Scarves

Here's Kinder's scarf.




And here's the scarf Wendy knit for me. Strange how different the color looks in varying light. It's more like the top one in shade, but the bottom one in richness.

I have other finished projects photographed, will post them next week.

I've started a new project and am really liking it. It has been enhanced by a book I bought yesterday called Vogue Knitting Stitchionary Vol. 1. I've officially graduated from "Everything You Need To Know About Knitting".

I also bought one of Yarn Harlot's books, called Knitting Rules! I love her writing and this book is not disappointing so far.

I think that's the last of my X-mas and b-day money. I also bought the last of the Matt Pond PA cds that I didn't yet have...which should be arriving this week.

A sunday out

Today I will be here, and Cap and the kids will be here. So it will be all quiet on the blogging front.

I'm posting a Gnarls Barkley video on the sidebar. They performed this song, Run, on Saturday Night Live last night and it KICKED ASS. Unfortunately, it's not up on You Tube yet. Look for it in another day or two.

You never know

The kids and I went to the local yarn shop having the sale. They each were drawn to specific, different yarns.

Kinder's selection was startling to me...it was something I would never have picked up, and it's quite possible it would have never even registered on my brain as I visually scanned the skeins and skeins of yarn.

He hasn't shown much interest in my knitting, yarns, or yarn shopping, so my heart leaped when he said he saw something he liked.

You know, it was the feel of it that got him first, I think. I have to say, the shopkeepers were totally cool about the fact that my younger was enthusiastically and quite methodically either sticking his face into bunches of yarn or rubbing yarn all over and around his face (especially the region of his mouth and cheeks).

The yarn he selected was very smooth and kind of shiny. The color (Etsuko Blue) is not done justice in the picture at the website (see above). It's much richer and with a strong dark green undertone. I actually misread the label and thought that the color was called "bonsai" (and thought it appropriate), when it's actually the line that is called that!

And, of course, it wasn't on sale :-)

So I bought only one skein of it (had it been on sale, I was imagining making him a "vest" of chain mail for dress-up---the yarn has a metallic sheen to it), and am knitting up a skinny scarf. It's about the width of a necktie. The garter stitch is knitting up beautifully. I've been in a bamboo-bamboo zone, both yarn and needles coming from the same sustainable source.

And I actually really like the yarn! Thanks, Kinder, for pointing it out to me. I never would have known.

Addendum

First described the skin around my belly button as looking like it had feathers on it. A lovely way to see stretch marks, no?

I had a Ting yesterday and it tasted a) SO salty, and b) completely like a fake food.

My clothes are less tight on me.

Sleep

I think lack of sleep is at the crux of feeling crappy right now. Need to fall back into the habit of going to bed at 10:00.

The kids came to bed last night around 1:00 which was really too early to have the bed all crowded (we had only recently gone to bed after watching Bill Maher), but it was lightening and thundering, and well, the last thing I wanted to do as a kid when it was lightening and thundering was to be away from my mom.

Cap surrendered at 4:00 am and took refuge in First's bunk.

There's a free chocolate sampling at the local choco shop this afternoon and a yarn sale at a local yarn shop this weekend. Sounds therapeutic.

I'm in a pushing through phase of DW. My mind wants non-DW food, my mind wants to take a break from the qi gong. A familiar wall, really.

Finished another knitting project yesterday. Signed up for Ravelry. But, it will be a week or two or three before I get invited. There are a lot of knitters out there.

Off to do qi gong. Gotta push.

Want to see a gorgeous scarf? Take a look.

Start stop start

Wanting to move slowly. Today I can. We can. We're all home, doing our own thing, coming together, drifting apart.

Yesterday turned out a bit crazy with a terror alert at Cap's uni, a partially detached retina for Mummu (which has been treated and she now needs to sit tight for five days---thank goodness for Auntie Nancy who drove her in and out of Boston), and a major crisis for some dear, dear friends.

Kelly and her girls came over for a playdate as the shit was hitting the fan and she was true blue. Played with all the kids while I was on the phone for over an hour. We ate leftovers from co-op dinner and they went home.

I found some comfort in garlic knots and avocado sushi rolls for dinner. And bacon chocolate for dessert. Yes. Bacon chocolate.

Also knitting. Finished a project and started stopped started another one, trying to get it right. This yarn, that yarn, this pattern, that pattern...

Finished the night with the line-up on NBC, qi gong, and actually going to bed with Cap which is a rarity.

The slowness today is recovery. From yesterday's hubbub and carby goodness/badness of last night's dinner. (The yin and yang of it, the yin and yang of it.)

Qi gong followed by homemade ginger-lemon tea with honey is just the ticket. (Not sure about the bee pollen stirred into warm juice yet. I'm not averse, but I am not sure I am feeling specific benefits.)

Some kidbits:

• We got them some reading lamps and we're all in love. Getting into their beds at night is a whole new experience. They seem to be staying in longer, too.

• Kinder misses Sophia.

• We decided to drop Kinder out of soccer. He did not enjoy himself there for the most part last week. He'd rather play out back with us.

• I asked them to let me know what they'd like to work on with me at home (preplanning for this quarter) and Kinder, without missing a beat, said, "science experiments and soccer".

• We took the bikes out yesterday afternoon after a long winter's hibernation. We need to entice First onto his next bike. He loves his bike which is kind of small for him. The tires were low, but they had fun circling the pavement out back.

Pics

To see pics and Holly's post about a recent visit to the woods we took, go here.

Cooking

Yesterday we hosted co-op dinner and I cooked. Cap has cooked the last few times, he loves cooking for a group, but he was at a conference all day (which went well---his two presentations had about 25 folks in attendance each and he received immediate, positive feedback).

Making our meal turned out to be a meditative, creative and wonderful experience.

I went with longtime favorite ratatouille (from The Silver Palate cookbook---an excellent recipe which is even better the day after), carrot tofu scramble (one of First's faves), spinach with tofu (the tofu is mixed with miso which gives it an almost cheesy flavor), a huge loaf of corn bread made in the big cast iron skillet, and an equally huge fruit salad with watermelon, strawberries, orange, apple, pear and pineapple. And lots of rice cooked up by the trusty rice cooker which, I realized as I was filling it with rice and water, is 15 years old (it was a commitment ceremony gift)!

First made a salad of his own creation which Sasha loved and had seconds of. His mom, Yifat, tried it too, and had seconds, as well, as we delighted in the whole concept. She was saying the salad was reminiscent of something you might taste at a really fancy restaurant :-)

The salad's ingredients:
• raw carrot rounds
• baby lettuce
• fennel...leaves?...fronds? whatever the tops are called
• generous dashes of black pepper
• dried basil ground with mortar and pestle
• a splash of apple sauce
• a squeeze of lemon juice

Kinder made a blueberry smoothie again, tinkering with his recipe a bit.
• one bag frozen blueberries
• one plain soy yogurt
• one banana
• plain soy milk to fill the blender pitcher

The smoothie was incredibly thick, but it was all gone by the end of the night.

It was the perfect day. The kids played peacefully while I cooked, sometimes together, sometimes alone, and we all had plenty of time to and for ourselves, to be engrossed in imagination and active with our minds and bodies.

Walk in the woods

The kids and I have gotten some time in the woods lately. Last week with Lucia and Holly, this week with Sophia and Wendy. I love doing this, but feel too afraid to do it as the lone adult. A result of my experiences growing up and feeling unprotected when on my own and a molester would enter the picture. In actuality these encounters were so minor, but clearly they left a mark.


These leaves kept drawing my attention. I don't know what they are, but they are so ethereal and eerie.


And these spots of green really stood out in the landscape. We have budding and blossoming trees and bushes out and about, but the woods remain brown and dry.


I love how time slows down as we gaze, poke and wonder.


And explore...


And discover...


And absorb a natural environment so different from home (or in W's case revisit an environment near to one from childhood)...


Snapped this just before he cried out, "no more pictures!"

Untitled

Self-portrait by Kinder

I am surprised. I thought I had mentioned that Wendy and Sophia were visiting for a week, but I totally hadn't! That is the explanation of my absence for a week.

I fully expect to post something tomorrow. Easing back to the routines...began knitting a new scarf tonight. The Misti Alpaca yarn that is so...yummy (that one's for Wendy :-)

More on DW - qi gong

Wow. I just did the full ten qi gong exercises for the first time. It felt really good. I saw Dr. Vinny yesterday for some body/energy work which I'm certain helped open me up for experiencing the exercises the way I did this morning.

My favorite was The Dragon Looks At Her Tail and Rocking The Baby Dragon. The latter gave me a good stretch on my sides and I was enveloped in energy-burst warmth almost immediately.

I like this kind of result...when a simple movement unlocks an awakening that the ability to ease/heal myself has been right HERE all along...

I also noticed that the other movements, which I've been practicing for over a week, felt very different once incorporated into the series of ten. Particularly The Dragon Kicks Backward.

Since the weekend, I've been aware of a distinct sense of vulnerability lurking just below my surface. The DW is chipping away at my defenses which is a good thing, ultimately, though it feels scary at times and fills me with dread at others. On a certain level, I'm trying to pick away at decades of learned behavior in order to reach my source and mine enough of it to last the rest of my life.

Joy. Creativity. Love. Clear and pure and direct.

One of my obstacles, one of my stumblies, is that I eat to comfort myself when I feel vulnerable. Hence the egg, Taylor ham and cheese sandwich Sunday morning, the remainder of a rice milk choco bar Monday night, and the leftover Alphatots off the baking sheet as the kids ate dinner last night.

I look forward to working past that. The good news is that I am at a point where most of the time, my body doesn't call out for many of the old favorites like it used to anymore. I noticed that walking through Whole Paycheck yesterday (got that moniker off a Girlyman blog post :-) Also, my body has started to clearly communicate to me its rejection of these foods, for me, for now. Will I respond as quickly as as one of Skinner's rats? I don't know :-)

Tonight is co-op dinner which will have its allure and later on this week we're going to an Italian restaurant that specializes in "family-style" for a multiple birthday celebration...life goes on.

Sushi peeps

See them here. Gave us a giggle.

Eggplant with soy sauce

Now the camera batteries are recharging...so still no pictures.

I made the eggplant with soy sauce from the DW book's collection of recipes. Minced ginger, minced garlic, eggplant cut up into small pieces, soy sauce, lemon juice, honey, chili powder and water. A splash of sesame oil once it's done.

I was hoping it would taste better than it smelled as it was simmering. I took a bite when it was done and it did :-) I'm looking forward to having some with a bit of brown rice for dinner later.

Eggplant parm has been a favorite of mine for years and years. It will be good to experience eggplant in a different presentation.

Rainy monday

No photo for the second post in a row because the camera is full of movies the kids have been making and I've been too occupied to upload them onto the computer.

We met with the town's environmental guy today and bought a compost bin. A cool thing the town does is to sell these containers for 50% off the list price to stimulate environmentalism in the townfolk. First and I got a crash course in basic composting as the rain drizzled around us.

Our next steps will be to rake the dry leaves in the yard, build a leaf container with some chicken wire in a corner of the yard, and talk to our downstairs neighbor about saving the grass clippings next time she mows. We also will pick up a compost aerator from environmental guy when he gets some more in next week.

Apparently the county does soil testing. I'm trying to get someone on the phone to confirm this and make arrangements.

And it's official, Felicia is teaching a vegetable gardening class this spring. So, First and I will be taking the class. We are excited and looking forward to it.

Human Thing

I just added a video to my side bar. It's cool. I first heard this band thanks to Anna. The video I heard about over at Soulemama.

Cap and First went to Family Swim at the Y this afternoon and had a great time.

Me? My stomach hurt because, I'm assuming, I ate an egg, Taylor ham and cheese sandwich for breakfast. We went out with Jay and Lilja before they hit the road. Like old times at the S&S. The fun, yummy breakfast, not the tummyache a few hours later ;-)

And Kinder's been under the weather a bit. So, we stayed home. I knit, he played, then picked up his bedroom all by himself, which, is totally a developmental leap that I never believed would happen. He has always complained and lollygagged when it was time to clean up.

Then I knit some more and he drew.

Cousins

Lilja and Jay are visiting this weekend. Here the cousins are bonding over books.

What DW does to the taste buds

First came the walnuts. Toasted in the oven, on a cookie sheet for 20 minutes at 325º. The basic (but SO sublime with a drizzle of honey) component to a richness packed breakfast. And a delectable snack (remember the honey and 10 sec. in the microwave which I may be weaning myself off of eventually, but that's another story for another time), morning or afternoon.


Then came the apple-pear compote. Peeled and sliced with water and cinnamon (thank you thank you Karen and Brent for the Penzey's China Cassia cinnamon), cover and cook over medium heat for 20 minutes.


Today, I concocted something on my own (hardly innovative, but my first foray away from printed recipes in the DW book made me feel some pride). Inspired by warmed oranges with honey that Karen fed me once, I cooked some oranges in a bit of water with some ginger slices. Just 10 minutes or so. Spoon into a bowl and drizzle with honey.

What I am noticing is that these dishes, as well as, the veggies I've been eating (zucchini with walnut, broccoli steamed with garlic, and the masterful mushrooms---not a bad deal, I cooked those up on Monday) is that they are truly flavorful. Little weights of flavor just sink into my tongue when I take a bite. Like coming home to the roots of food and eating.

My mind has powerful ties to food. PMS and junky chocolate aside, I have lived through decades of craving and loving and consuming foods that haven't really "fed" me. This morning I tried a bite of leftover spaghetti with meat sauce. (The kids have been eating it for a couple of days and it has looked really good. But, I have cut meat out for these six weeks.) It had barely any taste! It felt completely different on the tongue. How wild is that?

At lunch, First was having some smoked salmon. That looked good, too. But, I could kind of imagine that it was not going to satisfy me like it might have just last week. My mind and body are starting to let go of some connections...

This isn't to say that after the six weeks I won't be eating fish or meat. But, they say that once favorite foods will likely not have the same appeal/hold over you. I didn't quite realize that this might be because they would actually taste different, that the experience of them would be so totally changed.

pms blues

I should just keep my mouth shut when I have PMS.

Then:

• I wouldn't snap at the kids.

• I wouldn't snap at the husband.

• I wouldn't put my foot in it.

• I wouldn't shovel in junk food.

(This last one probably wouldn't have happened had I not received some bad news this afternoon.)

Off to brush my teeth. There's something good I can do.

Couldn't resist

First is up and reading already, I've had my hour of gently stretching my meridians and body. Good morning!

Quiet evening

After dinner I wanted to get some fresh air. I thought I might be able to meet Cap as he walked home from the train station. Kinder opted to continue drawing and First came along for the walk.

It was cold! Felt more like fall than spring, but I'm not complaining. I welcomed the bracing air on my face. First read while he walked beside me. We went down to the corner from where I'd hoped to catch a glimpse of Cap.

But, a couple of minutes after we got there, First noticed the train passing on the trestle a few blocks down. The train was running late. First declared himself too cold to stand and wait, so we headed back.

He's been reading all afternoon. We went to the library again, this time for an appointment I'd made to get some free tax help. I was a bit embarrassed because it turned out to be for seniors of low income...ah well. We managed to find a bunch of books, as usual, which is always fun.

Kinder is drawing, drawing, drawing. And really not wanting me to take his picture yet again, thank you very much.

Dragon's Way

I am doing a six-week practice of traditional Chinese meridian exercises (qi gong) and eating of self-healing foods called The Dragon's Way. Kelly's doing it, too, which is a wonderful support.

Today feels so long and luxurious because I went to bed at 10:00 last night and woke up at 6:40. I spent my first hour awake doing qi gong and stretching while the boys all slept.

I've been eating apple and pear compote (made with water and cinnamon), steamed garlic broccoli, toasted walnuts with honey (I highly recommend this incredibly simple and scrumptious combo), zucchini with walnut, and "masterful" mushrooms (delectable---with scallions, ginger, a bit of sugar, soy and oyster sauce).

I'll be expanding my horizons by the week as I make different dishes.

It's amazing how quickly I'm feeling a reconnection to my body.

• the warmth in my belly all morning, always a sign that my energy is flowing all the way around
• the dance of flavors on my tongue when I sit to eat
• the slowed pace of my movements when I sit to eat
• the eyes that are drawn to various celebratory candy that currently dot the landscape of our home
• the mind that is at peace as I walk on by

Hear ye, hear ye!

Kinder has lost his first tooth!

Easter

I realized this year, with the Spring Equinox and Easter happening so close together, that "Easter" is very much bound to the spirit of what sings to me of spring.

There are special markers for this day and season which are part of the rhythm of our family life and my soul.


The Easter morning jellybean hunt.


Daffodils.


Decorating eggs.

I am full of gratitude for the ties of love evident in these pictures. Mummu who usually hides the jellybeans for Cap and Jay to find, Silke who gave us the daffodils, and Sandy and Mike who painted eggs with the kids while Cap and I went out for some together-and-alone time.

Bungalow mini-reunion

3 of us is 30% which constitutes a mini-reunion, I think. Anna and I met Barbra in Chinatown for dim sum (thanks to Marci for the excellent recommendation :-). We chowed down, spent time with Anna's boyfriend Nick who B was meeting for the first time and I met just last night (we approve), went to a bead store (B's passion) and strolled downtown Manhattan.

Oh, and we came upon a massive pillow fight...feathers were flying. The kids and I saw video footage of last year's pillow fight months and months ago, I wished they were with me to see it today!

Some serious dress-up

Works in progress

I was having Cap take some artful shots of scarves draped on my shoulders, but then our beautiful joint work in progress wanted in on the action.

Scarves one and two are officially done, ready to be handed off to their mistresses today and tomorrow.

Chives

Aren't they beautiful? Mega inspiring.

To do:

• begin composting. need to get a compost container as housemates and landlord would not appreciate an open-air compost pile methinks.

• pick out seeds with the kids at the local fair trade tea shop.

• dust off our gardening tools and clean out our pots and planters.

• get soil tested to determine whether we can plant directly into the ground this fall/next spring.

Hands itching to get dirty.

Name Day/Spring

We celebrated First's name day today, as well as, Kinder's belatedly. First and I went out into the morning to snip some crocuses for the table. We both murmured, "we should snip some chives, too" at the same time. The chive butter was delicious on the nisu (Finnish cardamom bread). First was a bit miffed we didn't celebrate in bed as we often do.


Later in the morning we headed out to B pond with friends to celebrate the Spring Equinox. What a marvel it was to return to the pond. It's the same pond, but it looks strikingly different with the changing seasons. Our friend Broken Wing was there, as was a log in the water that First always looks for.

Happy Spring, all.

38 Days :: 38

First changed our seasonal table yesterday and took this picture. I took some shots this morning, but it is raining and the light from this shot is much better. Plus it's the artist's documentation of his own art...

38 Days :: 37

Snapped by First

38 Days :: 36

This year's chives were discovered yesterday afternoon.


Spring training has begun 'round here.

Playmo World

Movie-making is the next frontier. Kinder has surpassed me in his knowledge of our digital camera. First has been itching to make a movie and really wants his own camera.

Kinder shot this tonight. It's called "Playmo World". It's not for you if you are prone to motion sickness!

38 Days :: 35

Rainy early morning.

38 Days :: 34

Heading out to play.

Marzipan

38 Days :: 33

Today I took a stroll through the apartment to see what I could see. I was surprised and intrigued by what I found. Unexpected.

Ask and ye shall receive...

Here's yesterday's masterpiece.


I love this detail from it.

38 Days :: 32

The kids painted a communal masterpiece this afternoon. Started by Pippa and Lucia and continued by Lukas, Anna, Kinder and First.

Yum

Lucia and Holly came over today. It was our first visit since their return from Paris. Kinder and I received chocolate treats and First got his first taste of hardcore marzipan. Yum!

(The marzipan is truly exquisite. First is sampling a "cherry" here.)

Burst

We're out of the fog of sickness and getting past some intense loggerheading over "behavior" (mostly between First and me and First and Cap).

There are bursts of energy all around. It's in the air. It's in the art. It's in the laughter. It's in creation.

Art

"The Art Museum" by First


The still life that First set up and used for his painting.


"The Zoo" by Kinder

38 Days :: 31

By 9:30 am they had made pitchers of blueberry-banana smoothie and lemonade for co-op dinner tonight.

First's flourish to his lemonade...

38 Days :: 30

First picked up this sprig of evergreen and planted it in the winter iris that my mom passed along to us the other day.