Setting the tone

In an effort to be calmer,
With my life
With my children
I decided to set the tone.
Lay out our day like an eight course meal.
With much silliness & little surprises at every turn.

It went well.

Collections

Letting Go

Yesterday we had target practice.
Retrieving the bow & arrows from the basement &
Making a target.
It felt direct, to gather
Frustrations and pull each arrow back with intention
& to let go.

Letting go of all our
Anger,
With one swoop
My anger is gone,
Dinging the side of our makeshift target,
Therapy indeed.

::plip::

In the grand tradition of foraging in Maine during the exquisite summer months, we went blueberry picking up in Hollis.
Plip is the sound the blueberries made in our emptied yogurt containers. Just as Sal & her Mama went picking on Blueberry Hill with their tin pails in the story book "Blueberries for Sal" we all three had our yogurt pals and instead of Kerplink, Kerplank, Kerplunk....we had a bit of a short plip, plip, plip and then as the bottom of the pail filled it was quite silent.


It was my first time blueberry picking. We had met some friends initially at a great patch and the children played together, but it grew hot quickly andeming beneath the tall shady pines.
The kids enjoyed the swimming & not long after our friend led us back to the blueberry patch and we quietly entered the woods, just the four ofii


It was lovely and quiet there. We picked another quart full and feasted together. We speculated on what we would do with our berries. Maybe pie? Blueberry pancakes? Perhaps smoothies.


We wrapped up & tucked our forray in the cooler bag to keep. I hope the future will mbring more picking & excitement for us all.

Sights of summer in Maine

The primrose patch in the garden



Winter Street blooms


Milo's garden surprise


VW at the beach



Mime in the square



Rosa belly dancing in the park



Mama made attire



Sidewalk lobster bake



Tide rising in the morning, Freeport

Lately

New duds



An unexpected find



Flowers from the garden

I call that a good week.

The art of the sale

Make something cute
& hope they like it!

Cryptic

Spent an enjoyable time
Roaming the International Cryptozoology Museum,
Gazing at replicas of mermaids, yeti, giant squid
My ever curious children peppered me with questions.
Can we touch this?
Why is there a microwave?
Is that real?

The museum curator was friendly and informative,
Giving us many details
& assuring us that Santa does really exist.

Late night

Spent the past few nights, up late sewing in the studio. Listening to the Cure station on Pandora and letting my mind wander.
It has done my soul good to spend time alone with myself.

A friend wrote today about being home all day with children. Being a full time homeschooler & a part time working Mama I know the necessity of having time alone. Time to think, to follow my own interests, to be with other adults where I am not a mother, but myself. It is vital for me to have that time, I feel like my cup is full after and that I can carry on accordingly.

I am grateful to have support to be able to do that. I wish every Mama out there gets the bit of time they need, because being a mama is one challenging journey.

Felt inspired by Milo's new found interested in the pen whistle....



I made him a case.

Capture

We've had a busy week.
A visit to the waste water treatment plant,
Saw two wild turkeys courting,
Caught tadpoles,
Participate in penny whistle recitals,
Caught up on laundry
Built woodland shelters
Saw a puppet play
& many laughs with friends.

eight

He turned eight this past week
& I still can't stop gazing at him.

This past lifetime I have become utterly altered.
No longer can I not feel the gravitational pull of
their heartbeats.

& it began with him.

& he grows.

Grows on and on
limbs extending,
hair growing and falling over his beautiful eyes.

and his legs
the never ending extension
of his youthful exuberance.

& he is serious.
& curious.

I can only ever hope to answer all his questions.

& right now, he loves me.
& it is easy.  So easy to be together.
To follow his whims,
to experience life & welcoming boyhood adventures.

& sometimes he likes to hold my hand.
But easy to let go,
and than come back again.

That is what I will hold onto
& take with me into these future lifetimes
where I will always feel the pull on my heart.

Through the window

I have waited all winter for these blossoms....
They make the kitchen pink & fill me with a warm glow
That I can take with me
Next winter when the bare branches blow
& threaten to knock the glass.

Goodness

We watched as he
Sang his heart.



& let it bounce his reverential light
On the ceiling
& find a place in our bellys
Where it was warm.

Walkabout

A springtime stroll
Is best enjoyed by a stop at the local bakery. Bread & butter enjoyed by all.

This moment

----
A word about 30 for 30
I have been inspired, but sleepy.
I have been in demand by tired & ill children.
But I do hope to catch up soon!

#6

I am still trucking onwards trying to get 30 poems in for 30 days.
Here is poem #6.

-----



On our block
We are all flesh & stone
Supple skin on a wooden frame
Bending towards each other across the asphalt
Blurring the divide
Between curb & each naked breath

All in a row or why I love holidays

It's a run in the driveway
A ball tossed over the lawn
A smile lite up on a boys face
& the recognition that you've
Honored his intention & given him
The gift of your time

That is love.

Catching up

April 4, 2012
haiku

The peepers emerged
Pushing leaves & grass aside
We shall soon find frogs leaping

April 5, 2012



Moon nestles between the tree
Reminds me of a little egg on a leaf.
Bemused at what the egg moon might become
A glowing orb hatched into the night,
Scooping milk from the sky with a giant ladle
& we in wait for our fill.

------

The moon was full & bright

& Followed us on our journey southward

My midnight guide

Closer

I want to keep this image with me
Remembering the day
With its warmth & light
Watching the kids clamber over the rocks
With bits of their lunch
Over turning rocks in the tide pools,
Gazing out into the bay
Feeling the breeze at noon

I need to hold it closer
Brace myself against all that is
Rough
& give myself the ease of reason
& my heart
To know we did right by us all

30 for 30 & Lady Solace

I was inspired by a poetry reading last night to try and write a poem a day for the month of April. I know I am a few days behind, but I plan on catching up. 30 poems for 30 days.
------

Lady Solace

I am on the front steps crying
My face raw, my worries spread out in blotches across my eyes and cheeks,
She is with me & she is not afraid.

It's as if, she knows then
That I need her energy & love.

& it's then that I can begin to
Pluck myself out of the burden
& be with her in this moment,
Watching her on her tiptoes peer out the window,
& look back at me and smile.