Living naturally, most of the time.
At the last second, I changed my mind against picking my kids up from the bus in the car and instead grabbed the umbrellas and a jacket. It was warm. I figured they had probably not had recess, what with all the rain. The afternoon included a longer-than-normal piano lesson for my son during which…
Since the start of November means the start of NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) and NaBloPoMo (National Blog Posting Month), I feel the need to make my Writing – and my writing support – To-Do list public: for accountability and to show the whole picture. I have come to understand that I can’t just say I will write every…
Today I was too busy noticing fall and being with my kids to write, and tonight I was too busy prepping for Tuesday’s blog carnival on humor in parenting. So here are a few images of a still November day in Northern Virginia. Bookmark on DeliciousDigg this postRecommend on Facebookshare via RedditShare with StumblersTweet…
The repetition of the word “work” bothered me today when I observed my daughter at her Montessori daycare. My older son went to Waldorf school, and even if the two approaches share an appreciation for real-world duties and chores, Waldorf education comes from the perspective that childhood is for play, exploration, unfolding. Not for doing…
Blank canvas If you had the chance to paint the sky, how would you do it? Would your brush be brash and full of color, from orange through pink up to early-morning blue? Or would you go for the sunset, dimming down from dark to the last warmth of sinking light? Maybe you would deeply…
Background When a November sky is kind, a maple tree is brilliant, spreading its red royally, like a regal bird preening. But when that side smile of blue sky turns cold, a resentful shade of grey, the leaves mimic an angry stop light and remind you of old blood on a dishrag that you didn’t…
When we found out the neighbor we were going to meet at the park had to go back home for bad behavior, the leaf pile called us. I don’t know how we managed to have so much fun without anyone getting an eye poked out or losing a Croc. But it was a day when…
The last professional photo shoot we had was when my daughter had just been born in August 2010. Today is November 12, 2012. I bought a shoot over a year ago on as a Groupon or Living Social Deal and just finally redeemed it today. Although I’m thrilled that we got some pictures taken, and…
Tonight we held a Waldorf-inspired Lantern Walk for the coop group I’ve been involved in. It was our first social event at the new house. The magic of starting the walk at dusk and ending in darkness, with a circle of friends holding light in their hands, is something I’m grateful my children have a…
Routine Whenever I worry that my middle name is inconsistency, that erratic behavior disrupts my chances at bliss and my children’s balance, stepping outside reminds me that the leaves turn only once each year. And not for 30 minutes every morning. Then they fall and a new generation, long waiting in promise before gingerly pushing…
