picture, there's a whole little universe inside of my belly who is soon to come out here. And that takes some preparation, too.
I am relieved, tired, and very moved by it all.
Peace & love.

Making the most of it.

Last night I dreamt...

...not that somebody loved me (referring to the beautiful Smiths-song here), but that we had gone and bought ourselves two TIGERS. And not cute fluffy trusty little tiger cubs, but two full grown crazy tigers.
I was so scared. Mr. Payne wasn't, he treated them like any of our other animals, except they were fed with huge lumps of raw meat. (Whoa, maybe we fed them our lambs, or chickens, or calves!) I was completely certain that he would get eaten one day.
I know for sure that my husband will never want us to buy tigers for our farm, but I have to admit I am curious to see what destiny has in store for us now...
(Note: Superstitious me thought of the Chinese zodiac signs, and I'd forgotten, but Freja is born in the year of the Tiger. And yes, she is double trouble sometimes!)

Today:

At home, one of my days "off", the house is now emptied of humans except for me and the littleoneinthebelly. Loads of things on my to-do-list, but what I'd really like to do is sit down with my knitting and a cup of tea and listen to this amazingly groovy album. I might just do that.
The morning started off with dancing in the kitchen with my gals to some soul music, and I thought how easy it is to have fun with them, we have to do this more, and especially on dark winter mornings. Put your hair in a knot and dance! This album was the chosen one this time.
Plans for today are laundry, hoovering, computer work, walking the dog, sorting out the rubbish, shopping, picking up girls, pancakes. Pretty glamorous!
Wishing you all a good one!

Roadtrip with a purpose.

We got in the car and drove all the way up the valley, to the foot of the mountain, to a scenery we were this close to moving into permanently three years ago, I had a baby in my belly then too, we were on the brink of saying yes to a job up there. It is so wild, desolate and beautiful there, so few people, all forest and mountains and sky. I'm glad we stayed down south, and we were lucky enough to buy our farm here only a few months later.
This time we went north to bring somebody with us the other way, and this guy is not to be messed with: Meet (ram)Stein Brutus Reverud, the guy now responsible for expanding our little flock of sheep. He is three years old and I must say, very handsome. He's the same breed as our ewes, of the Norwegian spælsau.
He was a bit bummed out when I left for work this morning, alone there in his pen (he has to be alone for a couple of weeks before he can be let out with the ladies), but when I came back from work later on, he had solved his problem: First you knock your gate down with your mighty horns, and then you barge through the electric fence and into the field where all the sexy ladies are (including the cows). He looked pretty chuffed with himself!
Exciting times to come!

Sisterly love, in different shapes.

The era of arguing siblings has entered the house of Payne, and now I understand the frustration of my mum and all the other parents who tore their hair out in despair when war broke out at home. It really is heartbreaking, and so difficult to deal with. To be honest I'm a little surprised by it, because there is a bit of an age difference between the girls, but when the littlest one is as fierce and decisive and temperamental as ours, conflicts are bound to happen. She knows what she wants, and her big sister doesn't want her toes stepped on either (or her hair pulled, or getting whacked on the head with a hard object). Yes, there has been violence. And screaming. And crying.
So the question is; what to do? I've read that parents preferably should stay out of the conflict and let them sort it out themselves, and sometimes I've seen that it works. But sometimes my instincts just kick in, and I have to do something, interfere, explain, comfort, try to guide them, or separate them at worst.
I know I shouldn't worry, that it will pass, it's all in phases, that it's a natural part of their development. But it's still difficult, and strange, and frustrating. It even is a little bit fascinating, because suddenly, in a fight, as if someone swung a magic wand over their heads, they are the best of friends again, kiss, hug, make up, and it's all forgotten. Weirdos!

Hazy days.

...and not the lazy or crazy sorts, like in the song (because that's all about summer, remember?), but more monotonous - or at least monochromatic - than in a long time. I'm talking about my local outside environment here, because there's no doubt, November has set in. Like I wasn't sleepy enough from before.
Because of the little wonderful bully in my belly, I am working a little bit less at the moment (it's interesting to feel like an 85-year-old when I walk), so more time is spent at home, where I am supposed to be on the sofa with my feet up, but tend to spend the time working, cooking, cleaning, generally being the uppermost conscientious housewife that I am.
Woosh, that was a long sentence! 
Yoga, knitting and reflecting upon the coming birth will be in focus, I just have to do this-this-and-this first...
I'll start with looking at the trees a bit more, and sit in the field with the animals a bit longer every day. Oh, we had four beautiful deer grazing in the field today! That was a good time-out. Yawn.

Weekends + a must-see.

We tend to take things slowly at the weekends, and not make many plans at all. Usually we'll stay home on Saturday, play, be outside, bake, make dinner, my Dad often comes to help on the house, I'll listen to the radio all day, coffee is drunk, knitting is done, the girls will have a long bath, we'll eat chocolate together. In the evening, when the kids are asleep, we'll watch a film. This time it was the wonderful Patti Smith documentary Dream of life, which was made over ten years. It gives you an intimate look into the world of this fascinating, wise, strong and honest woman and it inspired me loads. Highly recommended! (The book she just wrote, Just kids, is amazing too.)
On Sundays we'll often go for a visit to someone.
Weekends are lovely, plain and simple.