Bella Art Girl

farm beautiful

2008-07-25T23:55:00.000-07:00

We were at the farm again for a few hours. The girls and I went to help move the chicks from their baby holding place [sounds real official huh?] to the chicken coop. At first it was just Grandma M and Lily carrying them but then I got into it too. Wilder was very fascinated and tried to help but was not too sure about actually holding and carrying them. They are beautiful chicks with rich color.

Then we were off to pick blueberries. I am going to meet up with marvelous M and make jam hopefully soon.

After the blueberries we made homemade ice cream in a bag. It was quite fun and took only 10 minutes or less. Then to round off our time there was sprinkler time, a quick game of hide the pear, and then swinging time. It was a nice visit and by the time we headed home the girls were covered in farm dust, berries, and ice cream.

Lucky for me they went straight into the shower [which is now becoming our everyday routine with all this outdoor play. Tucker made us a wonderful meal and then he and Lily worked on getting their packs ready for their hike tomorrow. That will be an adventure!

summer play

2008-07-24T22:17:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite poets is William Butler Yeats. I have read a book that I own over and over again. It is called Yeat's Ireland: An Enchanted Vision. Beautiful words layered upon history and images. In the quiet of this evening as all the little ones and my dear man have toddled off to bed, I am working on my various projects and the dog is laying contentedly at my feet. Here is the poem that seeps into this quiet.

THE SONG OF THE WANDERING AENGUS

I went out to the hazel wood,

Because a fire was in my head,

And cut and peeled a hazel wand,

And hooked a berry to a thread;

And when white moths were on the wing,

And moth-like stars were flickering out,

I dropped the berry in a stream

And caught a little silver trout.

When I had laid it on the floor

I went to blow the fire aflame,

But something rustled on the floor,

And some one called me by my name,

It had become a glimmering girl

With apple blossoms in her hair

Who called me by my name and ran

And faded through the brightening air.

Though I am old with wandering

Through hollow lands and hilly lands,

I will find out where she has gone,

And kiss her lips and take her hands;

And walk among the long dappled grass,

And pluck till time and times are done

The silver apples of the moon,

The golden apples of the sun.

My sweet little family is muddling along. Mister is getting ready to take Lily on a backpacking trip. If all goes well they will climb up into the mountains and sleep under the stars. The house is beginning to look like a small REI store. Most of the gear is years old and used from many trips. It will be there first backpack/camping trip together. Lily is old enough to do a trip like this. Those who know and love her understand that out in nature her spirit comes alive in a way that renews her. Tucker too is one that gets renewed by being in nature. Wilder and I are not going because it just would not allow for the trip and location. We will join in on some of the easier hikes but I want them to really have the freedom to explore and play. For a few summers now Tucker has been reading various books to Lily. One series in particular is Swallows and Amazons. They love that the children are portrayed as explorers. Wilder and I will probably get to make blueberry jam and have a more mellow time. I hope to start another knitting project as I have finished Wilder's brown kimono sweater [hallelujah]. I need to sew buttons but then it will be done [Thanks to M and B for walking me through it!]

Here are some of the moments from my day. Running with Wilder and Mr. Bob Revolution while Lily rode horses. The baby is sweet Milo who is now 5 months and getting teeth.

YIKES! clean up in Aisle 2

2008-07-24T09:39:00.001-07:00

The joys of having a baby in diapers. With Lily [due to her personality and that we only had one child] we had a pretty easy time of potty training. Not that there weren't mishaps but still it was not fraught with some of the difficulties you hear about.

Fast forward to current moment: I am on the phone with my good friend, Wilder is walking around commando [no diapers], Lily has her nose in a book. I hear over my friend's voice a plaintive call of "Poo! Poo!"

So, whilst still talking to my friend I bring her over to the potty - just for an introduction/reminder of the potty's purpose. Wilder politely takes one square of toilet paper, puts it into the potty and walks away.

I resume my talking and then another "POO! Poo!" and lo and behold she has done it in Aisle 2. Out come the wipes, the disinfectant -still talking to my friend on the phone * did I say she was a good and long known friend?* and carry the girl off to the bathroom to clean and wash again.

She begins to wash her hands and then pees on the floor from the sound/feel of rushing water. I relay the happenings to my friend on the phone and quickly end the conversation to deal with my little mess maker! Good times my friend, good times!

summer knit

2008-07-23T23:13:00.000-07:00

Can I say I love a knit group that gathers all year round. We have somehow still been able to coordinate a weekly knit group for most weeks. Mostly thanks to marvelous M who hosts us at her beautiful home.

Today was a lovely marathon day of working on our home project [the room redos - getting there, almost blog worthy]. Lily and I worked a bit this morning and then we all piled in and scampered off to a church park play date before planting ourselves in our lovely friends yard for a few blissful hours.

Wilder and her itty bitty twin - Tucker John [named after my Tucker and only 5 weeks older and just as stinking cute!!]

played in the sun most of the afternoon. They both were naked most of the time since they kept going in and out of the baby pool and their diapers would just get super soaked and heavy. Then Lily, much to her delight, got to play some more while I tried to get Wilder to take a nap. There was nothing doing with that for her until dinner time, when she conveniently [ha!] fell asleep while eating.

Then I was off to knit group with Lily and friends in tow. The girls had made chocolate and cherry cookies, one friend had brought Ben & Jerry's Cherry Garcia, another some brie and bread [which M toasted in the panini maker] and I brought some Sweet Cheeks wine. That, my friends, combined with good people, was a recipe for fun times. The younger Ya-Ya's moved in and out of the room we were in and played and laughed mostly. On the ride home MeredyRose read to us out of one of her Nancy Drew books and I could tell that my girl [and I] both thought this was one of the most delightful summer nights of the year.

beachplay

2008-07-22T22:34:00.000-07:00

We had one of the best trips ever to the coast. The northwest does not always have such beautiful days as we had. As I live and breathe I don't remember a more beautiful one than the other day. I was just plain grateful to be there and to soak it all in. We went to visit with my brother and his family. Here is my good brother Dave

here is his family - his wife Sarah and their four children Isaac, Nadine, Quinn and Faith.

The cousins had lots of fun together. The older kids played at the same speeds and the little ones toddled after. Isaac and Lily ran and were soon out of sight exploring hidden waterfalls and sand dunes. I was determined to take a few family pictures of them since they did not have any and it is always fun to photograph large families. We took literally just a few minutes and I snapped away and came up with these groupings. I really like playing with the different ways you can take family photos. These were kept pretty simple because of the number of kids, the fact we were on vacation, and that the kids were so young still. They just built a new house and have many bare walls so I hope that this helps fill a few of them. There are so many more things I could describe, but the one that kept coming back to me was that these traditions of getting the cousins together, of going as families on vacation really do add up to good things for the families and for the children.

You know I could just keep throwing pictures up here but I need sleep. Here's what mister had to say about it and of course more of his lovely photos and his lovely poetry:

breath of God

Out on the thin, vast plain of sand
bodies, hurled with glee, run.

Listing I see:

Fish, trapped in pools, wait for the tide.

Rocks, dotting the bar, lay dark and unhurried.

The creek, cutting the sand, ripples downward.

Gulls, huddled under gray skies, exist.

And crashing comes energy, pent up

for miles of open seas, to lay finally

like a soft kiss on the shore,

like a mysterious voicethat says come, go, come, go.

What are these things, these ordinary wonders?

(The kids are still running, skipping, skimming.)

Are we not in communion,

in the very language itself,of a great wind, a voice,a pillar of fire?

Are we not, then, inside

the breath of God?

a little bit of summer amazing

2008-07-20T08:51:00.000-07:00

I have been very busy lately with this and that stuff. Visiting, working, being it is all good. We are now driving off to the sea for a family vacation and it is going to be oh so nice. Yesterday I helped take a few photos at a wedding that reminded me of God's goodness and his amazing grace. Two good people getting married and the beauty of the community who came to see it. There was no official photographer and I came just a bit early in hopes of snapping a few photos of them. I haven't taken wedding photos since Tucker and I were in business years ago but I wanted to make sure that even though there was no official photographer that there were a few photos taken of the bride and the groom. Upon arriving there I was reminded that these are not flashy people, instead they are a very modest and sincere couple wanting to have a real and joyful celebration. I hope that one thing translates about the quiet joy of this moment that seeped into the whole event. It was at a family farm with a simple ceremony and a potluck. Everyone who attended seemed to be so happy for this event. That is not always the vibe that events like this brings. It reminded me a bit of a Jane Austen country wedding. Oh good things, good things. Well, I could ramble on but we are off to the sea. Here's a few pics from yesterday. God is faithful.

marking - group

2008-07-18T09:54:00.000-07:00

Someone asked me to post the 1 - 8 years and I thought that would be easy but as you can see I could not find 2, 6, and 7. I'm sure they will show up sometime and now I will be looking for them. Also, note no. 5 how Lily doesn't look too enthused. I'm still glad I took the picture because that was her at the moment and that's the real I want to see. This is also a reminder for me to keep my images organized. I feel like I have done a better job since 2004 but before then I was not fully digital and not as organized. Oh well, live and learn.

marking time

2008-07-17T16:42:00.000-07:00

Since Lily was born we have participated in a little event every summer called the All Comers meet. On the track are the lane numbers 1 - 8. I have tried each year to take a picture of Lily in front of the track number. This year Wilder gets her first number.

As you can see she cannot stay still as well as her 8 year old sister can. I have seen many articles before of ways people have tried to mark the ages as their children grow. When I started this when Lily was one I thought it would be fun but now eight years later I see how much fun it really is. Now I'll have to find other numbers to help record Lily as she continues to grow

sending out prayers

2008-07-15T16:47:00.000-07:00

I have a young college aged friend who has in the past few weeks become very sick and is in the hospital. I think that slowly she is turning a corner, but it has been a laborious process. Last night as I was visiting with her she spoke of her hope to go home. It is a universal desire but when we don't feel good it becomes even more pressing and more clear.

Today's news on her condition is helpful but again brings another hurdle. I have no doubt she will overcome it, but I know her heart is heavy and so I pray that it will be encouraged and lifted up. I pray she will be healed but mostly I pray that she will have faith through it all. It has been an interesting thing to realize that now I am the adult and that these young people need us to walk beside them and extend our love and care. It reminds me of all the angels in my past who walked beside me. I am grateful to be able in some small way to give back. I know if my daughter was sick like my friend that I would be so happy to have people help her and extend their love and care. So, when I go tonight to be with her through the night I know that those thoughts are what will be on my mind. God is good, God is faithful.

sleeping lily, sleeping rose

2008-07-15T15:24:00.000-07:00

It has been so much fun to see these sweet girls continue to get to know each other, to learn to be loving to each other. I have heard various thoughts about how hard it is to have such a span in ages in siblings but it has been such a great opportunity for growth and the blooming sisterhood. It is rare that we stop and get to soak in the moment. When both girls spontaneously napped in the afternoon in their new bed set up I had to take the picture. I remember when we just had Lily and we could have moments of quiet while she slept. Now life is full of constant activity. I love it but sometimes I miss those quiet interludes. Work hard, play hard, have faith, learn, laugh, love and live well that is what these children are doing and their sleep reflects that.

interior meddler

2008-07-14T12:53:00.001-07:00

A while ago I used to be called an "interior meddler" not to be confused with "interior designer" - you need to go to school to become one of those. One of those people who helps you do a project around your house in an afternoon. We would have play dates with the kids while the moms would make mischief around the house. It has been awhile since I have felt the energy to tackle my own place but this weekend I got my husband to help me do something I never thought I would do...cut the bed in half - just to see if you are listening I'll say it again -yes in half.

He cut apart this bunk bed to make a twin bed for Lily and a twin bed for Wilder. The bunk bed was working but Lily didn't love having it be such a separate sleeping space and Wilder kept on trying to crawl up to the top bunk. One afternoon as I stared and stared at it, it occurred to me that the top bunk would make a perfect toddler bed [not that we are ready yet to wean her completely from the crib remember Bedtime for Frances? we're not ready for all those conversations yet!]. - I should say, that it's not that I couldn't find another bed and start all over, but I liked the simplicity of the beds, I like using what we already have, and they are sturdy for these elementary years. Plus if I am going to throw my money on furniture in our house I want to throw it towards a couch.

So, back to the bed....The bed itself is not so old so basically we just needed to check the structure to see if it would still be a good bed if cut into two. Enter in the husband element. He actually said yes he would do it. I was beyond surprised because sometimes he listens to my proposals and it is a flat out refusal. But these are creative times my friends. So, out comes the hacksaw. What a name that tool has. It made me nervous because this bed is no small thing. But my genius husband, he thought of everything and it came apart smoothly. Each leg was cut and then clamped to hold it together until all the pieces were separated and then Voila! two beds. [apologies for my poor writing form].

Now the next step - do we stay [as in stay in our room] or go [ as in switch rooms]? Here are a few of the elements of the girls rooms and like puzzle pieces will fit into the room to be. I want to try to just use what we have to make this new change. I really want to think this out before I change the rooms because this is no small thing. These are pics of the room with the beds apart and chaos abounds. I won't show the whole room so that those of you who can't see the bigger picture can't fuss too much. It will come together.

Regardless of if we switch rooms, I need to make a list of what I really want for the girls new space. How to make it work for an 8 year old and and 1 1/2 year old. They want to be able to snuggle together and yet have separate times. Fun work for creative minds! Well, more to come but that's all in my neck of the woods.
Thoughts:

simplicity [ as in easy on the eyes, easy to clean]
aesthetic [creative, beautiful, dreamy space]
fun [encourages play and imagination]
function [ works to provide for both ages and is practical]
economical [doesn't cost too much to REnovate room]
environmental [ use what I have and what makes for a healthy home]

berryland

2008-07-11T17:44:00.000-07:00

What better way to start your morning then a visit to

Berryland

As you can tell I'm still way too excited about having my camera back. This morning we went out to the farm to pick berries. If you have small children going to a family farm is the way to go. The last time we picked berries with Wilder it was strawberry season and she was affectionately dubbed "Babyzilla" because she was stomping on good and bad berries alike. At the farm she had room to run and no danger of traffic or roads. We were spoiled with the chance to pick peas, tayberries, raspberries, blueberries, and gooseberries [not to be confused with mooseberries - or so Tucker would say]. We only picked for a short bit and had beautiful berries to come home with [we didn't take home all of those - we left most]. We also came home with a new appreciation of what went into the cost of picking these berries and selling them at the market. Lily and Wilder ate handfuls of ripe berries. Lily has spent enough time at the farm that she picked quite a bit. Wilder ate most of her pickings and you could map out the berry stains all over her face and hands. We ended our morning with a cup of coffee and some freshly baked breakfast bars. Gotta love a farmer's wife in the kitchen and it gets even better when it's grandma love!

back but different

2008-07-10T21:25:00.000-07:00

I am still working the kinks out but I have my Nikon baby back but it's not the same Nikon baby. Long story short - we did have insurance but they were being a little difficult and were going to pull through but then an amazing offer came through from a topdog to upgrade both body and lenses and thanks to some good chats with the bizgirlfriends and the fairy godmother my wishes have come true - new & improved body and new & improved lens. Don't you wish we could say that about everything? I love it. After I got it I blushed joy when my husband called within minutes of parting to tell me how happy he was that I had it and I thought O Love you are SO on my team!

Kinks to work out the RAW format is not compatible with the software so I may have to upgrade but even with the existing formats usable it pretty much ROCKS! The lens is such a monster I am still working out the focus. You would think it would be easy with AUTO, but this is more than just a drive in the park. Let me know what you think about my first day back in the saddle!@ I am doing the happy and GRATEFUL dance from my head to my toes!

to gain a few minutes or so

2008-07-10T11:16:00.001-07:00

what I wouldn't do for a few minutes distraction...

what I came away with...

2008-07-07T11:00:00.000-07:00

I must confess that a comment from Mt. Hope gave me the title of this post. I am indeed processing what I came away with and where that will lead me. I am assuming if you are reading this at all it is because you are interested in the goings on in this little corner of the woods so here goes...

I went down south with my good ol'buddy and fellow homeschooler Travelin' Nan to attend a homeschooling conference for classical education. My eldest is a now going into 3rd grade and we have been following, with some flexibility, the guidelines of "The Well Trained Mind" by Susan Wise Bauer and Jessie Wise. I am planning on still following those guidelines. I love the Peace Hill curriculum and have used them over the last few years and continue to be impressed.

It was a three day conference. In the morning we attended a parent practicum aimed at training the parents on how to use the curriculum and what the new curriculum is. The program is called Classical Conversations. It is a homeschooling curriculum geared towards encouraging the parents and students in their homeschooling endeavors and in giving an arena of accountability to get through the curriculum. The part that we are participating in will meet one day a week for 24 weeks of the year. I will be tutoring one group of the Foundations part. This philosophy of education encourages one teacher to teach a variety of subjects rather than specializing in just one. This mimics the homeschooling teacher's role at home. Although I see this as a bit more formal than around our kitchen table, I think that some of the same principles will still apply. I was greatly inspired by the overall vision of education.

The speaker/leader of the practicum started the discussion speaking about pragmatism in America.

Pragmatism [noun]

1. a way of thinking about results: a straightforward practical way of thinking about things or dealing with problems, concerned with results rather than with theories and principles

We often fall into the what is the least amount of work/input to get the most amount of outcome. That's not to say that is always bad, but it is interesting to navigate, and perhaps complicates things when we are trying to teach and be taught that learning, and the love of learning, is worth the work. This program at the beginning/Foundations stages correlates to the classical education model of the grammar stage. The time when you are getting the knowledge and vocabulary. It focuses on helping learn how to teach/model that.

In our homeschooling journey we have clear goals but we are also willing to flex as we continue to learn how we are actually going to achieve these goals and who our students are/what kind of learners are children are. We can already tell that Lily will be a different type of learner than Wilder for sure.

The other part of the day will be a program called the Essentials program. It will be aimed at helping learn the art of writing, the language of grammar, and also a group time to play math games.

The key to this whole thing for us is that it encourages you to still homeschool. I think that with more and more options it is easy to forget the core goals of homeschooling. Some of the highlights about the Classical Conversations program are:

it is modeling methods, tools of learning for the children and the parents

it provides a local community of homeschoolers pursuing the classical education model

it provides accountability for both the student and parent

it is family oriented - I am nervous about Wilder being there while I teach Lily and others and yet that is exactly what we do at home - we are many ages and many stages in this one room schoolhouse and I guess I wouldn't do it any other way because it is teaching us more than just the subjects. It is teaching us how to love one another amidst the other tasks set out for the day. I am not saying it is easy, but it is doable and will get easier over time if we continue to just live this way as routine.

I am going to continue to try to write out more thoughts on where we are going with our homeschooling. I like the models that I see on other blogs that have worked to state clearly their goals, their methods, philosophies etc. It is good to work at verbalizing these things so that we can remember what we are doing. I will write more but I need to get back to the day.

One last thing for this note is that another wonderful aspect of the trip was visiting and getting to know the family we stayed with. They were really delightful and kind. They were godly people living out each day with beautiful intention. I came away thinking about so many things and about how a good family can be. They are ordinary joes doing a really good job at the task they have before them. I asked permission to take some photos and one that I really wanted to take was of her pantry. They are a family of 6 and in order to run a good household efficiently and economically and with good health in mind, she has worked at setting up a good pantry. This should be no surprise to some of you that I love all things organizational. It is a goal that I do not always get to but I think that it underpins a good life for all. [note I do not mean uber organizational, just good organizational]. This is one wall of her pantry.

She orders a lot of good bulk food from a company called Azure Standard. I am going to research it and figure out how we might use it. The food we had was wholesome and healthy and fed all of us 6 adults and 6 children with some to spare.

local 4th

2008-07-05T14:04:00.000-07:00

Just a few pics from our local celebration which included biking to see the local race and parade - love cheering the runners/walkers on with a group of friends and a cup of coffee!!!, lazing around, attending a picnic at a friend's farm, a local talent show, and small scale fireworks [as in little kid to big kid friendly] and the grand finale of chasing the big firework displays around town. Very happy and full children and parents toddling off to their beds. Happy Independence day!

p.s. as you can tell from these high quality images I am still without my camera. This has been a good lesson! Also, I am still writing my post about my homeschooling conference thoughts/adventure. Hopefully it will come in the next day and be posted. Thanks for wanting to know more!

going south

2008-07-02T21:43:00.000-07:00

I've just come home from a small but ultimately BIG journey. It was only a handful of days but it feels like it was more than that. It was also the first time that I have ever left Wilder. Tucker has been slammed with work so it was a little tricky working things out but between a little help from the grandparents watching the girls for a day he worked it out. I have so much I could talk about but I am too tired to go on for much more before I hit the hay. My friend and I went down to attend a homeschooling conference. I also was training because I am going to teach a once a week this year. It is going to stretch me, and stretch the family. Lily will be one of my students and Wilder will be in the class - hopefully behaving well. I'll tell y'all more about that later. But before I close this little note: I am glad to be home. Everyone greeted me at the door, Lily with hugs and kisses, Wilder with trembling excitement and joy, Tucker with hugs and kisses and a smile of relief. Wilder has just learned to say "I love you" and so it was music to my ears to hear her little voice. I was so amazed by the family we got to visit. They are living a good life of integrity and hard work and yet their family seems infused with a love and respect for each other and for God. I can't wait to talk more to Tucker and Lily about what I have learned and perhaps even share some here.

into nature

2008-06-28T18:43:00.000-07:00

We started out again this morning on what has now become a family ritual. We are hiking up the mountain again. With each hike we are learning and adjusting to what it takes to have a family enjoy an outing like this. The baby is getting used to being carried in the backpack and the girl is getting used to pacing herself to make it to the top. This week we added two new things. We hiked with another family and Lily brought her Ugly Doll. Now why those should be such significant moments are for the one easily apparent but for the other quite funny to see in action.

We arrived and started to prepare to hike and I noticed that Lily was beginning to put her Ugly Doll "Steve" into her camelback. Now, I thinking with my mother brain, was thinking "oh no, please don't bring that up the hill because I don't want you to drop it and for us to have to spend time sending out a search party for an Ugly Doll named "Steve". However, I decided to hold back the practical comment and let it just play itself out. I'm glad I did because the sight of the two girls running up the hill with their Ugly Dolls was so stinking cute. This is one of those moments that I remind myself once again to look at my world with the eyes of a child and enjoy the moment, the adventure. I think that is a good lesson for me, or anyone to learn. Don't sweat the small stuff.

Now doing the hike with the other family was a great moment of watching the two girls from almost the moment they started practically race up the hill, chattering away, carrying their Ugly Dolls. I didn't hear hardly a complaint about how long it took from the girls. They just chatted and hiked. That is worth gold for family adventures. The temps were shooting towards the 90s all day and we were hitting a hot time even though we had started early in the morning. I am getting better and packing what we need and no more. We are keeping hydrated and for the most part in good temper. We hiked up and down and had a good time of fellowship and enjoyed being out in nature on a beautiful day.

the BIG kids now

2008-06-27T16:42:00.000-07:00

Today we found ourselves just before noon at a place of green turf perfection. I think this photo is excellent because it shows how bright and clean the place we were at was. The Olympic Trials have come to our town. Today was the opening festivities. In classic Travelin'Nan and Bella style we were all excited about going and doing the "free" things and having an "adventure". Nan is a pro at this stuff [you know -travelin'Nan] and one of the reasons it is good to hang around her is to glean the knowledge of a master. That being said, to get to this mecca we decided to bike. We were going to meet them there. Now I have outfitted myself with a bike, bike trailer and today because of the special event I brought the child carrier backpack in case we couldn't bring the stroller. I should have pondered that a bit more. If Tucker were there the backpack would have been an easy addition. But since he wasn't I had to lasso it with a bungee cord to the trailer and then once there deal with it the whole time. I have learned my lesson: LESS is MORE!! That is hard to do when you have baby stuff multiplying. It wasn't a huge kink for the day but just a good reminder to honor that credo: LESS is MORE. Or else...

Back to the title of this post: The BIG kids now. Evander is my godson

and he and Lily have known each other her whole life. He is 1.5 years older than her and it seems the perfect age to be very good friends.

It has just been happening this last year that these two are becoming so much more self sufficient. They are so capable. And so today when I thought of the 20-30 minute bike ride in the heat to the trials I didn't even blink. I knew she could do it. This is a HUGE step towards more and more fun things we can do. And it is awesome. They both tried to ride the bikes that powered the energy at the meet. Lily couldn't quite reach the pedals so she started doing one foot at a time. It is just fun to see these cool kids grow and explore their world. And as you can see how big they look next to Wilder, they are the BIG kids now.

We ended the whole escapade riding home together until our roads split and they went their way and we went ours. As I looked back to see Nan and Evander riding off I thought this is what is fun, to have the shared adventures and learning moments. And Nan and I got more free bags and stuff then we could barely carry. Oh right, LESS is MORE!

Meeting the Mt. Hope Academy Mama and Her Boys

2008-06-25T18:56:00.000-07:00

-First I should say that I am still mourning my camera while it is at the camera doctor, but I am grateful to have other options and am muddling through and trying to still record these fun moments in our lives. These photos come courtesy of a Fuji Finepix S602z. Not as good as my Nikon baby but still adequate to capture the moment.-

"How far we travel in life

matters far less

than those we meet along the way"

- anon.

Today Travelin' Nan and I went to meet and visit the Mt. Hope Academy mama and her boys. It was a very fun and relaxing visit considering that there were six children visiting. In part I think because the children were so busy running in the open space and enjoying the gorgeous weather. They live out in the country bordered by a field of Quaking Aspens and farmland. Nestled underneath a beautiful and lush willow tree she makes a sweet home with her husband and is raising and homeschooling her three boys: Levi, Luke and Leif.

When we arrived the Mt. Hope Academy boys came out to greet us at once and were so hospitable and friendly and that, combined with Heidi's bright smile, put us instantly at ease. We had brought food and she had made scrumptious scones and a pitcher of lemonade and so we were able for the most part to sit, eat, and talk. It truly is good to meet someone you have glimpsed from afar and see that the image portrayed is true to the reality. She has a beautiful and organized aesthetic that permeates into her home. My inside photos did not turn out as well but it really does look just like it does on her blog. We talked as much as we could in such a short visit and left feeling happy to have connected and to have made a new friend on the homeschooling, blogland, faith, mothering, and human journey of life. If you hop on over to her blog you can see some more photos she took with her pretty Nikon D50.

On our way home we stopped by the Poet's Garden which is the family business that Heidi's sister and mother run. It was a bittersweet moment because it reminded us about what a little jewel it is and how sad we will be that it is closing in less than a month. It has been a fun destination that will be missed. As we walked around I could tell that Nan was sad because she has enjoyed this destination so much over the years.

Some Keats on a Summer's Night

2008-06-24T21:16:00.000-07:00

"New Dawn" climbing rose from my garden

I had the sweetest talk with a friend of mine today. A moment of reminiscing and of connection. We are all in our little puddles on this earth. Working hard to make sense of this life. Seeking light and truth. Trying to choose love, mercy, grace and faith. So to connect across the lines, to hear a voice and feel the fellowship of miles travelled. It is a moment of grace and it lifts me up.

I am excited for a little journey tomorrow off the beaten path. I am travelling with another one of my dear friends to meet,and put a face and voice to, the words and person I have just seen from a distance. And on the eve of such a little journey, I am glad for this new highway of connection. I am glad for how it brings kindred spirits together to fellowship and to be lifted up. My dear friend on the phone today did not bring me roses in person, but reminded me of Keats, and of summers long ago spent walking amidst the gardens and of many other such visits so sweet. I am reminded that God is good and so as I was an English major in college and love, deeply love British literature, here is a little Keats to share.

V. To a Friend who sent me some Roses

by John Keats

AS late I rambled in the happy fields,

What time the sky-lark shakes the tremulous dew

From his lush clover covert; - when anew

Adventurous knights take up their dinted shields:

I saw the sweetest flower wild nature yields,

A fresh-blown musk-rose; ’twas the first that threw

Its sweets upon the summer: graceful it grew

As is the wand that queen Titania wields.

And, as I feasted on its fragrancy,

I thought the garden-rose it far excell’d:

But when, O Wells! thy roses came to me

My sense with their deliciousness was spell’d:

Soft voices had they, that with tender plea

Whisper’d of peace, and truth, and friendliness unquell’d.

August, 1816.
Poems (1817)

Trampoline Sleepover

2008-06-23T17:33:00.000-07:00

If you were eight and got invited to a Trampoline Sleepover with some of your favorite friends wouldn't you go crazy with joy? I mean who needs summer camp when you can participate in an sleepover like this one. Last week Lily was thrilled to get to go to this sleepover. I think if it had been last year she might have been too young, but this was the year to sleep outside under the stars on a trampoline with nine other people - all of them bigger than you and all squished together on a trampoline. They played, watched a movie on the tramp, had ice cream, played tag, etc. The host of the party has just graduated and turned 18 and the other friends were all family friends that Lily knew and trusted. It was the perfect recipe for fun. I have to say these are all really nice kids. By that I mean, that in general, they treated each other with courtesy and respect and yet still could have fun. As a parent that is a great thing to know and observe. I am glad that these are the kids that Lily looks up to and respects. I took a before picture [as in before I dropped my camera] and then a next morning picture. My part in all of this was to bring blueberry coffeecake to the young people the next morning. I'm glad I did because it helps make each moment available that they can just play and they ate the coffeecake with only two pieces to spare and that was a big double batch. I am grateful for the fact that they included Lily. It truly was a special start to summer vacation and a memory of good friends having good wholesome fun. Even the babies got to play the next morning.

husband's poetry

2008-06-23T07:56:00.000-07:00

My husband and I work side by side in our days. Not always physically, but connected in our greater purposes. He gets up early and goes to his work but when I wake up he has left traces of his presence and his love for us: coffee waiting in a thermos on the stove, the house is ready for us to wake up -windows open, etc., sometimes notes. He works early in the day and calls when he knows we are up to check in. My daughters beg to say hello to him. Wilder has learned to say "good morning" because he always takes the time to speak to her - even on speakerphone. Then when he comes home the house comes alive with the joy of seeing him. I know as I am doing all of my tasks and things of the day that there is this invisible chord that connects us and it gives me a peace to know the love is there. This morning when I awoke, got my coffee, and started waking up, I checked email and then checked his blog and saw this poem. It is so beautiful that I had to share it. I thank God for such a friend, for a partner who brings his perspective and it enriches my life, my view of the world. I can't believe we have been married for over 16 years and it just gets better. Enough said, here is the poem.

22 June 2008

the true light

1.
Where are these times,
these moments so in the clutch
of nomads: history and faith
and dark matter?

Where are we now, our souls
I mean, when we lay down
at night, flying between stars
and dust?

Who has taken us, is taking us,
through this murky
looking glass,
more deeply into our present,
more deeply into our wondering,
and deeper still into our darkened selves?
(More glorious than we can admit.)

Can we stand?
Can we stand it,
stand this hope in truth and love
and mercy?
Can we hope that much?

2.
What goes for understanding
on this outer crust?
The trees bare their leaves,
the flowers open,
the robins sit nervously
on the fence rail,
the park is full of children,
the machines make machines.

What is our shape, our color,
our wishful thinking?
I wonder.
I wonder about these things
like a stone cracks another.
Hulking shoulders or
straining sinews
cannot pull down my wondering.

And I take in the news,
which burns like paper
and disappears like vapor,
so that I might know.I know so much less
I know.

3.
I think about my my children's future
everyday.
Blood flows in the streets,
under the rubble,into the sand.
Limbs go missing like
a favorite song that cannot
be remembered.
Only my children do not yet
know the song.

I hope they never know.
I hope they understand.

I think about my loved ones
who live in me.
Fire can rain down,
chariots can crush,
deceit can harness the darkness,
but I have seen a ghost,
like the wind in the trees.
I pray for my loved ones.

I pray about the future
when I think about today.

And this is the true light:
Love the poor,
Love the weak,
Love the hopeless,
Love the dying,
Love the orphan,
Love the homeless,
Love the widow,
Love your brother,
Love your enemy,
Love the other.

- June, 2008

beautiful weather

2008-06-21T16:52:00.000-07:00

I took these with my cell phone. They remind me of a cross between a pinhole and a Holga camera. I guess I will get to play with other lenses while my camera is getting fixed. We have been enjoying this beautiful weather. We got up early again and were out hiking. This week we were biking in the sunny weather almost every day. I am again amazed by how close all this beauty is. We are now into a rhythm of biking everywhere. I am sure this will become more of a trend for everyone as the gas prices rise. It has been so nice to have a bike trailer and for Lily to be a more adept rider. I don't worry so much about her running into things and as we head into more trafficked areas I am glad not to have to worry so much. We live near a river plain and I have been thinking of the landscape and imaging what this area would look like if floods washed into it. My prayers go out to the flooded areas and the people dealing with all these challenges. It doesn't sound easy.

cry me a river, my baby, my camera dropped and....

2008-06-19T18:56:00.000-07:00

Please don't mock me when you read this - I do have perspective, but I just needed to process my feelings briefly so that I could glean the important lessons. Ok....I know, I can hear my dear, beloved husband say "Remember to put the camera strap on..." He knows how much I love photography, he knows how nice my camera is, he knows, and most importantly I KNOW. So, in a classic moment of nothingness [meaning it was just an everyday moment], I was holding the camera, turned to look at my wee one and THUD it dropped and so did my heart. I know that sounds dramatic but I use my camera every day, EVERY day. I don't post half of what I am up to because it's too much but I have projects galore going on. I have become a person who helps document the everyday life/lives of my community and in some ways this is the gift that I can give. Some of us are leaders, teachers, bakers, cooks, etc...I do photography. Also, this is a camera I have worked and saved for and cost me a very pretty penny or thousands of pennies. So, that being said I gathered myself, and said camera, together and reminded myself that it is JUST A CAMERA, just a THING. I know I have a good perspective on this whole thing but my knee-jerk-reaction was to despair. As you might have heard this is not a great economy and thus we are all being more careful, frugal and, hopefully wise about our finances. Mine don't include spending extra on a new lens. As I began to lose all hope, a glimmer of a thought came to my mind. I remembered that when we purchased the camera Tucker [brilliant man] had bought insurance for up to two years in case such an occasion would arise. I scrambled to find the info that I needed and called the number. Thank you Jesus it doesn't expire until 8/1/08. AMAZING. There is no way we could have come up with the $$ for awhile for the lens without compromising our other goals so I knew that if some kind of miracle didn't occur I would need to deal with the consequences of that drop. I am thanking my lucky stars and grateful for the insurance.

They are supposed to get the camera shipped off tomorrow and then back to me [hopefully] within a week. I'll let you know if that is true. I have some great photos to post that I took in the last few days. Some involving a wonderful childhood event: The Trampoline Sleepover. I'll try to post in the next day as I may or may not be with my faithful companion for at least a week and maybe longer.

Lessons learned:
1. insurance really does work
2. keep your perspective on what truly is important - at least I didn't drop my baby on her head
3. keep your wits and temper about you
4. feelings are ok
5. as with all things - God is the author of this story and I am gleaning wisdom as best I can and grateful for the little mercies.