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ancient playground

January 17, 2012 in exploring nature, little bird, mighty, winter | 4 comments

Oh the cold! It’s COLD. Really, really cold. But I’ll take it if it means crystal-clear bluebird skies. The forecast calls for 35 below wind chills all this week. I’m fairly certain Lola and I will just hang out inside, make granola and curl up next to the window to watch the pretty sky, she with her sock monkey, me with my book. Not a bad life, no.

We’ve been watching a lot of movies lately, with the darkness and the cold. One can only play so many Scrabble games… so they say. I haven’t reached my limit yet.
Another Earth: mildly depressing, but interestingly twisted and unique.
The Debt: Helen Mirren. She is hot. That is all.
Cowboys and Aliens: don’t laugh… it really was good! As Brian said, why can’t aliens visit any time period they like?
The Future: quirky, but my kind of movie. And I love the talking cat (I however will not recommend The Beaver–psychotic talking puppet!).
McCabe and Mrs. Miller: recommended by a new friend, I can’t believe I lived my whole life without seeing this movie. A soundtrack by Leonard Cohen and the dark, damp mood of the Gold Rush days. Seriously good.

Perhaps I have mentioned this before, but my favorite movie of all time is Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Did you know there was a sequel? I’m a little slow when it comes to all things that cable television tells people. I didn’t know. Turns out I didn’t miss much because Blackthorn was a huge disappointment. There is really nothing like an original (and who can hold a candle to Paul Newman or Robert Redford?).

Totally unrelated except to prove that I have also spent a good amount of time not watching movies, these pictures are from a little exploration we took in the woods on Friday. Mighty was still home “sick” (though his fever broke the night before and he was dying to go climb some trees). This was before the deep freeze, with little wind and a warm sunny, winter glow.

little feather

July 8, 2011 in exploring nature, foraging wild edibles, in the kitchen, mighty, summer | 12 comments

There’s an abundance of little feather growing on the beach near our house. Or, if you prefer, old man’s pepper… or perhaps, more commonly known as, yarrow.

We drink a lot of tea in our house and yarrow is one of my favorite flavors. Not to mention, it is great for allergies and colds–both of which I have been suffering from all summer long. Yarrow has the same properties as aspirin for reducing fevers and historically was most commonly used for regulating blood flow. Achilles carried yarrow with his army to heal battle wounds. One article that I read suggested that when consumed in large doses, “…you may notice a shift in the color and intensity of light around you. For artists or photographers this photosensitiser can sometimes provide a useful shift in perception.” Wild! A yarrow high made for photographers!

Mighty and I went on a harvesting walk several nights ago and brought home enough to preserve for use throughout the year. We mixed fresh leaves and flowers with mint leaves from the garden and made a delicious cup of tea, with honey as sweetener.

**I’m totally not an expert but everything I read about yarrow said not to use it while pregnant or nursing… just fyi.

silly six

May 23, 2011 in birthdays, mighty | 5 comments

Today, my silly Micah turns six. That means he’s made me laugh at least 2,190 times, though I’m sure it’s much more. My labor with Micah was fast and easy and that’s about how life has continued with him. I recently watched him at the playground nearly hurl himself down the fireman’s pole and do a belly flop on the ground over and over, smiling all the while. He’s going to make me have a heart attack by the time he’s ten. He already has matching scars on both eyebrows (which look a little like he’s sprouting horns). I adore his sense of adventure, though I pray he finds a way to channel it in a more cautious way. He has always been drawn to my hair and can’t be within inches of me without curling a strand around his fingers and rubbing it on his face. This is both something that drives me insane and something I hope he never stops. He woke up today, on his birthday, with terrible growing pains in his legs. I don’t know how this happens, my kids growing so fast. It’s quite a journey.

sending the boys off to school in the rain this morning: “i totally grew last night, jonah!”

Didn’t he just turn five?

tuesday

March 8, 2011 in exploring nature, little bird, mighty | 4 comments

I’m home with a sick boy today. Mighty’s running a fever but he seems to be generally feeling ok, just a little worn out. We’ve been snuggled in bed watching movies together and I am loving being all alone with him. It so rarely happens.

On Sunday, we had a pod of orcas right outside on our little beach. It was breathtaking to see so close!

Yesterday afternoon, I found Bird with a pair of scissors and a pile of her hair that she had cut off. I thought it was going to be terrible… but I was able to somewhat pull off a very short bob which partially covers the bald spot on the side of her head. Yikes. It’s been one of those weeks where I’m realizing that parenting is such a comedy of errors. You can’t help but laugh, really.

before… i’ll post after pics soon

Brian and I watched 180° South last night (it’s on Netflix instant play right now). It was beautifully done, inspiring and had a great soundtrack. It’s definitely worth a watch. Made me wanna get outside and climb a mountain. Soon enough! It really feels like spring is in the air here.

my kids. sigh.

December 29, 2010 in j, little bird, mighty, parenting | 11 comments

I’m in a bit of a parenting quandary lately. As my kids are growing, their interests seem to be diverging and their personalities are certainly nothing alike. For the most part, this isn’t really a problem. They get along and they look out for each other (with the exception of the boys and their brotherly “affection”). But lately, it just seems I’m having such a hard time making our days flow. Everyone wants to do something different. Different food, different activities, different whatever. It’s not a matter of a personal conflict between them, it’s just a matter of their own very strong wills.

My kids were all easy babies. We haven’t really faced any major challenges and Brian and I both have kind of just gone with the flow. But now that they are growing… ugh. I’m having to work! How does one parent effectively when there is so much dissension among the ranks? It’s conflicting in so many ways and reflects on so many levels. I’m too mentally lazy to be challenged like this!

The other day, I had to pick up Mighty early from school and as I was walking down the hallway with him, I heard some older boys jokingly say to each other, “watch out for that boy, he’ll kick ya in the shins!” And that’s about Mighty’s personality. He’s funny, cute, loving, incredibly sensitive… but he’s got spunk and he’s so not afraid to kick ya in the shins. Think Dennis the Menace. For real. Exasperating.

J is challenging in more cerebral ways. He is a man with a plan and doesn’t really like to deviate from it, even if turns out to be a really.bad.plan. I have learned with him that it is best just to try to steer him in a good direction, and then let him go. He does have common sense though and that makes me a little relieved. Then again, sometimes this common sense translates into fear so I am really trying to encourage him to fight that. I see a lot of the same timidness from my younger years in him and it stinks to know that his self confidence gets crushed like mine did. That’s so hard… watching your kids develop the same unhealthy habits that you had to push to overcome. Bums me out. However, Jonah does have the biggest heart. He has always gravitated toward people who need help: younger people, elderly people, disabled people… and he usually just knows what they need. I love him for it.

Bird… oh how do I write about her? She is such a girl. I’m not used to dealing with girls. I have totally had to rewire my brain and try to parent a whole new way with her. She is very intent but also very mellow and sweet. I must underestimate her at times and then she says something that just blows me out of the water. She seems very keen on knowing how a person will respond to her and acts appropriately. Unless she is throwing the biggest fit ever. Then she doesn’t care about what other people think, especially me.

With all these labels I place on my kids, I am trying to constantly be open to them deviating from their standard. I do not want to paint this picture of who they are and make them feel like that’s who they need to be, good or bad. I adore their little minds and the way they think.

Good grief.

Anyway, just about the only thing that has been our saving grace lately is the great outdoors. And even then, it’s been a little too cold for Bird so we can’t stay out long. We took a walk to catch the sunset yesterday on our little beach. It was the first time I’d been out there since it has snowed (which is obviously my problem–I’m not getting enough beach time in). I know it’s only a few days past solstice, but it already seemed to stay light out just a little later. Hurray!

If anyone can clue me into how I might deal with such sibling conflicts, I would really love it. I just have such hard time knowing that I can’t make everyone happy all of the time.

the beginning of a major snowball war

mighty’s surprise attack right in the mug!

at least there were apologies afterward (prodded by a promise of pie)

snow? it’s debatable.

November 4, 2010 in autumn, mighty | 7 comments

The weather here has been incredibly disgusting this week. To make it better, everyone has come down with a nasty cold that just won’t quit. The boys have been home sick and it’s been tough to keep everyone’s spirits up under wet, dreary skies. We’ve been making a lot of soup and I even made meatballs with mashed potatoes and gravy, which is a totally uncharacteristic dish for me to make, but was so bone-stickingly yummy.

Today, I noticed some heavy, fat snowflakes mixed in with the big rain pellets coming down. Sure enough, it was kind of snowing… and kind of raining. Snaining. Not enough snow to impress me too much, but Mighty was beyond excited about the mixed precipitation. He stood in the post office parking lot with his tongue out to catch the random falling flakes. I had to pause and watch the thrill in his face. So delightful! Nearly made me appreciate the slush for a minute. It always amazes me how my kids can brighten my attitude with such a simple gesture.

Oh boy. We’re losing daylight fast and the forecast ahead calls for lots more snain. If only the temps would drop about 10-15 degrees, then I’d have something to write home about… Though they say that the snowfall is going to be monumental this year. I guess I shouldn’t start wishing so early.

beauty in the breakdown

September 27, 2010 in autumn, mighty, tidepooling, wildlife | 11 comments

Last week bordered on insanity. It was just one of those times. Nothing really stood out as particularly awful, except for Mighty cutting his head open. For the fourth time. On my birthday.

And he proceeded to fall and cut his head open again last night–a mirror image of this one but thankfully not requiring stitches or glue. He’s ok. Just makes me afraid for when he’s 16.

The last week made me reflect on how my own expectations so often can get in the way of my ability to enjoy a situation for what it is. I need to work on being more emotionally flexible, especially with the kids getting older and developing their own beautiful (though frequently contrary) opinions.

Sometimes, and obviously, all it takes is a moment for me to step back and see things anew. I was feeling this way, on my birthday, when things just turned out completely crappy… spending it in the ER and all… (how whiney can I sound?!). I needed some air, and a break from the chaos, so I took a walk.

I found this guy.

I knew sea stars regenerated their limbs, but I couldn’t recall ever seeing this happen in the flesh. What a metaphor for the human spirit. And a reminder for me.

In fact, the beach was literally covered in starfish. I had never seen so many in one place.