Stepping Back

If there is anything at all that can be said of this generation, this era, this time, is that it is fast.  Everything is flying by at top speed in a sort of whirlwind that is oh so hard to avoid…if you want to that is.  Internet is fast.  “Food” can be crazy fast.  Communication and the relay of information is immediate if nothing else.  Children and adults move from one class, store, or lesson to another all day everyday quick as can be.  Gadgets and gizmos line the pockets, ears, and dashboards of even the youngest of souls instilling speed as a baseline for functioning.  The need for immediate results and high speed everything is simply “normal”. 

The speed of this time seems to work against the goals and desires that we have for our family and especially the childhood we envision for our little ones.  Now this isn’t to say that I write off all the advantages of the high-speed technological advances available.  I love high-speed internet, and more especially a laptop with wireless connection, digital cameras that upload pictures quickly, the blogging community, and several other momentarily forgotten things I’m sure.  Using the speed of our time to our advantage we can actually slow down our life to allow for the freedom, naturalness, creative exploration, and tied to the earth goodness.   By slowing down and carefully filtering “speed” I believe that we bring more enrichment and lasting goodness to the lives that seem to be flying by in front of us as it is.  Childhood is so fleeting in nature as it is.  No need to speed it up! 

Though we slow our lives to a pace that is comfortable for all of us we do so enjoy exploring times that moved at an even slower pace.  A short drive into the heart of New York state is the Genesee County Village and Museum.  It is a marvelous (albeit slightly expensive!) place to explore, slow down, learn, savor, and reflect.  We learn so much when we visit, and although we are happy to bring our speedy and flashy big red stroller, we enjoy each moment stepped away from the speed it implies and the calm reflection and wonder in the homes and shops.  The visit highlighted here was one of the hottest and most humid days of the summer.  We were each hot and sticky and wonderfully happy! 

The kidlings were so enthralled with the stories of the past that filled each place we visited.  Their big eyes took in all that was around them and questions never ceased escaping their lips.  They found value and wonder in all they encountered because it was presented as something of value and truly wonderful.  Indeed it was a wonderful day of learning and exploration.  They especially loved the animals (and most especially the magnificent oxen), the printing press, the potter, the rustic cabin, the tinsmith, the animal barn….!  Though I found so much to be emulated and learned from I was especially caught up in (this time) the patterns I saw everywhere.  On the walls, on the floors, on the beds…the patterns and designs were so beautiful to me.  I felt connected to the women and mothers so long past that worked with their hands to improve and beautify their homes for themselves and their families just as I try so hard to do in my own life. 

It was a beautiful day of stepping back, slowing down, and basking in the grace of a simpler time. 

                 

‘Tis a gift to be simple. 

moments

I’ve stepped out of this space for a bit adventuring with family.  It was a  wonderful “slowing down” time as most of our moments were spent in the still and isolated (cell-phone and internet free) hill towns of western Mass.  Though I believe our life is quite still and calm, lived mainly at home all together and so much in tune with the rhythms of the earth, I was wonderfully surprised with just how much stillness I was missing…and just how good it felt to simply be.  Though I will bring you up to date little by little with our adventures today I simply bring you a few moments from our days. 

A beautiful drive made even more beautiful by a sleeping babe and the entrancing stories told by Natasha.

Ahh sweet stillness.  And what could possibly beat an Auntie who will sit forever and look look at and throw rocks into the water with you?!?!

 

Now we are back.  The laundry is running.  Children are happily reacquainting themselves with their favorite playthings.  And they are here.  Baskets and bushels and tubs and bowls of fruits and vegetables are everywhere.  Though I am immensely grateful for the produce grown by our hands and the hands of those we love that is currently filling the kitchen I am a bit daunted by the task that these hands will be facing in the next 48 hours.  Ah…sweet harvest season…welcome back.   

Patience

It seems that whenever I focus on, dream of, and strive for increased patience, (see yesterdays post!), than oh-so-much happens to help me learn patience.  Oh-so-much.  Yikes!  I’m not a super impatient person, I think I do pretty well…but I’m not a saint!  It’s usually the time between making dinner, and children asleep in their beds, that I’m inconsistent in the patience department.  The key for me is remembering to pause before I speak or react in any way.  I don’t count or anything…just take a breath and pause…then (try) to make sure I am speaking (tone and words) in a way that I won’t regret.  It’s a constant effort…some days tested more than others.  Yet always, despite my best efforts all day long, my evenings are often filled with musing and wonderings and twinges of guilt and regret at failed efforts for patience.  Someone once told me that guilt is a mothers constant companion.  And although I truly believe that there are other much more beautiful and impactful companions to mothers…guilt and wonderings of “what if?” lurk their ugly little heads in the corners.  At a moment that I was particularly overwhelmed with my imperfections as a mother, my own mother reminded me that my memories of my own childhood are happy despite an imperfect (in her mind!) mother.  It is good to be reminded of that. Because when all is said and done children are resilient and forgiving, and mothers are constant and loving, striving for happiness and all that is good for their children.  And so that is what will stay with them as they grow and someday become parents of their own little band of marauders, striving for their own increased patience.  I hold onto this thought as I go through my days…constantly pausing and practicing my own patience. 

If there is one thing I have learned as a mother, it is that there are infinite ways to mother.  After all…we are all different and have different children…so naturally our mothering is different!  There is so much to be learned from those around us living the same life in a different home!  I would love to hear how you practice and increase your own patience.  Do you pause, count, visualize something…?  Please share!!!

Cookie Tray Play

With all the very busy things that little hands are engaged in all day long here sometimes we all need some quiet, calm, tiny things to be engrossed in.  Gross motor skills are constantly in motion adventuring, playing, and helping with the home.  One of our (many) favorite ways to bring out the fine motor skills of little hands is to bring out “the little things”.  The miniature village brought back from Germany last summer by their grandparents, and a zoo set that spent many hours in the tiny fingers of my own hands and those of my siblings.  (I looked and looked for a source for those of you who might want to have your own zoo set and this is the best I could find.  Maybe if you searched without an almost 2 year old on your lap….!)

We call our play with these miniature sets “cookie tray play”.  They happily choose their cookie tray and set up their play within its walls.  And for mama the fear of losing such precious (and oh so little) pieces is alleviated…a little!  They have been drawn to this play each day for the past few (very hot) days which has been wonderful for all the kitchen work that summer harvests bring.  (See the giant pressure canner in the background!  We have become great friends the past few days.) 

Here’s to the tiny play of tiny hands.  So dear, so precious, so valuable!! 

Happy summer days my friends. 

Summering

We had three very varying experiences at a refreshing splash park recently.  We all left exhausted…some happily…some grumpily…and some just plain exhausted!!!  The extreme heat was relieved completely for a little pink girly who flitted here and there for hours.  The same heat simply melted a little boy who found the water too cold and unpredictable and the playground way too hot.  Check out the shot of him explaining that he would not go down the slide because it was too hot!…and in his defense it really was and only wet children were braving the playground!  In the end it was me who was just plain hot and tired by the end!  But when one person has a glorious time it is enough to save the day for the two who were physically connected in 100 degree weather for hours.  It is oh so hard to be all in sync sometimes! 

Ah…sweet summertime! 

          

I remember the summer my little girl decided that water in a splash park was about as much fun as the ocean and pool.  I think this is the summer for my little guy.  Guess we’ll have to make our visits regular to break him in!  I think we can handle that! 

Now…to get the relish canned so we can splash guilt free! 

The 15 minute Remake…and a Very Important Question!!!

I was given this fantastic little box recently by my mother.  We both knew the painting on the top was…hmm…not my style!!!  But we both also knew that it would not take much to turn it into something truly great…and that I would love doing it! 

Lots of fantastic ideas of how to refinish the top came to surface in my busy little brain but in the end I went with the quick and easy and let Amy Butler do most of the work!!  In less than 15 minutes (literally!!!) I sanded the sides to remove some of the paint…cut a beautiful Amy Butler paper to size, glued it on, and applied clear varnish to seal it.  I love it!  Now what to put in it…! 

Do you like the new look!  And that dill…yum!         

So…on to the very important question! 

We are looking for a new “just right” read-aloud chapter book for the little miss.  I would love to hear what some of your family favorites are!!