Aunt Jenny

This morning my dear Aunt Jenny passed into the spirit world. Her gentle, sweet presence will be greatly missed. She joined her dear Daddy Peter and sister Claudia. My memories are filled with the many kindnesses that she brought to this world, and the enduring effect of all the goodness that she embodied.

I love you, Aunt Jenny.

Holding Remembrance

My kids were very intrigued by the Civil War era cemetery that they discovered upon walking in our neighborhood. I think that they connected to the beauty of remembrance, as a way to make sense of the continuum of life and death in the physical world. They made their own place of remembrance and beauty our backyard, for the small creatures who bring awareness to this journey that we are all on. Within these gates, rests Katey, the caterpillar, Josie, a mouse and an unnamed Blue Jay. Rest in Peace, little creatures.

A Stone I Died by Rumi

A stone I died and rose again a plant;

A plant I died and rose an animal;

I died an animal and was born a man.

Why should I fear? What have I lost by death?

Finishing Grade One

Vivienne had her last day at the Dancing Springs Farm Co-op. What a beautiful year. The last part of the year included some wonderful teachers. Todd Crowe, the esteemed Waldorf-trained teacher, Alan Muscat, AKA the mushroom guy (among many areas of expertise) and mama Chama, who created the amazing end of year production that you will soon find out more about. The girls learned so much. They studies plants, including wild crafting and the uses of common herbs. They learned movement games for the multiplication tables, they sang and played recorders, learned about nonviolent communication (otherwise known to them as loving communication), learned a mischievous song in Spanish (something about mothers being so bossy... oh, in a sweet way...) sewed beautiful pouches and flowers, painted in watercolors and so  much more.

A little hint about what is to come...

Springing Forth

Ahhh, spring into summer! Such an enlivening and expansive time! I can hardly keep myself seated long enough to upload photos or check e-mail. The garden has been my passion lately, and the girls are having end-of the-year activities which run us to and fro all month long, it seems!

So many things have been happening, it has been hard to keep up. Mia was a winner of the first annual Blue Ridge Parkway poetry contest and got to read her poem at the opening night of Wordfest. It was quite a wonderful experience for her.

A Quiet Place in the Woods

I lie among the deer and hear them speak.

They speak of their dappled fawns and of their

special place where golden leaves fall

In the shadows of the forest.

I whisper back to tell them of my secret nook

That lies beneath the trees

Where acorns fall and crows call,

In the soft pale sunlight.

~Mia , age 10

Jasper wearing the "lost boys" tunic that Vivienne made for him

Vivienne's finger knitted sandals. She made them out of my old Dankso insoles, my beloved garden shoes finally crumbled apart!

 

Grandma's last day visiting from Portland, Oregon.

And Grandma's famous Mocha Torte! (Thanks, Mom!)

Sisters in the City

I took a weekend in San Francisco with my sister, Amy, to celebrate her birthday. What a beautiful gift. It gave me the chance to dive deeply into my own self, enjoy the natural rhythm and pace of our own making. We walked all day long, ate well, and crashed happily in our hotel in the evening. It felt wonderful to fill my senses with a world apart from my own,  knowing that the this small increment is enough to nourish my creativity. I felt so content with three nights away, and so very happy to come home again. Alas, I am not a big city girl! I love to feel relaxed and low key in my little green haven of western NC. What an affirming and joyful realization that was.

Some favorite things about my stay in San Francisco:

Chinatown- vibrant, colorful, fun!

Filbert Steps - such a beautiful stroll down from Coit tower to the bay, where the beautiful wild parrots of Telegraph Hill can be seen (We spotted them at Washington Square Park)

Golden Gate Hotel - great location, wonderful personnel, fresh croissants and coffee every morning (tea and cookies in the afternoon) dogs and cat to greet us

Greens Restaurant - best meal I've had all year. Delicious, beautiful, savored every bite!

Fort Mason communtity garden - beautiful, charming haven with a view of the city

Cable cars - yes, a cliché, but really such a fun way to see the city

House of Nanking - great food, the chef ordered for us and it was superb

Strolling Haight Ashbury - coco-luxe chocolates, (pine-nut and sage chocolate brittle, raw honey dipped chocolate, elderflower truffles) colorlful Nepalese shops
Walking the Labyrinth at Grace Cathedral (based on Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Chartres)

Our days were entirely unplanned until we got together, looked at our maps and decided which direction to head for the day. Laughing and celebrating with my amazing sister all weekend long was the best of all!

~Special thanks to Daddy-o and Grandma for holding down the fort while I was gone~

Family Time

Long Weekend. Sunshine. Seashells. Carousels. Swimming pools. Fiddler Crabs. Ice Cream. Sand Castles. Zoo. Choo-choo Train. Sweet family time... and so happy to be home again.

And here is a link to one of our favorite songs, Ziggy Marley's Family Time.