summer is setting

one of the many nice things about tashi's enrollment in the charlottesville waldorf school is that she doesn't have to return to school until after labor day. that's the way it should be, if you ask me.

i'm killing a little time at a downtown cafe before dan and i whip up to crozet to pick up tashi from a friend's house, and then look at a few houses up in that area. why would we want to live 15 miles from town? the photo above might explain.

though, just today i learned that the great little health food store in crozet -- fabulous foods -- is closing. with all the people moving up there, how could this be? it certainly makes me think twice about the way things are going up there. i wouldn't be surprised if starbucks took over their space.

speaking of taking over space, the uva students are rolling in fast and furious. the little charlottesville roadways are clogged and crowded. time to practice deep breathing.

all of you out there with kids who produce mass quantities of art, what do you do with it all? i've got portfolios. i've got plastic tubs. i've got boxes. and i've got so much i'd like to hang up or frame, but for the lack of wall space. so look what i discovered one day. you know those super strong magnets that come in a package of two. you can put them on either side of your hand and they'll stick. well, you can put them on either side of a door too. and then you can stick art on either side of the door without making holes or tape marks. is that not remarkable? i want tons of these magnets now. tons.

here is tashi's sketch of buddha. stuck to the door with a magnet.



here is tashi's sketch of reepicheep, stuck to the other side of the door with the other magnet. isn't that swell?



the buddha was an early sketch for this egg tempera painting, which tashi created at uva art camp. i just love it. she isn't happy with the way it turned out, but this one is actually hanging from a nail. in our living room.



i might not have done any crafting this summer, but i did discover that strong magnets can make great craft displays. now that's productive.

aaah summer, i'm going to miss you.