Most Alive Monday: Pear Share

Satchel is just wild about his friend R. He was even willing to share his extremely juicy pear with her. THAT is how much he adores her.

(Photo taken by PK Dews)

And seeing Satch flying his kite over at Ikea Hacker was a real treat!
*About Most Alive Monday: I've decided to make at least one "most alive choice" each day and post my favorite each Monday. This, of course, is to motivate me to consciously "live juicy"! I hope you'll join me and share your "most alive moment" in the comments section so we may inspire each other.

Where Women Create

I have bracelet orders to fill which is timely as we're saving for Squam. Robert took Satch next door to our neighbor's house to see her coy pond while I finished working on the bracelets. My studio still isn't completely together and I had to search through a box to find my sandpaper. There are a small piles of things on my desk that need to be sorted and put away. There are still a few boxes in the closet. It's getting there though....little by little it's starting to feel like home. I finally got around to wiring the sound system last eve so now we can dance with wild abandon.

When setting up my work space, I refer to this book for inspiration. Some of the studios in this book are so cool, I just have to sigh.

How about sharing pics of your work space?

Have a good weekend!

The Breaks

A neighbor took a shortcut along the side of our home, through our back yard and trampled one of our foxgloves. He came back a second time and ran over it with his gas grill. I don't know if the plant is going to survive. I talked to our landlord about the property line and our garden is not in common area which is far beyond where this fellow was walking.


(The backyard which was formerly mud is now green. The grass seed grew, the flowers, pumpkins and gourds are beginning to grow).

So, Satch and I went in search of some fallen branches...some Y shaped and some straight. I hammered the Y shaped branches into the ground to create posts for a rustic twig garden fence to protect our seedlings from any potential "short cuts".


I gave Satch a rubber mallet to "help" and he walked straight over to the clay bowl that we use to feed chipmunks and other creatures.... and whacked it.


(WHY?!?!)

I showed him the huge crack and explained that it will eventually split in half and when it does we will no longer have a bowl for acorns to feed the critters. He was apologetic, and I tried not to be too angry about it because at that very moment I remembered the time I shot out one of the garage windows with my slingshot.

Soft Rain and a Basket of Imagination

"and the soft rain-
imagine! imagine!
the long and wondrous journeys
still to be ours." - Mary Oliver

Well, I couldn't think of a better way to celebrate the solstice last Friday than to make sun tea. We made a strawberry herbal tea. Satch was very excited by the whole idea and kept checking the color. "It's turning red!", he yelled with delight.

And the summer is now officially magical as the fireflies have just arrived! Satch squealed with excitement when I brought him to the window. We ran outside in the evening and caught one to look at closely and gently. Then it began to rain. It wasn't a soft rain, it was the large and juicy grape sized drops that I've mentioned before. We ran inside and I decided to fill a little basket with activity cards. Well it's not a basket really, it's a hot air balloon lamp that I made for Satch on Sunday. It hangs in our living room/play area. I used a Chinese paper lantern for the balloon and made some wire loops on the corners of a little basket. Then I knotted bits of cord through the hoops and around the inner wire bar of the lantern.

On rainy days, when we run out of ideas, we will pick an activity card from the basket and give it a whirl...

I used three packs from the Lynn Gordon series:

52 Rainy Day Activities - AH, String Spider Webs, now that looks like fun! Perfect for the garden!

52 Amazing Science Experiments - I can't wait 'til he picks the Grape Blast Off experiment because I'm all about launching things and what could be more fun than flying grapes, right?!?! Let us not forget about the catapult we made.

52 Activities for you and your Toddler - a bunch of standard sillies that I totally forgot about until I opened this pack.

Another series that we're diggin' right now is the Mudpies Series by Nancy Blakey.

The Mudpies Book of Boredom Busters - When I was searching for solstice ideas, it was this book that reminded me about the sun tea. It was like one of those V8 commercials wherein I bopped myself on the head and said, "OH...we should make sun tea"!

Lotions, Potions, and Slime: Mudpies and More - A recipe for sidewalk paint...need I say more!


And I've just introduced Satch to the classic game, Go Fish, with some minor adjustments for his age. eeBoo has a lovely set. The card stock is nice and thick and it comes in a sturdy drawer style box.


eeBoo also has charming Animal Rummy cards for ages 5 and up! It was one of my favorite games when I was a wee and I look forward to playing it with Satch when he's a bit older.

It's early morning and the chipmunks are already running about. I can hear them chattering as I peck out these few words. The birds have started their sun salutations. It occurred to me recently, when I was watching the brown bunny, that I haven't heard a whippoorwill or a bobwhite since my childhood. I was talking to my mom about this recently and she said that she hasn't heard any either and the bunnies and the deer have disappeared with the onset of the suburban sprawl. I haven't seen any toads and there used to be so many. I can't stop thinking about these things as I finish the last few sips of my coffee. My wee boy is about to awaken and the wondrous journey will begin again. Imagine...Imagine.

Most Alive Monday: First Flight

With tuppence for paper and strings
You can have your own set of wings
With your feet on the ground
You're a bird in a flight
With your fist holding tight
To the string of your kite - Robert B. Sherman (Mary Poppins)














I made a couple of kites for R and Satch that I found on Crafty Crow. I've made all sorts of kites in the past, but I really wanted to test drive this one because it's simple enough for a child to make and I didn't need to run out of the house to buy any supplies. I used:

• construction paper
• scotch tape
• bamboo skewers (from the pack left over from Satchel's birthday melon ship)
• an old ikea bag
• baker's twine for two reasons A- because it's light and soft and I've been cut on kite string too many times and B - because I have so much baker's twine that I might not be able to use it all in my lifetime (so if you need any just let me know)
• a small twig for which to wind the string upon

Well, as you can see it was a wild success!

Later the dynamic duo (center) did some flying of a different sort on a swing set located in a patch of clover.

This is the gorgeous view from the playground (sigh).





















All together now..."Lets go fly a kite and send it soaring!" *About Most Alive Monday: I've decided to make at least one "most alive choice" each day and post my favorite each Monday. This, of course, is to motivate me to consciously "live juicy"! I hope you'll join me and share your "most alive moment" in the comments section so we may inspire each other.

Ladybug Picnic

"Mama, yook...it's a Dada ladybug with a tiiiiiiiiiiiiiiny little car" - Satch

While I did some work in the garden, Satch and his Dada released a bunch ladybugs that we picked up at Wolftrap Nursery. They went right to work looking for aphids and other yummy ladybug snacks. Video at the bottom of this post!

The camera continues to work sporadically, but I hope to get photos as the garden fills out and our nest is completely feathered.

I built a garden teepee for satch to play in with all sorts of flowering vines and beans that are now only 2 feet tall, but will soon grow into a flowering fort - instructions and inspirations: here, here and here!

In the back yard, I created a natural border of wild flowers, pumpkins and gourds. The pumpkin plants are growing quickly, but the wild flowers are having a tough time of it. A fellow freecycler gave me some wonderful plants: a black raspberry bush, chocolate mint, tall verbena, echinacea, pennyroyal, navelwort, chives, apricot violets and a ton of vinca to line the path that runs along the side of the house to the garden in back. (Thanks Robin)

My gardening inspiration is from Sharon Lovejoy's books, one of which I received at Satchel's blessingway 3 years ago. Click on the book covers for links...

and you'll wanting to sink your hand into some soil soon after.

Have a good weekend and happy solstice!

Summer Solstice Mondo List

"The Whippoorwill, Wednesday, with wings to fly
Four times the sun moves across the sky"
- Seven Time the Sun: Guiding Your Child through the Rhythms of the Day

Our Praying Mantis egg case arrived yesterday and Satch hung it on a shrub in the yard. In two weeks approx. 300 baby mantids should emerge. Satch is convinced he hears it hatching.

In celebration of the upcoming summer solstice which marks the official first day of summer, I offer you the mondo list of what we've been reading and playing with.....


I love toys that allow children to explore their world in new ways. Well, Satch and I had the pleasure of playing with the GeoSafari SeaScope by Educational Insights. It's a 4x telescope than can be used to see below the surface of streams and ponds OR on land (for watching birds or playing pirates - Yo Ho Ho!) . Oh what fun!

Tar Beach is an exquisite book by artist, Faith Ringgold. The gorgeous images are from her story quilt. A work of art transformed into a story! "If one can anyone can...all you gotta do is try".

The Salamander Room is one of Satchel's favorite bedtime books. Beautiful illustrations and magical imaginings! Salamanders are one of Satchel's favorite creatures and he's very good at finding them.

Little Hoot is a sweet book which can also be found in our bedtime book basket beside our bed. It's a story about a wee owl who would like to go bed early for a change. I just adore the illustrations by Jen Corace.

Another book that makes our bedtime fun is Constellations , a glow in the dark guide. We put some glow in the dark stars on the bedroom ceiling too, but my sense of direction got all wonky and I put Libra on the wrong side - DRATS!

About Birds is a delightful children's guide that offers a peek into the world of our feathered friends. We hope to get a closer look as Satchel received a window nesting box for this birthday from his Grands!

Lifetimes is an unusual and interesting book that introduces children to a few of nature's shortest and longest lifetimes. It fosters an appreciation for nature and the cycle of life. Did you know that the lifetime of an earthworm is 6 years? Lifetimes won Learning Magazine's Teachers Choice Award.

The Dandelion Seed is very moving. It's the story of a dandelion, but the message runs far deeper than it's roots...the more you see, the smaller you will feel.

We're enjoying reading about Places of Power, beauty and wisdom according to Native American tradition as told by Native American and conservationist, Michael DeMunn. This ABA Award winner is spiritual and thought provoking and we love it!

Wave is a wordless wonder by artist, Suzy Lee. A story that makes Satch giggle every time!


Fireflies! The story - a classic! The message, the illustrations - magical!



The Kids' Guide to First Aid is a wonderful guide to teach children about the bruises, bumps, burns and stings that often comes with summer fun!

This summer we're going to learn how to read the sky and predict the weather with this fun book!


Satchel's dada is a bit of a weather buff so we're learning all there is to know about the clouds with The Kids' Book of Clouds and Sky.


Explore the world after dark with Night Science for Kids, build a bat house and talk to fireflies! I'm definitely trying the firefly experiment with Satch.

Festivals Family and Food is becoming a dog-eared companion. Not everything in it resonates with me, but it's packed with wonderful ideas to celebrate the seasons...some of which has sparked ideas to create our own family celebrations.

I've adored Lynne Franks ever since her "Seed Handbook" and now she's published this wonderful journal, "Bloom!".

The Very Biggest Caterpillar Ever!

"All things are connected." - Chief Seattle















We had a visit from an ENORMOUS caterpillar!

Satch said, " It's a Dada...SEE, it has whiskers!"

Most Alive Monday: Flutter

"So this is how you swim inward.
So this is how you flow outwards.
So this is how you pray." - Mary Oliver


*About Most Alive Monday: I've decided to make at least one "most alive choice" each day and post my favorite each Monday. This, of course, is to motivate me to consciously "live juicy"! I hope you'll join me and share your "most alive moment" in the comments section so we may inspire each other.

Aaaaaaand Scene!

Our former neighbor, a sweet and imaginative boy, LOVES "Star Wars" and will talk about it a great length to anyone who will listen. So, naturally Satch was curious to know what all the fuss was about. I played a few of the non-violent scenes from the film that included C-3PO and Artoo Detoo and he was hooked.

Early in the morning, still in pajamas, I was unpacking and organizing the art studio (pictures soon - if camera cooperates), and Satch grabbed two large wooden buttons that hang on the wall, put them to his head and pretended to be Princess Leah (whose hair he found quite funny). He was trying to remember the line, "Help me, Obi Wan Kanobi, you're my only hope". It was the perfect way to start the day! (clip below)



Have a good weekend, everyone!

Riding Out the Storm

"But this much I have learned,
if not enough else—
to live with my eyes open" - Mary Oliver (In the Storm)

Last week a wacky storm blew through suddenly. Robert called from work and said, "Take Satch down to the basement, there is a tornado warning". My heart started pounding because he is a bit of a weather buff and soon after his statement it began to rain sideways. I clipped the phone to my pants, grabbed Satch and carried him to the basement where he immediately began examining all the cardboard boxes that either needed to be unpacked or broken down. I ran upstairs to get snacks, water, toys, books, diaper bag, blanket and our two cats. The cats set out to explore the cellar while Satch and I hunkered down in an interior storage closet which I quickly set up in a playful manner. I told Satch we were going to pretend it's an office like Dada's and he yelled, "Dat be fun!"

While we waited for the warning to be lifted, we played with this learning laptop by V-Tech. A little monkey presented us with a letter and we had to find it's match on the keyboard. It features a wide variety of games which include language, math and music. As you know, I'm not a big fan of electronic toys, but I do believe in balance and moderation as, like it or not, we live in a high tech world of gadgets and gizmos.

We did some drawing in another gorgeous Taro Gomi book entitled, "Squiggles". The Taro Gomi books are EXACTLY the kind of coloring books I wish I had when I was a kid. Highly imaginative, HUGE, and the paper is excellent quality.

AND we read two new books:

Wild Fibonacci! The whole Fibonacci thing just blows my mind and what a wonderful way to introduce this mysterious code of nature to children.

Frog Girl is a beautiful book with a beautiful message - respect for nature, interconnectedness, and caring for the creatures of our earth.

When the warning was lifted we went back upstairs. Satch napped, and I made it a goal to finish organizing that basement into a kid-friendly stormy day play area. One of the closets will be for storm related pantry items so that we don't have to scramble to gather things in the rare event of another tornado warning. The deeper storage closet will remain empty except for a bucket of crayons, a toy, some books and a blanket - should we ever need to play "office" again.

Most Alive Monday: Remedy

"You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation." - Plato

Robert switched his OT day to Sunday in order to take Satch to Port Discovery Children's Museum as a remedy for moving madness...

when he notified me of said change on Friday, I called him at work and Satch and I sang,

"I love you more today than yesterday but not as much as tomorrow"!

The museum was great fun! We were joined by his adorable little friend, R. Satch really enjoyed the Wonders of Water room where he and his Dada tried to hoist a giant bubble ring over their heads.













He also really loved operating the robot arm.

Check out that amazing, multi-story climbing thing in the background! I look forward to climbing with Satch when he's a tad older.

Afterwards, we all went to Ze Mean Bean for some yummy pierogi. Satch and R got silly on the sofa.

(Meanwhile the camera works sporadically.)
*About Most Alive Monday: I've decided to make at least one "most alive choice" each day and post my favorite each Monday. This, of course, is to motivate me to consciously "live juicy"! I hope you'll join me and share your "most alive moment" in the comments section so we may inspire each other.

Why?

The whys have begun, but not in the way that I had imagined, i.e. why is the sky blue etc.

"Mama...
why yo' boobies hang down like that?"

Motherhood
and
gravity
are
equally
grounding.

Have a good weekend, everyone!

A Metaphor for Motherhood and Moving

I was standing right next to this great man the day he told a pair of new parents, "If you feel like your world has been turned upside down it's because it has been". In the last three years this statement has come to mind more oft' than not because it's so darn true. Things I once thought of as important are no longer. Priorities have been shuffled. Satchel is on the top and I'm on the bottom seeing the world from a whole new, and sometimes dizzying, perspective.

I awoke in the middle of the night because my mental clip board would not stop tallying the things I still have to do. As I laid there trying hard not to think about the to-do list that roused me from slumber a storm, that my weather-buff husband predicted, made it's debut on cue. I'm certain that he was smirking in his sleep. I watched the tree tops above us sway while the rain pelted the house. The rains in the south are voluptuous rains, not at all like the sleek droplets in the north. Northern raindrops are often tamed by an umbrella. Southern raindrops make a mockery of that invention. They are the size of grapes....heavy, wet and VERY cold.

It was raining when we returned from our former flat yesterday where we retrieved some of the plants from our former garden. Only two of the Foxgloves that I planted last year had the courage to plant roots in the clay-like soil and I waited all year for these beauties to grow. Sadly, one broke in the car....the one that was blooming. Robert took Satch inside to make him dinner while I transplanted our flora in the rain. "This isn't the real rain", Robert warned, "the real storm will be here sometime in the middle of the night".

I laid there listening to the rain and thought about the little bird I rescued that afternoon and was thankful that I found it before the rains came as it would have surely drowned. I was planting pumpkins in the backyard when I heard Satch giggling behind me, "a birdie...a birdie", and I rather impatiently replied, "there's no birdie down there". "A birdie!", he persisted so I walked over to the basement window well and below the grate was a little bird. I apologized and thanked him for telling me. I lifted off the grate, jumped into the hole and reached for the bird. It opened it's mouth wide when I caught it and I thought it must be either very young or very hungry, but before I could ask Satch to find a worm, it jumped out of my hands and took off into the woods. I whacked my head on the bottom of the window climbing out of the hole and could not find the bird.

I fell back asleep for a short spell before waking again. I padded downstairs bleary-eyed, poured myself a mug of hot organic coffee and tried to think of which item I could scratch off my to-do list without waking Satch. Then I spotted a large wild rabbit eating clover in our front yard and decided to watch it instead. Last week I removed all the weeds, but left the clover with the hope of seeing some rabbits. The site of that brown bunny hopping and nibbling made me forget how tired I was. I named it "Thethuthinnang" and went back to my topsy-turvy world of motherhood and moving boxes.

The Tide

The tide of cardboard is beginning to ebb and we're beginning to see the hardwood shore. No longer wading in a waist high sea of moving boxes, we are now knee deep and feeling more grounded. In the meantime, I was able to upload a few photos from Grandma's (Nomah) visit and trip to Satchel's favorite haunt....the farm

Nine little piglets were born to mama Lucy which was perfect timing for this DELIGHTFUL AND CHARMING book, "The Story of Cherry the Pig"!


Now I must return to the unpacking and the soon-to-be waking boy.

Mom to Mom: Leslie Garrett

In my ongoing quest (or slow crawl) towards a greener life, I am often overwhelmed by it all. Vinyl shower curtains are clearly horrid as one can attest by the noxious odor produced by the carcinogenic off-gassing, but cotton gets moldy. Nylon isn't sustainable, but it's healthier, washable, doesn't mildew and lasts a LONG time.

It takes me forever to make a decision because I'm so bent on making a good choice. These decisions should be simple and not make my head spin, but research takes time and not all of us have the time because we're trying to keep our pips from scaling the kitchen counter.

Well, I found a mom who did the research!

Leslie Garrett is a National award-winning journalist and her new book, "The Virtuous Consumer" takes the guess-work out of going green in a well researched, highly organized guide.

Mom: Leslie
Of: Sophie (9); Spencer (7); Charlotte (5)
Where: Toronto, Canada
Site: Virtuous Consumer

1. In what ways has becoming a mother changed you?

Wow -- where do I start? Well, for one thing, my abdomen has sure changed. My breasts are decidedly less perky. And my brain suffers from early dementia. I used to remember my own phone number, for example. No...motherhood has changed me profoundly. It has made me much more conscious of "tomorrow" -- the tomorrow that this my children's future and how what we do today will affect that future dramatically. It has made me even more concerned about such issues as child poverty, sweatshops, exploitation, abuse. Becoming a mother has heightened my sense of responsibility to all children and to all other mothers -- to ensure that the world they live in isn't negatively impacted by my own actions.

2. What is one tip you would like to share about mothering?

It isn't for the faint of heart. It's a tough slog through heartache, hormones and the full range of human emotions. And that's just before breakfast. I wish I didn't take it quite so seriously...I wish I didn't view every issue as potentially life-altering. Sometimes we just aren't our best selves...it isn't necessarily indicative of some personality disorder. I know that intellectually but when my kids are calling each other stupid-head or saying they'd like to set the other on fire...I find it hard to not believe they'll grow up to be serial killers.

3. As a Mother and National Award-Winning Journalist, Author and Editor, how do you find time to juggle these passions?

When I became a parent, I knew that would always be my priority. I love my work and would feel incomplete without it. But I've always tried -- and usually even succeeded -- at a balance. Childcare has always been part-time until recently when my kids started school and I do MUCH of my work at night when the kids are asleep. I've never felt that I'm necessarily doing my kids any favours by being around so much -- it's more that spending time with them is such a privilege. And it's something that so quickly comes to an end when school starts. I've been lucky enough to have the financial means to only work part-time...and to be able to spend time with my kid while they still want to spend time with me.

4. While doing the research for your new book, "The Virtuous Consumer", what was the most surprising thing that you learned?

I learned that there is no-one looking out for the safety and health of us and our children. I'm shocked -- and disgusted by the cavalier attitude of companies that purport to offer products to make our lives "better" or our kids "healthier". And it's nothing more than toxic crap created to earn shareholders profits. Makes me crazy that more people don't know this. Mothers would be outraged -- and no-one wants to see what happens when outraged mothers go on a rampage! Mary Brune is one of the founders of MOMS (Making Our Milk Safe) who's working passionately to educate other mothers about how products and our environment affects our breast milk, hormones and our children's bodies. I admire her enormously. She's someone we should all be listening to.

5. There is an on-going debate right now about the virtues of eating strictly vegetarian as opposed to a local-organic omnivorous diet. Is there any substantial evidence to support the claim that eating locally raised organic meat is earth-friendlier than eating a vegetarian diet?

There was a recent study that showed a diet with less then 2 oz of locally-raised organic meat a day, along with plenty of organic produce was actually the healthiest diet for the planet. There is certainly farmland that isn't rich enough to support crops, but that could support animals. I'll try and find the link and send it to you...Oh - here it is: Researchers from Cornell have published a study that reopens the debate over whether it's better for the environment to be an omnivore or a vegetarian. According to the study, a low fat carnivore diet with a limited amount of meat, dairy and/or eggs is actually a more efficient use of the land. The explanation is relatively simple: if you are trying to sustainably produce the maximum amount of food nutrients on a plot of land, the high value soil is better suited for food plants, whereas low value land can create more food via grazing livestock or wild game than by planting crops. Researchers noted that the average modern meat eater consumes levels of meat and dairy that are nearly three times what would be considered "efficient". Although specific geographical areas may result in varying equations, the study's land analysis found that the amount of omnivore intake for environmental efficiency is 2 cooked ounces per day. That amounts to around the size of two decks of cards every three days.

6. What, in your opinion, is one simple change that families can make right now towards greener living?

Eat less processed food and more locally grown/organic produce. Then -- as a family -- prepare a wonderful meal to enjoy together. Sit down, eat, talk...and listen.

7. Lastly, what moves you, grounds you, fills your well?

My family. Watching my dogs play in the park with other dogs. Sailing on Lake Huron in my little Hobie Cat. Paying attention to the incredibly brilliant minds applying themselves to the world's problems. Acknowledging the incredible strength of people to overcome adversity.

Happy Birthday, Leslie!

*Most Alive Monday will resume next week!