Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Venus

S just recently discovered that the plant on our window sill, the one I've had since way before he was born, is a carnivorous plant. It's a pitcher plant, Sarracenia purpurea, and my love for this plant goes back to childhood. My great-uncle Phil took me for a walk in the woods behind his home in Maine to see a patch of Pitcher Plants. I examined the contents, the bugs lured into it's soupy interior. I was smitten.

Many years later I began growing them on my window sill in Manhattan. At one time, I had 2 varieties of pitchers, a Fly Trap that flowered several times, and a Sundew.

The latter died when we moved.

When I told S about my former Fly Traps, he went wild!. I immediately called our local nursery and put in a request. A few days later, we received a call and went to pick up our son's first fly trap. S spent a good part of the day examining this plant - completely freaked out about the bug eating bit. He looked at it closely with a magnifying glass, and I showed him the trigger hairs.
















Later he drew he this picture!


I love his creative spelling!
Yesterday I took S on a long walk outdoors and he had NO reaction to the pollen! I'm so grateful and so happy for him. The smell of freshly cut grass and flowering trees were enough to make one swoon, but the highlight of pushing him in the stroller for 4.56 miles was the little fluffy yellow gosling that crossed our path and the first caterpillar of the season, whom he named, Gloria.

Gloria:
[Middle English, from Late Latin Glōria , from Latin glōria , glory .]


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posted by Wendy at 5:19 AM 3 comments

Monday, April 26, 2010

Most Alive Monday: Let Us Bless the Air

Air: source of breath
That enables flowers to flourish,
And calls the dark, rooted trees
To ascend into blossom....
In the name of the air,
The breeze,
And the wind,
May our souls
Stay in rhythm
With eternal
Breath. - John O'Donohue


One trip to the allergist & an unpleasant skin test to find a way to manage seasonal suffering for S. One trip to urgent care for acute allergic asthma attack and an Rx for oral steroid to help him breathe. One set of gymnastic rings anchored to the ceiling of the spare room. And 6 days of steroid induced hyperactivity.

Three tickets to see How to Train Your Dragon with friends and post show Yogenfruz with our two wee "dragons" roaring at passersby.

The fireflies have emerged. Soon they'll be lighting the air like a blessing.

*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.

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posted by Wendy at 5:56 AM 1 comments

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

May Your Song Always Be Sung

May your heart always be joyful
May your song always be sung - Bob Dylan


S doesn't like to get his hands sticky. This is a manifestation of his SPD. He LOVES to make things so I tried to come up with a season related craft that would entice him to get sticky.

Last year at this time we made a woolly nest with yarn and felted eggs to celebrate the return of the Robins. This year I saw a brown paper bag nest and decided to give it a whirl. After the nest dried, we painted some paper maché eggs. We love it so much, that it is now the Spring/Summer centerpiece on our table.

S tolerated the stickiness, but immediately ran to the sink to wash his hands the moment we were finished.

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posted by Wendy at 5:56 AM 2 comments

Monday, April 19, 2010

Most Alive Monday: Time Travel

Loving Springtime and all the fun happenings. We went to Colvin Mill to watch them grind wheat into flour the old fashioned way.
There was a Colonial Camp reenactment: peeps wearing some seriously uncomfortable clothing, shooting muskets and spinning wool into yarn.

A little cherub challenged me to a game of Graces and we had a fine time of it. I imagine that this game was invented by a child who made off with his/her mum's knitting needles and embroidery hoop. I'm going to have to make this game for S.

The highlight of the afternoon was the trip to the general store and deciding which piece of old fashioned stick candy we would try. We chose Cherry-Cola.

*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.

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posted by Wendy at 5:50 AM 1 comments

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

hand wash cold

Once again I'm deeply moved by Karen Maezen Miller. I read her first book when my son was a wee babe and I loved it so much that I begged her for a Mom to Mom interview. Her new book, "hand wash cold: care instructions for an ordinary life" is equally magnificent. In this book, Karen shares more about her life and the path that lead her to becoming a Buddhist priest while unveiling the deeper meaning in seemingly ordinary moments. Her personal life lessons are beautifully transformed into teachings. With tenderness, humor and wisdom, Karen illustrates that happiness can't be found in constantly reaching for the next rung, but by turning to look at the view right where you are.

"Happiness is simple", she writes, "Everything we do to find it is complicated."

How can something so gentle be so powerful?

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posted by Wendy at 5:30 AM 1 comments

Monday, April 12, 2010

Most Alive Monday: Ladybug Picnic

Scenes from our annual ladybug release...



















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posted by Wendy at 5:06 AM 3 comments

Wednesday, April 07, 2010

Believe in Magic!

“And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.” - Roald Dahl

And the winner of the Life is a Verb giveaway is...


Honey!

Please send me your snail mail to wendyatwendycookdotcom
so I can send you this book. Unclaimed giveaways get donated locally at the end of the month.

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posted by Wendy at 5:27 AM 1 comments

Monday, April 05, 2010

Most Alive Monday: Make a Joyful Noise

And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music. - Friedrich Nietzsche.


For some time, I've wanted to make a banging wall for S, but I didn't think it would go over well with the neighbors. Last week I saw this tutorial on how to construct one of those giant xylophones seen in children's museums. So, we went to Home Depot after lunch, and my husband, The Great Robinsky, whipped it up in no time flat.

It's fabulous and sounds lovely!

He cut one dowel in half to create two short sticks and left one dowel long so the wee folk can hit the high notes. I added a rubber cap to the sticks to soften the tone for the neighbors.

We hung it on a tree in the corner of the front yard nearest the trail so wandering kidlets (or kids at heart) can tap a tune whenever they want to. Now I would like to add a wind feature to the music tree, perhaps some chimes.

I'm totally obsessed with Wind Harps and want to make one or at least go see/hear one. And we're looking forward to seeing Billy Jonas again this summer! As you know, we are huge fans.


*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.

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posted by Wendy at 5:34 AM 2 comments

Sunday, April 04, 2010

Happy Easter Past and Present!

Easter Past circa 1960something

















Some bunnies on our mantel...



















Our eggs came out sort of psychedelic! I'm not a big egg eater, but I think I can eat almost anything if it's covered in smoked paprika...



























Our wee boy awoke quite early to see what treats were in his basket and to hunt for his felted eggs that the Easter Bunny filled with sugary sweetness then hid in all sorts of silly places. This year, the woodland creatures brought some nifty treats...


A peek at more Easter's Past HERE and HERE!

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posted by Wendy at 7:09 AM 0 comments

Friday, April 02, 2010

Imagine Yourself as this Woman

"Imagine a woman who believes it is right and good she is a woman.
A woman who honors her experience and tells her stories."
- Patricia Lynn Reilly

I read Patricia's book, "Imagine a Woman In Love with Herself" when it first appeared in book stores in 1999 and have gone back to it many times when I felt I needed to lean on those words. Over the years that followed, I read all of her books and found them to powerful tools for transformation. Her Poem, Imagine a Woman, has become my mantra over the years. When I became pregnant with first and only child, I purchased two sets of postcards, Imagine a Woman and Imagine a Mother to give as thank you cards at our Blessingway. I didn't want to send traditional thank you cards that would merely end up in the trash. This proved to be a powerful way to give thanks and I can't tell you how many phone calls I received about those cards which are now pinned to the refrigerators, vision boards, desk tops and bedside tables of all my friends. I am honored to be one of the many women celebrating the anniversary of Patricia's remarkable poem that sings to the soul of the feminine spirit.

Since 1995, the "Imagine a Woman" poem has circled the globe, inspiring books, screenplays, videos, life transitions, professional portfolios, ministries, coaching practices, relationships, virtual communities, social networks, and organizational missions. This year Imagine a Woman International is celebrating the poem's 15th year anniversary with a new website and new programs and opportunities for personal growth and professional enhancement. You're invited to the "Imagine a Woman" poem's 15th Birthday Party TODAY APRIL 2 at Imagine a Woman International. We'll be partying all day so get your party clothes on, invite your friends, and come on over.

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posted by Wendy at 7:33 AM 0 comments

Thursday, April 01, 2010

April Fools

We come from a long legacy of highly creative, and very funny people.

This is my grandpa, Lenny. Why is he smiling?


Because he discovered that the doorbell to the renovated carport still worked.












This is my grandma, Mary. Why is she NOT smiling?




Because she just spent the last hour opening the front door every 10 minutes.




I'm not joking, I remember when these photos were taken.




May your day be happy and full of mischief!

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posted by Wendy at 5:49 AM 0 comments