Holy Curiosity : Satch Science

The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing. One cannot help but be in awe when he contemplates the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvelous structure of reality. It is enough if one tries merely to comprehend a little of this mystery every day. Never lose a holy curiosity.  - Albert Einstein

Cheers to dust clouds, homemade smoke bombs and cannons...

 

 

Come Dance!

Every child has known God,
Not the God of names,
Not the God of don'ts,
Not the God who ever does
Anything weird,
But the God who knows only 4 words
And keeps repeating them, saying:
"Come Dance with Me."
Come Dance.  - Hafiz

The little girl down the street is dancing in The Nutcracker Suite this weekend.  Last year I made her a giant paper flower nearly as tall as she.  This year I decided to make her something tiny.   

* Instructions at bottom of post

Ballet in a Box from wendy cook 

Materials:

• Altoid Tin
• Paint
• Ballerina cake topper
• Paperclip 
• Fabric
• Super Strong Magnet
• Glue stick
• Hot Glue
  
  1.  Paint the Altoid Tin.  I used gold spray paint, dusted it with white using old lace as a stencil, then distressed it using alcohol inks.
  
  2.  Create a backdrop and floor for your stage.  You can search google for images, then print them to size.
  
  3.  Using your tin as a template trace around the outside with pencil, then cut your images.  You may have to trim.
  
  4.  Use a glue stick to adhere images to the tin.
  
  5.  Cut a piece of fabric into a curtain shape and use glue stick to adhere. 
  
  6.  Coil paperclip then hot glue to bottom of dancer.
  
  *Use super strong magnet to maker her dance!

A Light So Radiant: Butterflies

We said farewell to summer with a visit to Brookside Gardens to see the Butterflies.  It felt like a fairytale.

Last Day of Skateboard Camp!

He came home speaking a foreign language...

"Mama, I can do an ollie!"
"Mama, I learned how to fakie!" 
"Mama, watch me Tic-tac!"

There were ramps and scrapes and bruises, but there was mostly joy.

5th Annual Pursuit of Happiness Picnic

Fiends and neighbors gathered to join us in the pursuit of happiness.
5 hours
47 people
28 grown ups
19 children
Sacred and undeniable
(video below)

Photos by Melissa Stratton Pandina

Photo by Dr. Rosa Simon
Pursuit of Happiness 2013 from wendy cook on Vimeo.


Listen to the Pursuit of Happiness Playlist...
 

And Then This Happened

“It is not half so important to know as to feel.” ― Rachel Carson

I feel

"You don't have to speak, I feel" - Bjork

I feel... (Ik voel, ik voel, wat jij niet voelt...) from Elsbeth van Noppen on Vimeo.

DARE

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.

Bullying

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!!!!

Power of Stillness

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

Our butterfly feeder was featured on Parents Magazine Website!

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.

*Featured on C'e 'Crisi C'e 'Crisi and The Crafty Crow

3rd Annual Pursuit of Happiness Potluck Picnic

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

Art Mama: BITE Exhibit / Unwelcome Mat

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

The Power in Me & the Power in You

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...

Soar

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...

Soul Place

The psyches and souls of women have their own cycles and seasons of doing and solitude, running and staying, being involved and being removed, questing and resting, creating and incubating, being of the world and returning to the soul-place. - Clarissa Pinkola Estes

 


I return to my diary this morning with feelings of both relief and anticipation. Relief - that the studio work is completed - props to The Great Robinsky & Son for their help. Relief- that my family has seen the last of the nasty norovirus that landed me tethered to an IV for a good part of a day. And...I'm also filled with anticipation for I am now able to share my studio with Mighty Girls and anyone who feels the tug to come over and make stuff. (Photo tour on Wednesday)

The fact that the bulbs on our window sill chose this very moment to bloom is not lost on me.

Somewhere between the doin's and illin's there was a sled-worthy snow storm and fireside dinners, and many rounds of Uno, and bedtime readings from the James Herriot Children's Treasury, and a covert mission to send a knitted viking hat to one wicked awesome goddess. Here, within the fabric of these moments, my heart dwells. This is my soul place.