vale of evening fog

tiny apron

2012-01-28T23:31:00.005-05:00

i decided to make a little apron to go with the wooden toy food i gave to a small friend for her second birthday.

it's adapted from the apron instructions in bend the rules sewing. the tie fabric is from some vintage curtains i found years ago in a thrift store. the apron itself is made from some fabric i scored in a stash of freecycled fabric. something about the little red & white check patches said kitchen. i added a little ric rac.

i asked tristan to model it.

and here is the birthday girl with her awesome mama! happy second birthday lilah!

art is everywhere

2012-01-27T23:02:00.003-05:00

and if you have a phone camera, you can capture it anywhere!

may your weekend be full of special moments in special places

dandy

2012-01-27T22:58:00.003-05:00

my sister-in-law sent me a bunch of ties that she had cut up and used for a project. this was my first experiment with one. i satin stitched it onto a piece of old pinstripe sheet, and used chenille for backing.

picnik is closing in april, sadly. have fun with it while you can!

weather, or not

2012-01-27T22:33:00.003-05:00

what a weird week of weather. what a weird season of weather.

this morning i thought i was driving into a hurricane.

a few mornings ago it was a magical world of fog and light.

can't we have just one eentsy weentsy little blizzard? just a tiny little one?

(photos with my phone camera)

buddha boy

2012-01-27T22:25:00.003-05:00

tristan loves pulling games out of the game closet. he loves to look at all the chips, cards, figurines, dice and spinners. and then he (usually) puts everything back again. once in a while i find a random game piece in his cement mixer or pickup truck.

one day he pulled out othello, laid the chips down, and said, "it's buddha!" dan caught the moment.

random thoughts on an icy day

2012-01-21T12:37:00.007-05:00

while we have had a couple of light dustings this season, and some seriously cold temps, i would say last night's little bit of snow & cold is the closest we've come to a winterish feel. things still have a thin layer of white and ice on them today. after a busy morning, we'll be firing up the woodstove this afternoon with lasagne in the plans for dinner.

the other day i made homemade granola for the first time. for months i've been wanting to try the recipe from feeding the whole family. i finally got my act together, picked up the ingredients from sugar and spice, a newish amish bulk goods store down the hill, and with tristan's help, mixed a batch and baked it. the granola turned out fabulously and i think will become a staple around here. i would like to try the slightly varied version amanda soule posted on her blog, from a first edition of the same book. the addition of a bit of orange juice sounds tasty, and i wonder if adding in the flour helps it to clump up a bit. delicious stuff, either way.

this morning tristan pulled a book off the shelf that i thought would be worth mentioning around here. my brother danny, who is currently teaching ESL in indonesia, sent it to us shortly before he departed. i don't think i'll ever tire of the illustrations in seasons by french artist blexbolex. serene, surprising, colorful, and contemplative, i highly recommend it.

especially on dark, wet, wintry days. like today.

boy toys (not that a girl couldn't play with them also)

2012-01-19T17:40:00.008-05:00

sometimes i feel like my life is a page in one of those i spy or can you see what i see picture books. we just picked up the latter at a thrift store and the photos are quite fun to look through.

tristan is often too distracted these days to finish his food. what to do.

trucks. trucks. trucks. i love trucks!

uke. tiny fire truck. books. of course!

sweet things. (most of the books in the background of the last two photos are from dan's world history and history of science collections. aren't you dying to read sex and society in islam?)

the bucket of fairies is tashi's. but tristan enjoys them most now. and that small playmobil watering can is one of hundreds (thousands?) of small pieces we've been collecting since tashi was a toddler.

a house just isn't complete without a toy corvette that makes a peeling out sound. this was actually left at our house long before tristan was born by some friends visiting from out of town. tashi grew very attached to it. proof that boy toys are girl toys too.

sometimes i just have to give in to the chaos. including the chaos on my very own desk.

short days, quiet moments

2012-01-17T23:54:00.004-05:00

it's a strange time of year. there is a feeling of suspension. we exist between one place and another.

we have many quiet moments.

spending so much time inside leads one to appreciate the small things

and the messy beauty of it all.

it was a mild day so we ventured out and built a fairy hut. it is a work in progress.

followed by a perfect dinner: yaki soba, so warming, so cleansing.

finding inspiration in the quiet unpredictable heart of winter.

a scattering of thoughts

2012-01-11T12:15:00.009-05:00

just trying to pick up the pieces after the holidays. our tree is still up, but the stockings are packed away. i like to keep the light and twinkle and evergreen scent present for as long as possible.

uncle bagus sent tristan a toy circular saw for christmas. we didn't give it to him for a while because we just weren't sure. would it lead him to believe he could pick up any circular saw? would it be too noisy? a few days ago i was getting ready to take it to the toy store to exchange for something else when it occurred to me how much i admire carpenters. after a quick consultation with dan we decided to hand over the circular saw, or circlear saw as tristan likes to say with a twinkle in his eye. can i cut my pants off with it? was one of his first questions. he even holds it when he sits on the potty.

tashi turned 14 on january 2. four-teen. i really can't believe it. she is so sweet, creative, responsible and wise, i am really quite proud of her. i can only hope we remain good friends through her high school years. but if she keeps beating me at boggle, i may have to reconsider! we invited her classmates over for a celebration. dan lit a grand bonfire in the back. they listened to music and chatted. i love listening to these kids converse; they really are quite amazing.

after having an etsy shop for over two years, i finally uploaded an item. i plan to add more, but think that probably a baby blanket on etsy is like a needle in a haystack. we shall see. let me know what you think.

from 16 to 66

2012-01-07T11:01:00.004-05:00

we have had a week of temperature extremes. i woke up on wednesday morning to 16 degrees. and today it is supposed to reach the high 60's. tristan and i spent the afternoon outside yesterday, and i finally caught up on some long overdue raking and hauling. it was amazing out, dry, warm, sunny. and just a little bit eerie.

i baked gingerbread muffins yesterday, and yum, they were very good.

scanmagic

2012-01-07T10:49:00.005-05:00

dan gave me a lovely scanner for christmas. i am having too much fun. soon i'll be scanning all of my photos from our year in india. lately i've been randomly grabbing photos from my california scrap books. it's a bit of a journey down nostalgia lane. i am going to have to figure out how *not* to obsessive over this, as i have *a lot* of photos!

happy 2012, one week into it

2012-01-07T10:28:00.002-05:00

may love and light heal the planet

the day after

2011-12-26T08:04:00.010-05:00

it's a quiet post christmas morning with over a dozen deer grazing outside. i think i hear tristan upstairs, awake with dan, doing his usual grouchy morning pleading. they will come down soon.

i am happy for this week between christmas and the new year, with dan at home, and no school related stress for tashi. it will be a nice week of spending time together, with no strict agenda, lots of food, and twinkling lights.

our solstice was quiet and well lit. our christmas was indeed merry. tashi and tristan were very happy with their fresh infusion of stuff. and we were happy to see them so happy. we had a wonderful feast in the late afternoon followed by a walk. and then i spent the rest of the evening fading in an and out of naps. the weeks prior to christmas contained way too many late nights and the time has now come to catch up on sleep!

while i can't say it was a handmade christmas by any means, there were a few things. tashi made tie dyes for dan, and i made one too. she also made me some sweet smelling soap designed with celtic knots.

i ran out of time to make tristan anything! so i pulled a bib from my holiday market stash that he'd told me a few days before was his favorite. and i gave him one of my blankets that has trains on it. it is a simple rectangular blanket with fleece backing.

for tashi i made a log cabin pillow. it is my first attempt at log cabin. i followed the instructions from patchwork style for everything but the back of the pillow. rather than a zipper i just made a tucked in enclosure. for that i followed amanda soule's instructions in handmade home. i didn't plan it ahead, just grabbed fabric scraps as i went. so it is not the most color coordinated piece, but i'm still quite pleased with how it turned out. the back is made from a soft blue chenille, same as the center patch on the pillow.

i have wandered away from my december challenge at moments. some nights have gone by without the sit ups and yoga. i have found myself crawling into bed at 2am and at that moment, remembering, yet refusing to pull myself back out of the bed! also, the three mile walk just didn't happen. something has got to be done about that! once a week for a walk simply should not be too much to ask. regardless, i felt the benefits of even a minimal exercise routine, and i plan to carry it on, with even stronger resolve as the busy-ness of this time fades. writing did happen, with great satisfaction. the back room has been transformed into an inhabitable, somewhat cozy, though busy, space. we have been spending much more time back there, using it as both a playroom and a computer space. and as for minimizing my time with technology, let's just say some days were better than others!

overall, i feel quite fortunate. and i am so very delighted by this cozy week we have in front of us.

wishing you all a wonderful time of rest and reflection before we embark on a new year, a year that is sure to hold much action, change, challenge and surprise!

noel

2011-12-21T16:01:00.004-05:00

oh rufus wainwright, thank you for this gift!

i am neither monotheistic or christian, but the cadence and passion of this song really moves me, and the intention is certainly for good. the french version minuit chretiens is quite different from oh holy night. see this translation.

please enjoy! sorry about the ad in the beginning!

wishing you and yours a very blessed solstice.

mid december

2011-12-14T09:15:00.007-05:00

i have to admit, i will be happy when this week is over. things have been happening around here in small constant bursts. a little baking here. some leaf raking there. focused stretches of online gift shopping. a minimal amount of tidying and sleeping. endless loads of laundry. gathering the greenery. meal preparation. some playing, some reading, some nursing. quick jaunts outside. bits of work on an exciting collaboration. a very slow approach to decorating a tree. and lots and lots of sewing in the spaces in between. or shall i say, all those other things happen in the spaces between bouts of sewing!

i wish i could say the sewing has been for making gifts, but it's been all about creating stock for the holiday craft fairs. i'm still new to this, and really didn't think ahead this year, leaving all the making to the last minute. i must plan ahead for the next season so that i don't have to cram as i have been. this saturday is the last market i'll attend and i will be happy to take a break from scallops and snaps. though i may proceed to fill the time with some last minute gift making, i think a feeling of self imposed pressure may lift. then again, i'm not sure i'm ever free of that self imposed pressure!

i'm still doing sit ups, and keeping the stress at bay, but i am very, very . . . . . tired! i'm looking forward to some time to chill out with my family while engaging ourselves in activities that celebrate the coming solstice.

but, it's all good, i must say. i feel blessed that i can do what i'm doing, that i've been given the opportunity to explore my craft and stay at home with my very busy little boy (and starting next week, tashi, who won't have to go to school for two weeks, yippee!). and that back room that was part of the december challenge. . . it has become inhabitable! tristan loves checking out all the board games we have stacked in the closet. while he does that, i have this opportunity to eke out a blog entry!

got tree?

2011-12-11T23:05:00.005-05:00

we designated today as the day to fetch our yule tree. and so it was. we decided not to cut our own this year and instead support a local farm five minutes down the road selling pre-cut trees harvested in va. we headed down there after lunch, tristan falling asleep in the car within two minutes. so we turned back home, as we wanted him to be awake for the tree ritual.

the farm was supposed to be open until 5pm according to the sign, but when we arrived there after his nap, a little past 4pm, the gate was chained and padlocked. so we drove fast-like out to a cut-your-own farm in green county that we have purchased trees from in years past. the sun dropped behind the mountain just as we pulled in. tashi and i ran around pell mell for a few moments, seeking the perfect tree. there was one white pine we admired. but the owner offered a great deal on a pre-cut virginia frazer fir. and now that tree is in our living room, gracing it, trying to relax.

zanzibar cake

2011-12-11T22:49:00.003-05:00

we recently enjoyed a charming book from the library called ella takes the cake. ella, a young elephant, desperately wants to be of assistance to her mother, who is baker.

we discover that zanzibar cake is ella's favorite.

so we found the recipe for zanzibar cake online, and made one tonight. tristan poured in all the dry ingredients and helped me mix. he also licked the beaters clean.

while i had trouble getting the icing to drip in just such a way, it was very tasty. a little like a super moist applecake, with just the right touch of clove-cinnamon-nutmeg.

we thus walk toward the heart of winter, firing up the hearth, filling our home with the scent of spice, and enjoying the foods that keep us warm and cheerful.

almost-full moon check in

2011-12-09T08:43:00.006-05:00

it has been a candle lit contemplative not-so-stressful december thus far. gifts are getting checked off the list (albeit sluggishly), some nice blankets have been sewn up for market, some very pleasing writing has evolved and i am managing to read at least a little bit most nights before bed.

i have been meeting my december challenge with daily sit ups and at least one yoga pose! i certainly could be doing a little better with the yoga, but even a few minutes of tree pose is very centering. i usually do a string of poses, but remind myself when it starts to get really late and i've done nothing yet, that my challenge called for at least one, which, really, is always do-able. the sit ups are definitely making a difference. i can feel my core beginning to strengthen, an area of my body i've neglected on and off for over a decade. there is still much work to be done. what i really like about this december challenge is that it sets the tone for the new year, so i can go into it realistically, with resolutions already underway.

the walk almost didn't happen, and instead of three miles, it ended up being two. and i failed to really get the heart rate going as i took at least 50 photos with my phone!!!! but an exercise of the mind is just as necessary as an exercise of the body! and it really felt good to be out in there in the brisk air, the sun beginning to set, a huge bright moon gazing down at me the entire time.

there is progress in the chaotic back room. it serves many purposes: playroom, office, house of instruments and guest room. most recently it was guest room to my sister in law, barb, so the futon is center stage. but we will fold it up and let the playroom take over for the holidays. i feel like it is already a much more pleasant place to spend time, which is important because tristan likes to be back there. i also brought the room's walk in closet back to order. it is funny how easily a walk in closet can turn into a walk in disaster!

i hung some pictures over dan's desk. i've been wanting to hang things in this patchwork sort of a way on the wall above our bed, but gave it my first shot here. i think it worked out. we'll be moving my desk into the back room this weekend (to make way for the yule tree in the living room), and i plan to hang pictures similarly over my desk.

below are some pics from walk. all the photos in this post were taken on my phone!

wishing you all a magical december full moon.

december truly is about death and rebirth

2011-12-02T22:30:00.006-05:00

with all of its magic and surprises, december.

and now also, december, the month that my uncle dimas dimitri efthyvoulou passed into the spirit world, a world he grew to know well in his 87 years of life.

(my beautiful mother, tatiana, with her beautiful mother, zoe, and her very handsome brother, dimas)

dimas was a photographer who spent several years in the amazon jungle, discovering a way of seeing he called "sidesight." he took a series of photos of the rainforest reflected in the water, and turned them sideways to reveal the spirits of the place, spirits both gentle and fierce, human and animal.

he spent several months with us in san francisco, where he promoted his vision and put on a series of slide shows to captive audiences. it was awesome to spend time with someone twice our age who was also twice as carefree. we have many dear memories of that time spent with him.

this video shows some of his amazon photos set to some powerful tribal music.

his death was sudden and unexpected, leaving many of us with a pile of mixed emotions. i wish so that i could have seen him one more time, bid him farewell, conveyed my respect and my gratitude. friends of mine he met tell me now how they were forever changed by his vision. i really thought he would be there the next time we visited cyprus, telling me of his latest healing techniques, playing with his cats, doting over his young wife, making silly jokes, reveling in our daughter's earth goddess beauty, and meeting our little boy, pointing at tristan's shirt and asking him what that spot is, and then playfully tweaking his chin when he looked down to find said spot. he always got me with that one.

farewell, dear dimas. you will always be alive and full of love and light in our memories.

this mom steps into december

2011-11-30T23:18:00.006-05:00

tonight i was having another difficult run at trying to get tristan to fall asleep at a reasonable hour. we were away for the week of thanksgiving and his sleeping schedule, such as it was, became even more erratic. rather than spending an hour pacing around the bedroom and singing to him, i gave up a half hour into it and brought him back downstairs. i was feeling rather grumpy, and even though i didn't force the issue of sleep, i also didn't sit down and join him when he pulled out the playmobil basket. he chattered at me in his cheerful curious way, and i remained distracted and terse while sitting at the computer. a while later he crawled into my lap and was ready for slumber.

once he was tucked into bed i came back downstairs and started placing all the playmobil pieces back in the basket. among the random people and plants and accessories i came upon a line of creatures placed very precisely in a row, their heads down, grazing most likely. bovine, a pink baby unicorn and a reindeer.

all the annoyance at a rebel toddler fell away, and all i could feel was love, admiration and mourning for moments lost in angst. there was something so precious about the way he lined those animals up, something so pathetic that it took place right under my nose and i didn't notice until he was in bed, and something so perfect in the presence of the reindeer this last eve of november. a few things crystallized for me in that moment of staring at this row of animals.

a while back durango mom inspired me with her october challenge. i was not ready at the time to join her, and i really don't know if i am ready now. but if it seems like there is ever a time to do some things to keep oneself grounded and healthy, it might be the month of december. so i am planning a december challenge of sorts.

body: yoga every day, even if it is one single pose. sit ups every day. the muffin top has got to go. one three mile walk a week. i live at the foot of the blue ridge mountains for pete's sake.

home: turning the back room into the room i want it to be and reordering the three closets downstairs. i function so much better when my work/living space is wisely used and in order.

technology: limiting my time on the computer during tristan's waking hours. i have a way of playing with him, and then wandering over and getting lost in the junk, returning to him, and then back to the box. turning it off completely around him would be the best thing. i am still figuring out when it will be on, but for starters, it will be off a lot more.

mind: all of the above, with some good reading, writing and moments of reflection added in!

there will be a lot going on this month with sewing for a couple of holiday markets, and preparing for the solstice season. i am so very behind when it comes to the gift gathering/making. so a few things need to be cut out, and a few things need to be added, all in the hope of remaining balanced and healthy. and so, december challenge, we're on!

delightful thrift

2011-11-15T14:28:00.004-05:00

i went to one of my favorite thrift stores yesterday in search of vintage sheets. i'm making some baby blankets from thrifted linens for a hip holiday gifts sale, and am seeking some more fabrics. unfortunately i had no luck what-so-ever in the linen department, but i did stumble upon a chair. it matches our burgundy and olive living room furniture, and for ten dollars, is in excellent condition.

it is not often that i find a piece of furniture that i like or that i can actually afford. i was pleased to remove the glider chair, rarely used these days, and substitute it with this happy addition.

it seems luna cat is satisfied with it as well.

life is good

2011-11-14T09:26:00.003-05:00

oven pancakes have been a favorite around here for years now. i have been using a recipe in a family cookbook.

recently i tried angry chicken's recipe. it has double the eggs, half the butter and is cooked in an iron skillet rather than a cake pan. it is more substantial and less, well, buttery. it also doesn't stick to the skillet as it often does the cake pan. mine didn't turn out puffy like hers, but i took it out of the oven ten minutes sooner as the edges were beginning to burn.

she recommended putting some lemon juice on the finished product. soooo good. i know blackberries are totally not in season. there was a special on them at the grocery store and i caved!

i am trying to head to the thrift store without having a wrestling match with tristan in order to get him dressed. in the mean time, i've told him to bring me his underwear and pants when he is ready. he is happily stuffing all manner of small toys and household items into a bag, his favorite activity lately. i suppose i might never get to the thrift store. but still, life is good.

sweet songs

2011-11-07T09:41:00.005-05:00

tashi and i escorted tristan to a wonderful kids concert yesterday. elizabeth mitchell and co visited charlottesville's own southern cafe and music hall. it was one of the sweetest kids concerts i've ever attended. tristan was mesmerized. he really enjoys hearing songs he is familiar with, and that was certainly the case yesterday. and he seemed particularly taken by elizabeth mitchell's young daughter, storey littleton, who performs on stage with her mom and dad and assorted family members.

we left the venue with sweet tunes in our ears

and a sense of contentment

this was one of tristan's favorite songs. we like peter seeger's version a lot too.

pumpkin daydream

2011-10-31T00:57:00.004-04:00

pumpkin moonshine

may the way be well lit

soup

2011-10-31T00:48:00.003-04:00

cooked by friends

shared with us

mmmmm

creamy sausage kale soup

tomato soup (cooked with a wee bit a sherry, oh!)

more song, more song! tristan requested

but we were too busy eating *amazing* soup

thanks friends :)

feeling brighter

2011-10-26T18:44:00.000-04:00

sending you sparkles

weekend update while feeling down

2011-10-25T17:49:00.008-04:00

i am unwell with autumnal malaise, so have few words to share. but here are some photos from my weekend.

saturday morning at the charlottesville city market

after two and a half years of co-sleeping, tristan slept in his big boy bed for the first time this weekend. he ended up back in bed with us in the morning, but really, that is the best of both worlds!

we visited adventure farm again. it's so easy, five minutes down the road!

and a few bright moments in our own yard.

wishing you well as we move toward the great celebration of samhain. don't forget to take those immuno boosters!

adventure farm

2011-10-18T07:19:00.006-04:00

we live about 15 miles out of town and while it has its inconveniences, the drive is always stunning. every day we pass by a particular parcel of idyllic farm property: rolling meadows, ponds, cows scattered among the copse, dancing oak trees, verdant pastures. the place has remained a mystery until this weekend when adventure farm opened its gates for a fall festival. we ran into people we knew, scratched a calf between the ears, ate chili made from the free range grass fed cows that roam the land, lolled about on hay bales while sweet banjo notes filled the air, picked a couple of pumpkins and marveled at the view of the beloved blue ridge.

it was gratifying to have a pumpkin patch so close to home on such amazing property. and it was fun to spend a beautiful afternoon in a beautiful place. adventure farm is open every weekend in october and i urge the local folks to go and check it out!

autumn light

2011-10-11T08:47:00.008-04:00

greetings on a grey tuesday. we are soon going to meet some friends for a hike, but i thought i'd try to squeeze in a blog entry while tristan is eating his steel cut oats and intermittently playing.

what a sublime autumn weekend it was. i started out saturday selling my handsewn baby items at the downtown farmer's market. tashi had two soccer games in a row. and the weekend did not pass without a bonfire and dinner at our friends' home.

it was my first time vending at the downtown market and i really enjoyed it. i did pretty well for an overall slow day at the market (there were a few big festivals and fairs this past weekend). and i loved being there, arriving in the dark early morning and setting up to the murmur of many people preparing for the day, clutching a warm cup of coffee while the sun rose, talking to my neighbors -- a very sweet african american baker and an equally sweet flower gardener/dry arrangement creator. on one side of me were muffins and pies and ham biscuits, and on the other the most stunning dahlias and sunflower swags. across the way there was pumpkins, pottery and a rainbow of produce.

i designed a trifold changing pad and sewed up four of them, selling three. i have some fabrics that have been passed down to me that i don't love enough for blankets or aprons, but i think they work nicely for changing pads. these have corduroy on one side, cotton quilt batting in the center and a bright jungle cotton print on the front. i made two with ribbon ties and two with elastic. i think the elastic is the most practical.

i'm looking forward to creating more things and setting up at market regularly this fall. i'm hoping for that anyway, as i am a sub at the market and don't have reserved space.

time to get ready for our hike. i leave you with a few more scenes from our weekend.

simply ten good things

2011-10-05T16:38:00.010-04:00

inspired by soulemama, simply ten good things. . .

children exploring the natural world
awesome ethnic fabric scored on freecycle and sewn into bankets & bibs
hanging out with nice mamas and their beautiful babes
autumnal bonfires
brothers and sisters playing music
tree transformation
pancakes of all sorts: potato, corn, choco chip, mixed veggie, indian spice
photos from phone to flickr to picnik to desktop to blog
michaelmas at my daughter's waldorf school
writing more, in solitude and in collaboration

what ten simply good things are you grateful for today?

a nut, a seed, a source

2011-10-02T22:30:00.005-04:00

the deck, the yard, the woods, the stream. outside on an autumn day. collecting, observing, clearing.

a time to wear hats.

and a time to pull hats off.

dismantling a tree that fell into our yard the winter before last. it has been a balance beam, a monkey bar, a bench, a scratching post for cats and a source of nutrition for woodpeckers. but today, it is a source of firewood.

crowning dad

reaching for temptations

even in autumn, a delicate unfurling

and in late afternoon, banana cranberry bread by blazing wood stove, hot chocolate, and a french press of local coffee, delightfully brewed with several cardamom seeds.

wishing you warmth, discovery, contemplation and flavor!

that which generates warmth

2011-09-30T14:28:00.005-04:00

french lentil soup with roasted carrots and onions from love soup by anna thomas.

eating together. and chili, the good old fashioned recipe from betty crocker.

a lap quilt i made for my mom for her 80th birthday.

when i asked her what she wanted she asked that i sew her something simple. it was definitely more simple than my first, which took me months to complete because i was so intimidated by the thought of making a quilt at all, a quilt i could work on only in the wee hours, when tashi was in bed.

for my mom's, i set my own personal aesthetic aside and chose floral patterns and colors that i knew would match her apartment. it was fun and i'm pleased with the result. it took me about four days to work on it, during tristan's naps or after he was in bed. i hope she feels the love that i sewed into it!

yes, my mother is 80! she has had many adventures in her lifetime, and has traveled the world. her love for life runs deep and her heart is huge. most importantly, she is in very good health. may there be many more birthday celebrations ahead to bestow upon her the simple things she wishes for.

triple aries terrible twos

2011-09-29T13:23:00.018-04:00

yes, i said it, the terrible twos. i used to scoff at that statement when tashi was two. though feisty and rebellious, she was rarely terrible. but the parenting journey has been a bit tough lately. my two and a half year old boy has really been testing my patience. i want to cry, he is so sweet sometimes, and i want to scream, he cries so much sometimes!

i know it is part of being two (though not always: tashi was a fearsome four), and that perhaps -- with a boy -- i don't want to discourage his expression of emotion and sensitivity. but sometimes it is so inexplicable. i truly can't figure out what sets him off at moments. he is rather advanced when it comes to language skills (or so it seems) but when it comes time to express his frustrations with words, he tends to prefer tearful, screaming fits.

this begins at breakfast time, when he requests at least five different things but truly doesn't want any of them. it occupies play time when the square doesn't fit into the circle, or the big truck doesn't fit into the bed of the smaller truck, or the trailer just won't stay hooked on. it comes crashing down in toddler yoga when he refuses to do any of the moves that he does all the time at home, is completely freaked out by an activity he loved the previous week, and certainly doesn't want to lay down in savasana at the end. when i have to wake him from his nap so we can go and pick up his sister from school, well that sometimes doesn't go over very well! dinner time oh dinner time, the cooking of it, the eating of it, so often a struggle. and bed time. i won't even go there.

and there are all the other things, the destruct-o-boy tendencies of throwing, hitting, slamming, jamming, whacking, twanging, climbing, and touching. always touching everything. toddlers are so very tactile. and of course, there are times when all this stuff just makes me giggle, when the actions and the contradictions and the exclamations are even kind of cute.

and then there are times (more often than not?) when he completely crushes me with his thoughtfulness, his curious statements and bright observations. his thank you and actually and yes, mama. cuddled up reading books, we can sit there for hours, turning the pages. lining up the cars, the concentration and focus is so intent. the glee he feels in the natural world. his physical energy, as when we hang out on the deck and he repeatedly bellows, set run!, and then takes off in his awesome toddler sprint-bounce from one end of the deck to the other. and the things that he lets me do with ease (that tashi used to fight with claws out): comb his hair, cut his bangs, trim his nails, pull out an awful tick with tweezers. he can be so very cooperative. so incredibly enthusiastic. and his smile is the end and beginning of all things.

i can't help but wonder sometimes: will it always be this way? will he always challenge our authority? will he always have tantrums when things don't go as he wants? will he always contradict us? will he ever respect elders and do as they request? will he always be opposite boy? i want him to be strong, creative, wise, opinionated and in touch with his emotions. but is any of this leading to that? i know that i don't know. and that it is all perfectly normal. and that i am so very blessed.

i think the thing that my child acting out triggers most, is the fear that i am perhaps doing something wrong. so it becomes less about him, and more about me. and isn't that just selfish?

but, no, not completely selfish. because one might do things wrong. and it's important to identify that for a child's sake. most of us learn to be parents, while we are parents. it's important to reinvent the wheel, over an over. and just because you have one kid, doesn't mean that the next won't take you to a completely new wonderland.

i think sometimes i forget to meet tristan right where he's at. and sometimes, i just don't know where he's at. often i'm consumed by my own demands, passions, and indulgences, and he is just there, a little boy struggling to communicate, to piece the world together so that it functions smoothly. a little boy asking for help.

as the leaves fall curled into themselves on the dusky road, we face a season where we too curl in. as the darkness finds us earlier, i scrabble to find the light sources. strung on the wheels that turn ours days, our light sources. and so this is what i meditate on now: how to maximize joy.

it's beginning to feel a lot like. . .

2011-09-19T11:11:00.006-04:00

the down comforter is on the bed,

it's time to start planning for soups and stews,

socks and sweaters are being pulled out from hiding,

the sliding door stays shut until late afternoon,

i'm fantasizing about the wood stove,

and anticipating the heat of indian summer.

in a good way

2011-09-13T14:20:00.012-04:00

it's been a busy time, but in a good way.

we started our weekend off with a visit to charlottesville's city market.

tristan has been shy the first few saturdays we stopped by the family drum circle, but this time he jumped right in.

we paid a brief visit to the midtown fair, a great street festival that will continue to grow in years to come. stores along the main street corridor are featured. there are a couple of stages featuring local music. and there are a variety of vendors selling crafts and food. i hope more crafters join in next year.

after our morning in town we motored out to the shenandoah valley where there was a party celebrating the betrothal of our friends molly and scott. it was a marvelous setting on a stunning day with a huge moon blessing us all, an auspicious affirmation for the happy couple.

we couldn't have asked for a more peaceful day on september 11, 2011. tashi and i had a date: indian buffet lunch followed by a really sweet production of the phantom tollbooth. and then in the late afternoon we took a walk in our lovely neighborhood, enjoying each other and nature's gifts.

yes, it is a busy time, but in a good way. busy celebrating. busy appreciating. busy planning. busy focusing. busy working. busy growing. and oh so busy hoping.

what are you busy with in this new season?

shiftings, blessings

2011-09-01T05:24:00.013-04:00

another aftershock has jolted me awake so i thought i'd take advantage of this quiet time before the quaking toddler rises! at this point it seems that at least 20 aftershocks have followed last week's 5.8 temblor that shook most of the east coast all the way to michigan. i have developed a small obsession with the phenomenon, i think especially out of concern for the safety of the nuclear power plant that sits just miles from the epicenter, and just miles from us. i am, without a doubt, spooked.

aside from the earth shifting, the year has shifted into school mode and the sensations of an impending autumn.

my beautiful girl has started her eighth grade year at the charlottesville waldorf school, her last year at this school that has fueled her creativity and her intellect.

the first day started with the rose ceremony, where each eighth grader handed each first grader a rose. so lovely.

it's hard to believe that in a year tashi will be headed for high school, at the same time that we will very likely enroll tristan in preschool.

now that i am working from home even more, and tashi is no longer here to help entertain tristan, i am trying to find a new structure and rhythm. i would like to fill our each morning with activities that make tristan thrive, and prevent me from constantly wandering over to the computer to check the latest email missive or facebook update or weather report or aftershock magnitude! i am not fantastic at keeping self imposed schedules, but perhaps we will attempt to have some daily themes that include earth activities, baking, painting and crafts. i continue to be inspired by amanda soule's blog and books, her latest being the rhythm of family which landed in my hands on my birthday.

and what a fine birthday it was. it included tristan's very first paintings:

some cherished handmade gifts from tashi:

and so much thoughtfulness from dan, who treated me to a ben chasny concert, a bloody mary brunch, some fine dining, a fabulous cake and several special gifts.

i am truly blessed!

transitions

2011-08-17T14:00:00.005-04:00

the approach of autumn is all around us. leaves are beginning to fall on the deck. the days and especially the nights are so much cooler. there is a sensation that hangs in the air, both heavy and electric, dark and starlit, moist and crisp. it is an autumnal feeling, the feeling of change, death, possibility, limitation, grounding and flying.

cool enough to curl up in a blanket and read.

cool enough for morning coffee on the deck.

after the rain

2011-08-16T09:01:00.005-04:00

a short stroll through the woods is a creek. during the summer months it is usually bone dry, but after a recent rainfall there were some nice pools to explore. it's a pretty little stream with trees & ferns crowding its banks. we like to go there to throw rocks, collect nuts that have fallen from above and play in the water. yesterday was the perfect day for a creek visit. we carried a walking stick with a bell attached, you know, so the bear would hear us and stay away. but most importantly, our behemoth ginger striped tabby, loki, guarded us the entire time.

the other day

2011-08-14T20:08:00.009-04:00

every once in a while, when tristan is refusing to nap, i load him into the car and take a drive. i love all the dirt roads and barns and pastures and elegant homes and small bungalows and plants and the ever changing face of the blue ridge mountains.

and every once in a while a big storm rolls in and that is wonderful too.

the other day a black bear lumbered through our yard. he walked right by me, standing on the deck, gazed up at me without a care. i am still amazed.

our little friend hudson was over the other day with his sister and mama. tristan so very badly wanted to hold him and sit next to him and breath in his special baby scent. it was bittersweet seeing my baby want to be the big guy. tashi started asking for a sibling when she was four. seven years and five miscarriages later her baby brother finally arrived. seeing tristan want to be so close to hudson made me wonder when he might start asking for a little sibling. i felt some sadness knowing that he is the last little in our family.

i've been wanting to try my hand at refashioning and/or embellishing old clothing. i was going through some old fabric scraps the other day and came across a torn but pretty scarf. i used it to add sleeves to a dark linen shirt that i never wear, and lined the collar with it. it's a little goofy. maybe a lot goofy. i should have removed the dark short sleeves from the shirt, but i was a lazy and in a hurry. i'm glad i finally gave it a try though. it opened the door to what i expect will be a long line of experimenting with fabric scraps and old clothes.

tucked in the seam

2011-08-10T14:08:00.003-04:00

a circle of elves.

they inhabit trees and gaze at flowers.

one may tower over a hunched human, emanating -- like an angel -- a ring of light.

splash upon earth tones, the green leaf.

a feather pierces time and brings tiny ripples ashore.

strength.

containment.

finding oneself called up a mysterious passage in the midnight sky.

wondering who

to be ferried.

to truss with cotton or iron.

dropped in the shadows, glinting shard.

and away we go into august

2011-08-08T08:56:00.006-04:00

i can't believe it's been a month since my last blog entry. apparently it was a full month. a trip to the midwest, friends visiting from afar, a visit from my mother, and a long weekend at a wonderful virginia music festival are a few of the events we squeezed into july.

we've been wanting to go to floydfest since our first summer in virginia and we finally made it happen. once we got over the initial challenge of finding camping space and setting up camp (on a day with temps in the high 90's), we had a blissful time! we ended up camping with some friends that had the sweetest set up you can imagine, tarps artfully arranged for maximum shade, a kitchen area and even a shower surrounded by a dressing room. it was not easy sleeping on a slope every night, or avoiding the poison ivy that crept all about the camping area, but the music, the parades, the creative vendors, the delicious food, the drum circles, the camaraderie and the happy memories made it all worthwhile. we think this will probably become a summer tradition.

into july

2011-07-08T08:49:00.004-04:00

i don't have a lot of time to formulate words between the screams of a toddler. but here are some more summer images.

playdates with little friends

first flight for a short summer trip

lake michigan, dan's native shore

tashi attended a theater summer camp in milwaukee while staying with family. we saw their last day presentations. improv. shakespeare. musical theater. and lots of technique games.

it was lovely to see tashi bond with her older cousin who is off to college in a couple of months.

spring lake has become one of my favorite places to be when visiting dan's family in wisconsin.

keeping cool

staying silly

patriotic pyrotechnics

parties with music, children, food and friends

and then back home, to fresh blackberries growing on our road, transformed into shortbread. truly delicious and oh so sweet!

here's hoping your summer is truly delicious and oh so sweet!

summer summary

2011-06-23T23:18:00.016-04:00

every day i think, today, i'll update the blog. but then this day turns into the next: full, demanding, elsewhere, in the moment.

summer is off to a great start. . .

we went to the national zoo!

and studied the most peculiar animals!

on the way home, we stopped in culpeper for dinner. . .

we checked out the roller derby for the first time

the charlottesville derby dames won. by a lot!

we've been spending much time examining the wild mushrooms in our yard. it's the year of the mushroom, it would seem.

on solstice we visited a nearby berrypatch and picked blueberries and raspberries. it was lovely indeed. now we have soltice berries in our freezer.

there has been lots of playing. . .

and a ton of missing tashi, who is at theater camp for * two * weeks!

wishing you belated blessings for summer solstice. what will you nurture and protect and eventually harvest?

stitching, pondering

2011-06-09T12:40:00.010-04:00

i seem to repeatedly win the sewing machine lottery on freecycle. i'm not even a very quick responder.

first there is the gorgeous old black singer that i finally tested out this past winter. it is a lovely machine with a pleasing hum, but once the single bobbin i have that fits it ran out of thread, i could not get it to wind for the life of me. sometimes hang ups like this will take me an absurdly long time to resolve. and then there is this beautiful touch & sew with the aqua panel. i think i'm in love with the aqua panel more than anything. the machine turns on, i know that. but there are a few pieces missing that i need to scour my non-functioning touch & sews for. yes, i do have a small collection of non functioning touch & sews.

and then there is this new beastie, a singer touch-tronic 2010. i jumped on it (and all the others) because my now ten-year-old most basic singer is ailing. she can't keep her tension. she smells like burnt rubber. and she has her limitations when it comes to stitch options. i would like to pass her on to tashi, and step it up a little. as a rude-ish sewing machine saleswoman said to me once, your sewing won't grow if you don't get a more advanced machine! well. her commission won't grow either, unless she sells a few.

anyway, i do pay attention when machines pop up on freecycle because a new fancy machine is just not in the budget. and oh how i would love something from here. but for now, i just have to grow with my growing collection of used machines! the touch tronic came with four (yes, i said, four) other sewing machines. i didn't want the whole lot, but the woman getting rid of them wanted one person to take the whole lot, so, that i did. two of the machines are incredibly old and gorgeous. the others are touch & sews. none of them work, that is, unless they are worked on.

so they are sitting on some shelves while i ponder the situation and try to learn the ins and outs of this new touch-tronic. except, you see, the bobbin jams on the touch-tronic. it jams. and then it's fine for a bit. and then it jams again. so yea, i probably have to take it to get serviced. something that is also not even in the budget.

so anyway, i'm trying to get little bits of sewing in, between bobbin jams, while it's 100 degrees outside. i made some shorts for tristan from the instructions on how to make trousers from a shirt, in amanda's soule's, the creative family. i used a garnet hill shirt of tashi's, now too small. i hope to make several more pairs of shorts for both tristan and tashi.

and another bib of course. it was my first test run on the new machine. the fabric is totally goofy and from a stash of fabric i also got through freecycle! tristan is really into toads lately because we have two living under the house. the bib makes him giggle.

i do have a fondness for my first machine, the one i learned to sew on, the one i am still learning to sew on. but i would love to see it in tashi's room, and i would love to see her sitting at it making creations whenever the whim hits her, a good twenty years before i ever sewed creations of my own.

a week of living

2011-05-30T15:06:00.022-04:00

this past week. . .

i planted some seedlings in the shade-garden-in-progress, and worked on making a path for the toddler to tramp on

i potted a few flowers

it's amazing how much magic a few whimsical flowers (and a couple of cool kids) can bring to a deck

this past week. . .

i managed to spend a few hours alone with dan, drinking some wine and having a picnic at a lovely nearby winery

i had the opportunity to support some dear friends while they labored on their land (really, i just hung around and took photos while they did an awesome job together)

and then i got to spend the night in their beautiful blue ridge yurt

and wake up with their sweet daughter who was quite anxious to go to the hospital and meet her new little brother (he had a fabulous birth, by the way)

this week i got to eat fresh nasturtiums picked from our garden-in-progress

i shared in tristan's wonder, spying on a couple of toads who like to hang out in the crawl space under our house. see them?

and this past week we received an awesome (and incredibly generous) gift of toadstools from a friend

most of all, this past week i got to appreciate life, love, and the beautiful place we call home

better late than never

2011-05-20T23:57:00.005-04:00

while it is already late in the season, i've been determined to plant some things this spring/summer. we have a scrappy area in front of our house full of periwinkle, violets, a multiplying stand of heleborus and some ailing azalea. i would so love to have a tall cottage garden there, but alas, it is quite shady. i would like at least to have some woodland flowers and edibles, and am determined to experiment. today provided a break in the recent monsoon, and i finally managed to plant a few seedlings i picked up at last weekend's farmer's market. tristan got to dig in the dirt, wonder at worms and place the young plants in the earth. i can't wait for more of this, though i do hope the plants survive!

stawberry (shortcake) fields forever

2011-05-10T13:27:00.006-04:00

i had a lovely mother's day. it seems red was the theme with red roses, red wine, red earrings and red strawberries. we drove off in the lovely afternoon to pick strawberries at a nearby u-pick farm and came home with 9 pounds of juicy goodness. the last thing i need is strawberry shortcake every day, but. . .

there was also a little boy in a red shirt who was really into a red tractor.

he did not want to share it with his sister one single bit!

i think mother's day is a good opportunity to celebrate the goddess in every woman. we are all mothers of something, whether it be art, business, the earth or our children. and within each woman lies the sacred source of all creation. let's honor that each and every day!

earthy eggs

2011-04-27T17:22:00.002-04:00

tristan had his first bit of egg dying experience this year. we used turmeric, coffee, cabbage and beets to make natural dyes. the following morning we had a little egg hunt in our yard. tristan seems to like the chocolate in his basket better than the hard boiled eggs, but of course!

easter hike

2011-04-27T17:05:00.003-04:00

on easter sunday we had to drive to dulles airport to pick up tashi. she spent nine days in belize with two of her aunts, her uncle and two cousins! this was a first for all of us. as you can imagine, we were pretty excited to pick her up. she wasn't due back until nighttime, so we made the most of the drive, enjoying the rappahannock valley, and stopping off at white oak canyon in the shenandoah wilderness for hike. it was quite lovely there. i look forward to exploring it some more.

tashi's flight was a couple of hours late. we were so thrilled to see her on the other side of customs at last. she filled our ears with great stories on the drive home. we are still studying the photos and hearing tidbits of her adventures. we're proud of her and feel fortunate that she was offered such an amazing travel opportunity.

old plastic

2011-04-14T00:31:00.005-04:00

we try to keep the plastic to a minimum around here, but my nostalgia meter rises when i see vintage fisher price toys. i found these two gems today.

tristan had a lot of fun working the controls of the little record player music box, a little spin master in action!

the glory of the greening

2011-04-08T12:59:00.011-04:00

yesterday was the kind of spring day you wait all winter for. the temperature was perfect, and the day was spent meeting up with friends, inside and out.

there was playground fun:

after lunch we spent some time on my friends' blue ridge property, where they recently completed work on a stunning yurt. the old house on the property will eventually be replaced with a new one; in the mean time they have the lovely yurt to cozy up in. the views up there are astonishing, and it was lovely to bask in the sun and bathe in a fresh mountain wind.

today it is cold and raining. but the dogwoods have tiny fluorescent leaves, the red bud is pinking up and the pastures have a verdant irish glow. bring on the festival of colors!

thing thursday

2011-03-31T14:13:00.013-04:00

i made a quick stop at the thrift store today before taking tristan to the library. aside from the melt down he had because i wouldn't let him hold the glass car that contained cologne, it seems like it was a successful mission. my main focus was on finding tashi some more light cotton blouses for summer bug weather. but i can't just look for one thing when i'm at a thrift store. focus is simply not possible.

i found an awesome big richard scarry picture book in german! dan speaks a decent bit of german and tashi is learning it at waldorf school. so inevitably the german language will be part of tristan's life too. but this is a great book for anyone hoping to learn some german vocabulary. it covers everything: household items, foods, animals, musical instruments, flowers, birds, every possible vehicle, numbers, the body, and so on. it will be entertaining hearing dan read it in his most exaggerated german accent.

i also found a pretty cool book about the moon.

i acquired a couple of sweet cups that probably should be filled with something topped with whip cream & chocolate bits.

and finally, a few pillow cases. the possibility of more fabulous bed linens lay before me in a big heap, but i really didn't have the patience to dig through the tangled mass that filled the huge bin. i really wish this particular shop had a better way to sell the linens. but every once in a while there are a few decent things at the top of the pile.

here is tristan who has been insisting on wearing one of my gloves all day.

and this is what we had for dinner last night, tamale pie. yum!

handmade tuesday

2011-03-29T17:58:00.007-04:00

i seem to have distanced myself a bit from sewing in the post holiday funk of january and february. there was a patchwork curtain and some fleece yoga pants for tristan, but i think that is about it. as we transition into spring (which is a one step forward two steps backward transition for sure), i am feeling the urge to create. so little by little i am making this and that.

i recently made an apron for a co-worker's daughter. it is just like the very first apron i made in december. here it is marvelously photographed in my car, where the light was really weird.

i didn't manage to make tristan any gifts for his second birthday, though tashi did. she made him this super cute bird.

and i did manage to make a garland for his party. i want to make more and more!

today i knew i didn't have much time left in his nap, and decided a few bibs were all i could squeeze in. tristan is short on bibs these days. the fabrics are not anything i would necessarily pick out to buy, they came to me in a pile of fabrics and craft supplies i acquired through freecycle.

i used to have theme days for the blog. i think i will reinstate a day to share handmade wonders, whether they be simple meals or extensive sewing projects.

the spring has sprung

2011-03-25T08:01:00.006-04:00

for the rest of my life i will probably remember march 25th as the day my water broke.

it was a little bit hollywood, climbing out of bed around 6:30am and having a sudden gush hit the floor, followed by, "daaaaan, i think my water broke!"

it was five weeks before my due date, so a big surprise for sure.

with tashi, my water didn't break until i was in transition, and we think my midwife gave it a little poke when she was checking me. with tristan, my labor didn't begin until almost 20 hours after my water broke. and it was a fantastic natural labor, a vaginal birth after cesarean, delivering a healthy six pound baby boy into my arms five weeks early.

and though his birthday isn't officially until tomorrow, today is my day to remember the journey that brought this remarkable boy into our lives.

go. out. side.

2011-03-16T23:37:00.006-04:00

tristan often includes adorable pauses between each of his words. daddy. come here. mommy. come here. go. out. side.

and the time has come, i do believe, to spend as much time outside as possible. before the oppressive heat of summer. in between the much needed rains.

raking our yard is a massive chore. we live in a little forest where leaves are plentiful, and, well, we can be a little slack about raking. there were the first rounds of autumn raking. and now the spring rounds. today i concentrated on a woodsy rise in our yard where there is a small circular trail, a bench, lots of periwinkle, azalea and rhododendron bushes. while i piled up the leaves, tristan ran back and forth through a puddle in our driveway. he spent a good 45 minutes loving that puddle.

the daffodils are awakening. birdsong ripples like a garland from each branch. bugs are beginning to creep about. each sign of life a reminder of our fortunate existence.

may every flower that unfolds in our country's springtime represent a family that safely escapes the tragedy in japan.

when there are big things, it's the little things

2011-03-12T08:45:00.016-05:00

earthquakes, tsunamis, nuclear meltdown * class warfare * old white men who would like to burn women at the stake * dictatorships overthrown * (or not) *

as so much turbulence unfolds, it's hard to imagine the future with optimism. at what cost will we finally reach a highly evolved place as humans? or is it all downhill until our extinction?

for the moment, i will focus on the little pleasures.

the peacefulness of folding laundry while my toddler sits on his potty and reads.

a good pot of soup that he devours. swiss chard, sweet potatoes, french lentils, carrots, yes!

spring. hallelujah! spring!

lovely knit things made by my mom. what could be better?

winning a vintage fondue set on a blog give away? cool!!!

small vintage things found at the thrift store. . . sweet!

awesome kid books:

a bright little tablecloth:

a small boontonware bowl in a favorite color. tristan eats fruit from it as i type.

and an old sheet that i'm considering making a skirt from, or some wide flowy housepants.

perhaps the biggest small thing, is my new and improved doula website, thanks to my husband. it still needs some tweaking, editing and additional information, but it is a huge improvement on the one pager i had up for so long.

yes, it's the little things that might keep us focused on what is bright, peaceful and hopeful in the now. we can then turn to the big world with a calm heart and a steadfast commitment to making it a better place.

classical indian curative

2011-03-07T20:55:00.003-05:00

yesterday it rained and rained and we decided some warm chai and classical indian music might be just the thing. a new yoga studio was having an open house, and a friend of ours was playing sitar along with a friend of his on tabla. it was a lovely reprieve on a wet, dark sunday. on the way home tristan said, nice people, nice kids. we were all in agreement on that.

discovery

2011-03-01T23:06:00.010-05:00

i took my little guy to the local discovery museum today. it was so fun watching him play with each and every thing there. we have a lot of fun at home, but it sure is nice to do something different every once in a while.

there was a story time, which was also a first him. i mean, we read stories for hours on end at home, but hadn't yet attended a public story time. i wasn't sure he was going to have the patience, but the story was one that he knows well: the cat in the hat. so he loved it. the museum also had two of his very favorite books in their collection.

there is a tibet exhibit at the museum. pretty cool stuff. we made a prayer flag for dad. played in a nomad tent. hung out with a yak.

there is also a cool log cabin, virginia style.

tristan loves to organize and stack things. these train cars were topsy turvy all over the track and he lined them all up.

sometimes i sure miss the tiny baby i can wrap up in a sling against my chest and gaze at quietly the whole day through. but i also really love this little man who plays and reads and talks so enthusiastically. as he discovers the world, so do we, all over again.

curtain accomplished

2011-02-26T00:42:00.009-05:00

i have mentioned in past blog entries, my quirky sewing room. it is a narrow room that houses the washer, drier, utility sink and door to the garage. so really it is a mud room. but also, i think it is a breakfast nook. it is connected to the kitchen, has the same awful linoleum flooring and there is an interior window between it and the living room. why anyone ever wanted a window between that room and the living room is beyond me. also puzzling is the huge mirror on one wall. i covered it with a sheet. it's an odd room, but i am ever so grateful for it.

i have used various curtains in the window, as the sewing room can be pretty cluttery and i'd rather there wasn't a clear view into it from our living room. i also work on secret surprises in there sometimes! it's been a long time goal to make a curtain for that window, preferably a somewhat sheer patchwork curtain. sheer is important, so that i don't feel totally separated when i'm in there, and so that i can peek into the living room and see what my family is up to.

that goal has finally been accomplished.

the above photo is a view of the curtain from the living room. i moved my desk into the living room recently as i wanted a place for our computers and tashi's homework, which always end up covering the dining room table.

here is the curtain with the sewing room light shining through it.

it's pleasing to have something handmade there. and it was a satisfying project, though troubling at times. the lace was tricky as it overlaps the seams. i probably should have sewn all the panels together first, and then sewn the lace on top of the fabric. but i wanted to be able to peek through the lace. it worked out fine, though if you examine it really closely, you might realize that the construction is a bit haphazard.

i also tried french seams for the first time so that the backside doesn't look totally ragged. the backside is what i have to look at when in the sewing room after all. here is a peek at the french seams from the sewing room.

i feel like our living room has found it's missing piece.

into the golden sun

2011-02-18T23:45:00.003-05:00

we've spent another week+ dealing with illness, this time a flu virus that took tashi, tristan and i down. tristan was not as badly hit as he was a month ago, and he bounced back pretty quickly from this round. but tashi has had a couple of alarming relapses into the fevered state, and i don't think i have ever before suffered such severe body aches.

it seems we have finally emerged from the worst of it, all three of us toting a lingering cough. it was not enough to keep tristan and i inside today as the outdoor temps soared to the mid seventies. we spent a refreshing couple of hours at a playground, and got to see some friends who we've missed for months.

there is so much to be grateful for, and so much to hope for as the season begins to shift. it is time to work the soil, and time to consider which seeds, symbolic and actual, will be planted and nurtured into fruition.

half way there

2011-02-06T13:17:00.006-05:00

we did not do much on imbolg this year as dan had a gig wednesday evening, and, after my day at work, i was left with little energy to pull together a celebration. we did spend some time outside appreciating the slant of sunlight falling across our yard. tristan climbed into his sand box for the first time in months. our yule tree and other greenery sit in the fire pit waiting to be burned; hopefully we will do that within the week. i took some photos to mark the day and feel that even this small time out of doors was a great commemoration of the half way mark between winter solstice and spring equinox.

pants for the yogi

2011-02-03T20:58:00.009-05:00

one can only imagine how much my heart glowed when i heard tristan singing this song from his car seat this morning, sun saltutation dance for the sun!

it seems to confirm that my timing was just right for making him some crescent moon yoga pants, a hand drawn pattern from little comet tails. this was my first time using an actual garment pattern and i'm hoping that it will lead to the disintegration of my fear of working with patterns and making clothing. it's a very user friendly hand drawn pattern with basic instructions.

one can make plain yoga pants, or pants with a crescent booty. i chose the latter as the crescent booty is so nice and roomy for the cloth diapers. my friend & doula, stasi york, who passed on the pattern to me also left me a couple of colors of nice fleece. i chose the grey.

i think they turned out quite well, and he wanted to put them on right away, before the hem had been sewn. there is nothing more rewarding than a wiggly toddler who actually asks to put something on.

he put up a little fuss when i asked to remove them so i could add a hem, but all was well when i could put them back on him. they are super soft, cozy, warm and seem to fit quite well.

perfect for a little yogi!

albemarle day

2011-01-31T22:04:00.009-05:00

dan's sister barb paid us a brief visit this weekend and we went on a wondrous drive yesterday. after enjoying a favorite back road drive through free union, past buck mountain, boonesville, and around to whitehall, we stopped off at the whitehall community center, where there was a surprising one day exhibit of tapestries created by inuit women. the little community hall, which i've entered only once before when dan's band played for a school fundraiser, was wonderfully transformed. we were lucky to have caught wind of the exhibit on the evening news the night before.

the tapestries of boiled wool were simple, bright, stunning and complex all at once. they were charming, but also hinted at difficult living on the tundra. i feel so lucky that we got to peek at this world, and hope that more surprises find their way into the little community center. you can learn more about the exhibit, and its wonderfully engaging curator, judith varney burch at the arctic inuit art website.

we were ready for a nutritional boost afterwards, so made the requisite stop at mudhouse crozet.

and then we just wandered, up to the blue ridge parkway, down the switchbacks of afton mountain, through batesville, and back home. we made a quick stop to the barn swallow on our way home, a lovely gallery where i was employed when we first moved to charlottesville.

it was a refreshing day of beauty and vistas, after several days homebound with an ill tristan, followed by my own sinus infection. and now it's a new week, the world rocks, the midwest faces a blizzard, and the signs of spring are beginning to reveal themselves in our own little blue ridge oasis.

the weather inside is frightful

2011-01-27T12:24:00.004-05:00

it's been a tough week around here. tristan came down with a nasty virus that included gallons of snot, pain we never successfully identified, on and off fever, absolutely no appetite and huge temper tantrums. he has emerged from it now, more and more himself by the moment. except for the temper tantrums. he is still having those. though fewer.

i am now the one with all sorts of symptoms and a weighty fatigue. but i too will emerge. hopefully without any temper tantrums.

in the mean time we all thought we were in for a whoozy of a snow storm yesterday, but it just ended up being this rainy, sleety, slushy, icy, wet bit of less than two inches of snow. it definitely messed up the roads for a while, and we all got to enjoy an alternate schedule of early dismissal and two hour delay, but i can't seem to help but want several inches of gorgeous fluff to shut us down for a few days!

time now to take advantage of tristan's nap by taking one myself. happy end-o-the-week to all.

hanging around

2011-01-18T16:12:00.012-05:00

i picked up a couple of sweet prints by christina flowers for tristan and tashi at the great gifts holiday market in december. i hung tristan's at toddler level, so he could admire his robots, and hopefully quit begging to walk around with the entire frame in his hands.

tashi's is tucked sweetly in a corner of her room, which is too messy right now to show in its entirety.

ok, well, maybe a little peek.

adorable prints, yes? i wouldn't mind this one, either.

i also finally framed this nice little chinese papercut and hung it. i've had it for over a year. i do love horses so.

i had to remove a bunch of photos from our india albums recently, due to a moisture issue. i stuck these prayer flags in a frame and hung them, along with this photo of tristan's curls, in an awkward foyer space around a crooked heat control box.

we have lived in this house for a little over two years now, and i still feel like, bit by bit, i am filling the spaces with love. i vacillate between a preference for stark white walls with minimal decor and lively clutter in colorful assortment. looks like the latter is winning.

i should probably take our mistletoe down, but for now, i like its shadow on the wall.

yes, a bit of brightness summoning these january days.

wee post

2011-01-17T13:32:00.005-05:00

not much to report, i am afraid, dear blog. just a couple of pictures from my bathroom.

tristan prefers the big tub over the sink these days, and i tend to get a few things done on the computer, for work or otherwise, while he is splashing around. i occasionally have to grab the laptop and run for cover!

i can't believe we are midway through january already. i often find these dreary days difficult and am trying my best to find time for bright things.

there is a spring craftfair in my small hamlet coming up in a few months and i am considering giving it a try.

otherwise, i am being urged by my family to read the last two harry potter books before watching the final films. with so many interesting books to read, i'm not sure i can commit to it, but i'll give it a try.

wishing you a peaceful and reflective MLK Day.

resolution

2011-01-09T14:11:00.004-05:00

i'm pleased to say i've already fulfilled one of my new years resolutions.

a few years ago i scored this lovely antique sewing machine on freecycle. i am slightly embarrassed to admit that for almost three years it sat on the corner of my sewing table, mysterious and unthreaded. figuring out how to use the machine seemed daunting and i just kept putting it off. so this new year i promised myself that i would figure out how to thread the machine, and then i would actually use it!

the internet is a wonder to behold. within moments i had the manual for the machine on my desktop. and within a few more minutes, the machine was threaded. i tested it out a bit and it seemed a little sluggish. the tension was off. and every once in a while the belt would just spin while the needle did nothing. so i read through the manual. i oiled it. i adjust the tension. i learned that one is to lower the needle into the fabric before stepping on the presser foot. and this morning i made a test bib. just like that, it works. the stitches are so neat and tight. and it is fast! faster than my cheap modern ailing singer that always seems to have tension issues.

it hums so nicely. and the few scratches on its body speak to me of another time, when someone else sat at the machine, most likely making many things for her loved ones, her home and herself.

and so in these early days of 2011, when there is sadness ringing across our nation, i am able to garner a wee bit of satisfaction through a small domestic accomplishment. amidst news of senseless violence, when uncertainty shakes us to the core, may we all turn inward a bit and find what brings us peace.

into the new year

2011-01-05T16:16:00.004-05:00

wishing you a new year of light, warmth and magic, at home and in the world.

lifting the light

2010-12-26T14:18:00.012-05:00

this has been such a fine week of gathering with friends, eating delicious food, giving, receiving and cozying down with my sweet family.

it began with a lively solstice full moon eclipse, peaked with a venetian pot luck, culminated in a celebration around the yule tree, and now -- the day after christmas -- dan, tashi, tristan and i enjoy cinnamon rolls, sweet bread, savory left overs mixed with orzo and cheese, games, play and much needed long naps.

in my heart, all of the celebrations of the season revolve around solstice. the light swells from our homes, trees, candles and hearths. the light of the manger is the light in us all, the good light we wish to swaddle in, grow and share.

here are some scenes from our solstice week. . .

first, the actual solstice, a story telling day when our children receive new books, one of many days that we scatter food around the yard for animals, a day to play in snow if we are so lucky, a day of eating, baking, crafts and intention.

next, in our friends' beautifully decorated home, a venetian pot luck, starring recipes from tessa kiros: shrimp asparagus risotto, delicately fried italian meatballs and a ricotta tart with chocolate pastry crust. improvised piano entertainment unfolded.

we had a gift exchange brunch with good friends on christmas eve morning, followed by inevitable last minute errands, cookie baking, a cypriot dinner feast, story book reading and a late-late night up with dan, wrapping, assembling, drinking raspberry lambic and eating fudge.

one of my few handmade gifts of the season was this apron for liz.

and then the big morning arrived, so many fine items under the tree to behold. while i'm conflicted about the materialism of christmas, i feel like our efforts to share delight were just right. some much need items were distributed: bike helmets, clothing for growing children, winter wear, wool lined slippers, pajamas, books and smart playthings. mixed in with the necessities were some treasures: sparkling earrings, scooters, a chunky necklace, gift cards, an electric razor, belgian chocolates. . .

aside from a couple of special photo books i put together and gifted, i made an apron for my dear tashi, and a robot-of-sorts for darling tristan, who likes to sing robot parade.

i love tashi's little apron, the colors, the owls & the ric rac.

tristan's robot didn't quite turn out as i'd wished. what appears to be a mouth was originally meant to be a control panel. i decided to add a button nose to fill the gap. in the future i would prefer the features to not appear as one big face. making it was fun. i have a feeling tashi's line of fuzzawumbles might become more varied as she and i design new characters.

now we have a week to luxuriate in as we approach the new year and our daughter's 13th birthday. there is some work to be done, but mostly i want to take advantage of the opportunity to relax. the snow comes and goes and the light -- despite the cold heart of winter -- increases with each day. may hope continue to ring even as the holiday bells are packed away.

merry scenes

2010-12-17T07:35:00.009-05:00

we are so thrilled that it snowed. there is nothing like a sparkling layer of magical snow to boost one's holiday spirits. tashi's break from school started two days early due to closures. the solstice house cleaning has commenced, with some baking and the tiniest bit of making thrown in. it is not much of a handmade holiday this year, but we do still have a week until christmas don't we?!

tristan is obviously much more involved in everything this year. he can flop in the snow. open the doors of the advent calendar. pull ornaments from the tree and run with them. he can ask to hold each and every (lit) candle. it has been so much fun seeing his wonder unfold.

if you are wondering where our lovely tashi is in most of these photos, she's either out socializing with her friends, head down with mounds of homework, or holed up in her room listening to the beatles. or perhaps she is hiding behind the scenes after dressing her brother up in her sweaters. our almost 13 year old has a blossoming world of her own, but she is still so very loving.

what is on the agenda for today? lots of cooking. . . one cannot live on fudge alone!

may you find the magic in the smallest of things this solstice season.

ever green

2010-12-08T23:38:00.005-05:00

we chopped down our yule tree on sunday. we found a perfect tree to fill our living room with its character. there was a lovely dusting of snow. tristan doesn't seem to remember the huge storms of last year, and was really fascinated by the icy white powder. tashi showed him how to make a snow ball, and i coached him on how to throw it at dad. fun was had by all. and now, indeed, we have a thristy, happy, green tree in our living room.

holiday craft sales

2010-12-08T22:37:00.010-05:00

i decided to brave the cold and sit out a few of the downtown holiday markets this season, selling blankets & bibs. i will be in attendance for a second time this saturday. i also have a selection of blanket/bib sets at the bridge, a progressive arts gallery in charlottesville where there is a great gifts sale through january. tashi's fuzzawumble's are also making an appearance, both downtown and at the bridge.

here are a couple of new sets:

and a rainbow of fuzzawumbles:

tashi and i had a nice day at the first holiday market. we sold a few things, saw a few friends and enjoyed the brisk air once the sun came out!

i wonder if i will be permitted to light a barrel fire this saturday?!

we also enjoyed the opening night of the great gifts sale at the bridge.

so many fun things in one cozy space

the groovy elfin wild haired doll is by natalie artz of my magical moonbeam.

can you spot the fuzzawumble?

tristan was really into these robots. i informed santa.

we had a nice evening admiring unique stuff.

i think once the holidays have passed i will finally post the remaining blankets and bibs to etsy and hope that they will find their way into the homes of babes. i would like to go into creative mode for a while and try sewing up some new things. i'm feeling the need to branch out a bit. i also really want to make some items for my own family, and our home. so much energy has gone into the blankets and bibs; it has been a great learning experience so far.

i recently needed to come up with a present for a gift exchange at my workplace. i decided to seize the opportunity to sew my first ever apron (i refuse to count the one i seriously botched in high school), with the intention of placing it in the gift exchange. and so that i did, based on amy karol's instructions in bend the rules sewing. i think it turned out pretty cute.

thus gifted!

we play a mean white elephant exchange at my work place, where the gifts can be stolen from each other. the apron was stolen away twice before it found its rightful owner.

and myself, what did i get at the gift exchange? i had to steal a little purple piggy bank for a very sweet boy who had his eyes on it.