From Here to There

Really.  You want to go to school all the way across the country.  Really.  It's been almost a month.  Nate is so far across the country and we miss him so.  Stretched across the country.  We often think about him from here to there.  Eli can hardly stand the lack of wrestling and Magic games.  Emily gets away with a lot more picking at things.  Though the house tips a little when Nate isn't here I am thrilled at the connections he's making and how he seems to be just soaking in every ounce of that school.  That's what bouys me up and keeps me afloat.  A Gary Snyder poem here and there helps too. 

                                                               

How Poetry Comes to Me

It comes blundering over the
Boulders at night, it stays
Frightened outside the
Range of my campfire
I go to meet it at the
Edge of the light

New Pillows

Here are a few new pillows.  They are great for reading on the coach on  Saturday mornings.   I started to make a few for our coach but the first piece I made was too dark.  It didn't go well with the color blue of our coach so I was going to make it into hot pads.  But Eli loved it and wanted a pillow.   I finished some lighter ones for the coach and went back to make his for his cozy bed.

  Then I had to make one for the girl.  Pink is in again.  So I found lots of pinkish pieces of flannel for hers.  I liked making these-taking small bits and sewing them into something, piece by piece.  I had the ironing board up in the kitchen for weeks and would just pluck away at it whenever I had a chance.

County Fair

This last weekend we went to the county fair.  We saw some beautiful Japanese inspired gardens, huge Dahlias, amazingly large cows and pigs, goats in delightful attire, racing pigs and well-trained Sea Lions.  Then as we were leaving we always make a stop in the arts and harvest buildings and I think that is what made the biggest impression on Eli this year.  The photos.  He came home and set up these photos and was really inspired to start taking pictures.

Here's a few of his photos.  The one of the juice bottle is his favorite  I had to pry my camera out of a sandy sock to get to them.  That's okay though because I think I'll be handing that camera down to him.

Thirteen

We celebrated Emily's birthday just the way she wanted to.  She wanted to go over to Grandma and Grandpa's house like she has for so many years.  We brought delicious cupcakes from our favorite bakery.  I bought her her first mocha decaf coffee and told her it was a special occasion and not to think it just comes with the age.  There's plenty else that does that.  To pick Eli up on the way over we wound our way on a road I had never been on before.  Through the trees and filtered sunlight it was a beautiful drive.  We had a special visit with Grandma and Grandpa who was especially honored that Emily would want to spend her special day with him.  Back in town we had pizza and watched the local Derby Girls skate a mean bout.  Then out for yummy ice cream and home for presents.  

Thirteen.  I see her teetering on all she has been and blossoming into all she will be.   She's my fiery, mighty girl.  Happy Birthday dear Emily!

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday to Ian!  We celebrated 22 in style and together which is the best.  A good lunch with relatives, great art show in the city (thanks to Gertrude Stein) a yummy dinner and delicious cake made by Nate.

                           
                                         Blueberry pancakes and the New York Times crossword puzzle.

A special present from Eli.  He had been carrying it around in his pocket all day.

                                   
                                                                Here's looking at you kid!

               
                      A cool poetry book from Nate that travels from Emily Dickinson to Dean Young.

                                                                     What was that word?

                                     
                                       Our yummy chocolate zucchini cake from Epicurius.
                                       Happy Birthday Dear Ian!                   

Pears and Pizza

It's that time of year where pears start filling up our garden and kitchen.  We've made pear crisp, eaten lots of fresh pears and are getting ready to can some.  We also share lots with the starlings who have great feasts on them until Eli goes out and growls at them in a loud gutteral voice and they all fly away.  He really is quite powerful!  Here's his question of the day.  Why do people's hair turn gray?  We are going to look that one up.

                    Nate has learned lots of delicious cooking skills this year including yummy pizza dough.                                  This was some of the best dough he's made. 

We had pizza with homemade pesto from the garden basil.  Topped with tomatoes, artichoke hearts, goat cheese and olives.  It was delicious.


We started sewing camp today.  I couldn't get Eli to participate too much but he did embroider freehand a beautiful, green leaf.  Mostly he just keeps the girls laughing during snack.

 

  This person was his model from last year.  There are different people that have wandered their way into a variety of frames.  He developed his own unique stitch which looks a lot like the slip stitch, but we call it 

    "Eli's Stitch".  He has even taught to other kids at camp.  

Welcome Home!

Grandpa came home last week and we got to visit him there yesterday.  The night before I had talked to him on the speaker phone and it was the first time in months that I had talked to both Grandma and Grandpa at home.  I could understand everything he said.  So good to see him at home, sitting in his chair, at his table, on his computer and watching TV.  Eli was excited to get to watch the Giants game with him at his house.  We brought them dinner-soup, cornbread, salad and pear crisp.  He got to try a little bit of almost everything.  We left after having some good laughs with him.

Things aren't the same but they are all familiar.  His laughter, sense of humor, determination and perseverance.  We just meet him right where he is and support that.  Climbing whatever Half Dome he is conquering at the moment.