I tried to focus on getting more nature into our days this week, since swim lessons are finally over and this leaves Tuesday and Thursdays afternoons free and clear.
It's really quite pathetic how little we've been walking or biking around town these days. There have been way too many short trips to the grocery store or Target in the truck. This is the time of year to live outdoors, to take long walks to the library and back, for impromptu front yard visits with neighbors, to routinely check on the status of leaves changing colors and such, to explore the streams and swimming holes that feed into the river.
And here we are letting this precious time of year slip by.
After lamenting to myself about the recent fast pace feeling to our days, I did manage to chuck the to-do list once this week, and venture out to the river with Bea. It was really quite a cold afternoon. We had a few below freezing nights earlier this week and that brisk, fresh air..well, it was just what we needed.
Bea pretended she was a princess named Esther. She lived in cottage deep in the forest. She addressed me as "Mother" and she had me speaking to her using phrases like, "Ester, daughter,you shall walk along the path through the forest" and "journey home by dusk"... Funny girl. I mentioned to a friend the other day that she is in such a wonderful phase right now. She's fairy tales, horses, and folk music all rolled into one. That's Beatrix. Sometimes, I really wish I knew how to stop the clock.
Today, we rode our bikes down to the river again. Bea and Byron did a little fishing. Bea actually caught her first fish. It was a tiny little thing about 4 inches long. As soon as she pulled it out of the water, she ran and hid behind the trees. She said she was scared about catching the fish and that she felt bad for it.
In other news, I'm gearing up for a full week at school with a Thanksgiving Picnic followed by parent/teacher conferences. I've been doing a little thrift Christmas shopping for the little one and have found some pretty sweet treasures...I wonder what Bea will think when the day arrives and she realizes that her mama and daddy routinely (and proudly) gave her used toys as gifts for birthdays and Christmases. Just another fun quirk about growing up in this family...
Oh, I have a few more fun links to share this week.
This is going to be my 2014 calendar. Gosh, golly, I love that Phoebe!
I just don't know if I can resist a class like this. It sounds so juicy to me! I took so many anthropology and folklore classes in undergrad and almost persued a graduate degree in folklore studies. At the very real risk of sounding like a brain dead, dumb mom, I will say there is something so profound and universal in the human existence.
On that note, when you feel down and out on humanity, google this flash mob production and you'll feel so much better about the world. Do it! Press play!
Seeing the little girl in red hanging onto the lamp post is the point where the tears flow for me.
Practicing this on my uke. Yeah, my musical talents are just one more way I stay humble.
The dream is still alive! Not giving up on moving to the mountains.
I love that photo of the leaves on the ground~ and her creative pretend play and speech, particularly "journey home by dusk". perfect.
I too am loving that calendar~ love, love, love her work.
and I LOVE that flash mob video. I saw it a while back and watched it a few times, but it's been a while now, so thanks for the reminder. Claire and I have had a few chats these days about happy tears.... because they are flowing out of mama pretty regularly.
Posted by: amanda (sweetpotatoclaire) | November 19, 2013 at 09:17 AM
you have a beautiful blog... i love your photos... and your words... especially that last post about the lanterns. i found your blog through pinterest. i was going to ask if you were a taproot reader after noticing some phobe wahl prints... but the calendar link gave it away for me :) i just wrote on my blog how excited i am to have a phobe wahl calendar... such a small world after all. i live over on the west coast in oregon... with my family of six... you can check us out if your interested...http://phishybee.blogspot.com/. thanks for the inspiration today.
Posted by: jenny newell | November 19, 2013 at 10:10 AM
Hi Jenny! Thank you for visiting my little space and for your sweet words. It means so much to me! Yes, I LOVE Phoebe's work. And I very excitedly received her calendar in the mail this week. Yay! I'd love to visit oregon one day (soon). though, i have a hunch i'd never be ready to come back home. take care, nichole
Posted by: Nichole | November 22, 2013 at 08:17 PM
i'm glad you enjoyed the links!! enjoy your weekend! it's freezing and pouring cats and dogs here. if it were a few degrees cooler, i think we'd be enjoying a serious snowstorm! i wonder if it's heading your way!
Posted by: Nichole | November 22, 2013 at 08:19 PM