Miracle Earthquake

I experienced my first earthquake yesterday. It was scary, powerful and awe-inducing.
And so many good things resulted from it:

• Many, many lovely friends and family members called! It was so fun to talk with my nearest and dearest.
• Nobody got hurt. Everybody along the East Coast seems to be uninjured.
• The damage to property was very minor.
• My husband, who was supposed to work late, got to come home on time.
• My family had a lovely evening at home.

When I was feeling panicked as I went to bed last night, I recalled these facts and was humbled at the goodness of God.

there must be a name for this

My Girl is at the age when it seems she should start preschool. I say "it seems" because people keep asking me where and when she is going to start school.

Well, she's not. For about a million different reasons she's staying home with me.

However, that doesn't mean that we won't be doing preschool at home. And I guess that mean I'm homeschooling... (Does this mean that any parent who has ever taught their child anything at home homeschools? Or is it only homeschooling once education becomes mandated by the state?) I'm not sure.
  
Our preschool plans can be summed up thus: read, create art, explore the world, play, build, run, jump, read, read, go to museums, have fun. It's not much of a departure from what we do already.

But I decided to gather some books and other resources to make this fun and fantastic and a bit more methodical. Also, I am not a childhood education specialist, so I'm happy to get help from those who are...in the form of books.

Here are the books I'm using:

Slow and Steady Get Me Ready by June R. Oberlander
We've been using this book for almost a year. And while the reviews complain about the design and layout, I say "get over it." The content is excellent. The activities are enjoyable. And My Girl gets plenty of fun learning using this book as a guide.

Honey for a Child's Heart  by Gladys Hunt
I bought this book because I've been buried in piles of reading lists. Every blog I read has a list of recommended books to read. There are list at the library. There are reading lists within books. There are lists at the dentist's office. Reading lists at the grocery store. And there is no way that I can read ALL those books. Nor should I. I want quality books. And from what I've seen of this book, the author does a good job finding the best. This book helps me from getting reading list whiplash.

Before Five in a Row by Jane Claire Lambert
A lovely book. The ideas are simple. I don't feel pressured to do every suggested activity. I pick and choose what questions and activities seem the most appealing and fun for My Girl. So far, this is a big hit. My Girl is all about reading books multiple times. I make sure to do the books that she really loves. I think this is the key to success when using this book.

Teach Me to Do it Myself by Maja Pitamic
This is a Montessori book that tells you exactly how to do Montessori. I've read many  Montessori theory books. This one puts it into practice. Another hit. I especially like how the author addresses introducing letters and numbers.

Science Play by Jill Frankel Hauser
A simple way to explore the world with sections on water, air, weather, plants, soil, sounds, movement and more. We've only done one experiment, but we like it so far. The instructions are simple, the required materials are usually on hand and the lessons are short.

First Art by MaryAnn F. Kohl
I was hesitant to get this beginning art book, but decided to go for it - as opposed to purchasing the next level art book. There were so many activities in this book that we hadn't done yet and it was easy to see ways to make the activities more sophisticated as My Girl grows. And honestly, I don't want to rush her. I want her to take it nice and slow and make her jumps in understanding in her own time. So, the beginning book was the place to start.

Playful Learning by Mariah Bruehl
We just got this today. And honestly, it seems that it's a bit advanced for my 2.5-year-old but I kind of suspected that when I ordered it. But, I got it anyway because I really loved the ideas about organizing space and creative centers. And I know that we'll do the fun ideas in the future.

now

We are...

• enjoying some cooler temperatures (78-82 degrees, anybody?) and some much needed, though sporadic, rain
• painting with acrylic paints on canvas for the first time and LOVING the results
• reading stacks of books: mostly Newbery winners from 1978 to the present (my favorite so far is "The View from Saturday" by E.L. Konisburg - it is a remarkable, inspiring creation and I am not sure why people aren't constantly raving about it)
• loving our farmer's market: we had Damson (I think?) plums and fresh figs with our lunch on Saturday...and the gratitude I feel, a woman with a black thumb, knows no bounds for these lovely, hard-working gardeners and farmers who provide these tasty treats for me
• dreaming of Halloween costumes for My Girl...actually, I've started sewing it, but am still in the dreaming stage for the wings of her costume
• loving the crepe myrtle that is blooming everywhere
• rejoicing in a quiet, book-filled weekend
• looking forward to a visit from a Tucson friend, a steel drum concert and sharing a strawberry-peach pie this weekend
• procrastinating about my workout!
• wondering how it is already mid-August

What are you up to?

art gallery

Looking at these photos makes me think I need a better way of displaying my girl's creations. Suggestions?

the gallery

on the right, notice the three sheets of handmade paper



watercolor creations



art camp

This week, we did art camp at Belmont. And it was lovely. We made sun prints and handmade paper - which was so much fun. And, of course, all I want to do now is make sun prints and handmade paper. So far, I am refraining.

But, truly, what was the most pleasant part about this two-day adventure was the fabulous people. Parents, instructors, children, grandparents - the mix of personalities and ages was lovely and the result was a really mellow and kind-hearted art camp. A true delight.

I am grateful we got to be a part of this.

sun prints drying

a bit of paper-making instruction



all ears

This takes care of #2.

pony penning

Friends, I've been to Pony Penning Days. The event may sound familiar if you're a fan of Marguerite Henry's "Misty of Chincoteague."

I told myself and others that I was going because I really wanted my daughter to see the wild ponies. And that's true. But if you want something closer to the honest-to-goodness, authentic, turn the lights off and I'll tell you the truth, it's this: I've wanted to go watch the wild ponies swim and parade and do everything that I'd read in that book since I was a kid. A little, powerless kid.

The feeling, the thrill, the internal (and external) smile that the whole day was - even though it was a boiling 100 degrees outside - that is something that doesn't happen very often, I'm afraid.

I felt fulfilled.

Happy.

As I peered through the binoculars at the ponies plunging through the water and as they came so near as they paraded by, it felt right. Like, here's this piece that you didn't even know was missing and ta-da! it fits. And more importantly, it's really important that you have this piece.



watching the pony parade



ponies relaxing at the corral on the carnival grounds

 My pictures are less than fabulous. If you want to see fabulous photographs, check this out.

This takes care of #14.

right now

• preparing to participate in A Week in the Life
• rewriting a manuscript now that I've got my editor's brilliant comments and ideas in hand
• drooling over the prints at Quercus Design. I discovered this woman's work during my visit to Maine. The postcards stopped me in my tracks and danced around my mind for weeks. OK, her collections are still dancing in my head. And I like it.
• crossing off #21 on The List
• making notepads by stapling stacks of my scrap paper together
• loving the produce at the farmer's market: fingerling potatoes, beans, watermelon, cantaloupe, corn, artichokes, cherry tomatoes.
• reading these books: Great Expectations by Charles Dickens (again), One Man's Meat by E.B. White, Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell, Water Paper Paint by Heather Smith Jones (her last name cracks me up, I assume Smith is her maiden name and when she got married she added Jones, you  know to spice things up)
• yearning for a nap
• rejoicing for this cloudy day
• using our toddler crayons (line a muffin pan with parchment paper, fill with broken crayons that have been peeled, heat in an oven heated to 250 degrees until sort of melted, this took about 30 minutes for us) these  crayons are brilliant: I no longer have to deal with crayons snapping in my hands as I color, I just put one of these beasts in my hand and go crazy on the paper. SO SATISFYING!
• listening to some Dan Zanes

flump

We have been: driving! hiking! exploring! seeing! thinking! eating new food! getting overloaded (with ideas)! trying to process those ideas! drinking coffee! reading! doing laundry! sorting! making! creating! reading! vacuuming! hustling! reading! hustling! fixing! preparing! going! going! going!

And I need some deep breathing and a quiet moment.

And then I'll be back, really.

right now

we just bought Qwirkle and have been playing it every night. every day, my girl plays with it, too, in her own way: matching shapes, sorting colors, counting, etc.

reading The Social Animal by David Brooks and pretty much having my mind blown

relishing the fact that I had the courage to call a major Time Out for the whole family on Tuesday: sometimes it's necessary

looking forward to a bonfire on Friday...and a long weekend

processing all the goodness of a weekend in D.C. filled with art and friendship: I got to reconnect with a friend from college and it was filled with meandering conversations and recognition

wondering what The Hubby and I should do to mark 10 years. (I have a great gift for him, but I'm not sure what I want and he is not a mind reader and I am impossible to shop for so I feel like I should just tell him what I want, but I'm not sure that what I want is worthy of a 10th Anniversary. ahem.)

preparing for a nice, long hike this weekend in Shenandoah National Forest

falling in love with Charley Harper's artwork...

what are you doing right now?

30 day challenge

I am at the beginning of a 30-Day-Challenge to get up early. OK, so early is relative. For this challenge I decided to spend the first 15 days waking at 6:30 a.m. with the plan to bump it up to 6 a.m. after that.

I had been doing really fantastic waking up early in March and the first half of April, but I fell off the wagon in late April. Well, I'm back on it.

I'm posting this so that I have some way of being held accountable.

good things right now

• the birth of my friend's twin babies with most excellent names: Samuel and Juniper. seriously, aren't those names perfect?
• a run of rainy days (exactly what I need right now)
• a new soup recipe to try: from my girl's favorite book at the moment, "Soup Day" by Melissa Iwai
• another query crafted and sent to an editor
• this camera - I had no idea there was an instant film camera on the market! - I've missed my polaroid film so much - I may just have to get this
• friends who are so kind. kind in ways that I don't deserve or warrant. a group of them are going to cut down our dead tree. another is coming to watch my girl while I make a phone call. (there is no way to pay people back, really, is there? no gift is enough. just a return gesture, a strengthening of the friendship bond, a promise to be there when they need us. right? I'm humbled and grateful.)
• plans to make this have begun. (warning: very slow link, but worth the view)
• dreams of making a new quilt, OK quilts, have begun dancing in my head with inspiration from Rothko and a pile of bandanas
• the resumption of our daily family walks has been such a delight - hello longer days
• summer pajamas!

What good things are happening for you?

#28

In junior high, I lived in Nashville: the South. As a result, we spent what felt like months studying the Civil War. I memorized battle dates (and then promptly forgot them), built dioramas, wrote special reports, learned about the great generals.

And yet, I never really understood what the Civil War was all about. Was I too young to understand the complexity of the reasons for the war? Yes. Was I too immature to even begin to fathom what it would be like to fight against your own brother? Yes. Was I too spoiled to begin to guess how exhausting it would be to march hundreds of miles? Yes. Was I too ignorant to guess at what our nation would be like today had the Union been demolished? Yes.

But, I'm an adult now. With a husband I love. A daughter I would die for. A country I love. And I am living in the belt buckle of the Civil War.

Last weekend, we went to Gettysburg National Military Park. Standing atop Little Round Top, I teared up. I felt an enormous sadness. A sadness for all the men: husbands, brothers, fathers, friends killed.

The week before our trip I read The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara. And for the first time I felt such empathy for both sides, I understood the different perspectives and I had such a strong respect for the soldiers who fought. (This is a lovely, very easy to read book. I was hesitant to start it because I've never been "into" the Civil War and thought all those reenactors were geeks. No more.)

We are now watching the movie "Gods and Generals" which is about the Battles of Manassas, Fredericksburg and Chancelorsville. There are more books to read, more battlefields to visit and more movies to watch. But I can finally say, friends, that I am beginning to appreciate the sacrifices that all those men (and women) made for us.

Oh yes, back to the subject. Gettysburg was phenomenal. We spent the day, could have spent the week. I wasn't too sure what we would find; it is a battlefield after all. How interesting could it be? Well, very. We followed the CD audio tour and enjoyed every moment.

#17

Frank Lloyd Wright was a genius. My girl and I toured the Pope-Leighey House two weeks ago and I was bowled over by his ingenuity. What an innovative man!

According to the pamphlet I received at the site (the house is protected under the National Trust for Historic Preservation), "The Pope-Leighley House tells the story of Frank Lloyd Wright's innovative designs for modestly-sized and affordable single-family 'Usonian' houses and how two families adapted this dwelling to fit their mid-20th century lifestyles."

Here is a link to its floor plan. It measures in at 1200 square feet.

Here are the details, innovations that impressed me most:

• custom-made furniture, much of it made from plywood, so that the pieces would fit the exact dimensions of where they were to be place.
• an emphasis on the horizontal. See the pictures of the brickwork and screws (below) to see what I mean. Also note the faux stain glass windows. Stain glass would have been very expensive, too expensive for the purposes of this house, but he used wood cut-outs to create a similar look all while emphasizing the horizontal line.
• radiant floor heating. According to our tour guide, FLW invented this.
• absence of clutter.
• using a variety of ceiling heights and ample windows to create the illusion of a spacious house. There is really no way to describe the way that FLW is able to manipulate a person's feelings via architecture. Go to the FLW house closest to you and you'll experience it for yourself. He is a master at it.
• common-sense: positioning kitchen cabinet doors so that when opened they were lit by the windows.
• drawers that tipped out instead of pulled out.
• an outdoor herb garden that was accessible from the kitchen. FLW tried to blur, erase the boundaries between indoors and outdoors as much as possible.
• to this end, he didn't want the owners of the house to hang curtains. The owners won this battle, but when I toured there were no curtains hanging and I could see why curtains would diminish the connection with outside. However, privacy is lovely and if I lived in that house, there would be curtains. Sorry, Frank!



the entrance



an example of how obsessed FLW was with the horizontal line and details:
the vertical mortar is tinted to match the bricks so it disappears,
the horizontal mortar color is lighter and thus stands out

all the screws are aligned horizontally aligned -
I'm sure that didn't drive the construction crew crazy!

view from the rear courtyard

view of the screened-in porch

Here's a fascinating interview with its first owner, Loren Pope.

zoom!

Driving. Zooming to a friend's house. Late. Late. Late. Very slow minivan ahead of me. Irritated because it's my own putzy fault that we're late. Grey day. Drizzly.

I slow my car to meet the curve of the river, which is what is shaping the road. My eyes flit to the river. It's rocky here, lots of rapids, dips, pools, plunges.

A heron is poised on almost every boulder I can see. Fishing.

I pull the car over. Let the minivan putter in peace. Take a deep breath.

My daughter and I sit watching the 20 herons fishing for their brunch. For seconds, minutes, hours. I don't know how long.

Right on time.

cancelled

Because of the budget wrangling and general madness that has descended upon Washington D.C., my eagerly awaited Smithsonian-sponsored photography workshop (that was scheduled for April 10) has been cancelled.

All is well, though. Just signing up for the class gave me the incentive to read my entire camera manual. And just yesterday I reserved a stack of photography books from the library so I can dig in, regardless of bipartisan politics.

5 more people I'd like to meet

1. Beatrix Potter
2. Amelia Earhart
3. Keri Smith
4. Nikki McClure
5. Harper Lee

How about you? Whom would you most like to meet?

blossom bliss

amidst a grove of cherry trees

jefferson memorial across the tidal basin

no crowds!

On Monday, the entire family ventured into Washington D.C. to partake in the Cherry Blossom Festival. We were hoping to avoid the crowds by not going on a weekend, so when I awoke on Monday and discovered that it was COLD (in the 30s) I knew we were golden. There were very few people to contend with on this blustery, Monday morning. We bundled up and enjoyed our adventure.

The trees were lovely. Beyond magical.

As I strolled amidst the cherry boughs, it made me happy to think about the throngs of people - in the midst of our technologically overloaded culture - who still make the time, set the intention, to go and enjoy a bunch of trees.

Happy.

there may be some nudity

Since I started my drawing class, I've been all about drawing small shelters: airstreams, tipis, little cabins, tents. It's what I've been attracted to lately. And this practice of drawing shelters has been very satisfying.

Then, I missed last week's class because I was so sick. I'm better now: I'm functioning at about 80%. I can get through the day, keep up with the basic tasks, but I am regularly blowing my nose into my hanky and a certain sharpness is definitely missing.

Anyway, I went to this week's class totally unaware of what was in store. We started with a 5-minute demonstration about figure drawing and then because our model was late the class members took turns "modeling" and generally just being really goofy while the others were busy catching that person's body gesture.

I was having a lovely time, so lovely that my instructor made a comment to me that she could tell I was really enjoying myself. I did not see this emotion coming and frankly I was so enthralled with drawing that I was too close to my own experience to be able to say, "I love this! I am having so much fun!" But, I was.

And then our model arrived. And somewhere between me blowing my nose and getting a new piece of paper ready and finding a new chunk of charcoal, a naked (oops, I mean nude) woman was all of a sudden sitting about 10 feet away from me.

For some reason I hadn't made the connection between model and nude. And there were about three minutes of my brain repeating, "that woman is naked, that woman is naked, that woman is naked."

And then we started drawing and I forgot that she was nude. She was just what I was drawing. And I tell you, it was a lovely experience: to see a body without judging, to see a body as a thing to render. I was a little disturbed at how quickly I objectified her: she was an object that I was drawing. But, objectifying seems so negative and harsh and judgmental. I did not feel that way toward this woman. I guess I'm at a loss for words.

I was enamored, awed and wowed by her total body confidence. To stand, sit, twist while nude in front of a room full of people is courageous in this culture of "you are never thin enough." And this woman was not an anorexic twit. She was round, full-bodied and lovely.

And at this moment I am feeling so grateful for my own body, with all its flaws and shortcomings, puckers and rolls. I am feeling less judgment and more kindness toward myself and others. Our bodies our beautiful, whatever their shape, whatever their size. Amen.

a delicate thread

I just reconnected with a friend from graduate school. It's been 8 years (gulp!) since we'd last seen each other. We had not spoken on the phone during that time. We did send an occasional e-mail, Christmas card or hand-written note.

Between the two of us there have been many, many moves, i.e. changes in contact information. We've been busy with husbands, jobs, local friends, family obligations, children.

The thread that has held us together has been very delicate at times.

Miraculously, gloriously, it didn't break.

On Saturday, I heard my friend's voice for the first time in 8 years. I saw her beautiful face. And it was as if no time had passed. The connection was fierce, remembered, very present. And so strong.

Talking with her was like giving my fire more fuel and oxygen.

I share this not to brag. (woo hoo people like me!) I am sharing because I realize that we came so close, so scarily close, to letting this friendship fall by the wayside. I sort of gasp when I think of that happening.

The connections we share with people vary: close, distant, obligatory. But when you have a connection that is very powerful, well, you just can't buy that. It is either present or it is not. And we all know it doesn't happen every day.

I can count on one hand the people with whom I share this kind of connection.

So my challenge to you is to call, write, e-mail, hunt down, contact that person with whom you've lost contact. Make a plan. Reconnect. Life is too short, too crazy, too busy, not to keep those whom are the most important to you in your life. Not to bring that person who connects to your soul back into your life.

You won't regret it.

desirous of everything at the same time

Oh, hi!

Well this last month has really gone fast. I apologize for disappearing without warning. In fact, I had no idea I'd be gone so long. I got out my calendar in an effort to figure out what I was doing that kept me from my blog for so long. Here are the bits and ends of my last few weeks:

• Attending many Great Lives lectures. Most recently I learned about (Nelle) Harper Lee and I was inspired by the way she lives her life. There are many more interesting lectures coming and I plan on attending many of them.
• Contemplating entering an art show. Should I? Shouldn't I?
• Completing #25 on The List. Yes, we have a huge tipi in the middle of our living room and it is lovely. I took a nap in it this past weekend and woke with a smile on my face because, um, I woke up in a tipi.
• Taking a road trip to That Little Quilt Shop, Yoder's Country Market, the Tulikivi showroom and then to Culpeper, VA.
• Visiting friends in Maryland and northern Virginia. And, you know, making bread and gifts to share with them.
• Continuing with my drawing class. Learning to draw is like learning a new language. And it also feels that after each class I've both learned a whole lot and realized how very little I know. That old double-edged sword!
• The Hubby was out of town for a week...while I had a sinus infection.
• Attending multiple doctor appointments. All is well. But these things always take so long. So much waiting, waiting, waiting, waiting.
• Contemplating whether to participate in the 150-mile bike ride in June to benefit the MS Society.
• Reading, But No Elephants by Jerry Smath, too many times to count since I found it in a used book store. Is this book familiar to anybody else? I saw this book and it felt as if I fell into a childhood porthole. It is even better than I remember it.
• Enjoying three consecutive beautiful, sunny days which we spent almost entirely outside. What a welcome reprieve.
• Talking with friends: one was just diagnosed with MS, the other is in the midst of a messy divorce and the legal wrangling has reached a high pitch.
• Dealing with the fact that my family keeps eating (and I must keeping menu planning, grocery shopping and cooking) and wearing clothes (meaning I must keep doing laundry).
• Putting together an application for a work-for-hire gig. This has been a long time coming - years! - and it feels as if things are finally falling into place for me to pursue this. But just applying has been consuming most of my evening hours.
• Trying to figure out how to do this blog. I haven't been satisfied with my very shallow, daily posts. I would rather offer something of substance, though not as often. So, the search for some sort of style and balance and substance for content. Bear with me as I find my sea legs.
• Working on The List: I've purchase (but not assembled or used) a pinhole camera kit, I'm methodically reading "Grammatical Choices, Rhetorical Effects" one chapter at a time, I've put together a list of publications to submit my quilt essay to, I'm reading my Nikon D70 camera manual and it is so interesting and I'm not even being sarcastic (if you have a digital camera and haven't yet read its manual, I urge you to do so now as opposed to waiting 6+ years like me!), deciding not to attend the Virginia Festival of the Book (sadly, the only event that was of interest to me was $100 per ticket and sold out), working on reading Shakespeare (4 down, 2 to go).
• Feeling more and more like Jack Kerouac and I have so much in common.