Friday, September 24, 2010

{{this moment}} a la soulemama


There must be some words with this.... I know it's not the tradition but here is what was heard during this moment:

There is a young pirate, who lives on the seas
His boat and his parrot are his only companions
He works in the rigging and he sleeps in his hammock
Waiting for summer, the winds to change

And as the moon rises he stands by his wheel
Dreaming about women and bottles of rum
He closes his eyes as his shipmates retire
And he sings out a song that is soft, but it's clear
As if maybe someone could hear...

Goodnight you moonlight babies,
And rockabye sweet Captain Forest
Deep greens and blues are the colors I'd choose
Won't you let me go down in my dreams
And rockabye sweet Captain Forest.

(with no apologies to Mr. Taylor, the children made this up themselves. :)

Saturday, September 18, 2010

Friday, September 17, 2010

our new activity

we didn't really need another activity. really we didn't. but somehow, perhaps due to much pleading from the youngest girlie, and days with big beautiful creatures remembered by mom and dad, we spent wednesday afternoon here:










Monday, September 13, 2010

lately in crafting news....

the harvest was crafted into blueberry jam and peach butter (and lots of frozen fruits for later yum)

Eleanor crafted "Joy" from Martha Stewarts Big Book of Sewing Crafts,
which she received from Nana for her birthday.

At long last, Lucy crafted a Mei Tai so she can carry around her babies.

Forest received and proudly weird his 'Manly Vest' made by Momo while I await another skein of 'cherry twist' aka the red yarn for Nana's sweater


Cousin Esther rocks and rolls with her bonnet, also made by me, when she was incubating, and looks like rasta baby. I hope she will grow into it and it will fit her during a season it's needed.

Saturday, September 11, 2010

*this moment* (a la soulemama)

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

Thursday, September 02, 2010

Nearly Fall!

I seem to be perpetually blogging about how fast life is going... perhaps it's part of being alive at this time, or something that goes along with being mother to four. Whatever the case is, we are feeling rather fall-like around here with two rains behind us, and nights that leave the house so cold I need slippers for half the day.
Fall is my most creative time of the year--something about being a fall-born baby, perhaps. I see inspiration everywhere right now, both inside, outside and in the blogosphere. I am also learning to limit my screen time so that my family doesn't see me buried in my 'glowing rock'. (after The Wretched Stone by Chris van Allsburg) Sometimes it's necessary to step away from the computer! We use it for so many things: music, recipes, keeping in touch, curriculum, crafty patterns, and so much more. As the world outside changes from one color to the next I'd like to notice it, and be in it, especially as wee (or not so) Forest experiences his first Autumn.
I have been getting online inspiration from a lot of places, one of which is Rhythm of the Home. This stuff is right up my alley. I feel happy and peaceful when I think about a 'rhythm' to our life, rather than a schedule or a routine. Schedules are strict and routines, are, well... routine = boring! But rhythm, well, that's what you drum or dance to, that's how your heart goes, and that's just what we need. Reading the pages of ROTH's website, I feel inspired to make a life of beauty in my home--a place of rest that we return to to feel that rhythm as we go about our activities which will be starting up again in a week or so. I am also making use of some of the ideas from Melissa over at A Little Garden Flower, Donna at The Waldorf Connection, and the book Heaven on Earth by Sharifa Oppenheimer. These include:
•using a huge piece of paper folded into 12 to pencil in the celebrations and holidays of the year along with handwork ideas from Syrendell
•making a weekly rainbow colored schedule of our outside of home activites so the children are aware of what happens what day
•including on the weekly rainbow time for painting, handwork, family time, and gardening
•making another rainbow chart with tentative dinner menu categories : Monday = Mexican, Tuesday = Pasta, Wednesday = Stir fry, etc
•asking for and receiving a couple of hours on the weekends to work on homeschool planning, Thanks Robert!

We also had the First Annual Slow Lane Summer Theatre and Storytelling camp last week. It was fabulously fun. I haven't even downloaded photos and videos yet, but when I do. I will post them here.

I wonder what everyone else has in store for fall.