tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31578607127046632922024-03-12T00:50:36.115-04:00Kitmama's PensieveKithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098068645236332284noreply@blogger.comBlogger435125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3157860712704663292.post-77452674346413403332013-07-04T02:39:00.001-04:002013-07-04T02:39:49.046-04:00Being ProductiveLooking at my day today, I was feeling a bit down that I hadn't gotten more accomplished. I managed one small work meeting and an errand to the bank. OK, I also battened down the hatches at the dock as the lake began to flood- this time, *before* the boats floated away. ;) . . . but that's pretty much it. I didn't even make the kids do all their chores. My miles-long to-do list looks pretty much untouched since yesterday.<br />
<br />
But wait, I realized: today was extremely productive on the homeschooling/kids front. I started my day with an extended wrestling/tickling/cuddling match with my oldest, who seldom wants to do that anymore. Then he asked to make us waffles from scratch for breakfast, and I said "yes". I walked him through the <a href="http://thisweekfordinner.com/2010/04/16/my-new-favorite-waffle-recipe/" target="_blank">recipe</a>. . . which meant a lot of concentrated instruction on fractions. (I even used the math manipulatives!) Julian worked on an alphabet puzzle and asked me to help him with flash cards, which we used to work on number recognition, counting and beginning phonics. This video (shared by a friend) then led to a discussion about genealogy:<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="344" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/ta6PxbEH_3A" width="459"></iframe><br />
(I wonder if she's right?!?)<br />
<br />
Both boys had some outside time to run in the rain and gawk at the flooding.<br />
<br />
While we were out running errands (including a stop at the post office so Simon could mail his first letter to his new pen pal in Japan) I stopped at the <a href="http://www.humpusbumpus.com/" target="_blank">bookstore</a>, where they browsed. Simon chatted with the saleslady, she helped him find what he was looking for, and he made his own purchase. On the way home, I spotted something interesting and turned around to check it out- it turned out to be a whole parking lot full of restored antique working steam engines! Apparently there is an annual <a href="http://cummingjuly4parade.com/" target="_blank">4th of July steam engine parade</a> here. Who knew? We walked around and looked at them all, and smelled the wood fires burning, and listened to the (VERY LOUD) train whistles blow.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://o2.aolcdn.com/dims-shared/dims3/PATCH/format/jpg/quality/82/resize/458x295%5E/http://hss-prod.hss.aol.com/hss/storage/patch/6334e90fb7dde419107b8f8487667914" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://o2.aolcdn.com/dims-shared/dims3/PATCH/format/jpg/quality/82/resize/458x295%5E/http://hss-prod.hss.aol.com/hss/storage/patch/6334e90fb7dde419107b8f8487667914" /></a></div>(photo credit Nicole Gustin)<br />
<br />
Back at home, Simon volunteered to make dinner (frozen pizza and fresh fruit), and spent some time reading his book. Then we had an impromptu detailed exploration (sparked by a small query) of astronomy topics, in which I answered questions, explained, and we looked up answers together on the internet. Some topics covered include:<br />
- What is a light year?<br />
- How do you say 6,000,000,000,000?<br />
- What does the sun sound like? (This was the golden question of the night, which led us to <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2013/01/what-does-the-sun-sound-like/267414/" target="_blank">this very cool 10-minute documentary</a> about a project to sonify solar data, which sparked many more interesting questions)<br />
- <a href="http://www.space.com/14736-sunspots-sun-spots-explained.html" target="_blank">What is a sunspot</a>?<br />
- Can solar flares and coronal mass ejections harm the Earth?<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="344" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/2zOlkIyg3iE" width="459"></iframe><br />
<br />
- What is Earth's "magnetic field", and why does it protect us from solar wind?<br />
(Did you know other planets don't have a magnetic field? I feel like I should have known that, but I don't think I did.)<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/AtDAOxaJ4Ms" width="480"></iframe><br />
<br />
- If we could be right next to the sun without burning up, what would the sun *really* sound like?<br />
(The answer, of course, is that we wouldn't hear a single thing. Which of course leads to the question, <br />
- "Why?" Which leads to a discussion of sound waves and how they are transmitted.)<br />
We both loved all these explorations and questions, and dug into our ice cream tonight feeling energized and inspired by our learning.<br />
<br />
I read Jules his new Scooby Doo book for a bedtime story, and after tucking the boys in I thought about my day and what got done. I've realized I feel pretty darn good about it, actually. :)Kithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098068645236332284noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3157860712704663292.post-57622972781689735972013-05-12T15:35:00.001-04:002013-05-12T16:16:09.711-04:00Good NewsWell, well, well. Almost one year exactly since my <a href="http://kitmama.blogspot.com/2012/05/well-i-suppose-its-high-time-that-i.html" target="_blank">last post</a>. It truly is amazing what all can happen in just 12 months.<br />
<br />
I am indescribably happy to report that I am sitting on our porch, listening to the birds and the water, the wind and the windchimes, feeling the breeze and the warm sunlight. OUR porch. On the family property. Yes, we finally pulled it off. :) This wonderful place is home.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/mgHpV7we0HRbxC7ws__N5ioGvxGoHrRWRJ-G46JWLPg?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwHXqQYEBGaVyY1Gm1VCcLdQMLAyQDvB_UyAcJvgk1QHJ7iwOeJmcAV2fuOv6OK0Ue2hYlhuxoGYdkb2THMKhlTO7ppHfVBT3J50AGuTRz6gtek-zhtR8drMJGCrqEMZUtEyTnaWKHKtQ/s640/253023_3865714688515_1542386519_n.jpg" height="361" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
It took a few more weeks after I wrote my last post, but we did find some renters for our house. We had to accept a reduced rent but at least they have been good tenants so far. Once that was settled, it took a good 3 months to jump through all the mortgage hoops in order to secure financing to pay off Billy's siblings. We moved in the beginning of October 2012. I still have trouble believing we managed it- it definitely would not have been possible without help from all quarters, including our <a href="http://www.sharonmerritt.com/" target="_blank">real estate agent</a>, our <a href="http://prodenvoyb2c.avista.ws/branch/default.aspx?UserID=244" target="_blank">mortgage broker</a> who was nothing short of amazing, and of course our <a href="http://fivebearsablogging.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">incredible friends</a> who supported our quest through to completion. We are forever grateful.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/rfqa2Us2dVYao6ZxBKxWDR1cuIHXR-9RZFYNK1dD7OE?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-3HcuO_wLy1s/UY_tT61sTbI/AAAAAAAAC58/6SHeo5dl-_k/s400/IMG_20130512_152506.jpg" height="269" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
Of course moving in, as difficult as it was to achieve, is still only the beginning! A property like this requires a lot of maintenance, and on top of that we have wonderful plans for improving it and truly making it our home.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-l0GXhOk9Vsw/UY_TIJkE4EI/AAAAAAAAC3s/C0lIm1hTUSM/s1600/665223_4962189131005_611450607_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-l0GXhOk9Vsw/UY_TIJkE4EI/AAAAAAAAC3s/C0lIm1hTUSM/s320/665223_4962189131005_611450607_o.jpg" /></a><br />
<br />
We've begun remodeling to the interior of the house, and I am hard at work building and maintaining a large vegetable garden in the field.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/XMvZpy-J5oDQoun2BjHFtyoGvxGoHrRWRJ-G46JWLPg?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-f4_xGf1V6uE/UY_pU4MSfkI/AAAAAAAAC5M/o6owSefKBX0/s640/914206_4788191709864_738980904_o.jpg" height="640" width="361" /></a><br />
<br />
There are all the usual adjustments to moving a family, plus we are sort of rebuilding our lives after having everything on hold for 2 years. On top of all that we are still piloting our business through some of the toughest financial times we've sailed it through, and while the sky there is clearing we still have a way to go. Sometimes it seems a bit overwhelming, but then I take my coffee out onto the porch in the morning and I remember all over again what a gift and a blessing it is to be here and to be caretaker of this incredible legacy.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/CTp5k-1eov6wqY7q-L2_sCoGvxGoHrRWRJ-G46JWLPg?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGAxZBd1yca79wt9QpE9ywWpJ4Qa6dxITz-GaUPaEk9vq99Au0_l_8Q9vNI7-SBdPIAWqu-yuz_O6hOBjGSMTDeRZGwmlmgntORZCkMP2-JpBWCR8-lVwr6F-toHw1Z4T2rBvrE6fouFo/s400/52331_4004644201666_1758593240_o.jpg" height="400" width="225" /></a><br />
<br />
(All photos were taken by me with a Motorola Atrix 2 cellphone 8MP camera, except: the family portrait- for that I used the camera phone to snap a picture of the professional print, which is from a chain portrait studio- and the picture of me mixing grout, which was taken by my friend Jeff.)Kithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098068645236332284noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3157860712704663292.post-36583327130586271262012-05-13T18:12:00.000-04:002012-05-14T11:03:00.661-04:00Waning<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/tp69QmRjohl8tlUZ7y1BISoGvxGoHrRWRJ-G46JWLPg?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-6wQJXsubgcc/T7ApV0jrqSI/AAAAAAAACxY/cM0g2LvF0qg/s400/DSCN7254.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a>
Well, I suppose it's high time that I poke my head in over here and explain myself.<BR>
<BR>
Yes, my blog has fallen off my radar pretty completely. There's been a lot I have had to let go of, in the past year and more, and while it's all for a greater vision and a dream we hold, I admit it's wearing thin.<BR>
<BR>
Am I being cryptic? I'm sorry. . . let me back up a bit.<BR>
<BR>
You may recall that we lost both of Billy's parents in 2010.
<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/-zCrdITXQ16lE2G3igvDq9MTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikksbDffhPKGIUHxDxAxVcZgFqpAlF5Gs06t3oMucmEaCl1HGFOpuePD6czMMTORO_PO5tXXyl6imaiyiCAzXFx0fxSGy2wYRjxBtYkGcW81_S-oWQezIJhuzCzAs8P16AC5d_NqnpEZA/s288/DSCN5933_1.JPG" height="288" width="220" /></a>
His Father's passing was sad but expected, but his Mother's death was a tragic shock that we still haven't fully come to terms with.
<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/t6l1_VTg7jyc0TdZiWN5FdMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-37cpqI0Sju8/StlRZkNvveI/AAAAAAAAB5E/XrTqWjDl-pw/s288/DSCN3515.JPG" height="288" width="216" /></a>
They left to their children the beautiful family property here in Georgia, which Billy's siblings do not wish to purchase or live at. Billy and I desperately want this place to remain in the family, and if at all possible we would like to purchase it and raise our boys there.
<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/xR60E00bAW0gDlnEwvsv7yoGvxGoHrRWRJ-G46JWLPg?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-d3jKJ2r04_I/T7Aq8s1IL1I/AAAAAAAACyc/Uw6YtH4xod4/s288/BigHouse.jpg" height="216" width="288" /></a>
Unfortunately with lending regulations being very strict right now, we cannot possibly pull that off unless we sell (or, less desirably, rent) our current house. To help our house compete in this real estate market, we moved out of it, so it would remain show-ready at all times. Billy's siblings were not willing to let us live in the family property unless we bought it, so instead our fantastic and very dear friends opened their home to us, and we moved in there. We hoped this would be a brief and delightful experiment in communal living, just until we found buyers for our home and could then move on. That was in April 2011.<BR>
<BR>
Fast forward more than one year. We tried everything we could think of to sell our house without ruining our credit, and though we are only borderline underwater, we simply could not compete with the cheap foreclosures flooding the market. We gave up on selling our house and are now marketing it as a rental. There's been a lot of traffic, but no takers. The rental market is strong but is flooded with inventory right now. And while our communal living situation remains improbably amicable and our friends embrace us still, Billy and I are beginning to break under the endless weight of an uncertain future and the helpless drift of just. . . waiting. . .<BR>
<BR>
We want to move ahead. Billy absolutely must feel again like he is at the helm, able to steer his own ship and move his life forward with purpose.
<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/aCJMagfBgFiGz98un0sTwioGvxGoHrRWRJ-G46JWLPg?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-50S8Pd895zE/T7ApWkEGTDI/AAAAAAAACxo/ZqBTmk0QULw/s640/DSCN7258.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a>
He and I both are in need of our own home again, a personal cocoon, our own little kingdom. I realize that much of our strife stems directly from feeling a complete loss of control over everything. . . but I do think that our need for some control here is healthy and necessary. We have our own grown-up lives to live, and we'd like to get ON with it, thankyouverymuch. We are tired of being held back and tripped up at every attempt to make our dream a reality. We need to move on.<BR>
<BR>
We are feeling very discouraged, right now. There seems to be no way forward.<BR>
<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/LHJhPlRjuhQhkkeoeA8_pCoGvxGoHrRWRJ-G46JWLPg?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-4xhEO_pf0SE/T7ApXKeEBVI/AAAAAAAACx0/TDzwej0ebCA/s400/DSCN8469.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a>
<BR>
I have to remind myself that it is our stamina that wanes, not our chances. But how long can we keep this up? It's a battle every day.<BR>
<BR>
So, there's my downer of an update. Yes, the pictures are from the family property. Isn't it beautiful? Billy and his Father built most of the buildings with their own hands. Billy and I were married there.<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/VnAk2b6NFd0vB85NUh1x2tMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-lIvQnebCQ5Q/SgH9WZraFWI/AAAAAAAABDA/v2Nm3ll0xJg/s288/Wedding002_1.jpg" height="288" width="196" /></a>
<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/ieeDEep2TmJyxqK5wawY0CoGvxGoHrRWRJ-G46JWLPg?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-oueEkD-eNOQ/T7ApW5co4GI/AAAAAAAACxs/iElypka8-0s/s288/DSCN8442.JPG" height="216" width="288" /></a>
The cabin on the property is a work of Art, designed and crafted by hand.
<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/VXErWorfR6u09KGWI_4OYSoGvxGoHrRWRJ-G46JWLPg?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh13Mgngz_tQlHhDLfM_gZ4aWQ86oLHUwRxHmv4-nx_gVIBNmDanFg2oJbc0ZrrkB04n4NqxEk17g-2IzaMiHrAwjsEp-NZpMTIc5inPCR_2ifY0tV-NVY12bpKcuxVR3T_81urTfh4Uug/s400/LittleHouseInterior.jpg" height="177" width="400" /></a>
A portion of Billy's Father's ashes are buried there. My children are in love with the place, and ask me why we aren't living there- why no one is living there at all. They ask when we will be able to buy it. All I can say is, "I don't know".
<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/-E87PvKXf3vwjeRFHXQXByoGvxGoHrRWRJ-G46JWLPg?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1tegt5hua1pUBr6lXb-XzhYSlLhGEln5XcdUK_cV7fIT4fjHRofD5bduuEImqnMRaN1uBX6V5uaZA7G6ZHbnpN3R7aEHwlkkx84vhYVfn-Buecn5rU5jUd3Lm8e9E94njrpQfrobxlkI/s400/DSCN3456.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a>Kithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098068645236332284noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3157860712704663292.post-31035582515047622212012-01-23T01:46:00.003-05:002012-01-23T11:07:03.693-05:00Music Monday: 2011 in ReviewOne thing I have really enjoyed over the past year has been 'discovering' new music. The internet is overflowing with fresh sound and talent, and it's exciting to come across something wonderful that you've never heard before. Almost as fun is sharing my discoveries with others. I've usually done this through word-of-mouth, Facebook and (less effectively) Twitter. I've blogged a few of them, but it occurred to me recently that it would be fun to blog my favorite music discoveries (new to me, anyway) of 2011 all in one post. So, here we go. . .<br /><br /><B>**</B> <I>Poison and Wine</I> by <B>The Civil Wars</B><br /><iframe width="420" height="243" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/WfzRlcnq_c0?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />The Civil Wars top my list of favorites that I first heard in 2011. I bought the whole album, and have been listening to it all year. Not tired of it yet. Second favorite track is <I>Falling</I>.<br /><iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/tkxFA7nzLFg?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br /><B>**</B> <I>Heart's A Mess</I> by <B>Gotye</B><br /><iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/GnXFJOXvL_A?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />This is definitely at the top of my list- Gotye's most recent album "Making Mirrors" is one of only four full albums I purchased in 2011. Again, I've been listening to it incessantly and I'm not tired of it yet! I'm excited to hear the single <I>Somebody That I Used to Know</I> is now getting some airplay on a local radio station.<br /><iframe width="420" height="243" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/8UVNT4wvIGY?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br /><B>**</B> <I>White Winter Hymnal</I> by <B>Fleet Foxes</B>. . . I just love this song, and the video. It's another one that has stuck with me reliably. Interestingly, nothing else by Fleet Foxes has grabbed my imagination quite like this one has.<br /><iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/DrQRS40OKNE?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br /><B>**</B> <I>You Will Love This Song</I> by Amber Rubarth<br /><iframe width="420" height="243" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/MrA3FdPZEbE?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />This is fabulous and charming. Check out her other project, too- the band <B>Paper Raincoat</B>- here's <I>Sympathetic Vibrations</I><br /><iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/KDLWqa7RcjA?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br /><B>**</B> <I>Black Rock</I> by <B>The Infamous Stringdusters</B><br /><iframe width="420" height="243" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/YEghQY3M_8Y?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />This is an older video, and the band continues to evolve in new and exciting directions. It remains one of my favorite videos of theirs however, and it was key to me becoming enamored of their music last year. I have seen them play live several times now, and it is RIDICULOUS. Ridiculously, astonishingly good. Full disclosure: Billy is producing their next album. . . but I can honestly tell you my appreciation for this band stands entirely on its own. They definitely belong here in my top list.<br /><br /><B>**</B> <I>Mango Tree</I> by <B>Angus and Julia Stone</B><br /><iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/IUpPzVLBEbg?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />I simply adore this song, and a few others of theirs, as well. Check out <I>Hold On</I>, too- just stunning.<br /><iframe width="420" height="243" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/c0VKlQl5fOc?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br /><B>**</B> <I>I Don't Know</I> by <B>Lisa Hannigan</B><br /><iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/WSaPbVjcrp4?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />This is delightful, and I also love the live version performed at Dick Mac's Pub. Check out her other videos, too- she makes me happy.<br /><br /><B>**</B> <I>Bouncing Stones</I> by <B>Spoonbill</B><br /><iframe width="420" height="243" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/AuxJkVA3zFc?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />Very, very cool. I love the groove and the video, too. Also check out <I>Feather Leather</I>:<br /><iframe width="420" height="243" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/4P_lhmM_tiY?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br /><B>**</B> <I>Closer To Love</I> by <B>Mat Kearney</B><br /><iframe width="420" height="243" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/EMRXXBGotnw?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />This is another full album that I bought, and have thoroughly enjoyed.<br /><br />For the 10th, here's just a random selection of some other favs:<br /><br />* <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_oMD6-6q5Y" Target="_blank"><I>I Am Not a Robot</I></a> by <B>Marina and the Diamonds</B><br />* <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDTZ7iX4vTQ&ob=av3e" Target="_blank"><I>Pumped Up Kicks</I></a> by <B>Foster the People</B><br />* <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEXhAMtbaec" Target="_blank"><I>Gravity</I></a> by <B>Sara Bareilles</B><br />* <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6_lF0Klz5Y" Target="_blank"><I>Loving Strangers</I></a> by <B>Russian Red</B> <br />* <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36bItoBXpxk" Target="_blank"><I>A Little Bit of Everything</I></a> by <B>Dawes</B><br /><br />What did I forget? What great music did you discover last year?Kithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098068645236332284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3157860712704663292.post-67485731086271616372012-01-22T21:30:00.003-05:002012-01-22T22:21:22.595-05:00FogFoggy, misty, mysterious when<br />Shimmering halos adorn every light<br />The very air, soft, kisses your skin<br />Gentle caresses of water take flight<br /><br />Unseen things seem to lurk<br />Just past my eye's periphery<br />Dancing magic in the murk,<br />Or just mine eyes' trickery?Kithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098068645236332284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3157860712704663292.post-50356264539809671842012-01-17T21:52:00.004-05:002012-01-17T22:05:35.337-05:00"Press Pause Play": A Brief ReviewI just finished watching "Press Pause Play", a documentary on the current revolution in the music and film industries (with a little bit about print publishing and art thrown in). I can't say I think it's a particularly good documentary. It looks and sounds good, but it's terrible at communicating any cohesive *point*. . . other than that the industry is changing and nobody has any clue where the hell it will end up.<br /><br />Still it's interesting and I already want to watch it again to revisit some of the viewpoints and quotes expressed here and there in the film. I am left with the impression that there are some very valuable things said, if I can just weed them out of the rest of the movie. I want to think further on some of the ideas. I'm glad I watched it, and I recommend it to anyone invested in the music or film industry right now. Maybe you'll be inspired to do this better. :)<br /><br /><iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/34608191?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" width="400" height="225" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/34608191">PressPausePlay</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/houseofradon">House of Radon</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>Kithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098068645236332284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3157860712704663292.post-32161772793521076362012-01-16T13:00:00.004-05:002012-01-16T13:38:27.779-05:00New Year's Letter- 2011 RecapJanuary 2012<br /><br />Dearest Family and Friends,<br /> 2011. . . it was certainly an unusual year for us, full of new discoveries and deepening friendships, disappointments, struggles and many blessings. As you no doubt remember, Billy lost his beloved parents in 2010. This loss still aches, as it will for many, many years to come.<br /><br /> We hope to move our little family to Billy's parents’ previous home in GA. We must pay Billy’s siblings before we may move into the family property. To that end, we are trying to sell (or possibly lease) our house in Suwanee. The real estate market is so difficult right now, that we are doing anything in our power to help make this happen. To keep the house in Suwanee clean and show-ready, we moved out last April. Since then, we have been the grateful guests of very dear friends, and our combined families (four adults, six boys ages 4 to 12, four dogs and two cats) have been humming along surprisingly well!<br /><br /> Our experiment in communal living has been helpful to me on so many levels- it’s been wonderful to have the added support (both practical and emotional) of other adults, and the kids have enjoyed having more playmates every day. I could go on and on about the experience, but suffice it to say it has been unimaginably valuable, and I am in awe of the friendships we have developed. Though I am very eager to move forward into our home, the parting will be bittersweet.<br /><br /> Even with the added excitement of trying to sell a house, managing Billy’s parents’ estate, new communal living arrangements, and the continuing changes in the music business, our year was also full of fun activities and learning. We’ve had some hiking and camping trips, LOTS of field trips and activities with our fabulous homeschool group, and a road trip to Virginia for Festy, a wonderful camping/music festival.<br /><br /> The boys are thriving. Littleman (8 yrs) displays an unending curiosity of the world around him, seeking always to understand. His latest major interest is skateboarding- he received a skateboard for Christmas, and is determined to ride it well! The Pirate (6) has had a particularly good year it seems- he’s made leaps and bounds in his self-esteem and social skills. He self-identifies as an artist, and continues to practice art often. Babyman (4) is growing fast, of course. He’s talkative and frighteningly adventurous. He loves to hike, climb and zoom around on his scooter. He can turn on the cute charm whenever he wants to, and he knows how to use it!<br /><br /> Billy is still busy at work, which considering the current state of the music business is a testament to his skill and dedication. While the shifts in the music industry have been difficult, they are also exciting and I have high hopes that the end results will be positive, both for us and for new music in the future.<br /><br /> Of course I’ve been busy, what with everyday life and the added variables I’ve already mentioned. I’ve let many things slide, such as my blog, the boys’ blog, pleasure reading, photography, and my Etsy shop. At least I’ve found some creative outlet by practicing my knitting! Also, I’ve put a lot of energy into meal planning and cooking. . . it’s been necessary to help feed so many people, and the experience has been invaluable! I like to cook.<br /><br /> So as you can see, 2011 was an interesting year! We are all doing well, and are looking forward to even better things to come in 2012. I hope this finds you healthy and happy. I miss blogging, and hope to get back to it more this year. Please comment, email, or hit me up on Twitter (@kit_mama) anytime! I love to hear from you!<br /><br /> Kiss your loved ones, and go thank those special people who help you get through your days. They are a priceless treasure in our lives. :)<br /> Brightest blessings on you and yours. . . Love Always,<br /><br />Kit & Billy, Littleman, The Pirate & Babyman<br /><br /><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf" width="288" height="192" flashvars="host=picasaweb.google.com&hl=en_US&feat=flashalbum&RGB=0x000000&feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2Fkitmama%2Falbumid%2F5698298364322491553%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"></embed><br /><br /><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/wny6ntws91vOwy8UqV-x19MTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggYfh4xzoIZKa9O33irHBf6JMAy8aojwk9mo-UjU0d5VsXsYuWfvv_gaF8jnxxQksGeJ-Z82XiQG-rO6ver7W_KZbkmJpwD9RyreHA1tVNOkxl6HYsKogKoARQFASw6u22fT02k_zlWUI/s400/DSCN6768.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a><br />The whole combined family (minus a couple dogs and cats), pictured Spring 2010Kithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098068645236332284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3157860712704663292.post-57661956280440559582012-01-05T17:10:00.000-05:002012-01-05T17:39:24.538-05:00Homeschool SnapshotIn a sort of continuation of my last post, I am still mulling over various aspects of my homeschool techniques, and the criticisms that are directed at me for them. One difficulty of Unschooling is that, particularly with younger learners, there is very little concrete evidence that learning is actually occurring. By "concrete", I am speaking of something that one can hold and read, that can be seen and filed away, that represents tidy, direct evidence that certain (specific) skills have been mastered.<br /><br />This is a real problem for me, because I am expected to deliver concrete evidence that I am doing my job well. One way that I have addressed this issue is through yearly standardized testing, but that's not enough. I also try to collect art work and examples of writing, to file away in a portfolio of sorts. It can be hard in the chaos of normal life, but I do hope to get better at it. Still however, the incidental byproducts of our adventurous unschooling existence are seldom tidy little examples of a narrow definition of learning, that I can collect and file away for later scrutiny.<br /><br />One suggestion that has been made to me very earnestly is that I carry a notebook with me, and every time something of an "educational" nature occurs with one of the boys, I am to note it down. This will enable me to show some sort of record of learning, to keep track of the boys' interests and curiosities, and make it possible for me to test them later on things we have covered.<br /><br />This sounds very reasonable unless you've lived the unschooling lifestyle. Are there any unschoolers reading this? Am I right? I'm not sure. I know, for me, the thought of carrying a notebook everywhere with me and keeping track of every "learning" moment throughout the day sounds like a gargantuan task. I have a hard enough time meeting everyone's constant needs, without trying continually to put things into words and take notes. Not to mention, much of their learning happens independently. And ultimately, I don't think this task has any value for increasing the efficacy of their education. It's value lies solely in reassuring detractors. Is such a huge effort, then, worth the sacrifices it would entail?<br /><br />When presented with this idea, I thought of a recent incident of "learning" (they're really learning all the time, not just when the topic is "school"-related) that occurred just a few days ago. We were visiting Charlottesville, Va as a family. Billy was combining work with pleasure, and he was busy for several hours recording while I entertained the three boys. I had walked with them to a nearby playground.<br /><br />In addition to fun climbing equipment and swings, the playground was abundantly equipped with spinning devices. There was a spinning <a href="http://2009.gp.co.at/works/nest/">"Nest"</a> which the boys had no end of fun in, twisty poles, and several "spinner bowls", like these:<br /><iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/yNpbl6F4JkY?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />The bowls are set into the ground at an angle. Littleman sat down into one, and looked a little bemused.<br />"How do I make it go?", he asked me.<br />"You have to use gravity and your own weight to make it spin.", I replied. "Lean forward."<br />He did, and the shift in weight immediately caused the cup to spin him 180 degrees so that the greatest mass was on the downhill side.<br />"Good", I said, "now lean back."<br />Which of course resulted in another 180 degree spin back to where he'd started.<br />He grinned.<br />"Now just keep doing that, in rhythm, until you get spinning really well.", I told him.<br />"Why does that work?", he asked me.<br /><br />This then, was one of those "teachable moments" when I find myself doing my best to distill a fairly complicated answer into something that will satisfy Littleman while still accurately explaining the concepts at hand. Funny how such a deceptively simple question can really be tough to explain. So I launched into a brief description of rotation, momentum and centrifugal force. . to the best of my ability, because my understanding is admittedly hazy and I did not have my laptop handy for quick research.<br /><br />Littleman experimented with shifting his weight, spinning, trying different rhythms and trying to speed up or slow down. Those bowls get going very fast! It was perfect for experimenting with rotational physics. Even though my explanation was imperfect, it was enough to plant seeds of knowledge in Littleman's head that he will be able to build on very well. That, combined with the very concrete knowledge of what these forces <I>feel</I> like, will make it easier for him to fully understand when the subject is visited again.<br /><br />While all this is going on however, I am monitoring Babyman's activities all over the playground, and simultaneously eavesdropping on the conversation that the Pirate is having with a man that we don't know. I am in an unfamiliar place, trying to remain aware of our surroundings. I'm tired and my brain is sluggish from an 8 hour drive the previous day and a persistent head cold. Before I can finish, I am interrupted by Babyman who needs me to push him on the swings. Then the Pirate wants to swing. Then Littleman and Babyman start fighting over the Nest. Next Littleman is introducing me to his new friend. . .<br /><br />I have trouble imagining myself, with all the other things demanding my attention, simultaneously taking notes in my mind as the conversation unfolded, and then stopping everything to locate my notebook and write my notes down. Then, multiply that by the many, many times that such moments occur throughout the day. This assumes that I even recognize these moments when they occur. . . learning is so seamlessly integrated into our lives that I'm usually not pigeonholing our experiences into "school" and "not school". It would require that I view all my interactions with my children through this lens of "education". I think the ramifications for the kids and me would be far-reaching and mostly negative.<br /><br />Then again, maybe <I>I</I> am the one being negative. I just don't know.Kithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098068645236332284noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3157860712704663292.post-36997838066894482282012-01-04T11:50:00.005-05:002012-01-04T13:43:22.686-05:00UnschoolingWow, it has been a long time. There are many reasons for my blog absence, and perhaps I will go into them in a later post. For now though, I want to write a few things about homeschooling. They are, of course, merely my own thoughts and experiences. I don't presume to say this applies to anyone other than our own family.<br /><br />As I've probably mentioned, I homeschool our three boys- now aged 8, 6 and 4. I do not believe in doing "school at home"- if I wanted to impose timed classes and pre-written curricula on my children, I would seek a good school for their education. It would certainly be easier on me. Instead, our learning is very fluid, completely integrated into our daily life. We do not have separate time for "school", or even designated "school days". I do not have an external curriculum for my children to follow. I do not write lesson plans, administer pop quizzes, or assign projects. Instead, I actively seek to create an environment for my children that is varied, interesting and enriching, full of exciting and challenging experiences. I listen to them, and I seek to answer their questions as accurately and completely as I can, at the level (or just slightly above) they can understand.<br /><br />I often ask questions and introduce ideas or experiences that might spark curiosity or further questioning from my children, but I do not force them to memorize facts in order that they may spit them out accurately later. If, after answering a question, the child is still interested in a topic, I will continue the conversation and often seek media to help me illustrate and expand on the topic. I have been pleased with the information that they retain, but the real payoff is in making connections between ideas and developing a less quantifiable, but more fundamental understanding of how the world works.<br /><br />My approach is based on the ideas and theories of the educational researcher John Holt, who wrote extensively about education from the 60s until his death in 1985. He is considered by many to be the founder of the "Unschooling" movement- a term he coined to describe learning that did not take place in a school or a school-like environment. (As I recall, despite the fact that he came up with the term he said he felt it was rather inadequate, as it is based on what the method is NOT instead of describing what the method IS. He said it was the best he could come up with in one word. But don't quote me on that. I don't feel like hunting up his exact words right now.)<br /><br />Unschooling, while still a young and controversial movement, has continued to grow since John Holt first introduced the idea. It is a difficult movement to pin down, since it is still defined more by what it does not practice, than by what it does. This is because the unschooling approach is extremely individualized, responding to the interests and needs of individual children and families, rather than imposing a standardized external model. It's hard to define something that looks different for every practitioner. In addition, unschooling is, in practice, often nearly inseparable from parenting methods, making it that much more difficult to study the effects of the practice without being influenced by the widely varying personalities and familial experiences of the unschoolers themselves. Are positive or negative results of unschooling due to the philosophy and educational practice, or are they moreso the result of parental practices? Is it even possible to separate the two? I don't have the answers to these questions. My concern is, "Is it right for my children?" I think, at least in the realm of "education", that it is.<br /><br />I am often questioned, sometimes vehemently, about the advisability of using such an untested and controversial model for educating our children. "How can that possibly work?" "Kids don't know what they should learn!" "How will unschooled kids ever adapt to the real world?" "They will have huge gaps in their education." "They will grow up and feel that you failed them." "They will not be equipped to compete in a changing and extremely competitive, cutthroat world." "Show me evidence that this method works." "You aren't challenging them enough." "I need proof that they are learning." And so on, and so forth.<br /><br />I have been tasked with finding evidence that Unschooling "works". That Unschooled kids can grow up to be successful, productive adults. That they can adapt to a world which seeks to impose external requirements and frameworks, requires one to be on time, and often requires one to work hard at something one does not like, in order to reach a goal. That Unschooling will not leave kids struggling to compete in a world that does not cater to their individual interests. Unfortunately, there has been little (if any) standardized research done on Unschooling and its results. I am continuing to seek and read what information I can find, and I am compiling a list of links relevant to this research. If you have any ideas or suggestions, I welcome the help. :)<br /><br />* * *<br /><br />PS- I should note, that I am not strictly an Unschooler in my actual homeschool practice. I do require my children to complete some "educational" tasks, even at their sometimes objections. The older they are, the more likely I am to impose some "forced" "learning" activities. My 8 yr old is in second grade this year (his birthday is in October), so I require him to complete some coursework in an online curriculum called "Time 4 Learning". My 6 yr old is in first grade, and I "force" him to sit down with me and work on reading from time to time. I question them occasionally on topics (such as money value, geography, or subtraction for instance) to see for myself how easily and completely they seem to remember and understand those things. I also administered the standardized CAT test at the beginning of this school year, which is not very "Unschool" of me. ;) I plan to administer a standardized test yearly, to help me keep track of "expected" learning and to help reassure my relevant detractors.Kithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098068645236332284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3157860712704663292.post-90419970007949528252011-05-24T01:01:00.004-04:002011-05-24T01:17:48.362-04:00Music Monday: The Civil WarsI'm a little late for Monday, since it's now very early Tuesday morning. But I need to share this music with you. So here is a Music Monday post on Tuesday.<br /><br />"Poison & Wine" by The Civil Wars<br /><iframe width="560" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Y-6EwdDiopQ?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br />This song tears me apart and I love everything about it. Check out their other stuff, too. It's really pretty stunning.<br /><br />Great website: <a href="http://thecivilwars.com/" Target="_blank">http://thecivilwars.com/</a>Kithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098068645236332284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3157860712704663292.post-77418408971117753312011-05-05T19:54:00.004-04:002011-05-05T22:58:30.278-04:00Storms, Cookies and GivingThough it has been largely overshadowed in the <a href="http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/04/29/scenes-from-a-tornado-disaster-zone-it-just-gets-worse-and-worse/" Target="_blank">news</a>, most of us have still heard about the <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/28/tuscaloosa-alabama-tornado-video-2011_n_854811.html" Target="_blank">terrible storms</a> that ripped through parts of the United States last week. We were poised for action here if it was needed, but thankfully the worst avoided us. However not that far away, Tuscaloosa AL was <a href="http://www.facebook.com/#!/media/set/?set=a.1851384337129.102012.1616390795" Target="_blank">partially leveled</a> by tornadoes. I have family in Tuscaloosa, and though some of them now have serious property damage to contend with I am very happy to say that none of them was seriously injured.<br /><br />Today I baked up a storm of my own, turning out a small mountain of chocolate chip cookies to ship to friends and relatives in Alabama. If you would like to help out, please consider donating to the <a href="http://www.redcross.org/" Target="_blank">Red Cross</a>, to the <a href="http://www.givetuscaloosa.com/" Target="_blank">Tuscaloosa Disaster Relief Fund</a>, or to <a href="http://www.epicchurch.tv/index.php?page=whats-happening" Target="_blank">Epic Church</a> which is providing trailers and supplies for families which have lost everything in the storms. All are worthy organizations that are helping a great deal.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.redcross.org" Target="_blank">http://www.redcross.org</a><br /><a href="http://www.givetuscaloosa.com/" Target="_blank">http://www.givetuscaloosa.com/</a><br /><a href="http://www.epicchurch.tv" Target="_blank">http://www.epicchurch.tv</a>Kithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098068645236332284noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3157860712704663292.post-25520812580346150472011-04-25T10:20:00.003-04:002011-04-25T11:08:33.648-04:00Music Monday: PogoBilly introduced me to this artist, who creates wonderful electronic music from samples, often gleaned from popular movies. He edits videos to go along with the music, combining the source of the samples with imagery to set the perfect mood. My favorite songs are created from "real life" samples, like this one of his mother's garden:<br /><br />"Gardyn" by Pogo<br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" width="640" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/cBN-CAhOYQ0?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br />Or this one from his travels in Johannesburg:<br />"Joburg Jam" by Pogo<br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" width="640" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/bs66ORnV5jU?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br />And here is one of his movie remixes, from the Pixar movie "Up":<br />"UPular" by Pogo<br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" width="640" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/A2yt1ooLQGo?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br />Look him up on youtube to see more videos; there are lots of great movie remixes (including "The Lord of the Rings"!). Also, check him out at <a href="http://www.pogomix.net/" Target="_blank">http://www.pogomix.net/</a> to read more about him, about his World Remix Project, and to purchase some of his tracks.Kithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098068645236332284noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3157860712704663292.post-20388052745001327642011-04-22T17:33:00.003-04:002011-04-23T14:26:53.169-04:00Little Boy ProjectsI'm afraid I have not been very good at making a note of all the various projects and adventures all our boys have got up to in the last couple weeks. I can't remember them all, but here is a small sample:<br /><br />- The kids turned the mulch pile at the end of the driveway into "Mulch Mountain", a replica of <a href="http://www.stonemountainpark.com/" Target="_blank">Stone Mountain</a> complete with buildings and a functioning cable car, all fashioned of gardening tools and assorted paraphernalia gleaned from the garage.<br /><br />- Many insects have been captured, followed each time by impassioned petitions to be allowed to keep said insects as "pets". If they survive long enough, they are released back into the wild backyard.<br /><br />- The kids have planted a garden, set out avocado pits to sprout, and planted several flower pots' worth of seeds.<br /><br />- One kid has learned how to ride his bike. He also lost a tooth. The tooth came out when another boy sat on his face.<br /><br />- Many forts have been built and deconstructed. One of the forts was a radio station. Sample playlist: Queen, That 1 Guy, Evanescence, Rush. . .<br /><br />- Three boys decided to play "Robbers", and to that end began building a ladder with which to climb into Mama & Papa Bears' bedroom window. They were wearing helmets and life vests, which apparently somehow made this idea OK. THAT project was halted post-haste.<br /><br />- One boy created a calendar on the dining room wall out of sticky notes. "ESTR" Sunday is clearly labeled. The month started out with 30 days, but now April has 44 days, divided into 13-day weeks. Nice of them to give us the extra time, don't you think? I could sure use it to get this blog back on track. :)Kithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098068645236332284noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3157860712704663292.post-28337653162607679772011-04-11T20:47:00.007-04:002011-04-14T00:55:28.271-04:00Co-Hab Project: Week OneUm.<br /><br />I hardly know where to begin.<br /><br />Things are humming along in my corner of the world, sometimes with a few more RPMs than I can handle. All in all though, I am feeling most excellent about our days here in our new abode with the Bears.<br /><br />I will try to get blogging more often, because every day is an adventure around here and there is a lot going on. How could there not be, with no fewer than <I><B>6</B></I> young, active boys running around all day, 3 (sometimes 4) dogs, 2 cats, 2 vibrant mamas, 1 Dad working (mostly) onsite and 1 Dad in and out at odd hours. Throw in a perpetually evolving full slate of projects and a near-constant stream of visiting friends, and you might begin to form an idea of life in La Casa de los Osos. My dear friend Mo is a blogger too, so you can read about some of our shenanigans over at <a href="http://fivebearsablogging.blogspot.com/" Target="_blank">Five Bears A-Blogging</a>.<br /><br />Our first week of co-hab went very well indeed. Our families mesh amazingly well, and even the dogs (because I had to bring our Gypsy with us) settled in together with very little fuss. Household rules and schedules, chores and study time are being assimilated pretty well. I only have a couple laundry baskets' worth of stuff left to unpack. The kids are delighting in a greater freedom, which I can afford to allow because there are other responsible eyes helping me keep watch. And I have had to adjust quite a bit to accommodate this newfound sensation of having other adults (and older kids) to help me accomplish everything that needs to get done in a day. It's pretty damn wonderful, actually.<br /><br />This week has been a week of finding rhythms, of learning our place in a larger system and how best to work together for mutual benefit. It's an exercise that our small nuclear families often never get the opportunity to fully engage, and one that I think is extremely valuable. It's also eminently sensible: I continue to be amazed at how much I can get accomplished with the simple addition of a few more responsible caretakers who can help carry the load. With other folks around to answer questions, take care of Babyman's needs, keep an eye on creative activities, help with chores, help keep kids on task, and stay home if I need to run an errand, my days run SO much more smoothly than before. When I think about all the things that the other adults and the older kids are helping with, and consider that I used to do all those things by myself, I am impressed that I ever accomplished <I>anything</I> at home before.<br /><br />Now, this doesn't mean I have turned into Supermom, nor did I accomplish everything I set out to do last week. But there have been many, many times that I completed a task and looked around with a strong sense that I was forgetting something. . . only to realize that I hadn't forgotten it, it had simply been taken care of by someone else. Thus I was free to move on to the next task, whether it be mopping the kitchen, reading out loud to the kids or baking some cookies for bedtime snack.<br /><br />In addition to my new ability to accomplish things, I am thrilled with the effect this has had on my kids' daily activities. They are engaging in very creative projects, and playing outdoors a lot. It's the sort of thing I couldn't afford to allow before, because there simply wasn't enough of me to keep an eye on things and still keep our days moving forward. I love that every time I give the boys a bath they are <I>filthy</I>. They've been <I>doing</I> things. It's great.<br /><br />So, I officially declare our first week to be a success. I could definitely get used to this co-hab thing. It may not be for everyone, but if you can hit on the right chemistry of folks it's a divine way of raising families.Kithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098068645236332284noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3157860712704663292.post-26086703347553838952011-03-12T17:03:00.003-05:002011-03-12T17:18:26.909-05:00Changes!I just want to check in with a quick update, since things have been so quiet here on the blog. I have been absent here because I am focusing all my energy on MOVING. Billy and I are putting our house on the market, and to that end we will be moving out so that these 1280 sq ft are not overrun with messy kids and dogs while potential buyers check it out. We are immeasurably blessed to have wonderful <a href="http://fivebearsablogging.blogspot.com/" Target="_blank">friends</a> who are opening their home to us while the house is on the market. It will be an adventure!! I am actually looking forward to this experiment in cooperative communal living. :)<br /><br />So, to that end I have been completely immersed in sorting, purging and packing. It's really astonishing how much STUFF we have accumulated in 11 years since moving into this house. Of course, we had 3 babies in that time period, and I also have all the paperwork associated with owning our own businesses. It's <I>A LOT</I>. But we are making good progress.<br /><br />I'm sorry to have to set my blog aside for now, but I can only do so much. :) I am sure I will be checking in next month if I do not find time before then.<br /><br />Happy Spring!!Kithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098068645236332284noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3157860712704663292.post-4784771607378520732011-02-28T18:42:00.004-05:002011-02-28T18:49:35.936-05:00Music Monday: Marina and the DiamondsI'm a little obsessed with this song right now. Fresh in pop music, and I LOVE it!<br /><br />Marina and the Diamonds with "I Am Not A Robot"<br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" width="560" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/S_oMD6-6q5Y?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Kithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098068645236332284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3157860712704663292.post-27806169964912451002011-02-04T13:09:00.009-05:002011-02-04T14:09:20.132-05:00A Painting From my PastYears ago, I was a penniless undergrad (art student) at the University of Georgia. I spent a lot of time in the Athens coffee shops, reading, writing and studying in between classes and work. My beloved Blue Sky Coffee house (OH! The Dancing Goats blend!) is gone now, and so is the downtown Jittery Joe's. But <a href="http://www.espressoroyale.com/location.php?id=1" Target="_blank">Espresso Royale</a>, a stalwart landmark of downtown Athens, still sits just down the road from the old <a href="http://art.uga.edu/" Target="_blank">Lamar Dodd School of Art</a> location. It was there when I first explored UGA as an option for higher education, and it is still in business now.<br /><br />Sometimes I did not have even enough money to get a cup of coffee. Those days, I would buy a bagel for 75 cents (but not the 50 cent package of cream cheese) and get a cup of hot water to go with it. I'd brew my own tea with a teabag from home, and use the complimentary honey and butter for my bagel. I felt a little guilty, but at least I was buying <I>something</I> in exchange for taking up a table. Funny how fondly I remember these times. (And funny to think a bagel only cost 75 cents!)<br /><br />Espresso Royale, like all the coffee shops and many other Athens businesses, served as a gallery space for local artists. The walls hosted an ever-changing display of local talent from painters, photographers, fiber artists, illustrators, printmakers. . . I loved to see what would turn up.<br /><br />One day I looked up to spy this:<br /><img src="https://estore.uga.edu/C21653_ustores/web/images/store_73/Fall1999.jpg" width="auto" height="500" alt="Flight of Angela by Terry Rowlett" /><br />Well, I spied the painting on the wall, not a blurry reproduction of the painting on a magazine cover. Sadly, this is the best image that my limited internet skillz can reproduce for you here.<br /><br />I was captivated by this painting. There's just something about it, something inspiring and beautiful, that spoke to me immediately and stuck with me ever after. I have never forgotten it. Many times over the years I've thought about it, and wondered who painted it (I'd checked, but had forgotten the artist's name), and where it was by then.<br /><br />Yesterday I was making assorted phone calls that needed making, and during frequent hold times I started idly searching the internet for this painting. I had little to go on: girl in a yellow dress, Athens GA artist, surrealist style. But guess what? I found it! I found <a href="http://www.terryrowlett.com/" Target="_blank">the artist</a>!<br /><br />His name is <a href="http://www.terryrowlett.com/about.html" Target="_blank">Terry Rowlett</a>, and his portfolio is an inspiring collection of interwoven dreams and realities. You can browse the portfolio here:<br /><a href="http://www.terryrowlett.com/portfolio.html" Target="_blank">http://www.terryrowlett.com/portfolio.html</a><br />And this painting from my past, called "Flight of Angela", is there on page 7. Click on it to view it larger- you can actually see it well.<br /><br />I love the internet. :)Kithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098068645236332284noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3157860712704663292.post-24886892650445492272011-01-26T00:32:00.000-05:002011-01-26T00:32:00.408-05:00Photo Blog: Friends on the Chattahoochee<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/enPpH3qPVsb8Z5h5Q6Th1w?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_RvA12Hn7kQs/TT5YV0QnhkI/AAAAAAAACqw/iqIVQ2SzSG4/s400/DSCN7806.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a><br />One lovely day in September, Billy and I took our boys and two friends out for an afternoon of fun on the Chattahoochee River. Here's just a few of the pictures from that day.<br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/LU0WmSUUo9PY3KvCOWvYJA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_RvA12Hn7kQs/TT5X-gdlKBI/AAAAAAAACqs/C01vd11VFgQ/s400/DSCN7864.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/YK1UopJ_h2u8DG7aXRpqAA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_RvA12Hn7kQs/TT5ZNvPZaiI/AAAAAAAACq4/h_SZLXS8NOo/s400/DSCN7825.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/L-2R-Tnjnh9vmn7-7AQBBQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrWgNUOVCIWyuyJa_owya15TgptZJj3S7zVzuMl08-7d2i9RlGx6UIzV7GyU6eutBUOkxnpEErwCod3waIFNlVhTDdlHL3iXDc1NdvsImv0sDXxIguT97LR0STMmU5NJ2La0DSz7IlAnU/s400/DSCN7829.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/p6e3VrkOgimTYJnONU6yOw?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTM9jXD2mz5YDCsIrSiEFclKX90IFCdPUbmgtgElPqDdLa3siess451qDrGMzS2LvvDLlh_hcfdpkunQozdgbQG8IuGUUYtYDwNcIUk2hZluto-fQ0o0RQB72UA44nkSpDAFoeWoVp0Xs/s400/DSCN7842.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/fHmlV5H9qLLeHS3fwBFrQw?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_RvA12Hn7kQs/TT5Z7itPd6I/AAAAAAAACrA/6Jg1pHJZjcY/s400/DSCN7817.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/km14DQt0OohmBLcNYsmjHA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjduWrrHoYyJxVxqSEnmleJqgLTOVSvH5gvUHvUMU6VFzv659NWbb3_wlpVPXUceV6nlSUie7PiYh1_TJ8LASqD112MMpOIGWnKqNJZPlZygn-_YwgZ3UOiP5mrnn7LcwewerG25T7vWLc/s400/DSCN7871.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/FcHgLHg2u_aA44CMPRbKQA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_RvA12Hn7kQs/TT5ai0bca4I/AAAAAAAACrI/piHgSFSr2UE/s400/DSCN7877.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/pdjULYzh7oKaMM0ZFFL-4A?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_RvA12Hn7kQs/TT5a30EqbHI/AAAAAAAACrM/GULCpo-rHkI/s400/DSCN7857.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/zVlQK_doEzzyqcr1aYP8-A?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_RvA12Hn7kQs/TT5bMCPcGbI/AAAAAAAACrQ/VebXA5bWIN0/s400/DSCN7890.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a>Kithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098068645236332284noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3157860712704663292.post-35077283311112812532011-01-24T01:00:00.001-05:002011-01-24T01:00:01.660-05:00Music Monday: Fleet FoxesThis song was introduced to me by a couple of the Dads in our awesome homeschool group. I love the tune, and the video is brilliance.<br /><br />"White Winter Hymnal" by Fleet Foxes<br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" class="youtube-player" type="text/html" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/DrQRS40OKNE?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowFullScreen></iframe>Kithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098068645236332284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3157860712704663292.post-89064455496787177892011-01-21T18:42:00.004-05:002011-01-21T19:32:38.820-05:00TempestOur ship is tempest-tossed, the gale is raging endlessly on. Every slackening of rainfall is but a brief respite before the next wave crashes down. A year we've been riding this storm. Unlike some storms we've weathered before, there is little about this to quicken the heart and feed our wildest spirits- this tempest beats down relentless, and all the frantic tasks to stay afloat merge into an exhausted dream.<br /><br />Still, I can marvel at the waves, towering majestics, great kings of water rolling and crashing. I gasp at the explosion of light sparkling briefly from the school of fish below. The lightning is a deadly gift, dangerously beautiful, and the thunder reverberates down into my toes. And there, look! Do you see? A break in the clouds, however brief, to reveal the moon shining ever on, separate and eternal in the velvet night beyond. Do you see it, love? Can you see?<br /><br />But you feel you've been washed overboard, and you cling desperately to what lifeline you can hold, separate now from our floating haven, mercilessly shoved about by forces beyond your control. You cannot catch your breath, and you cannot see. I am reaching my hand out to you, as waves wash you near. Can you catch my fingers, love? Can you climb back aboard with me, and share this journey again?Kithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098068645236332284noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3157860712704663292.post-13735288421252990392011-01-19T00:09:00.000-05:002011-01-19T00:09:00.530-05:00Wordless Wednesday<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/-QOAhAc3JD7O3ZXBUg7HoA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOtjUPVIBYtfzk6CvoEHjRyLFauLd1pAUCSYcC_Lwv7RjAhlsbuaZisq6QjBmbpJNIVWTQnIwE_BnhRGra34jzgEoVwKEhpaFmsIHixlfhj2Xghj9HS_lwhhmmbZZXfe8l8geoApzkOUU/s400/DSCF2181.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/M_B-Q2kWcef9nAuY_g8aoQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_RvA12Hn7kQs/TSuD1rPhXCI/AAAAAAAACoE/QlnlnSgyeg4/s400/DSCF2183.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/fd9NMXE8XXyMWsiiBUfM0A?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_RvA12Hn7kQs/TSuD4VnBBzI/AAAAAAAACoI/LRGoleNJwz4/s400/DSCF2179.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a>Kithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098068645236332284noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3157860712704663292.post-30517954992906768762011-01-14T15:12:00.000-05:002011-01-14T23:57:46.652-05:00Huckleberry Knob AdventureThe next morning of our Robbinsville trip dawned grey and very rainy. We'd expected to hike, so a change of plans was in order. We hunted up a great little <a href="http://www.csbookstore.com/" Target="_blank">bookstore</a>/<a href="http://www.thedailygrindandwine.com/" Target="_blank">cafe/wine store</a> (yes, really!) in Andrews, North Carolina, and spent the morning browsing books before enjoying a delicious cafe lunch. By the time we'd finished, the weather had cleared up enough that we decided to go for a hike after all.<br /><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/v2a_zstLtdEqNUwJTJmJaA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNnvEM-LqC5Rx56GQ9BgwR7NApduHuAfWXUVN41mqnQXCvbmr09o6PpLfcNro-nnuVmHPRa3vZyHl_b5MUCnnHhAWSGaeUASl7JcNd9I-oV8u8j67_cZxvOpQk1B0AoiFmMccuZw69PWI/s400/DSCN7726.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a><br />We drove up to <a href="http://wncoutdoorlife.blogspot.com/2009/02/our-favorite-dayhikes-part-iii.html" Target="_blank">Huckleberry Knob</a> on the <a href="http://www.cherohala.org/" Target="_blank">Cherohala Skyway</a> in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unicoi_Mountains" Target="_blank">Unicoi Mountains</a>. Huckleberry Knob is the highest point in the Cheoah Ranger District, at 5560 ft elevation. It's a nice easy hike with a stunning panorama at the top.<br /><br />We set out for the first bald, Oak Knob. The views there were already gorgeous, but we noticed some threatening rain clouds moving in. Billy and I decided to press on anyway- we wanted to get to the top!<br /><br />We hurried to Huckleberry Knob, but prudently decided to skirt the summit and remain closer to the treeline. Lightning can be unpredictable and quite dangerous in that area! We stopped for a quick snack.<br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/WjTkS0fXKVIjc-4XVTa07A?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_RvA12Hn7kQs/TSuEPk_zGBI/AAAAAAAACo4/j_r91GV_49U/s400/DSCN7750.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/mczSaWITVjpXE00_hryv0A?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_RvA12Hn7kQs/TS4gy5gjXnI/AAAAAAAACpE/sHDB-jnDrQE/s400/DSCN7742.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a><br />Just seconds after this photo was taken, I turned to Billy as we were packing up. "Do you hear that?", I asked. We listened intently for a moment with a dawning realization. "Is that wind in the trees, or is it. . .", and POW! We were slammed with the approaching wall of rain.<br /><br />We scrambled to get the boys into ponchos and rain jackets as fast as we could. We did pretty well, except we were one jacket short. So I grabbed Billy's BC Australian hat to keep the rain out of my face, and swam through the atmosphere in my jeans and shirt. I was soaked, but it was a blast!<br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/ckLfSqteXkLpVjDYbDgGRg?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQRG_Vrv-mgAyRxM_XW93AmhGY01C12q7DvWt3SHnAu3VuzVDDFclr4dTxAcIThxgPubyovpVAI_3EG5e2LAkG4AAXMeqY4j8RCbFjkBXSG6Y-L8aKzBvdXAtxdwJV-wjAADOAqn6yUco/s400/DSCN7761.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a><br />By the time we'd slogged back to Oak Knob, the rain was already leaving us. One horizon sported billowy clouds breaking apart to reveal blue sky behind, and the other revealed a full arch of rainbow, stunning against the retreating grey storm.<br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/CGs-TRF2cGgTfbaOs8PEDA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDe0WceHlMz8K3eOIu6iTOzcytJMMPHIVjZJbeqN8_c3JebpW0kOIl3JUGZobVWSl7EHKiro4xYINvzJmc11AQCktLlCvLirxeFZJW_XsXgqY8WRJDRDUIBE_BPeVo_CkUsNAuw_pMm1A/s400/DSCN7769.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a><br />We stopped, reluctant to end our outing if the weather was going to dry out.<br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/htP0OoMx7WKh2JnPIKzGig?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_RvA12Hn7kQs/TSuDstyyqfI/AAAAAAAACn0/6Ypw1Dgrmb8/s400/DSCN7746.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a><br />Soon enough, the rain ended altogether and the afternoon sun transformed the wet grass into a stunning display of scattered diamonds. We dried out for awhile in the sun and mountain breeze, and then decided to try again for Huckleberry Knob's summit.<br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/kbJ6Jz0WntHFa0CY79dZbw?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_RvA12Hn7kQs/TSuCp_0dVHI/AAAAAAAACnI/IjERFYQwj8s/s400/DSCN7776.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a><br />The view was appropriately stunning. 360 degrees of mountains greeted us, complete with rich cream clouds running over the peaks and puddling into the valleys. Everywhere around we could see the weather changing before our eyes.<br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/WJT1ULt6dNzlimDrqo8ocw?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_RvA12Hn7kQs/TSuD6xyN3LI/AAAAAAAACoM/QAaN-zv1Ipk/s400/DSCF2188.JPG" height="400" width="301" /></a><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/J_CsEy9sm_MKotNtE9OhtA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCMaXpWjUBb2Rg3G5DO1zJ06uTfh8R73N17AjRyu54vESiZXdECgnupRESxMWwqCjsmC0k15fWIqesjHyybomFB89sN6JiEcpCSyhdg3Buwcq86MQ_mdibfkPE5wdc7yvKOsF0J7PDwYI/s400/DSCN7786.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/_lZQHeZ6z4efSyDebinqPg?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_RvA12Hn7kQs/TSuEDXrRLlI/AAAAAAAACog/ZxOMNql-FeA/s400/DSCN7798.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a><br />We settled in to enjoy ourselves, admiring the views, running and playing, communing with the wind, taking pictures, relaxing and (for Billy and I) making a toast to a fabulous couple of days.<br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/KjkTaiq60pXUPLBWQWOCsA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuK7s3aK7ZG7xQ59liul_VQmtdxU1dW0k0W_NlsnBnbv62Hoz9Nbs61xqVy89lEDC3jZEfeW5s5LviDch70sG-3wR5SSh9jAHK_QbCa_kyVzau0miuiz6nsCR9TY8IKwiEapCssaxaROE/s400/DSCN7800.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a><br /><br />It was absolutely a transformative experience, a time that I will never forget.<br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/7YALvnFV7PtBTBJ8nzNcAA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlaKNxyH8rrut4Op9bilYWuAnuWWl3Q483p5rixMe0E0TvoSEbqyzgWl0dKUHei3OzzMGkZCG8PSM04j5QbmRVwcJ6v7-VaPFLf_jb0gopzm1BoqvVuZnjs2lu2EED5bk6JgFQbmIDK60/s400/DSCN7797.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/KjWFddkM1e27Rmi47pLQWg?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_RvA12Hn7kQs/TSuCyptXU3I/AAAAAAAACnc/Rs8T5QY-pXU/s400/DSCF2157.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/afzGT-GimqQO9_u189Qv7g?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_RvA12Hn7kQs/TSuDxIrvePI/AAAAAAAACn8/a2FslwHazoM/s400/DSCF2168.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/8b_Nru8VrMtX0HcjB_gq2A?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4FW-14syl9erF4166FJdLHgVY_sgOaHxUbg5kC1W-b1pS_3DeYDMLP7O2lLXf7Ayv-HBkOdk2FlEgfQ2cJNkC0cW-PKoqP1GOHPfj2jYTF_tB69vv5YJtS2vKAfuuEuilWSsehHmY2X0/s400/DSCF2165.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a><br /><br />Finally, reluctantly, we packed up and hiked out, tired and fulfilled.<br /><br />* * * * *<br />The next day would bring a drive home, and a meetup with Billy's Mom and two Aunts for dinner. It was a wonderful little visit. It would be the last time we saw Nora alive. This trip turned out to be an essential repairing and rejuvenating tonic for our souls that helped us to weather the storm ahead.<br />* * * * *<br /><br />See more Skywatch photos from all over the world! Visit <a href="http://skyley.blogspot.com/">http://skyley.blogspot.com/</a><br /><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTIg2LEkTinqWvr9DRbB8pynvqjPvvWOw-MV4l84mtk1q4HEBM0QAMwE3IIqYiZspO0jPzBFTWnqKZEo9RO9s7sRBjdRr9kTJhTxJ3TtMlvsg4-bjGHsW-dwXAl_w6ilkkP7UqVB4jAc0/s800/swftom.jpg">Kithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098068645236332284noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3157860712704663292.post-49062752641719302422011-01-07T22:23:00.008-05:002011-01-16T00:36:35.557-05:00River Rocks, Waterfalls and Joy<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/VRixIkrrtyx0Pbg80FoXZA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_RvA12Hn7kQs/TSfSrxyAubI/AAAAAAAACmk/IWz39O2lszE/s400/DSCN7635.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a><br />Last September, Billy and I took the boys up to Robbinsville, North Carolina for a simple, laid-back little getaway. No camping but nothing fancy, either.<br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/xtRsOXoLwuGrAEoe5rwc0w?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_RvA12Hn7kQs/TSfPO4la_LI/AAAAAAAAClw/i_7VNlArcNE/s400/DSCN7651.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a><br />The days were shining like new copper, early autumn sunlight pouring whiskey-golden through leaves still clinging to bright summer green.<br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/J1XBMzgl_0LThi9ZrZj4yg?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_RvA12Hn7kQs/TSfNsiHawxI/AAAAAAAAClc/LDIB4fnXOIQ/s400/DSCN7721.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a><br />We drove to the river, and climbed out on the rocks, draping ourselves over the sunniest places and trailing fingers or toes in the cold mountain water. We delighted in our plain little picnic and the joy of the moment together.<br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/AHt0Xihgthfqs-Dvw9Qbkw?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_RvA12Hn7kQs/TSfRlvwSBdI/AAAAAAAACmU/8JuJkjOGcVg/s400/DSCN7633.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a><br />There was wading (that water was cold!), rock hunting, rock skipping and silliness aplenty.<br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/H_Vd0eCXlpXff7WewpqCNQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaRMMwYsv05rfL3SpJY6iBd3iLSAHok2NTv8tHQZZv0Gd0R_ZDAFcIUekU4B4Auoi1QIccyCFbfjRLe0aBlLRvg2yu0GIx_7-yhfjh8nHjfRtNZZcgx7WiCNVdkQKSJ_kOoJPLKdgBfuo/s144/DSCN7638.JPG" height="144" width="108" /></a> <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/FCOcZR3qofT66020t9z9uw?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_RvA12Hn7kQs/TSfRVRw1CyI/AAAAAAAACmQ/kyPNk3AS59U/s144/DSCN7637.JPG" height="144" width="108" /></a> <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/wiLJBVuoMSR7WbrZMpHBQg?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_RvA12Hn7kQs/TSfOZKxUiuI/AAAAAAAAClo/eQEz7rshJWM/s144/DSCN7645.JPG" height="144" width="108" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/_bwWICbFvG-7pG5NCYleqw?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_RvA12Hn7kQs/TSfTSxwObGI/AAAAAAAACms/LLmk8_amXys/s400/DSCN7646.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/lCNHX-Am-kLGk6A_9eTKMQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_RvA12Hn7kQs/TSfMsd81oXI/AAAAAAAAClQ/F0BV_Wz_3Jw/s400/DSCN7657.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a><br /><br />After awhile we drove a little piece further down the road, to <a href="http://www.tellico-plains.com/tellico-river-bald-river-falls.html" Target="_blank">Bald River Falls</a>.<br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/_2QMscp_MivRPtyO4zQLNA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_RvA12Hn7kQs/TSfPqO6cFII/AAAAAAAACl0/2C09ih3I_kM/s400/DSCN7666.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a><br />It's a stunning spot, and popular with folks who like to stop for pictures.<br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/nGLk5vvS0eQ4kn98XTGN3A?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAxsmQk6GtDGErsCISAgfUX_xRemMQqbOVsgrAG8eW4oousewaunbn1RyF7PZKrqFg1fxVXshcLLAuaGrqu7F0EMn-Pd1sgXrnXl5eoDeYet6QbXbF6qQfFoKWA9APUZkkUXyPHWxQWf8/s400/DSCN7697.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a><br />We goofed off and climbed around. I felt relaxed, present, open and happy. I think everyone did. The sun soaked our tensions out and the water carried it away. Billy and I had especially needed something like this.<br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/FlmPDBfY9kdftNc9Jn1wbA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj0C1OT4Q450Oei6wLtktyPKS2cpaXNhof6EdBWdvjYUdOxVqpkLndqP6wqs40oVp9N2NJE0N2bnf2B9yN1wR3XB30AvCbmh7bcp5113xqK2OIxjpq2bhoC1Qpgn1FhTboyNGMN8j8Nsw/s400/DSCN7687.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a><br />(see how great The Pirate's picture of us turned out?)<br />A renewal, a cleansing, a reconnection. Somehow all the right pieces fell together and that's just what this trip became.<br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/KjIIIBM4eUHN67vUS78iBg?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_RvA12Hn7kQs/TSfQCfHEJZI/AAAAAAAACl8/4RZHR18HqpA/s400/DSCN7667.JPG" height="295" width="400" /></a><br /><br />After a long day we piled back into the van. We drove around a little to explore- you never know what interesting places you might find.<br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/2Eyq0EvhTQlPTCTDPKn-kw?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_RvA12Hn7kQs/TSfM-q2-NBI/AAAAAAAAClU/4I0cVrxGbYk/s400/DSCN7719.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a><br />In fact, we found the "Hotel California" of campgrounds. Or at least, that was our impression of the place.<br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/1rxRFPF4zIA5MwWElKdVeg?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_RvA12Hn7kQs/TSfNVljyMYI/AAAAAAAAClY/a0BRCr0PdIY/s400/DSCN7720.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a><br />". . .Relax, said the night man, We are programmed to receive. You can check out any time you like, but you can <I>never leave</I>!"<br />We had a good laugh, but still left in a hurry. ;)<br /><br />As night came we stopped for dinner and fell into bed, looking forward to some hiking in the morning. It had been a fabulous day.Kithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098068645236332284noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3157860712704663292.post-11572811562199538802010-12-30T16:27:00.003-05:002010-12-30T16:33:26.963-05:00100 DaysI'm not trying to be maudlin, here- mostly I have not posted in some time because we have been so very busy. Also, it's hard to get back into the swing of posting when I have been out of the habit for so long. However I could not let this anniversary pass without sharing this song. Yesterday was 100 days since Nora died. I thought of this song, a favorite of mine. Beautiful, and eminently appropriate.<br /><br />"100 Days" by King Konga<br /><div><embed style='display:inline;' quality='high' wmode='transparent' id='FlashDiv' FlashVars='songId=27751101&pid=5817971963712441083' AllowScriptAccess='always' src='http://www.myspace.com/music/song-embed?songid=27751101&getSwf=true' width='400' height='77'/><p>Find more artists like <a target='_blank' href='/kingkonga/music/albums/7245088?ap=1&songid=27751101'>King Konga</a> at <a target='_blank' href='http://www.myspace.com/music'> Myspace Music </a></p></div>Kithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098068645236332284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3157860712704663292.post-88884457275632917432010-11-08T11:09:00.006-05:002010-11-08T11:23:03.730-05:00Music Monday: Johnny MathisIn honor of Grandma, here is a favorite song of hers: "Eres Tu", which was performed so beautifully at the memorial service by <a href="http://www.reverbnation.com/queeniemullinix"target="_blank">Queenie</a>. This version is performed by Johnny Mathis, with Carlos Calderon on piano.<br /><br /><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/xkiiedHcME4?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/xkiiedHcME4?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>Kithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098068645236332284noreply@blogger.com2