Snake Walk

We took another Pogonip walk, this time with the express mission of finding a snake. First we made a short pit stop for some yummy ripe berries. We were with some friends and the boys were able to lead the expedition (sort of), along with Kitty. Our friend Lori took over leading us back to the trail when we went too far astray - ticks are nasty this time of year and we were in Tick City. As you can see, a snake was found, caught and returned to nature - to eat the small mammal it had just finished constricting when the boys discovered it. Coleman also found a Praying Mantis in the tall, ticky grass. Eventually we happened upon a picnic table and sat for a little while and ate and chatted. The boys bored of the sitting/chatting/eating quickly and ended up exploring/climbing/playing. I would say it was a good day. It's a great trail, and I recommend it if you live in this area. Many miles can be explored, or you can just walk a while and explore along the way slowly.

Studio Work: Progress Report

Walls are sanded and ready for paint! This week the organizational structure begins. I hear you chuckling to yourselves, you didn't think I had the phrase "organizational structure" in my vocabulary, did you? If nothing else, I know that my severe lack of organization has an effect on us all. I aim to fix that. To the best of my ability.

Left to do? Prime, Paint, Install Shelving, Reinstall Lighting, Organize Furniture and Tools. Create.

Max snapped this picture of me today after the carpenters left. 

Happy creating, everyone! I hope you have a productive and fruitful day.

Naytcha Walk

We had another amazing day outside today. We five went for a hike today along the Pogonip Trail. Just getting there was interesting. We took a road off Route 9 near a relatively industrial area. A short distance from industry we found ourselves on a bucolic country road. The end of the road was the beginning of the trail. I have to insert here that the boys complained about having to go for a family hike. They had many reasons not to go. Before we had even hiked for twenty minutes this had become the "hike of a lifetime" according to the guys. Interesting how that goes, eh?

Sardines & Pelicans & Gulls, Oh My!

Today we took to the beach to celebrate Max's seventh birthday with our friends. It was an epic day to be there. A bird-day celebration that will be looked back upon as one of the most memorable for Max, I suspect; the people, the weather, The Birds, the bonfire. Beautiful memories; we are so grateful to all of our friends for sharing this day with us, a big hug goes out to all of you!

Words fall short, the pictures fall short of the experience too, but it's the closest I can get you to what our day was like:

Our friend Jennifer shot this one of Max - click on this to enlarge and try to find the jumping sardine!

Gulls, Pelicans & Shearwaters

{this moment}

{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.

inspired by soulemama

Studio Work: Rock On

The sheetrock is up and mostly taped. Doesn't it look inviting? They will be putting a smooth finish on the walls. For those of you from the east coast saying, "duh, what other kind of finish would you put on your walls?" Let me tell you simply; Texture. I'm committed to letting the boys explore fully this world and am, frankly too lazy to wash it all up every twenty minutes, I'm not messing with any old world texture. Smooth finish, if you please. Easy to clean. Nice to look at.

I am contemplating selling my jewelers bench. It's a hard decision. But, truthfully it is a tiny space, 16 by 22, and has to fulfill two roles. One: a homeschooling space, eventually for both boys. Two: my art studio, would you like to see a list of the art that will go on in here? Clay, both slab and wheel; small metals, mostly jewelry; glass bead making; sewing; textile decorating including, dying, batiking, weaving (maybe); painting; book making - I'm not finished, but you get the idea. I have to get rid of many things. I have been slow as a snail to rid us of the things that clog our space and truly get in the way of living a full and free life. In here I can start from a clean slate and I intend to have only what we need housed here. I'll let you know how this works out.

Walk on, Brother. Walk on.

Have you ever noticed how a change in scenery can alter your perspective and how you feel? Being outside, taking time to notice the world around can shift a mood or refresh a tired mama and her restless offspring. I have been in need of changes in perspective; I get stuck. Stuck thinking in circles. I get cranky; there's so much to accomplish and so little time and help. My village, you know the one it takes to raise your child(ren), well mine is still forming, it's in its infancy. We've been in this town for three years and I'm only just feeling myself take root. So we take to the woods or the beach and we walk with each other and our dog named Kitty. We walk and we talk and we enjoy being together. We return home and move on through our day with a new perspective. I would love to hear what you do to find solace or renew your outlook, leave me a comment below, if you please.

What we've been up to this week: reading, drawing, playing outside, biking, hiking, listening to This American Life and Homeschool Radio Shows, talking, thinking, dreaming, some small amount of destruction also a wee bit of construction.

It's the hiking I find the most fulfilling. Perhaps because we are not at home and the seemingly insurmountable piles of things to sort are not staring me down. It also seems these hikes bond the brothers in a way that the shared territory of home can not. And they request walks, almost daily. We don't call them hikes because that sounds too much like work. Plus, to me we stop too much and play for such long periods of time these walks just don't qualify to be labeled "hike". Whatever they are, they have been enriching, engaging, entertaining and we have loved every moment of them. Even when we fall into the water.

Check that climb out, you can just see Coleman's red shirt. Admittedly, I was nervous until all four feet landed safely.

The boys named these berries "Chucklebutt Berries" because they looked like butts and they made them chuckle

Flag at the playground at Tara Redwood School

A portion of the playground at Tara Redwood School

Self portrait with toes

Lovely grass

Ammo, ready to fire!

Banana Slug

Straw House in a burned out tree

Friends