Mother Rising

The Countdown begins

2012-01-19T14:15:00.001-05:00

Mother Rising

2011-12-30T11:55:00.002-05:00

I can't describe the funk I'm in. It's overwhelming because it has so many layers to it…

I have always seen journaling as a valuable tool in my life. I could go back to read entries and chart the course of my life….see my growth, see myself...in essence hold presence for myself. My journals have also been a source of healing…after 9/11, my journals were a safe place to store the unimaginable horrors I experienced so that I could free my mind and create more pleasant memories.

During my ivf process…my journals kept me focused and hopeful.

When I became a mom, I knew that my life would be different and that I would not have the time to create in the way I once did. My journal helped me train my eyes to see the sacred in the ordinary rather than be blindsided by the endless chores and lack of sleep. My journal helped me to shift my definition of creativity and discover that making a kite for my son can be as soulful as making a piece of art. Through journaling, I learned that creativity is a language with many dialects. My journal was not only a creative outlet and a tool for self discovery, but it also provided my son with a diary of his childhood.

Blogger was just the tool that I needed to quickly document our days. I called the diary, "Mother Rising" because I usually wrote upon waking and sleep was erratic in those early days.

My plan was to use blogger to create blog books/diaries for my son. I was only able to print Satchel's first year because my old mac was no longer compatible with their program. I needed to wait until we purchased a new mac and we weren't able to do that until a few weeks ago. My plan was to begin that process after the holidays…on Tuesday when Satch went to school. Once completed I would back up the blog since the new mac would be able to handle this task. I estimated that it would take a few months if I worked steadfast while my Son was in school. Unfortunately the photos disappeared before I was able to do this.

My plan was after finishing Satchel's blog books, I would focus on creating a book version of Mighty Girl Art as well as an e-course as this seems like the logical way to expand since taking more than 6-8 girls per session will greatly change the dynamics of a small, safe and sacred circle.

I launched Mighty Girl Art 3 yrs ago because I'm committed to being a present mom and I needed to wait until my son was ready and willing to separate from me to explore on his own. Three years ago he asked to go to "nature camp" which he heard about from a friend. It's a summer event that meets for 5 mornings at our local nature center. I knew that was the sign to launch MGA and that is what I did. I taught while he was at camp. I continue to plan my MGA sessions around the needs of my son. Trying to maintain that delicate balance of being fully present for my son and fully present for the girls I teach. Expanding MGA must be done with the same mindset.

I was just getting to the point where everything was falling into place. After 6 yrs of devotion and hard work I was beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. But now with the loss of all those photos, I feel very much like the tunnel has collapsed. Because I have to start all over and repair the damage to 6 years worth of living.

I received a message from Google that states the issue happened to a number of people during an upgrade to Google+...photos began migrating to phones and displayed publicly despite privacy setting and the like. In the panic, myself and others removed the photos and in turn they were deleted from the blog. They say that I have re-upload and synch 6 years worth of photos manually. I am not giving up hope that there is someone out there who can restore it somehow.

In the meantime, the first thing I will need to do is repair MGA because I don't want to disappoint those girls or the kindred spirits who sponsor their supplies and gifts. I don't know how long that will take.

The second thing I will need to do is try to fix my family diary/blog, "Mother Rising". My plan is not to start at the beginning, but to work backwards so I don't become too horribly depressed. I will not be repairing any book/product reviews or the "Mom to Mom" interviews. While I am grateful for the opportunities and the connections I've made by making my journals public, my blog has always been first and foremost, a family diary. So restoring that is my priority.

Lastly, once my family diary is repaired, I will need to slurp it into Blurb and print those yearly books for Satch. Before this crippling destruction of my blog, my plan was to have the blog books ready for my son's 7 birthday - this is no longer possible.

That said, after very little sleep and lots of sobbing:

I will not be taking on any new commitments, i.e. giveaways, reviews etc.

I will not be present on facebook, though new diary entries will continue to cross-post.

The reading/research for Mighty Girl Art that I've been working so hard on while Satch is in school, will now be limited to an hour of reading/research while eating my lunch.

I will be repairing 6 years worth of memories from 9 - 3 m-f.

I don't know how long any of this will take. Months? Years?

I crumple into a heap of tears at the thought of it. It's daunting and I feel like I'm buried alive.

Tears

2011-12-29T12:21:00.007-05:00

I naively began writing Mother Rising as a way to quickly create a diary for my son. I realized as a new mother that time was no longer my own, and blogger had provided me with an easy way to record our days in photos and words. I had no idea at that time that anyone other than family and friends would actually read it.

Over the years, Mother Rising has evolved and grown...it has become a treasure trove of resources, connections and useful information, i.e. interviews, product/book reviews etc. In essence, I've shared by life, my heart...in words and images that have spanned 6 years.

Over the holiday something very strange happened. All the photos from my blog appeared on my phone and I received a crash warning. I checked the accounts and did not find a change in settings so I removed the photos. Then all the photos from my blog, and Mighty Girl Art site disappeared too. The thumbnails in the linkwithin widgets remain, as do some videos, but all the photos are gone.

I spent the day sobbing and am utterly devastated. While I have my original photos on my drive it may take years to manually re-upload each photo to the respective posts, if I can actually remember where they go. I can not find contact info for blogger/google/picasa to restore and synch the photos. If you have such info, I would greatly appreciate it.

As of now, I will be spending my days trying to manually repair my Mighty Girl Art Site first. Then I will begin trying to repair my family diary entries because the thought of not having these diary entries intact for my son is heartbreaking.

Since this will take a great deal of my time, I will not be repairing my product/book reviews or interviews. I sincerely apologize for the loss of these linked images.

Sincerely,
Wendy

Seasons Greetings

2011-12-23T07:33:00.002-05:00

To our friends and family who inspire us daily....

May you awaken to the mystery of being here...
May you have joy and peace in the temple of your senses.
May you respond to the call of your gift and find the courage to follow its path.
May you take time to celebrate the quiet miracles that seek no attention.
May you experience each day as a sacred gift woven around the heart of wonder.

- John O'Donohue

Happy Holidays....See you next year!

Big Kids Magazine: A Treasure to Behold

2011-12-22T04:45:00.005-05:00

"Out there, there's a world outside Yonkers..."
- Jerry Herman (Put On Your Sunday Clothes)

We have fallen in love with Big Kids Magazine!

Recently they sent out a call for submissions (treasure maps) and I asked my son if he would like to submit his work. He had a few pieces that he made last year that would fit the criteria. He was both nervous and excited. I felt it would be a good experience for him. If his work was accepted it would be terrific for his self esteem - if it wasn't, I planned not to tell him unless he asked about it and then I would dig out some of my own rejection letters.

His work was accepted and now he's bouncing off the walls with excitement to see his work out there in the world. I promptly emailed his teacher and school principal with the news. I asked if there was some way to add it to the morning announcements. S is in first grade and not particularly fond of school. I felt that receiving some congrats at school may make his last day before winter break a memorable one. The principal emailed me straightaway and said she would get right to it.

This is the ripple effect that one rarely sees the outer edges of...and here I am watching it all unfold. I will never forget the look on my son's face. I will never forget how his friend A was so authentically happy for him and how the two boys stared at the screen wide eyed and smiling.

Thank you, Lilly and Jo, for the work that you do and for giving children a place for their art beyond the refrigerator door.

*Postscript: The principal was able to reach the tech guy who was able to get permissions from the site and had my son's art from the magazine on the all the video screens in the school during morning announcements. His teacher told me that the class cheered and S was smiling from ear to ear. The tech guy went to the class afterwards to see the reaction and said S was so happy. When I picked him up after school he said, "I had a great day at school today...they announced my artwork on the Big Kids Magazine website and showed pictures and everyone cheered". He will never forget this. I will never forget this. I'm so grateful for every bit of it.

Oh What Fun!

2011-12-21T12:38:00.005-05:00

Don't let the season pass by without seeing this play...

We received free passes to see Ken Ludwig's "Twas the Night Before Christmas" at Adventure Theater. If you've never been to Adventure Theater, let me tell you....there's not a bad seat in the house. It's small and intimate which fosters a strong connection between the audience and the performance.

The play opens with a reading of the famous Clement Clark Moore poem,

"Twas the night before Christmas,
When all through the house,
Not a creature was stirring,
not even a mouse"...

but it is interrupted by a mouse stirring cookie batter. The mouse argues that the poem is incorrect because we can plainly see that he is a mouse AND he is stirring. The audience was overcome with laughter.

We soon learn of a plot to steal Santa's Naughty & Nice list and we are whisked away on a wild and hilarious adventure to save Christmas. The acting is superb. The sets are lovely and simple. It's fast paced and funny and will keep children (and parents) laughing from start to finish.

‘TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS
November 18, 2011– January 2, 2012

A House of Welcome

2011-12-19T05:11:00.004-05:00

"May you have the eyes to see
That no visitor arrives without a gift
And no guest leaves without a blessing" - John O'Donohue

I present you with more evidence that I am the luckiest person on Earth...

On Saturday we hosted our Annual Winter Solstice Holiday Open House and the peeps flowed in and out of our home for 8 hrs straight. And I made my famous crock of vegetarian chili and guests brought treats of every variety and fires were toasty, and the friendships were too, and the children delightfully boisterous. I was so exhausted from the whole shebang that I did not have the energy to bring up the sun the following morn.

Here I must take you back in time in order to reveal the magic that is my life....

There was this extremely handsome teacher in my middle school whom I was smitten with. His name was David Hildreth and he had crazy curly hair. We were kindreds - we had that genius hair connection. David taught math in the classroom where I studied Spanish and that is how we met...passing each other in the doorway as his class left and my class entered. He was never one of my teachers. Anyway, David began leaving me messages in the classroom, always funny and often hidden. It was a dalliance that spanned an entire school year...until I switched schools.

One day David left me a cryptic message on graph paper and it was in the form of a math equation. Math is NOT my language. I carried it with me everywhere trying to decipher the code. I took it with me to a basket ball game - teachers vs teachers, I think. I sat in the bleachers trying to decode the message. My school chum Jeff sat beside me and helped.

I have known Jeff since childhood. He used to tie my shoes for me because I broke my right arm in two places when an unstable wall in my tree fort fell on me. I had a cast up to my shoulder. The only way I could tie my laces was to sit on the floor and bring my knees to my chest which was no small task in the crowded hallways of our school. So when Jeff would find me huddled trying to tie my sneakers, he would always lend a hand.

So there we were, not paying attention to the basketball game, but instead, trying to decode my message from David Hildreth. Eventually, we figured out that the equation was telling me where to place lines on the graph paper (brilliant) and by placing the lines in the right place, it spelled out a message...

T U R K E Y L E G S

I have no memory of this but Jeff swears that when we cracked the code I stood up in the bleachers and screamed

T U R K E Y L E G S ! ! !

and no one knew what was going on except for me, Jeff and David who at that precise moment looked up into the bleachers and smiled.

Flash forward to the present... Sunday morning:

Bleary eyed and with extreme genius bed head, I made some hot cocoa. Having just missed the sunrise, I headed for the computer to check my mail and visit my pals on facebook. And THAT is when I discovered that my old school chum Jeff went outside in his pajamas to photograph the sunrise in NY and posted it to my facebook page. I suppose he must have guessed that I would be too exhausted after my annual Winter Solstice party to bring up the sun proper. You can imagine my surprise and delight when I saw the sunrise on my screen.

And if you ever doubted that I am the luckiest person on Earth, this is further proof.

May you smile big for the knowing of this and may you feel as blessed as I do.

With Light & To Shine: Decking the Halls

2011-12-14T04:32:00.007-05:00

The light flows from their branches.
And they call again,
"It's simple," they say,
"and you too have come into the world to do this,
to go easy,
to be filled with light,
and to shine." ~ Mary Oliver

For our faraway family and friends, we wish you could cozy up by our fire...hope these images will make you feel as though you are here with us....

The Twelve Days of Christmas Garland that I made inspired by these. Behind each door is a to-do like "make hot cocoa", "go skating", "invite a neighbor to dinner"....

Shrinky dink ornaments from family photos of our ancestors...

felted wool ornaments we made years ago...and wooden shrooms...

a hawk feather that we found, ornament inspired by these...

a felty tweet from Fa la la la Felt...

a dragonfly ornament that I made ages ago...

The Seasonal Stack:

Return of the Light: 12 Tales for the Winter Solstice
Lights of Winter
Snow Music
When Winter Comes
The Snowy Day
The Shortest Day: Celebrating the Winter Solstice
Owl Moon
White Snow Bright Snow
The Big Snow
The Tomten
The Tomten and the Fox
The Mitten
December
The Snow Children
Snow
Christmas Farm
One Snowy Night
Polar Express
Santa Mouse
Snow Moon
Night Tree

And a basket o' boots and winter woolens...

a flurry on flannel sheets below a glittery reminder...

A bedside tree for my wee boy donned with miniature felted wool balls from Nepal. The bedside table is a tiny antique wooden stool that I found at a flea market in SoHo many years ago...

old vogs from the back of the closet glitzed with silvery paint (see gray issue of Nuno for instructions)....

our pine cone peace wreath is finished and donning our door...

I'm signing off to prepare for our 4th Annual Winter Solstice Party this weekend. We're participating in Pixie Campbell's Mother of All Releasing Ceremonies. I am proud to call her friend and we are all so thrilled to be participating.

We are also excited that our Snow Globes and feather ornaments were featured on The Crafty Crow!!!

Hints of Gladness

2011-12-12T04:49:00.002-05:00

"They give off such hints of gladness,
I would almost say that they save me,
and daily." - Mary Oliver

On Saturday, we hosted a Christmas-Craftapalooza! The neighborhood kidlets flooded the studio and joined my son in a morning of seasonal crafting! With holiday tunes spinning, we made paper mache' ornaments, rattle drums, and snow globes....

Then we dashed off to join more neighbors for a vegetarian feast at Woodlands. On the way home we stopped at the nursery to pick out our tree!

Bringing Up the Sun

2011-12-09T04:33:00.005-05:00

the sun

blazes
for everyone just
so joyfully
as it rises

under the lashes
of my own eyes, and I thought
I am so many!
What is my name?

What is the name
of the deep breath I would take
over and over
for all of us? Call it

whatever you want, it is
happiness, it is another one
of the ways to enter
fire.

~ Mary Oliver

He awoke early and padded down the stairs. "You're just in time", I said, "if you hurry and put your coat on you can see the sunrise before you get ready for school". He put on his coat and his shoes and we ran to the vista in our pajamas. We were out of breath, but made it in time.

"It's so beautiful", he squealed, "thank you for showing me".

We walked home elated, though a bit cold and soggy around the ankles from the wet grass. I made a warm breakfast and we sipped some hot cocoa.

"Mama...one way to bring up the sun is with music", he said.

Guerrilla Gratitude Notes

2011-12-08T05:11:00.006-05:00

Sprinkle our society with thankfulness. ~ William Shakespeare

After making the teacher gifts, I started thinking about all the others...like the principals, the janitors, the cafeteria crew, the crossing guard, the librarian and those that stand outside rain or shine to usher the kids at the kiss n' ride..and how about the mail carriers. I decided to make a set of business card sized gratitude notes to give thanks to everyone who makes our lives easier, wiser, safer, funner, healthier, fuller, etc. I will give a handful to my son to distribute at school while I go guerrilla and hit the post office, crossing guard, trash collector et al.

I used Overnight Prints for my cards because their printing is perfection and the prices are the best around! You can get 50 cards for under $10. And it's easy! Just download their business card template, add your photo and text...then follow the directions. Once they arrive in your mailbox, you can go spread your pocket sized bits of gratitude all over town!

Clarity of Light: Memory Ornaments

2011-12-07T04:30:00.002-05:00

"May the nourishment of the earth be yours,
may the clarity of light be yours,
may the fluency of the ocean be yours,
may the protection of the ancestors be yours." - John O'Donohue

I've been trying to think of ways we could honor our ancestors, elders (and especially departed family members) during the holiday season. I wanted to make something meaningful for my son that he could pass on to his own children one day. We sat down and looked at old photos and I shared as many memories as I could think of about. That gave me an idea! I decided to print the old photos onto shrink film and make Memory Ornaments!

Scan your photos
Print onto ink jet shrink film aka Shrinky Dinks.
Leave some white around it when you cut them out. Try deckle scissors.
Punch a hole in the top for hanging.
Write a sentiment, memory or the names of the people you are honoring on the back with Sharpie marker.
Bake in oven according to package.
Let cool.
Add a hook, string or ribbon and hang.

Snow Day: DIY Anthropologie Snowglobe

2011-12-05T04:17:00.013-05:00

Announced by all the trumpets of the sky,
Arrives the snow, and, driving o'er the fields,
Seems nowhere to alight: the whited air
Hides hills and woods, the river, and the heaven,
And veils the farmhouse at the garden's end.
The sled and traveler stopped, the courier's feet
Delayed, all friends shut out, the housemates sit
Around the radiant fireplace, enclosed
In a tumultuous privacy of storm. - Ralph Waldo Emerson

After the tree lighting ceremony in our town center, we took a walk through Anthropologie to gaze at all the eye candy. Satch really liked the mason jar snow globes so I promised him that we could make some for teacher gifts. They sell for $25-$38 - Holy Mother of Mark-Ups! They cost less than $5 to make! Here's how to do it...

First the mojo: The same exact jars can be purchased at Michaels or DollarTree for $1, but you can use any jar...try thrift stores or freecycle. The trees come in 2 packs for under $5 at Michaels or hobby shops. The sleds come in a 4 pack for under $3 at Michaels. As for the white snowy glitter, this huge can cost $5.99 and I had more than enough to make 4 mason jar globes and 3 spice jar globes.

1 - Hot glue your tchotchke to the inside of lid
*unless it's a glass lid with a wire thingy
2 - fill 1/4 of the jar with glittler
3 - close & give

Here's what we made...

*If you want to make the kind with liquid inside, just fill the jar with water, then add a little glycerin. The glycerin keeps the glitter from sticking to the glass so it floats around like snow. You can buy glycerin at your local drug store. Make sure to glue the cap on your jar though to keep it from leaking.

By the way...my Peace Sign Wreath made into Poppytalk...I'm so giddy!

I have another craft to share Wednesday...

This Breath: DIY Feather Ornaments

2011-12-02T04:45:00.004-05:00

"I have only this breath
and this presence for my wings
and they carry me" - David Whyte

I saw these lovely feather ornaments by Roost pop up in various stores and they made me do a little happy dance. They run approx. $12 each so I decided to try to make them myself with some of the feathers that I found on sidewalks, trails, and lawns over the years.

Fillable ornaments can be purchased in glass or acrylic at your local craft store for $1 - $3. They come in several sizes, but the shapes are limited. Just pop the cap off and slide a feather inside. I used annealed iron to make the hooks and a bit of hand dyed ribbon. They look like they're floating in bubbles and we love them.

This one cradles a downy breast feather from a hawk.

This one holds the feather of a goldfinch and a white winged dove.

I have another DIY to show you ~~tomorrow~~ Monday...

'Tis the Season: DIY Peace Sign Wreath

2011-12-01T05:35:00.012-05:00

“Now is the season to know that everything you do is sacred” - Hafez

I was never a wreath kind of girl. That is until I stumbled upon this one below which at the time was priced out of my league and at present is no longer being sold.

So I gathered some pine cones, sussed out a wreath form and wire from Maine Wreath Company and went to work. It's so easy that I wouldn't dare insult your intelligence with a tutorial. Just attach the pinecones to the form with wire...you can't mess it up.

It's not quite finished yet...I still have to add some small pinecones to make it a bit fuller, but you get the idea. The best thing about this wreath, besides its über coolness and awesome message, is when my neighbor walks by and flips me a peace sign and smiles.

I shot our holiday photo at one of my son's favorite farms. We couldn't decide which photo we liked best...

Satch chose this one below! So this is our 2011 holiday postcard!

Our photo calendars are printed and ready to send to faraway family. We used Overnight Prints for all our printing because the quality of their printing is superior to the others we've tried over the years, and the prices are better too!

And believe it or not, our Christmas shopping is finished too! We do our holiday shopping on-line to avoid all the madness, crowds and commercialism. I just have to wrap 'em and hide 'em until Santa arrives. Now it's time to start spinning the holiday tunes while decking the halls, do some fun holiday crafting and get ready for our annual Winter Solstice Party. I'll be sharing some more DIY holiday crafting tomorrow...

Holiday Gift Picks

2011-11-30T05:49:00.013-05:00

Brown paper packages tied up with strings
These are a few of my favorite things....

It's that time of year when we share our gift picks for 2011. Each year we like to highlight gifts that are creative, imaginative, and inspiring. We are certain that they bring joy to the wee folks in your life. Our selections are geared towards children in my son's age bracket, if you are looking for gift ideas for younger children, you can look back at my archived lists. They are as wonderful today as they were when I posted them.

Lets Make Some Great Art by Marion Deuchars! This a wonderfully imaginative coloring book full of creativity prompts for drawing, painting, cutting, and pasting for artists of ALL ages!!! A perfect boredom buster for harsh weather days or long car rides. Highly recommend!

How to draw a simple bird from Marion Deuchars

Each holiday we add a few more picture books to our seasonal book basket, this year we recommend the following beautifully illustrated and inspiring wintry tales...

Snow Moon by Nicholas Brunelle

Night Tree by Eve Bunting

Snowflake Bentley by Jaqueline Briggs Martin

For the inventors in the family, we recommend Snap Circuits! We discovered these beauties at the Smithsonian Museum and fell in love with them.

Some fun with squishy circuits here...and a TED talk to inspire you and your children...

We also love K'Nex! A building set that explores the use of pulleys & levers, wheels & axles and gears. A terrific alternative to legos.

A copy of the book, Simple Machines, would be a wonderful pairing gift with these sets.

For nature loving "unplugged" families, for mudpie mixing wild things, or the little potion making wizards in your life, we highly recommend Wildcraft, an extraordinary cooperative game that teaches edible and medicinal plants!

And we think "Walking the World in Wonder: A Children's Herbal" is the perfect book to go with it...

And speaking of all things herbal...we are WILD about these mini flower essence mists by Lotus Wei. You can split them up and give one to each person on your list. My son likes a spritz of Inner Peace before bedtime. He has SPD and he says that it helps him feel "less jumpy". I can't seem to get enough of Infinite Love and Inspired Action. I spritz my studio with Joy Juice before teaching Mighty Girl Art and the atmosphere is always joyful.

And for stocking stuffers, we like...

Glow in the dark ceiling stars...

Wacky Wall Walkers

Fascinating Geodes to break open! You can buy them by the box and drop one into each stocking.

Holiday Smencils are a delightful gift for sensory kids...

Candy Cane flavored Pop Rocks are another awesome sensory treat!

Reindeer by Wild Safari

Why I Wake Early

2011-11-29T05:32:00.003-05:00

“There is room in the human heart for all the divinities.” - Isabel Allende

this morning in the dark
while everyone was sleeping,
i ran out to the vista in my pajamas.
i sang up the sun, joined
by a robin and a chickadee.
the sky applauded.
i tiptoed back in the house
with cold, wet feet
and a warm, grateful heart.

Ordinary Magic

2011-11-28T05:05:00.002-05:00

“She sowed in my mind the idea that reality is not only what we see on the surface; it has a magical dimension as well and, if we so desire, it is legitimate to enhance it and color it to make our journey through life less trying.” ― Isabel Allende

There was a power outage so we ordered a pizza, ate dinner by candlelight and burned some java logs in the fireplace.

There was a vegetarian Thanksgiving Feast with dear friends.

There was a magical holiday parade with balloons...

and unicycles...

and hoopers...

and horns...

and Santa!

"Mama", he said, "my favorite part of the parade was when you yelled, WALKIE TALKIES FOR SATCH, to Santa...and I think he was the real Santa too!"

What more is there to say?

2011-11-18T10:58:00.002-05:00

Satch November 2011

Thinkering

2011-11-14T05:33:00.003-05:00

Think left and think right and think low and think high.
Oh, the thinks you can think up if only you try! ~Dr. Seuss

LEGO family day at the Smithsonian is Nirvana for Satch...

It was surprisingly quiet in the Luce with all the thinkering and tinkering, imagining and inventing.

During our stroll through the museum, Satch was drawn to Nam June Paik's piece. "LOOK at THAT" he exclaimed.

Later, I told him how I met Nam June and what a character he was. How he invited me to his reception at the Guggenheim. How I practiced saying congratulations in his native language. It sounds like "choook hah hop nee dah", I said, "and I remember how he hugged me for that. I remember his laugh".

For a moment, I felt as though Nam June was standing right behind us and as my son looked at me with wide eyed rapt, I imagined I heard a distinct laugh.

Before we left, Satch spotted a guest book on a stand near the wall and decided to draw a picture in it instead of writing his name.

Feeling inspired by the magnificent art, the following day Satch went to work on a painting in my studio. "Mama", he said, "scan this and give a copy to the art museum, but keep the original, okay?"

Accept All Happiness

2011-11-11T05:02:00.001-05:00

"I listen closer,
I find its purpose and place
up there toward the November sky."
- Walt Whitman (Leaves of Grass)

The Great Robinsky left for work very early, so that he could be home before dark to take his boy fishing.

Catch and release with a bamboo pole...

13 Bluegills and one beaming little boy.

We returned home to find a message scrawled on our sidewalk with pink chalk. Friends came by to play while he was out following his latest bliss.

DARE

2011-11-03T10:18:00.003-04:00

About a year or so ago, I was having recurrent wolf dreams so a friend sent me this video. I recently lost the link and was heartbroken as neither of us could remember the source of the vid. Today a kindred spirit posted it on fb, and I tracked it back to the source where they offer a download option to this beautiful, soulful, artful ad for SAGA Falabella.

An All Hallows Eve Ball

2011-11-01T05:07:00.004-04:00

"Now is the time to free the heart
Let all intentions and worries stop,
Free the joy inside the self,
Awaken to the wonder of your life." - John O'Donohue

It began with carving. This was the first year S did the carving.

His carving looked exactly like his drawing, but a snackish squirrel chewed away some of the mouth. Naughty squirrel!

A snow pumpkin from the flurry on Saturday.

We hung the papel picado that I made when S was a tot....

and some Fall leaves, collected by S and his friends, then strung on nylon thread so they looked as though they were floating...

A feast for wild things was prepared...

there were chocolate beet-root cupcakes, caramel apples, apple cider & clementine jack-o-lanterns. And lots of glow sticks...

Then the first guests arrived which included a Spider Queen...

Treats were devoured and there was a WILD RUMPUS!

Before the wild things went trick or treating, we put the fog machine in our fire pit and placed our cauldron of candy upon it so that the ghouls who visited our nest while we were out would not go empty handed.

Then we ran off into the night in search of treats...

and perused the loot before going to bed.

The Lovers, The Dreamers And Me

2011-10-25T05:25:00.000-04:00

News of it traveled quickly through the neighborhood and we all ran outside to see it...

Why are there so many songs about rainbows
and what's on the other side?
Rainbows are visions, but only illusions,
and rainbows have nothing to hide.
So we've been told and some choose to believe it.
I know they're wrong, wait and see.
Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection.
The lovers, the dreamers and me.

Who said that every wish would be heard
and answered when wished on the morning star?
Somebody thought of that and someone believed it.
Look what it's done so far.
What's so amazing that keeps us star gazing
and what do we think we might see?
Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection.
The lovers, the dreamers and me. - Jason Mraz

Did you know?

2011-10-24T12:23:00.000-04:00

Life Class

2011-10-19T07:28:00.004-04:00

"Mama, I don't want to go to school anymore."
"Oh, do you want to homeschool?"
"No....I want to take Oprah's Lifeclass!"

Reading his New favorite book in his fort under the holly tree. We used a tree trunk for a table and hung a lantern from a branch. It's the favored spot of the neighborhood as it is nearly hidden from grown-ups.

Unreluctant Soul: Blackrock Birthday Weekend

2011-10-17T06:06:00.000-04:00

LIFE by Henry van Dyke (excerpt from The Three Best Things)

Let me but live my life from year to year,
With forward face and unreluctant soul;
Not hurrying to, nor turning from, the goal;
Not mourning for the things that disappear
In the dim past, nor holding back in fear
From what the future veils; but with a whole
And happy heart, that pays its toll
To Youth and Age, and travels on with cheer.

On Sunday I celebrated my 48th ride around the sun. It was a spectacular birthday weekend. We climbed Blackrock Mountain and ate our lunch and birthday cupcakes on the summit. There were gifties wrapped in hand drawn wrapping paper. There were voicemail serenades, emails, texts and messages from as far away as Holland. There was this deep gratitude for everything and everyone...the kind of thankfulness that leaves you speechless and smiling with eyes closed.

On Saturday we went pumpkin picking at our favorite farm. Our boy sporting a new (and chocolaty) grin after 2 tooth fairy flybys last week.

Ballad of the Lost Tooth

2011-10-12T06:48:00.005-04:00

I barely had a sip of my coffee when I heard the patter of his feet on the wood floor. The tooth fairy arrived, of course, and he awoke at dawn to count his loot. I took a gulp, glad that he slept through the night at least. The day before he woke me at 3AM to ask me if I ever caught a Bluegill.

Splendid Silent Sun: Apple Pickin' 2011

2011-10-10T06:00:00.000-04:00

"Give me the splendid silent sun
with all his beams full-dazzling,
Give me juicy autumnal fruit
ripe and red from the orchard...
Give me serene-moving animals, teaching content;
Give me nights perfectly quiet,
and I looking up at the stars..." - Walt Whitman

Bullying

2011-10-07T11:58:00.005-04:00

The sun has come out
Beyond the shadow of my doubt
I am walking on this earth
Stronger than ever - MaMuse

A terrific picture book about bullying!

More about this book and author HERE!

Sing it!!!!

Breathe Deeply

2011-09-23T09:52:00.003-04:00

Upon my return, I linger on the path to our home. It's foggy and the air is so heavy with moisture that it holds within it the most beautiful scent. I have no idea where it is coming from. Motionless and with eyes closed, I breathe deeply the gift of it.

In loving memory of Elvis the cat, how I miss you.

Divine Courage

2011-09-22T11:15:00.005-04:00

We have come into this exquisite world
to experience ever and ever more deeply
our divine courage, freedom and light! - Hafiz

Come Into the Peace

2011-09-14T05:34:00.007-04:00

I rest in the grace of the world, and am free. — Wendell Berry

A trip the mountains...
and a hike to the falls where we crossed paths with a black bear.

In Rushing, Rising Riv'lets

2011-09-12T05:58:00.003-04:00

And the rain rain rain came down down down
And the flood rose up up upper.
Pooh, too, was caught and so he thought,
"I must rescue my supper!" - Disney

In roughly 3 weeks, we've had an earthquake, a tropical storm, and a flood. On Thursday we were ankle deep in the yard.

There was 6 inches of water in the window wells to the basement...and they have covers. The water had no place to go, but IN. While moving the things in the basement away from the water, S spotted a toad trying to stay afloat in the window well. He ran outside in the deluge, removed the cover and threw the steel grate aside with one hand. He rescued the toad with a net and placed it on higher ground.

On Friday the schools were closed and we spent a good part of the day being sloths in pajams, but managed some creative musings like clouds in my coffee...

S played with window markers (and I played with the droid)...

He traced a soggy Stick Bug clinging to the window, organized his dead insect collection, and sorted his magic rocks...

Then after lunch, after days of rain, like magic the sun came out and his friends came over to make potions with rain water and jump for joy!

Original Spirit

2011-09-07T05:17:00.002-04:00

"Whatever an education is, it should make you a unique individual, not a conformist; it should furnish you with an original spirit with which to tackle the big challenges; it should allow you to find values which will be your road map through life; it should make you spiritually rich, a person who loves whatever you are doing, wherever you are, whomever you are with; it should teach you what is important, how to live..." – John Taylor Gatto

S on his first day of school - first grade! His full report:

"It's a little bit fun and a little bit boring. Music class was good. We saw a film, but I wasn't interested in it. If they show a film about dinosaurs or volcanoes I'll be interested. Tomorrow we have art class! They have a library, but they wouldn't let me borrow any books. I don't think they have a science room. I want science. I told the teacher when I felt 'jumpy' and she took me for a walk around the school so I could feel better. There's too much sitting, I need more movement. I think women teachers are gentler than men teachers. I want to invent my own school, a barefoot school, my feet sweat. "

This Sacred Blessing

2011-09-02T05:04:00.002-04:00

"The moon has become a dancer at this festival of love. This dance of light, this sacred blessing, this divine ecstasy." - Rumi

My love of the prayer flags goes way, WAY back. When I was pregnant with my son in 2005, I ordered a string of blank Tibetan prayer flags for our Blessingway (Baby Shower). Our friends and family wrote their own wishes and prayers for my son upon the flags. We hung the flags in our room at the birthing center. They now hang in his bedroom.

Prayer flags hang in the tipi where I lead Mighty Girl Art ™ each summer, and it is one of the many projects that we do each year. Prayer flags are a Tibetan tradition used to promote peace, compassion, strength, and wisdom. It is believed that the wishes, prayers a/o mantras will be blown by the wind to spread the good will and compassion to benefit all living beings.

Recently I was asked to participate in a round-robin prayer flag project with a group of extraordinary women whom I circle with regularly. How could I resist such a project? For some years now I've been obsessing over circles, an ancient symbol for the feminine, for unity. I am also obsessed with doilies, circular in nature and often made by the hands of women. So, I decided to create my prayer flags using the discharge dye method and a doily to create a mandala of sorts. Even though the same method was employed on each flag, not one of the 16 looks exactly the same, similar yes, but not exact...which to me represents that we are one and yet different. Here's a tutorial...it's super easy, but if you need more info, just google "discharge dye"...everyone's doing it!

1. Blank bandannas from Michaels TORN into 8"x8" squares. The rough, tattered edges are traditional in prayer flags. Place square on thick piece of cardboard.

2. Make a 50/50 mixture of bleach and water

3. Dip the doily in the mixture, squeeze out excess liquid and place on fabric square -wear gloves!

4. Cover with foil or wax paper and top with heavy books

5. Wait approx. 10 minutes.

6. Remove doily, allow to dry.

7. Use a Sharpie Paint Marker to write your blessing on the flag

8. Sew or glue flags onto ribbon and hang in your home or in your garden.

*These flags will be mailed to my womyn roosting far and wide upon the earth, so I rolled each one up and tied them with bit of funky ribbon. In the end we will have an entire string of flags created by each woman in the group.

And the Winners Are...

2011-09-01T05:24:00.003-04:00

"Books are companions . . . teachers . . . muses . . .
carriers of dreams, visions, and truth." - Shambhala Publications

(Illustration: Happy Pup by Satch)

It is both my honor and my joy to be a spoke in the wheel of generosity on behalf of Shambhala Publications. Thank you, Shambhala. And thank you to all who have commented here, for blessing me with your favorite childhood memories.

The winners are.... Claudia (for Playful Learning) and Vanessa (for Rhythm of Family), may these books inspire and nurture you in ways you never imagined.

One For Me & One For You

2011-08-25T05:41:00.009-04:00

"And he sailed off through night and day
and in and out of weeks..." - Maurice Sendak

When S was working with his OT, I ran over to the library to return some books and discovered they were having their annual book sale. Our life is chock full of perfectly timed lucky surprises like that...and yours will be too at the end of this post.

I grabbed a short stack of Native American tales for a friend...and I found one or two books that I can now scratch off our wish list. Then I found an musty old gem by Sabine Lohf.

I have always admired books that truly tickle the imagination, especially those that lean toward the earthy side...

S studied that musty manual cover to cover then began making fleet of dream vessels.

As we watched our flotilla set sail on imaginary adventures, I was reminded of the two review copies sitting on my studio table. I haven't shelved them because they are so lovely that I keep referring back to them for inspiration and ideas for the months ahead. I contacted the generous folks at Shambhala Publications and asked if I could host a giveaway because I greatly enjoyed these books and I know you will too.

The Rhythm of Family: Discovering a Sense of Wonder through the Seasons by Amanda Blake Soule is a soulful (pardon the applicable pun), and inspiring book that offers recipes, crafts and family activities that follow the rhythm of the seasons. Warm and welcoming, it's a guide that nurtures family bonds and fosters a deeper connection with nature.

Playful Learning: Develop Your Child's Sense of Joy and Wonder by Mariah Bruehl is a wonderful book that honors the connection between play and learning. The book is loaded with activities and resources that will empower parents to create play based learning experiences within the home. This guide thoughtfully demonstrates how parents can participate in their child's education in very significant, meaningful ways.

If you would like to win a copy of one of these two gems. Simply leave a comment. Tell me which book you're pining for then share with me one of your favorite childhood memories. Please remember to include an email so that I may contact you. Anonymous comments will not be included as it is impossible for me to contact you. The books will be sent directly from the publisher. Winners will be picked by Random Generator and announced next Thursday September 1st!

Thank you, Shambhala, for your generous spirit and for publishing books that have heart!

Merboy

2011-08-22T06:05:00.000-04:00

"Long have you timidly waded
Holding a plank by the shore,
Now I will you to be a bold swimmer,
To jump off in the midst of the sea,
Rise again, nod to me, shout,
And laughingly dash with your hair." - Walt Whitman

(Portrait on the night you passed your swim test)

Moth

2011-08-17T05:14:00.003-04:00

Adrift in the liberating, late light
of August, delicate, frivolous,
they make their way to my front porch
and flutter near the glassed-in bulb,
translucent as a thought suddenly
wondered aloud, illumining the air
that's thick with honeysuckle and dusk. - Jennifer O'Grady

Yesterday you found a giant, dying moth and carried it home...

"Why is it shaking?", you asked.

"It's trying to shake free of it's body", I replied.

"It's still now", he said, "it's soul just flew away...I think it waited for us because we are spiritual people".

“This sky where we live is no place to lose your wings
so love, love, love.” - Hafiz

Come, I Have Something To Show You

2011-08-15T08:31:00.003-04:00

Where have I been?
Click on the image, I'll take you there...

Summer Soul Quest: Part II The Hidden

2011-08-03T05:29:00.008-04:00

"Seeing in the dark means seeing the things that ordinary sight overlooks...seeing in an unusual way that is resonate with your body and soul. The psyche is an enormous landscape into which there are many features that many people bypass because they are so consumed with the whir of life. The medial woman sees most everything because she pays attention from her soul, from her spirit, from her mind, from her body, from her heart, from her creative imagination, from her instincts and from her memory. The medial woman stands between the world of the obvious and the world of the hidden...the world that is not so easily seen as people rush along." - Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estes (Seeing in the Dark)

"She was quite unlike the island women and some of her ways were so strange. Why, she'd go out on the rocks when the tide was low to talk to the seabirds and seals. And wherever she went on the island the seals were always watching her from the sea while the seabirds wheeled about her, calling her in a language she seemed to understand, for often she'd call out a reply that would set them laughing the way gulls do." - (The Secret of Ron Mor Skerry / Roan Inish)

We went to NY on holiday to visit friends and family...and so that I could attend my 30th (yes) high school reunion on Long Island. I had some trepidation about attending the reunion as I always felt like an outsider in high school. I never had that sense of belonging that others seemed to radiate. I kept to myself unless someone engaged me in conversation. I wasn't athletic, I wasn't popular, pretty, or a brainiac. I was either lost in my own thoughts or somewhere in the art wing.

Yet I felt a tug to go to this reunion because I needed to move outside my comfort zone and examine more closely this discomfort that I recall, the feeling of not fitting in, of not belonging. I needed to sit with those old feelings and rock them. I felt that it would help me connect more deeply with the girls that I teach...girls who are in a very vulnerable position as they stand at the threshold of womanhood.

"How might your life have different, if there had been a place for you?", asks Judith Duerk in her book "Circle of Stones".

This is the question I've asked myself time and again ever since I read her work. The answer to that question is the very reason I launched Mighty Girl Art camp. It is the very reason I pound the stakes into the ground each summer and raise my tipi, The House of Belonging.

During the car ride to NY, I listened to "Seeing in the Dark" by Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estes whom I am so very fond of. I purchased the audio months ago, but was saving it for this trip. The timing was profound, and the message apt. I soon realized that this trip was a pilgrimage. I would take my son to the places that hold my childhood memories. I would also make it a quest to seek the unseen places and try to find that fractured part of myself and hold her and say, "you're okay...you are now walking this earth stronger than ever".

Upon entering the banquet room where our reunion was held, I noticed a memory board of classmates that have since died. It was painful to look at. I looked at the names and faces and thought, "this is the reason we were all here...to celebrate our lives together, not just for ourselves, but for our friends who are no longer living".

Some time later, a man came up to me and asked "do you remember me"?

I said, "I remember that you were in my first grade class...and you gave me a pin...a kitty with two pink stones in the ears...and I was deeply touched because it was the first time I received a gift from someone other than family and you did so simply because you liked me...I was six years old and I still remember that 41 years later".

He began to tell me about work...and I listened then asked, "What brings you joy?" He smiled then proceeded to tell me such wonderful things about his life.

And so I began mining for joy. Over and over I asked my classmates, "What do you love and what brings you joy" and each time my heart was rewarded. I heard about children, a restored Studebaker and even a houseboat! An old chum told me that no matter how late he gets home from work, and even though his kids are grown, he always goes into their room to wake them with a kiss and tell them he loves them. The wife of a classmate told me a beautiful story of how she met her soulmate. What a gift!

And there were other gifts...

Here, I must rewind to the night before, to a gathering on Swan River, when a man walked up to me with eyes lost in memory and said, "Wendy Cook, you were always on the outskirts". His words gave me goosebumps although it was 103 degrees in the shade. My head suddenly began to spin because I realized that my experience had just been validated. I had found that part of myself and I held her close to my heart.

It took me 47 years to understand why creatives are looked at like they don't belong, why they are pushed to the outside. It's because creatives have other ways of seeing. They move through this world a bit differently. What I did not realize until now, thanks to Dr. Estes, is that we are not really on the outskirts, but rather on the frontiers. As Dr. Estes said, "The trees and the flowers don't grow from the center, they grow from the edges". My perception of feeling like an outsider, and the invisible push was the very gift that nourished my growth. It was not intended to hurt me, it was intended to guide me. Guide me to the places where I could flourish, and lead me to people who could nurture my form of expression.

At the precise moment those fated words left his lips, I looked down and saw a feather and I remembered Dr. Estes' "Prayer for the Outsider"...

"These souls were explicitly created to fly through more than one world and to return, ever return, to tell the stories of what can be seen when one is allowed to soar."

After the reunion we spent another two days visiting some of my favorite haunts. It was a gift to see my son explore the places that hold my childhood secrets. I watched him play with his daddy on the very shore I once played with my own dad. There with one foot in the past and one foot in the present, I gathered a handful of perfectly smooth, incredibly white, egg shaped stones to remind myself of all that I learned. It was soulful teaching to revisit the memories hidden within these sacred places, a privilege to spend some time with family and friends.

As I sit here in my studio reflecting on our trip, I am reminded of these words by Confucius...

Wherever you go, go with all your heart.

Under the rocks and stones
there is water underground.
Same as it ever was...
time isn't holding us" - Talking Heads

Summer Soul Quest: Part I The Obvious

2011-08-01T05:02:00.008-04:00

"Once a Selkie finds its skin again, neither chains of steel nor chains of love can keep her from the sea" - The Secret of Roan Inish

I knew it the moment I said yes. This wasn't just a vacation, it was a soul quest. There is much to tell. There was the obvious and there was the hidden...there was the seen and there was the unseen, but lets start with seen, shall we?

With my eyes, with my cameras, with my heart....

(I will share what was hidden beneath the surface in Part II)

The first morning at his grandmother's house on Long Island he ran outside in his pajamas looking for worms and bugs.

There was a dinner date with his grandma and an evening walk by the bay, and a mysterious fairy door at the base of an old tree covered in ivy, and there were fake mustaches and a Chaplin impersonation...

and bonding with a cousin, and light-up cars to race along the driveway under the night sky and sleeping bags, and little boy secrets whispered in the dark, and mischief of one kind or another...

There were sand castles on the south shore...

and the seaweed that he lifted gently from the surf and squealed, "Look...Mermaid hair!"

There was a visit to Peppermint Stik Farms where my childhood memories linger along with my gratitude...

There was a family BBQ at my childhood home and there was a short jaunt to Mannahatta my second island home....

where his honorary sister "poofed" him into a prince and they roared like lions and laughed about things known only to them...

To the sprinklers in Tompkins Square...

and to the Doughnut Plant for a sweet nosh before heading back to Long Island once again...

where we began a new day with a run down the giant dunes that I once ran upon with my late dad...

and onto the rocky northern shore where I once searched for colorful quartz for polishing and hematite for painting...

where Satch insisted that he would catch a crab...and he DID, with his bare hands...

a spider crab that he named, "Fergy" with whom he played gently and talked to for quite some time.

He cried when it was time to let Fergy go. I said, "I'm sure Fergy is telling his whole family about his adventure...and how he met a REAL boy who was gentle and kind".

And the night before we left for home, there was feasting and laughing with 12 friends and one VERY long table...

and a stop in NJ on the way back to VA for a pizza party with cherished cousins. Memories of our grandmother (their great grandmother) were shared and her presence felt...

And woven within the fabric of these outings and innings was a 30th high school reunion where I went to celebrate life with old friends, and took a dip into the sea of the past where I was reacquainted with my skin...

"Into the blue again
in the silent water
Under the rocks and stones
there is water underground...." - Talking Heads

Hittin' the Road

2011-07-20T05:04:00.011-04:00

"City of hurried and sparkling waters! City of spires and masts!
City nested in bays! My city!" - Walt Whitman (Mannahatta)

Satch made this drawing for one of his chums yesterday. I love the detail...the reflection of the buildings in NY Harbor, Lady Liberty, trees dwarfed by skyscrapers, pigeons, a helicopter, a taxi, sidewalks and bridges. He even drew our Echo!

We're off to New Yawk to see family and friends. I thought you might like to know what I've picked up to keep Satch amused during the road trip.

Peel & Stick Mozaic by Numbers by Lauri...GREAT for fine motor skills! The foam tiles are very small so this will kill a LOT of time!

T angoes People Puzzles...Satch LOVES Tangoes puzzles. Tangoes are based on Chinese Tangrams, a geometric puzzle consisting of seven pieces. Travel Tangoes are smaller, magnetic so it's perfect for the car!

More about Tangoes here!

Roger Burrows Images! Geometric patterns for coloring. Altair designs were created to stimulate the visual imagination. You might see familiar images, or abstract patterns. You can color them any way you choose, it's limitless! Another gem for fine motor skills.

More about Roger Burrows Images here!

*We use Crayola Pip-Squeak Skinnies markers on the road because they are small and promote correct pencil grip.

Satch has Sensory Processing Disorder and needs gum in the car in order to settle himself. We keep a stash of B-Fresh Bubble Gum in the back seat. It does not contain any preservatives and is sweetened with Xylitol. Other sugarless gums make Satch bonkers because of the artificial sweeteners.

Lollipops are also soothing for Satch during long trips. We usually opt for natural pops made with juice, but Satch has been begging to try a Ring Pop because he says, "It's like a marrying ring except it's bigger AND you can EAT it!"

He pleads a good case, so I got him one, but will save it for when we're near our destination so he can run around and burn off the sugar. (As for my car munchies, I go hardcore...Salazon organic salted chocolate, and the Great Robinsky can't get behind the wheel without Werther's.)

When all else fails, we break out the DVD player. I borrowed Legend of the Guardians from Chicken Run our local library, and a back-up just in case... Fantastic Mr. Fox.

I think we're ready to roll. See you in two weeks!

They Know

2011-07-18T05:54:00.003-04:00

There is a place where the sidewalk ends
And before the street begins,
And there the grass grows soft and white,
And there the sun burns crimson bright,
And there the moon-bird rests from his flight
To cool in the peppermint wind.

Let us leave this place where the smoke blows black
And the dark street winds and bends.
Past the pits where the asphalt flowers grow
We shall walk with a walk that is measured and slow,
And watch where the chalk-white arrows go
To the place where the sidewalk ends.

Yes we'll walk with a walk that is measured and slow,
And we'll go where the chalk-white arrows go,
For the children, they mark, and the children, they know
The place where the sidewalk ends. - Shel Silverstein (Where the Sidewalk Ends)

Power of Stillness

2011-07-13T05:09:00.001-04:00

mantis: "type of insect that holds its forelegs in a praying position" (esp. the praying mantis, Mantis religiosa ), from Greek. mantis, lit. "one who divines, a seer, prophet," from mainesthai "be inspired," related to menos "passion, spirit"

Every summer we watch and wait for hundred of itsy bitsy mantids to emerge from their egg case. It's a lesson in patience, and a gift of wonder.

So tiny and still, this baby creature, sitting on the tip of my son's pinky finger - click on photo to enlarge!

Here is a video of our annual mantid release, (and S's happy dance)....

They Carry Me: Butterflies & Feeder Tutorial

2011-07-11T05:00:00.002-04:00

I have only this breath
and this presence
for my wings
and they carry me - David Whyte (House of Belonging)

A video of our butterfly release...

And here's a nifty tutorial on how to make a butterfly feeder:

1. Cut 4 loops of string at least 3 x the length of your jar

2. Tie each string around the neck of the jar making sure the knots are opposite each other

It should look like this...

3. Now flip over the jar and knot the adjacent strings approx 1 inch up from the mouth of the jar. Then repeat a second row of knots near the base of the jar. Kind of like the macrame plant hangers I used to make in the 70's. I'm dating myself, right?

It should look like this...

4. Wrap the ends of your string together tightly with a piece of masking tape. Thread the strings through your wooden petals and wood bead. Tie the strings around a ring for hanging or just make a big knot.

5. Thread a cotton ball through the hole in the lid to form a wick. Fill your jar with sugar water. Cap tightly. Hang in garden. (Yes, the jar will be upside down)

(1 Tbsp sugar + 9 Tbsp water, bring to boil, then cool)

You did it! In truth, I prefer my feeders with just cord and perhaps a few glass beads, but the flowery bits are a big hit with kids.

Our bedtime favorite, The Story of the Butterfly Children, has new meaning now and we'll think of our Painted Ladies every time we read it. The illustrations are exquisite and the story is oh so enchanting.

Satch Alchemy

2011-07-08T05:19:00.001-04:00

“You have to take risks. We will only understand the miracle of life fully when we allow the unexpected to happen.” - Paulo Coelho (Warrior of the Light)

"Mama, I'm making a flower remedy!"

3rd Annual Pursuit of Happiness Potluck Picnic

2011-07-05T05:38:00.016-04:00

Sacred and undeniable, we hold these truths: prayer flags, vegetarian feasty, family & friends, homemade organic lemonade, trampoline, water balloons, handmade hula hoops, bubbles, glow rings, fireflies and lakeside fireworks. (scenes from our 3rd annual Pursuit of Happiness Potluck Picnic)

7 kids + 7 grown-ups = happiness

Fancy Face

2011-07-01T05:09:00.005-04:00

"Once I looked inside
the darkness
of a shell folded like a pastry
and there was a fancy face" - Mary Oliver (Hermit Crab)

We have two new members in our family! We adopted some hermits from a freecycler. We created a funky crabitat with everything a crab could want, although the Krusty Krab is more for our amusement.

We named the larger adventurous crab in the white shell, Neptune. (click on photos to enlarge their fancy faces)

The little shy, but sassy one in the brown shell, Pearl.

They spend their days sleeping in their driftwood cave. At night they go out on the town. They rearrange their furniture. They dine on crab food and special treats like mango, coconut, and kelp. They are especially fond of popcorn.

Art Mama

2011-06-29T05:49:00.001-04:00

He said, "I love your art, Mama", and to me that was everything.

Untidy Exuberance & Bark Beetles

2011-06-23T05:26:00.001-04:00

A lifetime isn't long enough for the beauty of this world
and the responsibilities of your life...
Be good-natured and untidy in your exuberance...
Live with the beetle, and the wind. - Mary Oliver

*Photo taken by Andrew Stoddard

I Heart Elizabeth Mitchell & Hula Hoops

2011-06-22T05:41:00.006-04:00

The Language of Things

2011-06-20T05:00:00.004-04:00

"Remember that wherever your heart is, there you will find your treasure.” - Paulo Coelho (The Alchemist)

Afternoon drive to our friends' beautiful cottage by the bay. Forgot my camera to capture the ethereal beauty of this place. Warm friends and cold noodles. Our children laughing and building memories. Ice cream sandwiches and screened in porches. Bare feet and a tiny bare booty.

Gratitude and a pocketful of treasures...

*The winners of the Gypsy Wrap giveaway are...
Julie and Allison!

Gypsy Wraps Giveaway

2011-06-13T11:43:00.004-04:00

"I am an all powerful amazon warrior
Not just some sniveling girl" - Ani Difranco (Origami)

So what's all this fuss I'm making about Gypsy Wraps? Well...Gypsy Wraps are the gorgeous creations of Julie Bartel , a yoga instructor and mother of four daughters! Her fabrics are beautiful! What I love about Gyspy Wraps is that they are versatile - you can wear it as a head band or pull the fabric wider like a bandanna - only WAY cooler. It's like a cross between Goddess-wear and a warrior headdress. One disclaimer, they are addictive, you'll love them so much you'll go back for more so don't say I didn't warn you!

To prove how awesome Gypsy Wraps are, I'm going to give away TWO of these beauties...please specify which one you would like - this one pictured above or THIS one. Post your pining in the comment section before midnight on Sunday June 19th. The winner will be picked by random generator and posted next Monday. *Please leave an email to contact you if you win, else you'll need to check back here on Monday and contact me with your info.

The Art of Roughhousing

2011-06-08T07:22:00.012-04:00

"Let the wild rumpus start!" - Maurice Sendak

I must admit that when this review copy turned up in my mailbox I did a little happy dance. The Art of Roughhousing by Anthony T. DeBenedet, M.D. and Lawrence J. Cohen, PhD, is a manual for joy. There's just no better way to describe it. Chapters are organized by the type of roughhousing, i.e. flight, contact etc. Each delightfully rambunctious maneuver is further categorized by age, difficulty and essential skills.

The authors state this very poignant truth, "What was once a motto of Safety First has evolved into a fretful new motto of Safety Only. Many parents are more frightened by skinned knees and bruised feelings than life's real dangers: stifled creativity and listless apathy. Some schools in the United States are even being built without playgrounds."

This book brought back so many memories of my own fearless childhood...like being dragged around the yard on a bed sheet and holding my dad's arms while climbing to his shoulders then flipping over to land on my feet. Does anyone remember that one?

If there is any doubt that the joy of roughhousing far outweighs the risks - a picture is worth a thousand words...here we are one morning practicing our acrobatic skills in our pajamas...

"Roughhousing activates many different parts of the body and the brain, from the amygdalae, which process emotions, and the cerebellum, which handles complex motor skills, to the prefrontal cortex, which makes high-level judgments. The result is that every roughhousing playtime is beneficial for body, brain as well as the loftiest levels of the human spirit: honor, integrity, morality, kindness and cooperation." ( excerpt from The Art of Roughhousing: Good Old-Fashioned Horseplay and Why Every Kid Needs It)

Mo' Pie, Mo' Betta!

2011-06-03T06:11:00.002-04:00

More pie fight photos from innocent bystander, Fred....

Shine On Everyone: Birthday Celebration!

2011-05-30T09:40:00.019-04:00

And I never met a flower
Who'd deny the higher power
That was born to shine on everyone - MaMuse

Scenes from Satchel's Pie Fight Birthday Party....

I made this Windhorse (prayer flag) with photos from Satchel's birth. I used one of Target's flour sack towels. I tore it into squares so the edges would be tattered. I printed 5 of my favorite photos onto transfer paper - utilizing the seam as top. Then I ironed the images onto the fabric. Next I threaded Tibetan recycled silk yarn through the seam and ta da!

In lieu of thank you cards, each guest received a special photo from the party via paper saving pixels!

* I read that reddi-wip was the best choice for pie fights because it doesn't sting and it's edible. (Some people use shaving cream, but that can sting little eyes.) We used flimsy paper plates to prevent injury in case the wild rumpus got extra wild.

And some behind the scenes magic making (with linky love to tutorials)...

Tutorial via Crafty Crow

There's tons of tutorials for giant bubble wands, but here's one with swell photos. There was a bubble wand for each guest to take home! You can make your own bubble solution. There's tutorials all over the web or you can buy an extreme bubble mix here!

(An unfortunate typo) and mustache tutorial. *Use foam sheets instead of construction paper because it's way better!

Mini Pinwheel cupcake toppers tutorial.

Inside the Goody Bag:

1. Smencil 2. Sunflower Seed Bomb 3. Wall walking spider 4. Mini Play Dough, 5. Gnome Tattoos 6. Pop Rocks 7. Finger Light 8. Meringue Cookies

I always keep a watchful eye for sales on non-perishable goody bag items and keep them in a bin in my closet. I bought a party pack of mini play dough tubs at a yard sale. The smencils and finger lights were a sale item at Michaels.

Six

2011-05-29T12:50:00.006-04:00

Dear Satchel,

Today marks your SIXTH ride around the sun! You have been literally counting down the days until this birthday, each morning giving me the tally. This birthday you did not cry and complain about being a year older as you have in the past. This is the birthday that you welcomed and said, "I'M SIX...I LIKE BEING SIX!"

You have changed so much over the last year. You take up more room in the family bed. Your big boy bed has never been slept in except by adventurous house guests.

You like to write and do math in your head. Your artwork inspires me in ways that I can't find words for.

You still use the word 'what' in place of 'that' and have your own unique way of forming questions..."Mama, was it funny what I said?"

You are into wizardry and making potions on the sidewalk with herbs from my garden and pots that you found in the recycle bin. You love making arrows and all sorts of weaponry to scare off magical beasts.

You are obsessed with Beyblades and Bakugans. You love Legos, Zoobs, K'nex and Hot Wheels. I will never forget how I blew your mind when I came home from the community yard sale with a bag full of Hot Wheels gadgets.

You are reverent about nature and you've transformed the dining room window sill into an altar to hold all your gifts from the earth.

You can ride a two wheeler! You never had training wheels - went right from your balance bike to the real deal! You're favorite thing to do is ride down the hill and hit the breaks at the bottom. You get off your bike and compare the skid marks, trying to outdo yourself.

You now love greens...including fresh spinach and wakame.

You are articulate, thoughtful and have a terrific sense of humor.

I feel a shift since last year and I wonder if you do too. The occupational therapy and the changes we've made seem to have soothed your extremely aware senses. You seem more at peace.

I cherish the multitude of kisses you give me each day and how you say, "I love you, Mama" throughout the day. You are a blessing to me and I thank you for being my son. I hope that you feel my love also, because you made me understand what Browning meant by...

"I love you with the breath, smiles and tears of all my life."

Happy Birthday, Satchel!

I loved you before you were,
I love you now that you are,
and I'll love you for eternity.
Mama

*As usual, I've set your annual birthday letter to post at the time of your birth because will be in full swing celebration mode at that very moment. You requested an old fashioned pie fight for your birthday...LET THE WILD RUMPUS START!!!!

Soul

2011-05-20T05:30:00.001-04:00

"One question leads to another...

Does it have a shape? Like an iceberg?
Like the eye of a hummingbird?

Does it have one lung, like the snake and the scallop?

Why should I have it, and not the anteater
who loves her children?

Why should I have it, and not the camel?

Come to think of it, what about maple trees?

What about the blue iris?

What about all the little stones, sitting alone in the moonlight?

What about roses, and lemons, and their shining leaves?

What about the grass?" - Mary Oliver

Untidy Exuberance (Annual Ladybug Picnic)

2011-05-16T06:58:00.003-04:00

A lifetime isn't long enough for the beauty of this world...

Be good-natured and untidy in your exuberance.

Live with the beetle, and the wind. - Mary Oliver

So Many Wishes

2011-05-11T05:02:00.001-04:00

“I'll teach you to ride on the wind's back, and away we go!”
- J.M. Barrie (Peter Pan)

Mother's Day

2011-05-09T05:01:00.005-04:00

"That you live a goddess, but mortal..." - Marge Piercy

And there were gifts...
( click on photos for linky love...)

Poetry and an EarthBox from my loves!

Lets scream for joy, altogether now!

And the Winner is....

2011-05-06T05:40:00.008-04:00

Not all who wander are lost - Tolkien

A heartfelt thank you to all who have wandered here. The winner is....Alyssa! Please, contact me with your shipping address and the specifications of your necklace, i.e. how many eggs? Which stones, turquoise or pearl? With love and gratitude, I wish you all a...

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

Meaningful Mother's Day Gifts (& Giveaway)

2011-05-03T05:33:00.009-04:00

I am both of the earth and I am of the inexplicable
beauty of heaven
where I fly so easily, so welcome, yes,
and this is why I have been sent, to teach this to your heart.

~ Mary Oliver

It's been a while since I've given my two cents about gift picks. Please indulge me for a moment, then indulge your mother, indulge yourself...

These two books, "Momma Zen" and "Hand Wash Cold" by Karen Maezen Miller have changed my life in that they didn't change my life, but rather taught me to live the life I already have which, after all, is the greatest gift I've been given.

Buy it, read it, teach it to your heart, then unwrap the gift of your life!

If adornment is what you are seeking, I offer a custom mother's nest necklace to honor your divine nature, mother. Mine has one turquoise egg to represent my son. Please visit my etsy shop for details or try your luck as I'm giving one away. Details at the end of this post.

In honor of Mother's Day, I will be giving away a custom nest necklace to one lucky reader. Just leave a comment here, tell me something good!

Winner will be chosen by random generator on Friday morning, May 6th.

Happy Mother's Day!

Wondrous and Wordless

2011-05-02T05:57:00.006-04:00

When it's the only thing there is,
how can we talk about it? - Maezumi Roshi

How can I find words for a moment that has no words?

How can I describe a feeling that cannot be described?

Many years ago I studied karate with a group that met in the gym at Columbia University. I loved this dojo because it wasn't a business, it was a group of people coming together to learn an art. It was a devotion. Eventually the members of the dojo each went their own way and I was in search of a teacher. One afternoon I was visiting the home of my friend Shawn and his wife Charlotte who are masters in several disciplines. Charlotte said softly, "Wendy, stop looking for your teacher because your teacher will find you". I have never forgotten those words.

The last night Maezen spent in our home, I had a hard time sleeping. I kept thinking about what to say to her, some way to express the awe, the gratitude, the wonder of it all.

On the morning of her departure, all I could say was,

"Thank you for finding me".

Thank you.

No Place, But Here

2011-04-28T06:57:00.011-04:00

"You don't have to wait for happiness, because there's no time but now to be happy. You don't have to go somewhere else, because there's no place but here to find it. You don't have to do something else, because there's nothing more to it. You don't have to get something else, because everything you already have is enough. You just have to be happy." - Karen Maezen Miller

Tomorrow afternoon my husband is picking up my favorite traveling monk, Karen Maezen Miller (aka Mae aka Momma Zen) at the airport.

I met Mae (virtually) when Satch was a smidge over a year old. I had posted this photo on my blog of his favorite pastime...here, dumping books off the shelf and putting them back.

Mae was blog surfing when she spotted mine and in particular, the tiny gem of a book amidst the rubble. She sent me a copy of her book with a note that read, "I thought you could use a little more zen companionship". I loved her book! I loved it publicly here.

A year later I had some questions for her and she kindly answered them in a Mom to Mom interview on my blog, here. The following year she had a few questions of her own for me here.

Fast forward three years plus a whole lot of pixels and you can probably imagine my excitement to discover that Maezen would be teaching a mindful parenting workshop here at the Lil Omm Center in DC. I bought a ticket right away.

A day or so later I received an email from Mae - she was looking for a place to stay. I replied, " You can stay here, it's my pleasure to serve you".

For the last five years I have been seeing the "Enso" from the cover of Mae's book everywhere.

I see it here, in coffee rings that trace my pre-dawn steps to the studio.

I see it here, in the fallen birds nests that we pick up and carry home to our mantel because they are too pretty to leave to the elements.

And I see it here in this moment - coming full circle, face to face with my zen companion.

Edges of Knowing

2011-04-25T05:09:00.006-04:00

Though I play at the edges of knowing,
truly I know
our part is not knowing,
but looking, and touching, and loving - Mary Oliver

There was the community egg hunt in the muddy meadow...

and a bouncy house

and so much blooming...

and the birthday party with much magic

and the witch socks that I donned for his merriment

and the Easter brunch with friends

and a table for two

and two buds dying eggs

and three boys playing tops

and that magical bunny who made my boy so happy...

with these books ...

and a sweet little wind up chick that tickled his heart...

and all those colorful felty eggs stuffed with treats and hidden about the house.

"Mama", he said, "Easter is all about the egg and the egg is all about birth".

And my heart melted in perfect time with the chocolate on my tongue.

Music of My Heart

2011-04-20T05:03:00.004-04:00

"If I was the song that entered your heart
then I was the music of your heart,
that you wanted and needed..." - Mary Oliver

On a recent trip to Michaels to suss out some new materials for my upcoming art camp, I saw some newspaper mache birds in the dollar bin and nearly fainted. I waited for a rainy day, then set Satch up with some paint. He decided to paint a robin for the paper bag nest that he made last spring. It is the centerpiece for our table and I love it so.

Yesterday was a bit rainy and all the delightful sprites came over to play. Upon entering, Miss H said, "this is the funnest house on the block" and at that moment, my heart did a celebratory samba. They made Mother's Day gifts for their mamas and then they wanted to paint. I set them up in the dining room because I wanted to take advantage of that moment to do a bit of photo editing in my studio (I don't have a laptop...yet).

Artistically sated, they ran down to the basement to play a game that they made up called, Sandy Beaches. It's a variation of Roxaboxen wherein they construct a village out of cardboard boxes.

There are MUCH makings and doings here at our nest. I was asked to post our tie-dyed napkin project from earlier in the season so here it goes:

1. Gather up a gaggle of eager kidlets.
2. Toss them a bag of rubber bands and a 12 pack of cotton cloth napkins.

3. Find an old bucket, add hot water and dye according to package (we used Rit denim/indigo) 4. Toss in your napkins.

5. Run on rinse cycle in washer. 6. Heat-set them in your dryer.

7. Gather up those kidlets again to remove all the rubber bands. Oooh and aaaah!

Remember So

2011-04-18T05:16:00.005-04:00

in time of lilacs who proclaim
the aim of waking is to dream,
remember so (forgetting seem) - e.e. cummings

(or why this space was silent) There was a visit from beloved faraway family, a perfectly timed jaunt to the theater to see Rio, and thunderstorms that produced a tornado watch, a Mighty-Mini-Retreat in the making discussed on a rainy day in a cozy cafe over a buttered croissant and hot coffee, a telephone call from a friendly paleontologist, some Mother's Day makings and birthday party planning...

a spontaneous picnic near the newly bloomed lilacs...

so fragrant in the setting sun

savoring the moment with lilac infused sugar that will be ready on Mother's Day

and gorgeous Pink Sipper made by her hands

sipped slowly with intention in this cup to the delight of me and my boy

"Where do dreams come from?
Out of pages turned they rise like the scent of peonies
and infect the brain with their promise.
I want, I will, says the girl and already
she is halfway out the door..."- Marge Piercy (The Hunger Moon)

and unexpected magic in our living room

and celebratory chalkings on our outdoor blackboard made by little hands in honor of Spring

The Power in Me & the Power in You

2011-04-06T04:59:00.003-04:00

You found the perfect twig and spent a good part of the afternoon sanding and waxing. Then we had a dedication...

To heal the Earth,
to channel my power,
to harm none,
to find truth...

Inexplicable Beauty

2011-04-04T04:45:00.002-04:00

And I am both of the earth and I am of the inexplicable
beauty of heaven
where I fly so easily, so welcome, yes,
and this is why I have been sent, to teach this to your heart.

~ Mary Oliver

Scratch art by Satch 2011

Steep

2011-03-30T05:48:00.001-04:00

When it steeps, it opens
the way you woke this morning,
stretching, your hands behind
your head, back arched,
toes pointing, a smile steeped
in ceremony, a celebration,
the reaching of your arms.

- Dale Ritterbusch (Green Tea)

Satch made a recipe card for this delicious tea that he named Ginger Potion.

2" piece of ginger, chopped
Add to 3 c boiling water
Remove from heat
Steep 15 minutes
Add juice of 1/2 lemon
Add 2 generous T of honey
Strain
Enjoy!

Gravity Sprinkled Upward

2011-03-21T05:46:00.010-04:00

It's one of those magical places wise people
like to talk about.
One of the things they say about it, that is true,

is that, once you've been there,
you're there forever.
Listen, everyone has a chance.
Is it spring, is it morning?

Are there trees near you,
and does your own soul need comforting?
Quick, then— open the door and fly on your heavy feet; the song
may already be drifting away. — Mary Oliver

(Such Singing in the Wild Branches)

This was a beautiful weekend for our family. We took a trip to the mountains for a celebratory Spring hike. Something happens when you're looking down from 3,385 feet in the air, something shifts, you gain new perspective and feel such a sense of peace.

Satch in his usual fashion turned over logs and stones to discover their mysteries. He was smitten with this millipede. At least, we think it was a millipede because it had mighty short legs and a whole lot of 'em.

We found some small bones and claws and nearby, 2 very weathered owl pellets which we took home for dissection.

It was also the weekend of the Perigee Moon. We celebrated with a moonrise picnic of cheese and crackers and glow sticks, of course.

Neighbors and friends joined us, sharing Moon Pies and conversation as we watched the Perigee Moon glow orange, then white as it rose higher.

In the morning Satch went straightaway to dissecting his owl pellets while his dad and I sipped our coffee. The pellets had clearly been exposed to the elements for quite some time we so decided it would probably be safe. Nevertheless, there was careful washing of hands and equipment afterward. Satch was excited by his haul of small bones. Some info on owl pellets here.

We are feeling very inspired by TWO new books that we had the honor to review!

Seasons by award winning author/artist, Anne Crausaz. This book explores the 4 seasons through 5 senses. I love the illustrations and color and the underlying message of fully experiencing the unique beauty of each season.

Around One Log by Anthony D. Fredericks is a rhymic story that explores the ecology of a rotting log and the community of creatures that make their home there. The story celebrates the interconnectedness of life on our planet. There is a section of field notes that contain facts about the animal characters in the story as well as a section filled with nature activities and projects.

These two lovely books make perfect springtime reading!

On Sunday we'll be attending a Native American Drumming Circle in honor of Springtime. I can't think of a better way to celebrate a season of re-birth and new beginnings. Oh Spring, thank you for another chance to break free from all that inhibits our growth.

A Lot Like Love

2011-03-14T05:28:00.006-04:00

"We danced too wild, and we sang too long, and we hugged too hard, and we kissed too sweet, and howled just as loud as we wanted to howl, because by now we were all old enough to know that what looks like crazy on an ordinary day looks a lot like love if you catch it in the moonlight."~Pearl Cleage

This is me at the end of an ordinary day as I try to find my equilibrium on the predictably unpredictable roller coaster ride that is mothering a son with SPD. So few people know about SPD nor how it affects the behavior of the children who have it.

Even though Satch has done remarkably well and has been discharged from occupational therapy, the part of the brain that controls the way he receives data is still playing catch-up. He still senses things differently than the rest of us and thus behaves differently than one would expect in some situations. It's painful to witness my beautiful son continue to struggle with finding a way to fit in this world. He struggles to focus, struggles to remember boundaries, struggles to understand body language, struggles to remember the rules of conduct.

It's painful to watch him act the fool because in his mind, laughter is good, laughter means happiness. He struggles to understand when laughter is appropriate and when it's not. I once saw him drop trou because the child he was playing with was terribly upset and crying and it caused him such anxiety that he was willing to do anything to make her laugh, to make her "happy". Laughter = Happy in his world. It took some work to help him understand that his friend was entitled to her sad feelings and that it is not his job to make everyone laugh. I explained that sometimes just listening and being present for sad feelings is the best gift we can give. (Satch has an aversion to hugging anyone other than his family because of his sensory issues, so offering a hug is out of the question for him).

It seems that no matter how many times I explain things, no matter the consequences, the message is not retained. He still gets his wires crossed, so to speak. Satch describes it as feeling like "his gears get stuck". The bottom line is that he is like a spirited impulsive toddler living in a 5 year old body with an intellect more than twice his physical age. We guide our toddlers with grace knowing that they will outgrow certain behaviors, and impulsivity. It's hard not to have greater expectations from such an articulate and intelligent 5 year old.

What my son needs is simply the grace of time. I have to remind myself continuously, and try not to get wrung out by emotion when he is misunderstood.

He can be perceived as bossy or controlling and this is true on the surface, but beneath that is the reality that he is so confused by all the data that the rest of us so naturally process, he struggles to maintain his own sense of balance and grapples for things that he can control. Imagine how powerless you would feel if you were at a business convention and everyone there seemed to know what was going on, what to do, where to go, and how to act. Imagine that you kept getting lost, kept doing things wrong, and made people angry because you didn't get the memo. That is what it's like for my son - he didn't get the memo - and he goes through all the same emotions that we would in trying to deal with that. He gets embarrassed, he pretends it doesn't bother him, he gets angry at himself, he gets angry at the world. He struggles and it hurts. He's not misbehaving, he's misunderstanding.

There are times when I think that I lack the patience and fortitude it takes to mother him the way he deserves and then after the whirlpool of emotions rips me wide open, I come full circle into knowing that I have more patience than I give myself credit for, that I'm stronger than I know, that my capacity for love and understanding grows in direct relation to the extent I feel depleted.

I trust that my boy who is disruptively uncomfortable in groups will grow to be the man who prefers to spend time with his family and close friends rather than at a party or at noisy crowded events. My boy who tries to ignite laughter at inappropriate times will grow to be the man who skillfully uses humor to diffuse difficult situations. My boy whose senses are so heightened that he perceives the world around him differently, more slowly than others will grow into a man who has fine tuned his perceptions in a way that can only be seen as a gift .

The Wild

2011-03-07T05:21:00.003-05:00

"You were wild once.
Don't let them tame you." -Isadora Duncan

Mama, what number do you want to live 'til?
Hmmm...102 would be cool.
How about we infinity!
Yeah, how 'bout that.

Mama, this is a monster crab, but in human terms it's actual size.

Dances With Sky

2011-02-28T05:32:00.000-05:00

As a bird soars high

In the free holding of the wind,

Clear of the certainty of ground,

Opening the imagination of wings

Into the grace of emptiness

To fulfill new voyagings,

May your life awaken

To the call of its freedom. - John O'Donohue

Soar

2011-02-21T05:27:00.002-05:00

I don’t know the name of this bird,
I only imagine his glittering beak
while the clouds—

which he has summoned
from the north—
which he has taught
to be mild, and silent—

thicken, and begin to fall
into the world below
like stars, or the feathers
of some unimaginable bird

that loves us, - Mary Oliver

"Mmmm...it smells springy", he said then lost himself in his imaginings and the unseasonably warm breeze lifted his hair and his little wooden glider with it...

And in that moment my heart, my heart lifted too.

And moments wherein a slice of cheese would send our hearts soaring with laughter so high we were unable to speak words...

Unfurl My Heart

2011-02-14T04:57:00.005-05:00

Praise the meadow
of dried weeds: yarrow, goldenrod, chicory,
the remains of summer. Praise the blue sky
that hasn't cracked yet. Praise the sun slipping down
behind the beechnuts, praise the quilt of leaves
that covers the grass: Scarlet Oak, Sweet Gum,
Sugar Maple. - Barbara Crooker

Bits of grass poking through a patchwork of snow and the scent of burning wood and Sugar Maple Sap...

soggy earth and buds hinting of Spring...

a stream awakening from a winter's nap...

a hill wishing to be rolled upon and mud looking for children to cling to...

and fallen branches posing as forts...

and a feather imitating sunshine tickled the heart of one who knows its secrets...

and later the sun came out to play as did our friends and there was a feast and a very long table.

Happy Valentine's Day!