I'm Baaaaccckkk!!!

I am very grateful for the generosity of family and friends.

Two weeks ago, I read a piece by James Sturm about how he was giving up the internet for a while. I was inspired to try my own modified version of internet cut-down. Knowing that I couldn't give it up entirely, I was going to give up in-home internet access. Then fate stepped in and said, "Oh, really?" And right then, my computer died.

So I have been two weeks without a computer, without my internet friends. And I learned two important things:

1) I get a lot more done without the internet.

and

2) My internet friends are real friends. I don't want to let them go.

What happens next is anyone's guess! For now, it's good to be back.

Wherever You Hang Your Hat

Last year when I was doing a major landscape redesign, turning most of my yard into garden, I purposely pruned the forsythia to create a little cove underneath for children to play in. Literary and cinematic memories, perhaps mixed with some blurry ones of my own childhood, had me imagining my girls using the spot for a dinosaur cave, a prairie house, an oceanfront restaurant, and many other kid-hide-out games. For some reason, maybe because there were so many other new sights to discover in our now nearly lawn-less yard, this forsythia fort never took hold.

Now, suddenly, this Spring, it has been discovered by the first grader in our house. She is so excited about it that our usually late sleeper is often the first one up and dressed, and she's out in the fort from right after breakfast until it's time to leave for school. She told me yesterday after school that she is even writing about it. When I opened her pack last night, I found this inside.





Of course, she figured out yesterday that her big sister wants to be a part of things, too, and that imaginative play is more fun when they play together. Sometimes, though, it's a retreat for one. And here is where I found her this morning.





Where do you go for a moment's stillness? Where do you call home?




Peace.

What We Talk About When We Talk About Names

More from Maggie

We know a lot of men named James. So there's Uncle James, Jim, Jim--Matthew&Amelia's dad, JB.

Then there's Bec and Rebecca. Pedal Katy and Katie--Finn's mom. There's Dave from the Music Store; Dave from Arcadia; David from Vermont; Fancy Dave.

Now we've started calling our baby magnolia, "Maggie." This is the first time we have to distinguish between a tree and a friend.

The girls and I take a tour of the garden every morning and evening these days to mark the rebirths and blossomings. Several times a day we remark on how lovely Maggie is getting. Since the naming is still new, one of us inevitably thinks first of the first grade friend of the 7yo. Then there are garden giggles at the confusion.

Just as we nurture and treasure our friendships, we nurture and treasure our garden. May they continue to grow and flourish.





Peace.

They Say A Witch Lives Here

For Hecate

When the girls and I went out to play on the playground the other day after school, as we do most days, I looked over at the flower bed and saw this broom. I have no idea how it got there behind the daffodils.

I have been spending way too much time online lately in the land of the social networks. Because I am a slow reader, this means I haven't spent as much time reading the blogs I love. Hecate's blog is one of my favorites. I miss hanging out there.






Peace.

Schoolyard Sketches, 2

All of these sketches are ink pen drawings, with color pencil added later to the portrait of Adam. I think I need to change my drawing utensils goody bag that I always carry to include some color pencils.

I apologize for the sloppy photographs, someday I'll learn to work the scanner. For now, I just wanted to get these up because it's already a new week for drawing.



Peace.

In the Swim

A good day for swim.

PTO Meeting & Other Recent Sketches

Saturday in the Flood

Magnolia Bud

The three photographs above were taken yesterday about 7pm. The two below were taken today, almost twenty four hours later, at 5:30pm.

Spring Flowers

photo by Beth Arnold

I love this photograph. It captures the way this sudden sunniness is making me feel.



And now, to get outside.






Peace.