The Tuesday after a three day weekend holiday always seems to feel and look like a Monday when first rising. As caffeine sinks in to give me a boost, I realize it really is Tuesday. And its Task Master Tuesday. My list is full again-of course, when is it not? I'm taking my morning head emptying and then off to shower to get ready. Ready for what? The list, the daunting list. The list that never really goes away. Ahhhh....
I've never been one to create lists, to organize anything, to meet deadlines, etc...It wasn't until I attended Union Institute & University @ Vermont College (now online as opposed to campus stay) that I learned the fine art of prioritizing and making the most of education opportunities, which turned into opportunities in life to not miss out on if they're meant to impact your life. Four years of study, writing, research, more writing....I was being groomed for life after books, turning in papers, waiting to hear what my advisor had to offer with the work I turned in for review. I had tried college academia in the past but with traditional institutions, it just didn't jell for me. Intensive residency sang to my soul, and online learning silently screams for me to return to go the next level. So, I am preparing.
As I sit to continue this post, I get the itch to wrap it up. Sometimes, I catch myself wanting to rush to the end of something, whatever it is that I'm in the midst of working on. I have to pull back a bit to realize that I have to finish what I start with the task at hand. Historically, I've always been a non-finisher. Start something, get to a point where I either loose interest or something new comes along, so I stop where I am and leave it incomplete. Can't do that anymore. It has always left me feeling like something is missing for me. I've never liked that feeling; I would always look for things to fill that void and now its coming alive to tell me to sit up & notice or be taken alive. My life is different now. I'm still me but now I have children. I'm responsible for the upkeep of the "urban homestead." I have my own business, which has been in sleeper mode for the last year and a half. I'm on the verge of 40, and its time to start being the adult I claim I am. And here I am, the Task Master banging out the mental list. Good grief; thank God for college in my 30's.
Let's begin before the day keeps going without me. I don't want to miss this bus.
~Momma
"Delight the world with kindness, grace, & compassion."
-Yogi Tea
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Friday, May 27, 2011
First Friday Posting
I'm realizing this is my first Friday posting; at least as I can remember. What a morning already! My To Do/Finish List is sketched, breakfast in process, I applied for a parent blogging job online, the rain is falling to water my edible landscape, and the day waits for me to join in. Not that time really waits for anyone, because it doesn't. It does make space for you, though. Especially when there's much to be tackled. And my Momma list is one to be tackled.
My thoughts are scattered as I type this post; perhaps letting me know that an entry of breadth is not of importance for today. I've set up the day for movies for my boys, as we would have gone on a bus ride/field trip to one of our predestined places of interest but I'm only beginning to utilize the public transportation system, so an umbrella is not an accessory I want to add just yet. Give me another month or so and I'll be sporting a 40 lb. pack like some of our troops do when they are in the field. Then again, just the thought of that makes me want to lie down and say "NO WAY!!"
So, as a woman with many hats, I wear my task master, momma, wild woman, and femme hats. Too wet for my farm hat, and my self-employed hat is still hanging on the peg. It all comes together when the time is right. Here's to Friday and its potential for success.
~Momma
My thoughts are scattered as I type this post; perhaps letting me know that an entry of breadth is not of importance for today. I've set up the day for movies for my boys, as we would have gone on a bus ride/field trip to one of our predestined places of interest but I'm only beginning to utilize the public transportation system, so an umbrella is not an accessory I want to add just yet. Give me another month or so and I'll be sporting a 40 lb. pack like some of our troops do when they are in the field. Then again, just the thought of that makes me want to lie down and say "NO WAY!!"
So, as a woman with many hats, I wear my task master, momma, wild woman, and femme hats. Too wet for my farm hat, and my self-employed hat is still hanging on the peg. It all comes together when the time is right. Here's to Friday and its potential for success.
~Momma
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Play Day
We've been waiting for today to come. Sunshine & temps in the 70's, therefore pushing for some time at the park. We'll take lunch along to stay and enjoy the good weather. My boys are craving the need to use the excess energy they've got exploding at the seams of their little bodies. If you're the mother of boys, you know what I'm touching on. And if you are the mother of girls who have the same extrovert qualities, I've been there as a child, so hang onto your seat.
Play days are good to have. Makes for all the time of brainstorming, task tackling, and seemingly endless hours of the ever revolving "To Do List" consume our days as multi-taskers. As I can only truly speak for myself, I have to keep in mind that when I take my boys to the park, its to play, enjoy the good weather, and to have fun. The mental list of things yet to be done can wait. Take pictures, kick that ball, swing on those swings, slide down those slides. Provided the ground is dry, roll in the grass. Is this as easy as I write? No. I become caught up in my thoughts of things to do, places to go, people to talk to, etc...I admit it. I believe there is many a mother who knows this for herself, too. Dads do it, too.
As we approach the marker of 60 degrees before 8:30 am, I feel that need to sign off, get ready for the day, and the best part: have fun. So, here's to our wild Wednesday and to having fun. Embrace the child within you to appreciate the days your children have before they become adults; time waits for no one.
~Momma
"A time to dream
A time to plan,
Time essential
To every man."
-AGS
Play days are good to have. Makes for all the time of brainstorming, task tackling, and seemingly endless hours of the ever revolving "To Do List" consume our days as multi-taskers. As I can only truly speak for myself, I have to keep in mind that when I take my boys to the park, its to play, enjoy the good weather, and to have fun. The mental list of things yet to be done can wait. Take pictures, kick that ball, swing on those swings, slide down those slides. Provided the ground is dry, roll in the grass. Is this as easy as I write? No. I become caught up in my thoughts of things to do, places to go, people to talk to, etc...I admit it. I believe there is many a mother who knows this for herself, too. Dads do it, too.
As we approach the marker of 60 degrees before 8:30 am, I feel that need to sign off, get ready for the day, and the best part: have fun. So, here's to our wild Wednesday and to having fun. Embrace the child within you to appreciate the days your children have before they become adults; time waits for no one.
~Momma
"A time to dream
A time to plan,
Time essential
To every man."
-AGS
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Momma on a Mission, Part Two
My mission continues. Yesterday, I posted in regards to what kind of parent do I think I am, what kind of parent am I learning to become. My focus was on my boys, which is my first priority. Past that, my priorities change position due to level of importance. Yesterday, late afternoon into early evening, I had an epiphany regarding my role as a business woman. I rough sketched ideas, researched possibilities, and searched for who out there is doing the same thing I am. My results were a surprise to me; this helps, as it shows me the direction I need to move in. Currently, I am in test mode here at home for my ambitions. A rough draft of a checklist reminds me of how to get started and what the next step in the process is for me.
This morning, I saw a posting for freelance writing work. I checked it out, and felt a tinge of disappointment on my part. The requirements were so stringent, I didn't feel like I could compete for the work. I checked out, grabbed a bite of breakfast-which I never eat as early as I did today-and then it hit me. The description of the job was for things I do here at home, subjects I like to talk about and write about. Why did I have to feel like I was not up to snuff to write about food, wine, sustainable living, and gardening on a level where someone else would be paying me for my thoughts, experience, and opinion through living, experiencing, and relating? Then my epiphany for today happened. If I want to write for someone else, get paid for it, and get my voice out there, I need to live my subjects to be able to write about them. Of course, to become more proficient in the social media corral would be a plus, as it was one of the job requirements for this morning's freelance posting.
So, for Task Master Tuesday, setting up the home office, brainstorming and testing, and writing to put my voice out there; these are the things I do for myself. My ColorNote app is updated, my mini lists are set up. Library books to renew, and today's homeschool day is about reading, so we're a little more laid back for our Tuesday in the Green Mountain state. Lilacs perfume the air, bird song echos from the back yard, my windchimes sing as they are caressed by the wind, and I pick up the torch to run the race for today.
~Momma
"The Muse's friend, tea does our fancy aid,
Repress those vapours which the head invade,
And keep that palace of the soul serene."
-Edmund Waller
This morning, I saw a posting for freelance writing work. I checked it out, and felt a tinge of disappointment on my part. The requirements were so stringent, I didn't feel like I could compete for the work. I checked out, grabbed a bite of breakfast-which I never eat as early as I did today-and then it hit me. The description of the job was for things I do here at home, subjects I like to talk about and write about. Why did I have to feel like I was not up to snuff to write about food, wine, sustainable living, and gardening on a level where someone else would be paying me for my thoughts, experience, and opinion through living, experiencing, and relating? Then my epiphany for today happened. If I want to write for someone else, get paid for it, and get my voice out there, I need to live my subjects to be able to write about them. Of course, to become more proficient in the social media corral would be a plus, as it was one of the job requirements for this morning's freelance posting.
So, for Task Master Tuesday, setting up the home office, brainstorming and testing, and writing to put my voice out there; these are the things I do for myself. My ColorNote app is updated, my mini lists are set up. Library books to renew, and today's homeschool day is about reading, so we're a little more laid back for our Tuesday in the Green Mountain state. Lilacs perfume the air, bird song echos from the back yard, my windchimes sing as they are caressed by the wind, and I pick up the torch to run the race for today.
~Momma
"The Muse's friend, tea does our fancy aid,
Repress those vapours which the head invade,
And keep that palace of the soul serene."
-Edmund Waller
Monday, May 23, 2011
Momma on a Mission
A title to this post escapes me but of no matter; perhaps it will come along while I'm emptying my thoughts onto the screen. What is important to me is the content of what I'm writing about this morning, or at least what I have in mind to write about this morning.
What kind of mom am I? I ask myself this more than once, and the answer to that question becomes more and more clear as I grow into my skin as a mother. As I watch my boys grow from newborns to infants to toddlers to preschoolers, I become more acquainted with the woman I am becoming. And it still amazes me how I could love two people as much as I do, unfailing, unconditional, unstoppable.
I want the best for my children, without compromise of the priceless moments to remember, the importance of teaching that not everything we do has a price tag on it, and that what I give them by way of example is something of value when they are adults and going out into the world. I believe most mothers can attest to this feeling. Above and beyond to give. What we forget to keep in mind, is that we are human, and not everything is going to go off as planned.
Each day is a lesson for a mother, and as I can only truly speak for myself, I'm learning all the time with my two boys. As a parent, it is a responsibility to teach life skills, to foster the love of learning, to be patient with yourself and your children as they learn. First thoughts are teach, teach, teach. Lasting thoughts are learn, learn, learn. I teach my boys what they need to learn, and in turn, they teach me what I didn't know was possible.
I'm a stay-at-home mom (domestic executive officer), one who is teaching sustainable living as I myself am learning to be more in touch with it, and I believe in homeschooling. Parents are a child's first teachers, so how can any parent feel like it is the public school system's job to educate our children? If you don't start at home, what happens when a child goes to school? I'm not opposed to public education but for a system badly in need of repair, I can't imagine sending my boys off to be educated by a system that is currently failing so many. I grew up in the public school system, and it is not now what it once was. I worked in the system for a time, and I am disappointed in what I've seen. Teachers are underpaid, non-teaching staff are unheard when it comes to issues they've seen develop, and administration acts as though they have no time to address concerns from staff or parents. Students are catergorized by age, social status, and popularity, with little time between classes, under pressure to perform both academically and socially, and discipline is virtually non-existent. This is not an environment I want to put my boys in.
I've ranted. Perhaps only really scratching the surface of a current issue but its my voice expressing my concern as a mother. And as I've stated before, I want what's best for my children. They eat home cooked meals, nothing processed or loaded with chemicals & additives. They don't wear the most expensive clothes on the market or all the top labels but they are clothed and warm. I make the soap I bathe them with, knowing what went into making the product. I educate them through play, fun, reading books, baking, creative endeavors, gardening, mini field trips, and most importantly: love.
I'm helping to shape men who will influence tomorrow. I'm a mom on a mission.
~Momma
"Train a boy in the way he should go; even when he is old, he will not swerve from it."
-Proverbs 22:6
What kind of mom am I? I ask myself this more than once, and the answer to that question becomes more and more clear as I grow into my skin as a mother. As I watch my boys grow from newborns to infants to toddlers to preschoolers, I become more acquainted with the woman I am becoming. And it still amazes me how I could love two people as much as I do, unfailing, unconditional, unstoppable.
I want the best for my children, without compromise of the priceless moments to remember, the importance of teaching that not everything we do has a price tag on it, and that what I give them by way of example is something of value when they are adults and going out into the world. I believe most mothers can attest to this feeling. Above and beyond to give. What we forget to keep in mind, is that we are human, and not everything is going to go off as planned.
Each day is a lesson for a mother, and as I can only truly speak for myself, I'm learning all the time with my two boys. As a parent, it is a responsibility to teach life skills, to foster the love of learning, to be patient with yourself and your children as they learn. First thoughts are teach, teach, teach. Lasting thoughts are learn, learn, learn. I teach my boys what they need to learn, and in turn, they teach me what I didn't know was possible.
I'm a stay-at-home mom (domestic executive officer), one who is teaching sustainable living as I myself am learning to be more in touch with it, and I believe in homeschooling. Parents are a child's first teachers, so how can any parent feel like it is the public school system's job to educate our children? If you don't start at home, what happens when a child goes to school? I'm not opposed to public education but for a system badly in need of repair, I can't imagine sending my boys off to be educated by a system that is currently failing so many. I grew up in the public school system, and it is not now what it once was. I worked in the system for a time, and I am disappointed in what I've seen. Teachers are underpaid, non-teaching staff are unheard when it comes to issues they've seen develop, and administration acts as though they have no time to address concerns from staff or parents. Students are catergorized by age, social status, and popularity, with little time between classes, under pressure to perform both academically and socially, and discipline is virtually non-existent. This is not an environment I want to put my boys in.
I've ranted. Perhaps only really scratching the surface of a current issue but its my voice expressing my concern as a mother. And as I've stated before, I want what's best for my children. They eat home cooked meals, nothing processed or loaded with chemicals & additives. They don't wear the most expensive clothes on the market or all the top labels but they are clothed and warm. I make the soap I bathe them with, knowing what went into making the product. I educate them through play, fun, reading books, baking, creative endeavors, gardening, mini field trips, and most importantly: love.
I'm helping to shape men who will influence tomorrow. I'm a mom on a mission.
~Momma
"Train a boy in the way he should go; even when he is old, he will not swerve from it."
-Proverbs 22:6
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Rain, rain, rain today
The rain has returned today; we had a break in the weather pattern yesterday. The rain is back, and its pitter patter sings a rhythm as I type my thoughts. My boys are up, working on breakfast, and I'm thumbnail sketching my day today. My car came back from the garage with failed inspection and a list of repairs. Discussion and research into parts and repairs to do here at home happened; the result is that the repair costs may be exceeding the car's value. Poo! She's paid off. I'm ready to trade in for a team of Rotties and a good size dog cart to pull the kids & I around. Hey, I can't have farm animals in the 'burbs but I can have dogs. Food for thought. Actually, looking into the investment of a good bike & bike trailer for my boys to ride safetly in.
No gardening today, at least no digging in the dirt to drop seed or transplant. What small plants I have at the moment should be loving the endless watering they are receiving; as long as it doesn't create mold & mildew due to over watering, we should be fine. Maybe some digging in the garage today; I'm missing a garden tool I really need and I know its in there. Probably lurking in a dark corner somewhere hidden by spider webs....I'm currently continuing the process of sorting through my life and putting some organization to it.
One of the tasks I'm hoping to tackle today is to sit and sew. I've been trying to do so all this week at night after the kids go to bed but with basement cleanup to keep the water out of our basement while we get this second round of rain for a week to 10 days, I've been exhausted by the time they decide to call it a night. Of course, their outside time has been limited to the backporch because of the rain, so with no access to the park nearby, their energy levels are through the roof. I wish mine was as well. I don't do energy drinks, as I'm a breastfeeding momma. Coffee in the morning, teas throughout the day. I sneak a few relaxing brews in there to balance things out; otherwise, I'd be pinging by 3 PM.
Oh yeah, what am I sewing, right? Trying to finish a summer dress and a nice paisley skirt; the skirt only needs a button & a couple hook & eye closures. The dress is a basic pattern that should only take 30 mins; its taken me almost four yrs to finish it! Yeah, life gets in there and makes it fun to finish tasks I once was able to give my entire attention to. I'm a mom now, one who's able to be at home with her children, and my time doesn't always go to where I may want it to; and energy levels don't always stick around. Parenthood is a balancing act, one that requires constant attention. Its a contact sport with rules that change according to the age of the children involved.
I'm weaving, I know. My life feels much like a tapestry or blanket on a loom. A thread of color and texture makes the background or foundation, and as each moment comes along to color the experience, another thread is added. A rainbow of experiences spread and jump into a pattern to create the story, my story, my story as a woman with many caps. My sustainable living facet leaves a recipe with this post; my preschooler and I made bread yesterday. Enjoy!
~Momma
Leftover Cereal Flatbread
-Leftover cereal
-Whole wheat flour
-Salt
-Water if needed
Add flour to leftover cereal (oatmeal, brown rice, gruel, corn meal, whatever) until of kneadable consistency. Add salt (about 1/2 t per cup of flour). Knead well and let sit in bowl covered with wet towel and in a warm place for 4-6 hrs, or overnight. Knead again and roll out (about 1/2" thick) onto oiled cookie sheets. Let rise in warm place covered with damp towel 1/2 to 2 hrs. Brush top with oil, melted butter, and sprinkle with salt and oregano, or your choice of minced onion, marjoram, basil, sesame. Bake @ 375 degrees for 30 mins, or until browned all over. Cut into squares, and serve hot.
*(The Tassajara Bread Book, by Edward Espe Brown. 1970. Shambala, Berkeley)
No gardening today, at least no digging in the dirt to drop seed or transplant. What small plants I have at the moment should be loving the endless watering they are receiving; as long as it doesn't create mold & mildew due to over watering, we should be fine. Maybe some digging in the garage today; I'm missing a garden tool I really need and I know its in there. Probably lurking in a dark corner somewhere hidden by spider webs....I'm currently continuing the process of sorting through my life and putting some organization to it.
One of the tasks I'm hoping to tackle today is to sit and sew. I've been trying to do so all this week at night after the kids go to bed but with basement cleanup to keep the water out of our basement while we get this second round of rain for a week to 10 days, I've been exhausted by the time they decide to call it a night. Of course, their outside time has been limited to the backporch because of the rain, so with no access to the park nearby, their energy levels are through the roof. I wish mine was as well. I don't do energy drinks, as I'm a breastfeeding momma. Coffee in the morning, teas throughout the day. I sneak a few relaxing brews in there to balance things out; otherwise, I'd be pinging by 3 PM.
Oh yeah, what am I sewing, right? Trying to finish a summer dress and a nice paisley skirt; the skirt only needs a button & a couple hook & eye closures. The dress is a basic pattern that should only take 30 mins; its taken me almost four yrs to finish it! Yeah, life gets in there and makes it fun to finish tasks I once was able to give my entire attention to. I'm a mom now, one who's able to be at home with her children, and my time doesn't always go to where I may want it to; and energy levels don't always stick around. Parenthood is a balancing act, one that requires constant attention. Its a contact sport with rules that change according to the age of the children involved.
I'm weaving, I know. My life feels much like a tapestry or blanket on a loom. A thread of color and texture makes the background or foundation, and as each moment comes along to color the experience, another thread is added. A rainbow of experiences spread and jump into a pattern to create the story, my story, my story as a woman with many caps. My sustainable living facet leaves a recipe with this post; my preschooler and I made bread yesterday. Enjoy!
~Momma
Leftover Cereal Flatbread
-Leftover cereal
-Whole wheat flour
-Salt
-Water if needed
Add flour to leftover cereal (oatmeal, brown rice, gruel, corn meal, whatever) until of kneadable consistency. Add salt (about 1/2 t per cup of flour). Knead well and let sit in bowl covered with wet towel and in a warm place for 4-6 hrs, or overnight. Knead again and roll out (about 1/2" thick) onto oiled cookie sheets. Let rise in warm place covered with damp towel 1/2 to 2 hrs. Brush top with oil, melted butter, and sprinkle with salt and oregano, or your choice of minced onion, marjoram, basil, sesame. Bake @ 375 degrees for 30 mins, or until browned all over. Cut into squares, and serve hot.
*(The Tassajara Bread Book, by Edward Espe Brown. 1970. Shambala, Berkeley)
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Will It Be A Wild Wednesday?
Mid week, and the day has begun. Another day of water in the basement duty-joy. I say that with a sarcastic taste in my mouth. Yet, we will manage-we have so far. Enough said about the basement, otherwise it becomes a dreadful centerpiece on my kitchen table of life.
The kitchen table is where I sit to write; the advantages of a laptop. The kitchen table is also where so many things happen. Baking, cook prep, art projects, soap making, sewing, etc....Sometimes, I believe the kitchen table to be the heart of the home. I know it was for my grandparents' house. Each time I would go to visit, growing up and continuing into my early adult years until the last few years on occasion, I always knew where to find my grandmother when entering the front door. If she wasn't working crochet thread into spider web like creations we all know as doilies, she was most likely in the kitchen. A chat with my grandfather while he sat in his recliner watching tv, my internal gps would always point me to the kitchen. Take a seat at the table was the customary ritual, as she would be clearing away the last meal's dishes, placing into the sink for rinsing. Sometimes I would catch the scent of whatever she was cooking when I hit the front door, so the beeline for the kitchen was a bit faster; you never left their house hungry.
So, as I sit and write here at my kitchen table, those kitchen memories surround me. I look around at my own kitchen, looking for traces of connection. I am a hearth keeper, and my home's heart beats at the kitchen table.
~Momma
"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb."
-Psalm 139:13
The kitchen table is where I sit to write; the advantages of a laptop. The kitchen table is also where so many things happen. Baking, cook prep, art projects, soap making, sewing, etc....Sometimes, I believe the kitchen table to be the heart of the home. I know it was for my grandparents' house. Each time I would go to visit, growing up and continuing into my early adult years until the last few years on occasion, I always knew where to find my grandmother when entering the front door. If she wasn't working crochet thread into spider web like creations we all know as doilies, she was most likely in the kitchen. A chat with my grandfather while he sat in his recliner watching tv, my internal gps would always point me to the kitchen. Take a seat at the table was the customary ritual, as she would be clearing away the last meal's dishes, placing into the sink for rinsing. Sometimes I would catch the scent of whatever she was cooking when I hit the front door, so the beeline for the kitchen was a bit faster; you never left their house hungry.
So, as I sit and write here at my kitchen table, those kitchen memories surround me. I look around at my own kitchen, looking for traces of connection. I am a hearth keeper, and my home's heart beats at the kitchen table.
~Momma
"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb."
-Psalm 139:13
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
When Life Hands You Lemons...
Tuesday morning starts with a bang. Better sleep last night for my boys and maybe a little better for myself. Its kind of like that statement about catching yourself snoring. You try to wake up to hear yourself and after a night of stops & starts, you only end up tired from trying like crazy to find out. Yeah, its my mom brain talking here....
Today is my task master day. I made my list-rough draft-yesterday and today refining it. Of course, working on the list as well. A list-rough draft or final product does no good if you don't work on it. Kind of like winning the lottery; you have to actually buy a ticket to play to be in the running to win. Yesterday's tasks-minus my desire to sew after the kids went to bed-were completed. Today I had a pocket of opportunity for whatever became possible. Well, the water returning to our basement made a puddle in my pocket. Don't discount this domestic executive officer, though. I have a routine set up to keep a hand on basement patrol, have the day with my boys, and manage to make time for myself; this is with all the other domestic tasks I have on my mental list. Yeah, a woman and her lists...
I did mention sewing. Yes, I love to sew. Anything creative that results in an end product drives me. Drives me crazy sometimes but is worth the insanity of listening to the hum of a sewing machine, feel the pull of thread through fabric as a pattern unfolds, the taste of tea-warm & soothing or iced & refreshing-as a project is invested upon, and the scent of the seasons flavor the sight and wonder as the creative juices manifest into the tangible. Sewing is also a part of my business, and I am glad to have a new machine to get me back into business. I feel driven today; I'm going to run with it. Today's projects? One unfinished personal project and rough drafting cloth diapers. Posting and pics to come at another date.
So, even with the rain falling today, the water seeping into my basement, the tasks at hand, my gardens are popping with life, my boys trusting me with every moment of their lives, keep this in mind. When life hands you lemons, pull the pin and throw them like hand grenades. Just because you smell s@#t don't take it as a sign of bad things. Afterall, it can become fertilizer if you stand up wind. If you do find yourself standing down wind, not to worry. Remember, its fodder for your life's passion.
~Momma
"This rule in gardening never forget,
To sow dry and set wet."
-Old Proverb
Today is my task master day. I made my list-rough draft-yesterday and today refining it. Of course, working on the list as well. A list-rough draft or final product does no good if you don't work on it. Kind of like winning the lottery; you have to actually buy a ticket to play to be in the running to win. Yesterday's tasks-minus my desire to sew after the kids went to bed-were completed. Today I had a pocket of opportunity for whatever became possible. Well, the water returning to our basement made a puddle in my pocket. Don't discount this domestic executive officer, though. I have a routine set up to keep a hand on basement patrol, have the day with my boys, and manage to make time for myself; this is with all the other domestic tasks I have on my mental list. Yeah, a woman and her lists...
I did mention sewing. Yes, I love to sew. Anything creative that results in an end product drives me. Drives me crazy sometimes but is worth the insanity of listening to the hum of a sewing machine, feel the pull of thread through fabric as a pattern unfolds, the taste of tea-warm & soothing or iced & refreshing-as a project is invested upon, and the scent of the seasons flavor the sight and wonder as the creative juices manifest into the tangible. Sewing is also a part of my business, and I am glad to have a new machine to get me back into business. I feel driven today; I'm going to run with it. Today's projects? One unfinished personal project and rough drafting cloth diapers. Posting and pics to come at another date.
So, even with the rain falling today, the water seeping into my basement, the tasks at hand, my gardens are popping with life, my boys trusting me with every moment of their lives, keep this in mind. When life hands you lemons, pull the pin and throw them like hand grenades. Just because you smell s@#t don't take it as a sign of bad things. Afterall, it can become fertilizer if you stand up wind. If you do find yourself standing down wind, not to worry. Remember, its fodder for your life's passion.
~Momma
"This rule in gardening never forget,
To sow dry and set wet."
-Old Proverb
Monday, May 16, 2011
It Started with a Burp & a Fart on a Monday
Technology....great but with burps in the system. Last Friday, there were tech issues and I was unable to post, let alone write. The weather being beautiful, I chose to take my boys to the park early and just go with the flow of the day. It was a burp and fart Friday. Today is a burp and fart Monday. Yeah, colorful, right? Perhaps my boys will be entertained that their mom uses the words that will make them laugh when they're a little older and certain words make them cut up and make you wonder who's children are these? Life with boys....
Speaking of life with boys, its a life I'm learning to be in the middle of. Nope, no previous experience. My family consists mainly of women, very few born men. I believe I was predestined to be the mother of men. If so, could I have had at least a little bit of warning? Nope. No warning, no instruction manuals, no way, no how. There's something in this for me, that I'm sure of. What it is at this stage in my life's journey, I don't know yet. It has yet to be revealed. Now, to maintain patience....or should I refocus?
I'm currently reading Dr. James Dobson's book, "Bringing Up Boys: Practical advice and encouragement for those shaping the next generation of men." No, its not an instruction manual. Its not the absolute answer as to how to raise boys. It is a peephole through the door into the world of boys. Why boys are packed full of energy that doesn't seem to disappear and carries from the playground to the classroom. Why boys are most likely to be diagnosed with ADD or ADHD. Why its so important for the presence of both parents to help shape the future for boys. I could go on but I'm still reading, still sifting and gleaning what I need to be aware of as a mother of men. What my role is in their lives and what I can do to help them prepare for life as adults. I was raised by a single mother. I had some "potholes" in school. I've been a part of the public school system. I've worked with boys with neurological disorders and behavioral issues. Because of these elements of my own life, I approach the life I now live with a different point of view than if those brush strokes had never colored my canvas. So, until my research culminates at a later date, I will only provide tid bits of what I read. My opinion I hold. My psychological point of view may come into play somewhere down the road-by the way, yes I'm a psych major, too. Most of all, I'm the mother of men.
~Momma
"Train a boy in the way he should go; even when he is old, he will not swerve from it."
-Proverbs 22:6
Speaking of life with boys, its a life I'm learning to be in the middle of. Nope, no previous experience. My family consists mainly of women, very few born men. I believe I was predestined to be the mother of men. If so, could I have had at least a little bit of warning? Nope. No warning, no instruction manuals, no way, no how. There's something in this for me, that I'm sure of. What it is at this stage in my life's journey, I don't know yet. It has yet to be revealed. Now, to maintain patience....or should I refocus?
I'm currently reading Dr. James Dobson's book, "Bringing Up Boys: Practical advice and encouragement for those shaping the next generation of men." No, its not an instruction manual. Its not the absolute answer as to how to raise boys. It is a peephole through the door into the world of boys. Why boys are packed full of energy that doesn't seem to disappear and carries from the playground to the classroom. Why boys are most likely to be diagnosed with ADD or ADHD. Why its so important for the presence of both parents to help shape the future for boys. I could go on but I'm still reading, still sifting and gleaning what I need to be aware of as a mother of men. What my role is in their lives and what I can do to help them prepare for life as adults. I was raised by a single mother. I had some "potholes" in school. I've been a part of the public school system. I've worked with boys with neurological disorders and behavioral issues. Because of these elements of my own life, I approach the life I now live with a different point of view than if those brush strokes had never colored my canvas. So, until my research culminates at a later date, I will only provide tid bits of what I read. My opinion I hold. My psychological point of view may come into play somewhere down the road-by the way, yes I'm a psych major, too. Most of all, I'm the mother of men.
~Momma
"Train a boy in the way he should go; even when he is old, he will not swerve from it."
-Proverbs 22:6
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Dirty Girl
I'm a dirty girl. That's right, you heard me say it (actually, see it typed but if you were here as I had my moment of revelation as to what to write about this morning, you would have heard it). I have a set of garden gloves that I've worn a few times but they just don't give me the freedom of feeling the dirt sift between my fingers as I work in the garden. I love the feel of the plants I put in the ground, the seeds I sprinkle in to germinate to feed us, and I even love to pull out the "pests" who take up the necessary room for my desire to create a sustainable living landscape.
My boys are both up this time this morning, cheering me on as I write this post. My preschooler loves to garden. He has his own raised bed box, and we planted seed tapes together earlier this season. Radishes, chives, beets, and spinach is coming in already. I know we planted one more set of tapes but it escapes me at this moment as to what they were. We also threw in some wildflower seeds to see what comes up. When the time is right, we'll put in a tomato plant for him to pick his own tomatoes, maybe a bean bush, and perhaps a cucumber vine and a couple of herbs. Its not a big box but if you follow your season, you can utilize it like you wouldn't believe. My youngest could care less so long as he's just there to watch the process, that's if he's not taking a power nap before his next round of unbridled energy.
This year, I'm putting in both flowers and edibles. Veggies, herbs, some dwarf fruit trees. Flowers that come back year after year, some that have to be replaced by the following year, and bushes & small trees to add character to the small piece of landscape we have in the midst of what's called "Urban Vermont." Personally, having grown up here in the state, this is more like the suburbs to anyone moving in, and having been other places in my life, this is more the 'burbs to even me. Before the purchase of the house, we did live in a more urban part of the area. It wasn't too bad but being a dirty girl, I love my country side better. Therefore, the 'burbs are a good second place for me to inhabit. I like it here.
So, to all the dirty girls out there, dig deep, sista. walk barefoot in your garden when you can. When you are digging in the dirt, breathe in that rich, earthy fragrance. Be a dirty girl, and be proud of being a dirty girl. I know I am.
"And on his left he held a basketfull
Of all sweet herbs that searching eye could cull:
Wild Thyme and valley-lilies whiter still
Than Leda's love, and cresses from the rill.
-John Keats
~Momma
My boys are both up this time this morning, cheering me on as I write this post. My preschooler loves to garden. He has his own raised bed box, and we planted seed tapes together earlier this season. Radishes, chives, beets, and spinach is coming in already. I know we planted one more set of tapes but it escapes me at this moment as to what they were. We also threw in some wildflower seeds to see what comes up. When the time is right, we'll put in a tomato plant for him to pick his own tomatoes, maybe a bean bush, and perhaps a cucumber vine and a couple of herbs. Its not a big box but if you follow your season, you can utilize it like you wouldn't believe. My youngest could care less so long as he's just there to watch the process, that's if he's not taking a power nap before his next round of unbridled energy.
This year, I'm putting in both flowers and edibles. Veggies, herbs, some dwarf fruit trees. Flowers that come back year after year, some that have to be replaced by the following year, and bushes & small trees to add character to the small piece of landscape we have in the midst of what's called "Urban Vermont." Personally, having grown up here in the state, this is more like the suburbs to anyone moving in, and having been other places in my life, this is more the 'burbs to even me. Before the purchase of the house, we did live in a more urban part of the area. It wasn't too bad but being a dirty girl, I love my country side better. Therefore, the 'burbs are a good second place for me to inhabit. I like it here.
So, to all the dirty girls out there, dig deep, sista. walk barefoot in your garden when you can. When you are digging in the dirt, breathe in that rich, earthy fragrance. Be a dirty girl, and be proud of being a dirty girl. I know I am.
"And on his left he held a basketfull
Of all sweet herbs that searching eye could cull:
Wild Thyme and valley-lilies whiter still
Than Leda's love, and cresses from the rill.
-John Keats
~Momma
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Wingin' it on a Wednesday
I gotta tell ya, I'm lovin' this weather this week. Best week we've had in a very long, long time. Warmth from the sun, trees that have been budding are now starting to slowly unfold their leaves. Grasses green, flowers in bloom. Gardens in progress for produce growing for the summer months to come. Life is good.
Today is our creative day here at home. Candied mint leaves-yum....the directions call to make a simple syrup but I'm going to substitute with maple syrup-a Vermonter's touch. I found this project in a book I picked up for my preschooler. "Growing Up Green." This month, and on into June, we will be gardening and bringing sustainable living into action. What better way to learn at such an age the importance of living off of what you grow, making the most of what you need, and cutting back on what you don't really need. Plus, its good for the planet. Yeah, tree hugging hippy mom. That's me.
I look up at where our mail sits to remember I didn't organize this spot yesterday. Blame it on the laundry-omg, there was at least two weeks of it and took me a full 24 hr time frame to plow through. Glad that's done with. I could care if I ever look at another sock without its mate. That is, until the next day I have to load the washer....
So, here's to a wild Wednesday. My wild woman instincts are telling me to keep track of the mental list of things to do and make room for the flexibility of change. Don't be rigid with the day, as each moment that comes our way is to be savored, not picked apart to find out "what's wrong with it." Yes, some circumstances need closer examination but when you harbor on that for longer than necessary, you lose those priceless moments you'll never get back. Cheers!
~Momma
Today is our creative day here at home. Candied mint leaves-yum....the directions call to make a simple syrup but I'm going to substitute with maple syrup-a Vermonter's touch. I found this project in a book I picked up for my preschooler. "Growing Up Green." This month, and on into June, we will be gardening and bringing sustainable living into action. What better way to learn at such an age the importance of living off of what you grow, making the most of what you need, and cutting back on what you don't really need. Plus, its good for the planet. Yeah, tree hugging hippy mom. That's me.
I look up at where our mail sits to remember I didn't organize this spot yesterday. Blame it on the laundry-omg, there was at least two weeks of it and took me a full 24 hr time frame to plow through. Glad that's done with. I could care if I ever look at another sock without its mate. That is, until the next day I have to load the washer....
So, here's to a wild Wednesday. My wild woman instincts are telling me to keep track of the mental list of things to do and make room for the flexibility of change. Don't be rigid with the day, as each moment that comes our way is to be savored, not picked apart to find out "what's wrong with it." Yes, some circumstances need closer examination but when you harbor on that for longer than necessary, you lose those priceless moments you'll never get back. Cheers!
~Momma
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Tuesday with a Twist
Tuesday greets us with the same beauty of Monday, only difference is the day in the week. I'll take it. Today is my task oriented day, with a twist. And as a mom of two budding boys of endless energy, my days always have a twist-or two-in them. Wouldn't be a normal day if it didn't. Oh yeah, there's the dog, too. Thinks he's human sometimes....
After the waters have receded in our basement, the aftermath of cleanup detail comes to rear its ugly head. Mother's Day weekend I self-diagnosed, which was a surprise to me for what I was to discover. I'm still spinning in shock from my discovery, which is probably the reason why this new disease hasn't taken over completely. I've been hit with the organizing bug. Yeap, that's right. I'm on a mission to discover why I have all the "stuff" I possess. I don't plan on doing any psychoanalysis over it but hey, stranger things happen at times. What I can also tell you is that it isn't consuming my life just yet; I don't own a label maker.
Yesterday was filled with gardening, laughter, fun, and that last minute "OH MY GOD! I DIDN'T START LAUNDRY THIS MORNING!!" Ok, so I went a little overboard with gardening but it was time spent with my boys. We went for a walk, had lunch and naps. I spent time with Sid, our mini Schnauzer, while dead heading my Rhodies & trimming bushes. Yeah, I'm a garden junkie....I think I traded my shoe fetish of long ago before kids woman to now being concerned about the food supply and what I can do about it here at home. Urban farmer in the making...
Totes, office organizing accessories, markers, paper, page protectors and tape-I'm packing a type of heat that is overlooked until your "stuff" starts calling out to you. I am ready to face the wall of "stuff" today. I'm a yarn harlot, fabric floosey, book b*@%h, garden guru, and the list of acronyms could keep going if it wasn't for the fact my writing morning moment is almost up. Yeap, set aside time in the mornings to clear my head before jumping into my day. Perhaps, once my youngest decides to sleep all night and let me sleep, I can make the choice to rise earlier in the mornings, give myself time for and to myself before taking on the role of chef, maid, laundry slinger, coach, teacher, etc....you know, the stay-at-home mom role.
"Teach us to use wisely all the time we have." ~Psalm 90:12
~Momma
After the waters have receded in our basement, the aftermath of cleanup detail comes to rear its ugly head. Mother's Day weekend I self-diagnosed, which was a surprise to me for what I was to discover. I'm still spinning in shock from my discovery, which is probably the reason why this new disease hasn't taken over completely. I've been hit with the organizing bug. Yeap, that's right. I'm on a mission to discover why I have all the "stuff" I possess. I don't plan on doing any psychoanalysis over it but hey, stranger things happen at times. What I can also tell you is that it isn't consuming my life just yet; I don't own a label maker.
Yesterday was filled with gardening, laughter, fun, and that last minute "OH MY GOD! I DIDN'T START LAUNDRY THIS MORNING!!" Ok, so I went a little overboard with gardening but it was time spent with my boys. We went for a walk, had lunch and naps. I spent time with Sid, our mini Schnauzer, while dead heading my Rhodies & trimming bushes. Yeah, I'm a garden junkie....I think I traded my shoe fetish of long ago before kids woman to now being concerned about the food supply and what I can do about it here at home. Urban farmer in the making...
Totes, office organizing accessories, markers, paper, page protectors and tape-I'm packing a type of heat that is overlooked until your "stuff" starts calling out to you. I am ready to face the wall of "stuff" today. I'm a yarn harlot, fabric floosey, book b*@%h, garden guru, and the list of acronyms could keep going if it wasn't for the fact my writing morning moment is almost up. Yeap, set aside time in the mornings to clear my head before jumping into my day. Perhaps, once my youngest decides to sleep all night and let me sleep, I can make the choice to rise earlier in the mornings, give myself time for and to myself before taking on the role of chef, maid, laundry slinger, coach, teacher, etc....you know, the stay-at-home mom role.
"Teach us to use wisely all the time we have." ~Psalm 90:12
~Momma
Monday, May 9, 2011
Thanks for the Mommeries
Monday morning greets us with sunshine and warmth. Finally. We're ahead of the game of water removal and cleanup in our basement; now its just a matter of time to get it to dry out so we can make the necessary steps to perhaps work with Mother Nature the next time she decides to drop a surprise on us. Its also the day after Mother's Day. And my mind is full.
I spoke with my mother a couple of times yesterday, which is good. Communication during the seven months my grandmother-my mom's mom-battled pancreatic cancer, we kept in touch through text messaging. The wave of the current times, right? Yes and no. Yes, more and more people are texting today to keep in touch but it does keep us from actual human contact. Call me old fashioned but I still like the face to face intimacy of a good yarn spinning, pardon the pun (I'm a bit of a yarn harlot, fabric floosey...a post for another time). Back to the focus of my content.
My grandmother's diagnosis came in September 2010. Or perhaps it was August; my memory is fuzzy at certain times of the day, which I believe most mothers can sympathize with this. We went to see her not long after the initial decree from the doctor. Tired, concerned for the future of her family and how things would become, she still carried a vibrance I hold in my heart to this day. After we came back home, I kept in touch with her by phone. Months passed, procedures done and treatments carried through, I received the word that Hospice was coming in to offer comfort care. Plans made, a month of preparing myself for what I would encounter when we went to visit again, we made the trip. Walking into the apartment my aunt had made for my grandparents to live in her home, I knew the woman sitting in the recliner to be my grandmother but in many ways, it was almost being introduced to someone new. During the visit, we talked (that conversation is sacred to me, therefore I will not devulge the details here) and I could see glimpses of her. It was hard to leave, and it was a hard three weeks before she passed away on Good Friday.
My mother and my aunt took care of her together in those last couple of weeks. My aunt had done so for the almost eight months that she lived in the new apartment with my grandfather. My thanks to all involved in her care as time came to a point of transition from this life. Yes, I have my moments when I cry, as I'm just as human as the next who mourns. Yet, I want to honor this same wisdom bearing matriarch by allowing myself those moments to grieve and then do as she would: find a way to carry on. The most important part of her battle for me (and we each have/had a lesson to learn with the situation) has been that family is family; you can pick and choose your friends but you can't do that with your family. Getting passed old hurts and any moments of dysfunction is important, because its about sticking together to help each other stand up.
So, for all who are moms, who know their friends to be moms, etc...we have a special purpose in this lifewalk. We nurture new life, we receive it into this world, we multi-task as we unconditionally love, we give all we have until it hurts, we empty ourselves to be able to fill up on the love we receive in return for all we do. Yes, being a mother can be a thankless job at times, or at least that's the way it feels. Yet, I wouldn't take a moment and change any of it for myself. So, to all the moms I know and even to those I have absolutely no clue of, thank you for being you. Thank you for giving.
~Momma
I spoke with my mother a couple of times yesterday, which is good. Communication during the seven months my grandmother-my mom's mom-battled pancreatic cancer, we kept in touch through text messaging. The wave of the current times, right? Yes and no. Yes, more and more people are texting today to keep in touch but it does keep us from actual human contact. Call me old fashioned but I still like the face to face intimacy of a good yarn spinning, pardon the pun (I'm a bit of a yarn harlot, fabric floosey...a post for another time). Back to the focus of my content.
My grandmother's diagnosis came in September 2010. Or perhaps it was August; my memory is fuzzy at certain times of the day, which I believe most mothers can sympathize with this. We went to see her not long after the initial decree from the doctor. Tired, concerned for the future of her family and how things would become, she still carried a vibrance I hold in my heart to this day. After we came back home, I kept in touch with her by phone. Months passed, procedures done and treatments carried through, I received the word that Hospice was coming in to offer comfort care. Plans made, a month of preparing myself for what I would encounter when we went to visit again, we made the trip. Walking into the apartment my aunt had made for my grandparents to live in her home, I knew the woman sitting in the recliner to be my grandmother but in many ways, it was almost being introduced to someone new. During the visit, we talked (that conversation is sacred to me, therefore I will not devulge the details here) and I could see glimpses of her. It was hard to leave, and it was a hard three weeks before she passed away on Good Friday.
My mother and my aunt took care of her together in those last couple of weeks. My aunt had done so for the almost eight months that she lived in the new apartment with my grandfather. My thanks to all involved in her care as time came to a point of transition from this life. Yes, I have my moments when I cry, as I'm just as human as the next who mourns. Yet, I want to honor this same wisdom bearing matriarch by allowing myself those moments to grieve and then do as she would: find a way to carry on. The most important part of her battle for me (and we each have/had a lesson to learn with the situation) has been that family is family; you can pick and choose your friends but you can't do that with your family. Getting passed old hurts and any moments of dysfunction is important, because its about sticking together to help each other stand up.
So, for all who are moms, who know their friends to be moms, etc...we have a special purpose in this lifewalk. We nurture new life, we receive it into this world, we multi-task as we unconditionally love, we give all we have until it hurts, we empty ourselves to be able to fill up on the love we receive in return for all we do. Yes, being a mother can be a thankless job at times, or at least that's the way it feels. Yet, I wouldn't take a moment and change any of it for myself. So, to all the moms I know and even to those I have absolutely no clue of, thank you for being you. Thank you for giving.
~Momma
Friday, May 6, 2011
City Mouse, Country Mouse
The sun is shining brightly through our bay window this morning, and as soon as I write and breakfast is done, we are headed outside. Nothing more crazy than a mom and two little boys, who love the outdoors, cooped up in the house for days because of rain and no backporch to play on; today is my day to totally clean off the backporch here so that my boys can have a place to play when its raining. Gardening will appease us while the sun shines and I feel the butterflies of excitement flutter in the depths of my being as I type this post.
Each time I look at my belongings piled on the porch or have to take the garbage out to the garage and see the stock pile of possessions there, I wonder if I'm truly living up to my sustainable living title. I do purchase second hand or find free stuff when it comes to clothes (mostly my own), books, homeschool supplies & ideas, etc...and yes, I do purchase new. I can't say that I don't. Yet my concern is, with all the "things" waiting for me to clear them away, be it organizing and/or purging, why do I have all these "things?" Is it sustainable to have more than I know what to do with? Wouldn't it be easier to wittle down to essentials and take stock of what's truly important in life? Question, question, who's got the question?
Growing up, I didn't always have alot of "stuff." I didn't wear the latest fashions, the newest rage in toys, and didn't eat the most expensive meals on the market. I wore second hand clothes, usually from family. Toys were gifts, and meals consisted of what we could afford to feed ourselves with. I hated wearing someone else's cast offs, I felt the green monster of jealousy when it came to classmates who had the new toys from the stores, and couldn't stand those nights when we ate the same thing for a couple of days. As I reached adulthood, I formed the mindset that one day, I was going to have everything I didn't have growing up. I went for years, thinking that the more stuff you could possess, the happier you would be. Contrary to popular belief, the one who dies with all the toys doesn't win. I had an epiphany one day. When you wake up one day to a wall of boxes of stuff, piles of stuff, no room to function, no desire to leave the house to be a part of the world, you have become possessed. Possessed by your "stuff." And it takes an exorcist level of a purging to reclaim or come into the happiness of having practically nothing and living like you have plenty.
So, on this day, as I plan my gardens, pray for sunshine to stay around for days, envision my fenced in backyard so my kids & dog can have the freedom of the yard, hope my urban chickens will come by Fall, I realize that the "stuff" I possess is exactly that: STUFF. Stuff doesn't create happiness. Stuff will not be there when you need someone to talk to, stuff will not fill whatever void you may be experiencing. IT'S JUST STUFF.
~Momma
Each time I look at my belongings piled on the porch or have to take the garbage out to the garage and see the stock pile of possessions there, I wonder if I'm truly living up to my sustainable living title. I do purchase second hand or find free stuff when it comes to clothes (mostly my own), books, homeschool supplies & ideas, etc...and yes, I do purchase new. I can't say that I don't. Yet my concern is, with all the "things" waiting for me to clear them away, be it organizing and/or purging, why do I have all these "things?" Is it sustainable to have more than I know what to do with? Wouldn't it be easier to wittle down to essentials and take stock of what's truly important in life? Question, question, who's got the question?
Growing up, I didn't always have alot of "stuff." I didn't wear the latest fashions, the newest rage in toys, and didn't eat the most expensive meals on the market. I wore second hand clothes, usually from family. Toys were gifts, and meals consisted of what we could afford to feed ourselves with. I hated wearing someone else's cast offs, I felt the green monster of jealousy when it came to classmates who had the new toys from the stores, and couldn't stand those nights when we ate the same thing for a couple of days. As I reached adulthood, I formed the mindset that one day, I was going to have everything I didn't have growing up. I went for years, thinking that the more stuff you could possess, the happier you would be. Contrary to popular belief, the one who dies with all the toys doesn't win. I had an epiphany one day. When you wake up one day to a wall of boxes of stuff, piles of stuff, no room to function, no desire to leave the house to be a part of the world, you have become possessed. Possessed by your "stuff." And it takes an exorcist level of a purging to reclaim or come into the happiness of having practically nothing and living like you have plenty.
So, on this day, as I plan my gardens, pray for sunshine to stay around for days, envision my fenced in backyard so my kids & dog can have the freedom of the yard, hope my urban chickens will come by Fall, I realize that the "stuff" I possess is exactly that: STUFF. Stuff doesn't create happiness. Stuff will not be there when you need someone to talk to, stuff will not fill whatever void you may be experiencing. IT'S JUST STUFF.
~Momma
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Wanted: Domestic Artist
Breakfast with my little one, as my preschooler takes his time to rise and shine. Ok, that gives me a few minutes. As I read my opening jingle, take in each "title" I hold as a domestic executive officer, I relax into what it means for me to consider myself an artist. I look out my kitchen windows that look onto our backporch, where oodles of boxes and piles of "stuff" wait for me to sort, sift, save, organize, and purge; my eyes fall upon the spot where my art supplies sit. Charcoal, pastels, paint, paper, canvas...to name a few things. Books about artists, applications, techniques, etc...truth be told, I've not done anything with any of these "things" since moving into our home. What will I do with these supplies? Will I keep them and perhaps weave them into my life? Or will I find a place for them to go? Question, question, who's got the question?
The artistic ventures I've been on in the last four years has been more focused on the comforts of home. A knitted rug, made from scraps of yarn from other projects, catches my eye as it lies in front of my kitchen sink. The curtains hanging on the windows in my kitchen, I made those, too. I turn around to look behind my favorite chair to see a knitting project waiting to be finished, a baby's hat just recently completed, my knitting bag made from an old pair of jeans waiting for me to fill it again. A bag with yarn skeins, buttons, and the pattern I need for the baby sweater and matching cap also calls out to me. A pile of gardening books, seedlings waiting for repotting to continue their growth....the aprons I've made that hang on the back of the bathroom door, waiting to be tied around my waist like armor for battle....
I've had charcoal under my nails, paint on my hands. These days, curing soap with its delicious scent waits to be used. Sweaters for the kids act like billboards wherever we go. I traded in my beret for an apron. Paint brushes for garden tools. Knitting needles I wield like short swords. In spite of the last week of rain and flood waters plaguing my basement, reflecting my title for today's writing is unwavered. I am a domestic artist.
~Momma
The artistic ventures I've been on in the last four years has been more focused on the comforts of home. A knitted rug, made from scraps of yarn from other projects, catches my eye as it lies in front of my kitchen sink. The curtains hanging on the windows in my kitchen, I made those, too. I turn around to look behind my favorite chair to see a knitting project waiting to be finished, a baby's hat just recently completed, my knitting bag made from an old pair of jeans waiting for me to fill it again. A bag with yarn skeins, buttons, and the pattern I need for the baby sweater and matching cap also calls out to me. A pile of gardening books, seedlings waiting for repotting to continue their growth....the aprons I've made that hang on the back of the bathroom door, waiting to be tied around my waist like armor for battle....
I've had charcoal under my nails, paint on my hands. These days, curing soap with its delicious scent waits to be used. Sweaters for the kids act like billboards wherever we go. I traded in my beret for an apron. Paint brushes for garden tools. Knitting needles I wield like short swords. In spite of the last week of rain and flood waters plaguing my basement, reflecting my title for today's writing is unwavered. I am a domestic artist.
~Momma
Monday, May 2, 2011
Business Momma
As I go through each of my "hats," I realize I'm one person with many pokers in the same fire. I believe most mothers know this, if not all of us. We multi-task on a minute to minute basis. There seems to be little time in the day to have a moment for myself but what I can and will say to all moms, "Please make at least five minutes of your day just for yourself." An angel of a nun once told me that in order to be of service to others, you must remember to take care of yourself. Its true. How can you run on empty if you don't first fill your tank?
My business hat hangs on its peg for the current time. I had aspirations to put it on in the days to come yet we've been detoured by a flooded basement with all the rain we received for the month of April. Vermont's wettest April on record. And it ended up flooding rivers and streams, which that water took a wild ride to Lake Champlain, resulting in record breaking flooding there. End result, lake side homes flooded-understatement when watching the local news-and those neighborhoods and towns spreading out from the lake have experienced ground water coming to roost in basements. Are we having fun yet? Everything we had in the basement in our home is in boxes, piled in the garage & on the back porch; I've been sorting through to organize once I've decided on the save/discard voting. Nothing of high level importance lost, save the notes from all my pre-college herbal classes. Hey, I saved the certificates-that's good.
By this time, you're wondering as my reader, "When is she getting back to the business end of things?" Well, I can give you this much at the moment. My beginnings were based on becoming a mother. With the arrival of my first child, I became attuned to what I wanted for him and wanted the best. Breastfeeding, cloth diapers, all natural body care products, safe toys & baby gear, etc...it was the body care products that stuck in my mind and propelled me into business. Where I can point you for direction for more details is to click on my link, The Vermont Gypsy Wagon, to discover more. Final note? With the arrival of my second child and a temporary hold on all ventures, I found time to think about what I wanted to do with my business. Did I want to pick up where I left off or was it time to let go? I didn't want to shut down, so I started thinking about what I could do with my creative venture. And it hit me. Maybe I needed to narrow my focus group. Perhaps I should pare down on products available. What made me get started, anyway? Full circle and I was looking at my initial brainstorming once again. It all started by becoming a mom, and venturing into the bigger arena of mother of more than one, I had my epiphany. I've been an expectant mom, experiencing the receiving of new life through my body into this world, discovery of the dependence of such a little person on me at all times, and acknowledging that feeling of wonder at being able to love someone so much that you'd do anything. Having done it a second time now, and discovering that I could still love and give equally to my first, I now know that I can make available some of those very desires other mothers have for their children. Rough drafting, prototyping and testing, stay tuned. Its a work in progress, and I intend to make good on my word to my children, other moms, and to myself.
~Momma
My business hat hangs on its peg for the current time. I had aspirations to put it on in the days to come yet we've been detoured by a flooded basement with all the rain we received for the month of April. Vermont's wettest April on record. And it ended up flooding rivers and streams, which that water took a wild ride to Lake Champlain, resulting in record breaking flooding there. End result, lake side homes flooded-understatement when watching the local news-and those neighborhoods and towns spreading out from the lake have experienced ground water coming to roost in basements. Are we having fun yet? Everything we had in the basement in our home is in boxes, piled in the garage & on the back porch; I've been sorting through to organize once I've decided on the save/discard voting. Nothing of high level importance lost, save the notes from all my pre-college herbal classes. Hey, I saved the certificates-that's good.
By this time, you're wondering as my reader, "When is she getting back to the business end of things?" Well, I can give you this much at the moment. My beginnings were based on becoming a mother. With the arrival of my first child, I became attuned to what I wanted for him and wanted the best. Breastfeeding, cloth diapers, all natural body care products, safe toys & baby gear, etc...it was the body care products that stuck in my mind and propelled me into business. Where I can point you for direction for more details is to click on my link, The Vermont Gypsy Wagon, to discover more. Final note? With the arrival of my second child and a temporary hold on all ventures, I found time to think about what I wanted to do with my business. Did I want to pick up where I left off or was it time to let go? I didn't want to shut down, so I started thinking about what I could do with my creative venture. And it hit me. Maybe I needed to narrow my focus group. Perhaps I should pare down on products available. What made me get started, anyway? Full circle and I was looking at my initial brainstorming once again. It all started by becoming a mom, and venturing into the bigger arena of mother of more than one, I had my epiphany. I've been an expectant mom, experiencing the receiving of new life through my body into this world, discovery of the dependence of such a little person on me at all times, and acknowledging that feeling of wonder at being able to love someone so much that you'd do anything. Having done it a second time now, and discovering that I could still love and give equally to my first, I now know that I can make available some of those very desires other mothers have for their children. Rough drafting, prototyping and testing, stay tuned. Its a work in progress, and I intend to make good on my word to my children, other moms, and to myself.
~Momma
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