Peach Coglo

Eastertide and Patience

Spring is slowly showing itself around here.  I have heard a lot of frustration with the weather lately.  I am not a hot weather person, so I am having no problem with the weather lately.  However, the weather is providing a good, even if it's unwanted, lesson in patience.  In watching the world around these parts wake up slowly, I am reminded to slow down and appreciate the here and now.  I am trying to apply this to other aspects of my life, where I am much, much less patient-not enough time for this not enough time for that, yet another meeting or another phone call from the school nurse.   I also might need some of you to remind me of this post, when I have had it up to here with blisteringly hot weather. 

As we spring into a season of busyness, I am going to remind myself to try my best to patient and if I don't succeed to try again.  I can't remember who said it, but I love this quote, "Shift your attitude and watch your day shift."   So as I am fighting a cold which almost feels like bronchitis, and head off to the first of three conferences today, I am going to shift my attitude, and remember the beauty and fun of the Easter holiday spent at my mom's house.  Two of these beautiful things included a bowl of Easter candy corn and a mom-made martini.

Have a wonderful day everyone.

 

 

Nutcracker Reprieve

The past few days have been trying to say the least.  There are simply no words that truly suffice.  I know all of you are holding your loved ones more tightly.  So many feelings, from sadness to confusion and yes I must admit disgust and anger.  Then I remember what Fred Rogers (what a genius) said-something he learned from his mother.  Look for "the helpers".  So whenever I start to get that hopeless and powerless feeling, I remind myself of the helpers.  Helpers like you.  I am reminded that we can all be helpers in our own way.

If you or your child is looking for a way to contribute and support Newtown, there is a group called Hearts to Newtown.  You can find it here.  Also I read a suggestion of Twenty (or more) Promises.  You can sit down with your children and think of twenty acts of kindness that you and your children can do throughout the year.  They can be super small things like thank the person who bagged your groceries or share popcorn (without complaint) with a little brother and sister.  These are two ways to get involved and spread the love.

One thing I was grateful for during all of this madness was Helena's Nutcracker performance.  It was a hard balance-dealing with what unfolded and trying to provide a routine for my children.  The Nutcracker saved us in a way.  Being with other loving people, bringing joy to other human beings through art and music.  It was a salve for our souls and broken hearts.  It was heartwarming to see how the professional dancers heaped attention and love on our little ones.  The smiles on our children's faces were a reprieve from all the sadness and reminded everyone that we are here to take care of each other, especially our smallest and most vulnerable.

 

 

 

 

 Love to you all,

 Ang

Christmas Crackers

Have you ever made Christmas Crackers or had the good fortune to be able to pop one?  I have always found them so exotic and romantic-brightly colored tubes that explode gifts - what could be better?

Over the weekend, we six went to the Connecticut Historical Society for some Christmas Cracker construction.  I love that place.  I am a history geek so I am all about it.  Turns out the kids really enjoy it too, which is lucky for them because we would be going regardless.  At any rate, we had a blast making the crackers.  They are super duper easy.  The Society set up all kinds of neat goodies to put in the crackers-sticky frogs (pure awesomeness), candy canes, kisses, confetti, bouncy balls and paper crowns.  I adore those paper crowns.  I do wonder if I am secretly English at Christmas.  Probably not because even though I love paper crowns, I am not a fan of figgy pudding.

The employees at the Society are very sweet and fun.  One woman was even dressed in a Gryffindor sweater and tie.  We all thought that was pretty neat.  We nerd hard in our family.  I don't think there was a particular reason for her outfit except that it was cold and she wanted to be comfortable while she walked to work.  Apparently other museum patrons enjoyed it too and why not.

After constructing their treats, we roamed the museum and the kids played dress-up with busts of historical figures.  I also saw a reproduced circa 1980's kitchen that made me feel a weensy bit ancient.  Man things do change quickly!  1980's microwaves were huge and all of that brightly colored Tupperware plastic was just over the top.  The kids had a chance to play with a rotary phone.  They looked really entranced with it and they marveled at how long it took to dial a number.  To be honest, I think they were a little horrified.

 

Later that evening, after a Nutcracker meeting and rehearsal, we headed over to Gledhill Nursery to catch the tail end of their Open House.  I picked up a Christmas Cactus, some paperwhite bulbs and an Advent ring (yay!) while everyone else snacked on cupcakes and cider.  Now that was a nice full, holiday day.

Are you taking part in any old or newly discovered Christmas or Hannukah traditions?

Huddled Masses

October and the bulk of November seem like they were forever ago.  Let's see there was Halloween, Open Studio, and Thanksgiving just happened.  Whoa!  I am planning on digging my heels in on December despite eight Nutcracker performances and the ordinary hustle of the holidays.  Recently Heather mentioned how much she wanted December to be a slow month.  I am right with her on that one. 

At the tree farm . . . Elijah and I are equally picky about trees.  I find this to be pretty funny.

So as always,  I am planning to slow down the Advent and holiday season as much as I possibly can.  We started by putting up our tree.  It is our tradition to pick one from the tree farm a day or two after Thanksgiving.  Our tree is still getting decorated here and there (it's really never done especially when you can make cinnamon ornaments and the like), and I have yet to start on the house.  Unfortunately, it seems like we all have to work, or go to school and rehearsal, as well as eat and sleep.  I have almost made peace with the necessity of incremental decorating that goes on around here-almost.  The good news is that I found my bottle brush trees and my Nativity from Mexico so I am dancing a jig over those rediscoveries.

A "gingerbread" ormanent my mom bought in Germany for the kids.  I depend on her to keep my ornament stash somewhat "classy".

My Thai fish that I bought from the U.N. gift shop when I was sixteen . . . .

"The Sock Monkey" made by Julie . . . .

But what I have made complete peace with is the end result of a child-decorated Christmas tree.  I was once on my way to becoming turbo Martha Stewart-like.  I have been rather Martha-y since childhood.  I arranged the birds, roses and bows just so on the tree.  I mean I was six.  Man, how I enjoyed a themed and neat tree trimmed with white lights.  Well the white lights bit the dust a while ago and our trees always sport white and muticolored lights that twinkle.  All is still well.  For a while though I had an interesting time dealing with the huddled decorating style of my children-ten ornaments on two branches while a big "bald" patch surrounded the crowd of Santas, bells and other ornaments.  Oh well.  I don't know if it is age or a desire to put my energy elsewhere or seeing how much they enjoy decorating (perhaps it's all three), but now I am cool with the huddled masses.  I used to crave order on the tree.  Now my eye doesn't even twitch when I see the tree and I am actually enjoying it.  Elijah, however, is another matter.  I believe he is a bit into the themes and order too.  He proclaimed our tree to be "messy".  I think I will leave it to him to negotiate ornament placement with his siblings; I will be hanging out on the couch enjoying my tea and knitting.

My girl loves her Christmas tree almost as much as she loves "candy canns".

How about you?  If you celebrate Christmas, is your tree already up?  Does yours sport huddled masses of ornaments too?  ;-)

 

All Hallow's Eve

Happy Halloween everyone!  As promised, I have a couple of mysterious stories for Halloween.   This holiday has always fascinated me, although lately it's not my favorite.  I must admit I get a bit overwhelmed with all of the doorbell ringing, hyperactivity, pumpkin carving and rushiness of the evening.  Some years I handle it better than others.  Do you remember Halloween being so rushy when you were a kid?   I definitely prefer a 1970's or 80's style Halloween.  I see this holiday as ushering in the winter and a time to recite spooky tales and poems.  In that spirit, I will be donning my black gloves, witch's hair and hat for trick or treating with the kids this evening.

Anyhoo, despite my recent discomfort, I am still fascinated with Halloween.  I mean it's the prelude to All Soul's Day or Samhain when we honor and remember the dead-the ones that got us here in the first place. 

Many years ago, my great grandma (Granny) was very sick and in the hospital.  One night, her daughter, my grandmother, was dozing off at home in her bedroom.  She had been very worried about Granny.  Suddenly Grandma woke up.  She sat up in bed and looked out of her bedroom window.  In the evening, she saw my Granny outside even though she was supposed to be bedridden in the hospital.  Granny walked past the window and said to my grandma, "I'm gone."  Right at that moment, the phone rang.  It was the hospital calling to let Grandma know that her mother has just died.

My grandma told me this story rather matter-of-factly, and it never scared me.  I always found it mysterious and rather comforting.

Now the second story happened about two months ago:  My dad's father was on the cusp.  We knew he wouldn't last long, but no one was sure how long.  As we sometimes do during these upsetting times, we start focusing on "little" things and plans.  My mother was at work when she got the call that Pop Pop might not last the week.  She had been planning for my great aunt (my grandma's sister) to visit that weekend, there were meetings to head, the grass needed mowing, etc.  I told her she needed she get up to see Pop Pop and to forget about the grass and other obligations she had. 

When mom returned home from work, she was still struggling with the thought of her obligations and her need to see Pop Pop.  As she turned on the computer to check her work email, something curious happened.  A portrait of Pop Pop seated in the middle of the entire family suddenly appeared on her monitor.  Now she had not clicked on or even seen this picture in months.  It wasn't set as her screen saver either.  It was just an everyday family portrait saved in the photo files.  It was the first thing mom saw when she turned on the computer.

Needless to say my mom immediately packed up and headed to the mountains to see Pop Pop.  He died a few hours after she saw him.

So that's it-my All Hallow's Eve stories.  It's something to think about-souls, living, dying, celebrating life, our ancestors and each other.

Happy Halloween friends!

Easter Weekend

Super duper late, but I am joining Amanda for weekending . . .

 

Another fast weekend . . .

This one blew by me, despite having Good Friday off, but it was a good one

We took our first true family bike ride as I finally procured a bike-thanks Greg!  It felt great to be pedaling along again.  I was lucky to get this bike, as a neighbor was selling it at a low, low price.  His wife rode it only once.  I think he left her behind on a bike trail - in the woods, and that was the end of that.

We planted a willow tree in 0ur oft flooded backyard in hopes that it would absorb the excess water we get so parts of our garden would be less soggy.  Except this year, we don't seem to be getting enough rain or snow.  Go figure.

I had to give up my fantasy idea of attending certain services holiday because things were getting scrunched.  So perhaps next year, we'll make it to the Requiem on Good Friday and Easter Vigil.  This year was a bust for both, but it was okay.

I made two peach cobblers this year (one for my family and one for a dear friend and her family), and potato salad.  Unlike previous years, I wasn't up until 1am making them.  So there is some progress on the organizational front.

The kiddos received their yarn balls and promptly lost two in my mom's house, but they enjoyed them.  I knitted up some super tiny and regular eggs, but of course I forgot to take pictures of the tiny ones.

There was egg dyeing and hunting, good company and a whole lot of Easter food.  I won't have to eat for days.  My mother cooks marvelously so there was brunch and then there was dinner: biscuits, ham, deviled seafood eggs, mac and cheese, candied yams, roast chicken, collards, green beans, cornbread biscuits and brisket.  I don't know how she does it.  I can barely make dinner every day.  Speaking of which I need to find her recipe for roast drumsticks.

I hope your weekend was wonderful and your week started off gently. 

 

Happy Mardi Gras

Happy Mardi Gras everyone!  Since we can't be in New Orleans for at least the family-friendly celebrations, I decided we would have our own up here in CT.  I have made my first ever red beans and rice, gumbo,  and King Cake for our Mardi Gras dinner.  I don't dare try the etouffee or beignets.  I think next year we'll have to invite some folks over.  This party needs more of a crowd.  I do wish I could find my 1979 era beads.  I loved those things-the newer beads don't do much for me.  At least I have my old dubloons, yay!  I did pull out my green Halloween lights.  Turns out, I can use those for Mardi Gras  and St. Patrick's Day.  Sweet.

The day has been fun and busy so far with the kids stealing King Cake filling and helping me prepare.  Eden has been running around with her Halloween basket wishing everyone "Happy 'Olidays!", and looking for candy.  Hmm.  Now it's on to my bread pudding and fried chicken.  I have to put at least one vegetable dish in there somewhere.

Happy Mardi Gras!

Knitted Hearts

Joining Ginny today.

I promised I would start early, but then came The Penguin and life in general.  I am almost at peace with the fact that a fast knitter I am not.  So the kiddos end up receiving their knitted hearts this morning.  I stuffed them and put a small bell inside, 'cause I like the jingle jingle.  I used Martha's pattern.  I must say it took me forever to figure out certain  part of the pattern where you cut the yarn, weaved through the back and then rejoined.  It's easy, but I must have been really, really tired.  This knitted heart process serves as all the more evidence that I am a pretty visual learner.   I am super psyched with this project though.  It was very quick, once my brain got unstuck, and quite satisfying.  I can even see making some hearts to applique onto something or other in the future.  Loveliness.

As for books, I am reading the chapter on slowing down in Just One Thing.  The more I slow down, the more I realize I am not a rushy-rushy person.  I used to get a thrill out of running hither and thither.  Now it's just 'meh'.  I do like having things to do, but I don't like being/feeling rushed while doing them.  We are still reading Heart and Soul and Our White House.  Helena perused Ten Amazing People in search of an inspirational subject for her biography project.  Nothing new right now until we finish Heart and Soul-just trying to keep it simple.  Speaking of which the author/illustrator has an exhibit at the Eric Carle museum, so we are going to try to get up there to see it.  Kadir Nelson's work is gorgeous, so if you can get to the exhibit, you won't be disappointed.

 

So what are you making and reading this week?

Happy Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day my friends.  Now off to make some Valentine's magic . . . .

 

love rocks by Helena

Weekending~February 12, 2012

Joining Amanda at the habit of being for weekending . . .

 

For the love of a calmer weekend-yay!

We were in much slower mode this weekend.

There was time for board games-love this even with all of the sibling bickering.

There was Annie for our Friday movie.  I remember going to the theater to see this movie.  I forgot Tim Curry was in this and how delightful he, Carol Burnett, and Bernadette Peters were in this film.  Seeing bits of Geoffrey Holder's dancing has inspired me to find more of his 'dancing' movies to show to the kiddos.  The man moves like water.

I had a treat-going out for a seafood dinner with my parents.

On Saturday the valentine constructing began.  I see just how much Doran loves to paint.  I started and restarted my knitted hearts several time over.  Let's see if I can work it out today.  Luckily the pattern is a short one.

Sunday brought cleaning and teamwork.  I am trying to help the kiddos understand that we work as a team, and when we do upkeep is  so much easier.   My homemade wood cleaner concoction went AWOL as a result of their enthusiasm working all over the house, but it was found again.

We know now that Doran is not to be trifled with when it comes to vacuuming.  The boy is relentless so you'd better get your stuff off of the floor.

I gladly chose for Elijah to skip tennis so he could have an impromptu play date with a sweet friend.  I was told there were much giggling and laughter.  Joy.

I gladly got out the modge podge, fingerpaints and fabric for Valentine making.

And we all gladly went out for an ice cream parlor treat after dinner despite the 23 degrees registering on the thermometer.

Now off to start the week . . . .

How was your weekend?