Good morning, friends. I’m digging my parka and snowboots and Smartwool accessories out again over here – because after several downright hot days (the kids went to school in shorts and t-shirts; we hiked last weekend in shorts and t-shirts, too) we got about two inches of heavy, wet snow on Saturday morning. Around here, that’s significant. Even more significant: it’s not gone yet, although most of it is. Anyway, the snowfall meant a hasty reshuffling of weekend plans. I’d made appointments to take both kids for haircuts on Saturday morning, and in the afternoon Nugget was scheduled for a private ski lesson at an indoor ski center (I know!) – one of his birthday treats, since he turned seven (again, I know!!!!) on Friday. But the haircuts were clearly off, as they would have us driving forty minutes each way at the height of the bad weather, and the indoor ski center asked me to reschedule so they could release the instructor. So instead, Nugget spent all of Saturday playing his new Nintendo Switch and I don’t think he was mad about it. (In fact, I was the only one who went outside all day – for a long, delicious walk in the snow. If this was winter’s last hurrah of the year, I didn’t want to miss it.)

There was a lot of Switch playing on Sunday, too, but not exclusively – we had to put a stop to that. Swimming lessons broke up the day as usual, and then we bundled up and headed to our favorite, Riverbend Regional Park, for an afternoon hike. And then the birthday boy played more Nintendo. Well – he’d better not get used to it!

Reading. Pretty busy week in books! I finished up The Fairy Tale Girl on Tuesday and spent the rest of the workweek on Martha’s Vineyard, soaking up every beautifully handpainted and handlettered detail of Susan Branch’s story there. I finally ended the trilogy of her memoirs (The Fairy Tale Girl and Martha’s Vineyard: Isle of Dreams are books one and two, but I’d read the third, A Fine Romance, last year – I should re-read it, though, because it was a total delight) and moved on to the first book in Stephen Moss’s series of “biographies” focusing on British birds – The Robin: A Biography. Loved it, and flew through it (see what I did there?) and finally picked up this gorgeous new edition of Rosemary Sutcliff’s novel of Tudor London – The Armourer’s House. I’m about halfway through and really enjoying it, as I always enjoy Rosemary Sutcliff.

Watching. A little too much watching Nugget play Nintendo Switch! We’ll put the brakes on that. And some episodes of Gardener’s World, of course, and Despicable Me 3 on Sunday, to tempt Nugget away from the Switch.

Listening. I’ve been back on a podcast train. I recommended The Mom Hour to a newly pregnant mama last week, and then dove back into my stack of episodes myself.

Making. Progress on my Costa Rica photo book has stalled out, both because I have had less access to the family computer than usual, an especially busy week at work, and I missed the boat on a really substantial discount so the impetus to hurry up and get it done is no longer there. But I will get it done, soonish. I also made progress on Nugget’s scarf, and on my first pair of fingerless gloves. And a big dinner and birthday cake for the new seven-year-old!

Moving. The usual. Some running. Some Peloton classes. A few long walks, including one in the snow – which reminded me that my Sorel boots are warm but not up to three miles of tramping around the neighborhood.

Blogging. A post on reading in this season of life coming atcha on Wednesday, and back to Colorado on Friday. Check in with me then!

Loving. It turns out I am pretty good at Mario Kart. Who knew? I remember always finding Mario Kart difficult and frustrating – I was more of a Super Mario World kind of girl. But I’ve been playing Princess Peach and tearing up the track. It’s silly, but it’s fun to play a game with my little guy.

Asking. What are you reading this week?