1st day of school.

thankful for a day full of sweet attitudes, a love of learning, and lots of pencil sharpening. 

goings on.

praying for rain, inspired by children, teaching littles respect- learning just as much, sweet sunday as a clan, worship in all things, it’s all love-without love i am a clanging cymbal, speaking the truth is not the same as being unloving, pushing back the start of school a week -it’s wrong to do school when it’s over 100 degrees outside, a bit sad summer is coming to a close – but still savoring the last bit, thankful, always thankful: home & family & the Spirit surrounding.

 

The Little darling Spring has run away
The sunshine grew too hot for her to stay
She kissed her sister, Summer,and she said
“When I am gone, you must be queen instead”
Now reigns the Lady Summer, round whose feet
A thousand fairies flock with blossoms sweet.

eleven things to do in twenty-eleven.

1) be intentional with my thoughts, words and actions. love folks, always

2) sing, dance and make merry – every day

3) fill up my house with flowers and other pretties 

4) be silly with my family and friends

5) read 52 books + study the Bible intensely 

6) bake something delicious once a week 

7) take lots & lots of pictures

8 ) invite someone new to shabbat once a month

9) write. write in my journal every day, write poems and short stories, write ideas and inventions. write mundane details and summarize my grandest adventures. write!

10) get messy                     

11) spend a lot more time doting on and spoiling my lovey

rain.

i can’t wait for another rainy day!

somewhere i have never travelled, gladly beyond
any experience,your eyes have their silence:
in your most frail gesture are things which enclose me,
or which i cannot touch because they are too near

your slightest look will easily unclose me
though i have closed myself as fingers,
you open always petal by petal myself as Spring opens
(touching skilfully,mysteriously)her first rose

or if your wish be to close me, i and
my life will shut very beautifully ,suddenly,
as when the heart of this flower imagines
the snow carefully everywhere descending;
nothing which we are to perceive in this world equals
the power of your intense fragility:whose texture
compels me with the color of its countries,
rendering death and forever with each breathing

(i do not know what it is about you that closes
and opens;only something in me understands
the voice of your eyes is deeper than all roses)
nobody,not even the rain,has such small hands

(borrowed from the inimitable,and oh so fantastic e.e.cummings)

praise through the creatures

Most high, all powerful, all good Lord!
All praise is yours, all glory, all honor, and all blessing.

To you, alone, Most High, do they belong.
No mortal lips are worthy to pronounce your name.

Be praised, my Lord, through all your creatures,
especially through my lord Brother Sun,
who brings the day; and you give light through him.
And he is beautiful and radiant in all his splendor!
Of you, Most High, he bears the likeness.

Be praised, my Lord, through Sister Moon and the stars;
in the heavens you have made them bright, precious and beautiful.

Be praised, my Lord, through Brothers Wind and Air,
and clouds and storms, and all the weather,
through which you give your creatures sustenance.

Be praised, My Lord, through Sister Water;
she is very useful, and humble, and precious, and pure.

Be praised, my Lord, through Brother Fire,
through whom you brighten the night.
He is beautiful and cheerful, and powerful and strong.

Be praised, my Lord, through our sister Mother Earth,
who feeds us and rules us,
and produces various fruits with colored flowers and herbs.

Be praised, my Lord, through those who forgive for love of you;
through those who endure sickness and trial.

Happy those who endure in peace,
for by you, Most High, they will be crowned.

Be praised, my Lord, through our Sister Bodily Death,
from whose embrace no living person can escape.
Woe to those who die in mortal sin!
Happy those she finds doing your most holy will.
The second death can do no harm to them.

Praise and bless my Lord, and give thanks,
and serve him with great humility.

-st. francis of assisi



profile: theodore welcome.

a few days ago, the littlest was 15 months old. as such, i felt compelled to write up a little profile on what he’s been learning and doing.

his favorite food is, well, anything. to be honest, i can’t recall a food he hasn’t liked. just last nite, he was walking around with half an onion he’d pilfered from the fridge, and was licking it and taking small bites. he loves pickles and condiments. if he gets quiet for more than a few seconds, i know to head towards the refrigerator and there i will find him, stacking mustard, ketchup, pancake syrup, wheat germ and soy sauce.

most of the time, theodore is dancing. his favorite song right now is “hey, soul sister”, and when it comes on, he stops, drops everything and runs to the center of the living room to dance. he has quite a few moves in his arsenal, and i would say he’s got the skills to pay the bills.

he is quite ornery, loves to pick on his sisters and make people laugh. he has a range of facial expressions, more than i’ve ever seen on a little guy. his curiosity is intense, the phrase of the moment: “what IS it?”, emphasis on “is”, going up to a higher pitch and raising one eyebrow. or in the same vein “what’s-at”, said deeper and more excitedly. he loves a good, enthusiastic “good-bye”, waving and blowing kisses and giving hugs. speaking of hugs, he kisses now. it’s more of a “face hug”, or a lick on one’s cheek, but it’s very sweet nonetheless.

playing outside is his idea of paradise, and we have been spending many afternoons out in the yard as the weather is cooling off.

he is in a bit of a difficult phase as far as keeping him occupied. he also finds any kind of stick a hilarious weapon to be used on unsuspecting family members, which is embarrassing, shocking and kind of funny. he attempts climbing on any thing he thinks he can. i admire his bravery, yet i am ready for some kind of impulse control to kick in, but i know i’ve a ways to wait.

he’s still nursing away and growing, growing, growing. it’s a joy to watch him and play with him. he reads! no, in all seriousness, it is so darling how he “reads”: he gets a book, lays down on the floor on his stomach, kicks his legs up and points at the pages, saying “ooh!” or “what IS it?”. just adorable.

his smile is contagious and his love for his sisters, dada, and mama is overwhelmingly sweet. so glad to be his mama ❤

in september:

i fully intend to:

-make a blog post every day. rather, i will attempt posting daily, and if life does not let me, c’est la vie!

-apply violette’s new motto, borrowed from charlotte in charlotte’s web: “never hurry, never worry”. vi is reminding me of this daily- tonite i forgot to heat up the beans to go with our dinner, and she says, mostly tender and slightly mischievously: “mama, it’s okay. never hurry and never worry!”

-take better care of myself. walk with my sister, drink water, eat nourishing foods on a regular basis (my daily meals typically involve a small breakfast of some variation on fruit/granola bar/yogurt and then waiting until dinner, where i tend to overeat out of hunger from realizing i haven’t eaten since breakfast!)

-pray.

-continue the process of learning to hold my tongue and my temper. create in me a clean heart, O God.

-practice living respectfully towards all living things, & remember everybody needs a little grace sometimes. (note to self: grace is not a one time act- if one needs grace after extending it- what can seem like a thousand times – go for the 1,001.)

-“put on love like a t-shirt” every morning, every time i feel grouchy. all day, every day.

-continue the daily notes and log kept during school- there is such beauty in the “mundane” details.

-take photos, edit photos. and not be discouraged by the naysayers & the cruel.

-celebrate autumn, celebrate change, celebrate warmth, celebrate family. simply celebrate!

-appreciate and rejoice in any rainfall- oh to have a true blue thunderstorm! rain, i miss you.

summer, pt. 1

a day late on the happy solstice, but here nonetheless. summer is in full swing around these parts, we are spending the mornings outside playing and the afternoons in our swimsuits in front of the air conditioner, watching movies and reading books while eating ice pops and drinking iced tea.

1. 1, 2, 3, 2. fresh laundry (smooth), 3. Drizzle…, 4. Untitled, 5. spinach, 6. Untitled, 7. at the bricktown candy company, 8. picnic one…, 9. Untitled, 10. 11-05-2010 Tender feliz / Happy laundry line, 11. Beauty is not caused. It is., 12. Untitled

of ice pops, wuthering heights and tomatoes.(click to download)

1.born ruffians – little garcon
2.half-handed cloud – bees are trying to build their nest in you
3.rosemary clooney – hey mambo, mambo italiano
4.the beatles – she came in through the bathroom window
5.ferraby lionheart – tickets to crickets
6.langhorne slim – checking out
7.regina spektor – folding chair
8.page france – mr. violin and dancing bear
9.the innocence mission – colors of the world
10.cotton jones – photo summerlude
11.the decemberists – isn’t it a lovely night
12.the finches – step outside
13.seabear – seashell
14.piebald – catch you
15.the kooks – shine on
16.the polyphonic spree – light&day/reach for the sun

thursday things

-sproost – find your decorating style. i’m vintage modern, surprise surprise.
-make a shrimp out of a straw!
–frozen niagara falls photos.
–ethics matters
–tea!
–sticky lemon rolls – these look delicious

O sweet spontaneous
e.e. cummings

o sweet spontaneous

earth how often have

the

doting

fingers of

prurient philosophers pinched

and

poked

thee

, has the naughty thumb

of science prodded

thy

beauty, how

often have religions taken

thee upon their scraggy knees

squeezing and

buffeting thee that thou mightest conceive

gods

(but

true

to the incomparable

couch of death thy

rhythmic

lover

thou answerest

them only with

spring)

ooh it’s fancy…

welcome to the new blog!

and look at what we got today, the first day of spring:

which means love is off working, shoveling snow & that kind of thing. poor thing. it’s too cold out there! he’ll most likely have to go in tomorrow nite as well, it makes me tired. i used to like snow an awful lot, but not so much anymore. we had to cancel plans we had for tonite, it’s cold, and frankly, i’m a bit crabby. i need to sit, and breathe. because there is not one thing i can accomplish huffing and griping.

the kids are all asleep, so i am going to go read in peace and quiet.

i hope you all have a cozy and warm nite!