what u might have missed

Last Bites

A date out with Heather and Nels up in Olympia.
We turned in important paperwork for Heather and I picked up something for my mom.
I found fabric and we got sushi and had delicious coffee etc.

Last night: a dinner and bonfire and late stay-up out at dharmaFarm. Phoenix stayed over and didn’t get home this evening until 5 PM. Since I was out of town until 10 PM, it was a long time for me without my little girl. I love her so!

Dry

Tinder

Bug Spray

Bug spray!

Chris Immolated

Fire!!!

Phoenix (Goddess)

Phoenix i.e. Water-Goddess

I seriously look at that picture and can’t wait until she’s out of her bath in a few minutes, when she will snuggle close and I’ll get to put my hands over her warm little belly and we’ll watch something sci-fi. And no one has to get up and hustle ass for school or errands or whatever, and we’ll all be rested and snuggly. AND I almost have a hoodie finished that I’m pretty excited about, just figuring out some invisible zipper trickery.

The kids are amazing, transcendant, just like the rest of life when I actually contemplate it and take a minute out of my ordinary selfish wound-up habitual drives. The other day I caught myself stacking up the piles and piles of books the children pore through and read and re-read and (in the case of math workbooks) write in, then the drawing tablets and markers and a plate in their room and kicking their shoes out to the porch and I felt all irritated they don’t put this stuff away on my exact schedule then suddenly I think, What is my problem?

I seem to have a basic difficulty keeping up with the values I want to live. But I guess the important thing is, I keep trying.

If you’ll excuse me I’m going to take a Tylenol and crawl into bed. I had several hours in a car with a bunch of ladies, a wonderful road-trip – but now it’s time to be home.

a date, a walk, a bonfire

At Saginaw's

Saginaws with Ralph, after visiting a very interesting recording studio and sprawling Mormon home. Where, big news for me, I got to pet a Maine Coon kitty. After this appointment Ralph took me out to eat (my mom had hosted the kids at the Fair, that’s right, they got to go twice this year!) and it was just a wonderful meal for he and I. I told him, “I feel so fortunate. I’ve had a lovely day so far, this was great food and I like being with you. And we get to see our friends later.”

A nature walk on or at least near our friends’ property, I don’t know, I was a bit lost:

Middle Of Nowhere

I want to one day take a trip, just the kids and I. Or maybe even just me. I want to be away from a few things. Just for a little while. I select the kids as possible attendants because when it’s them and I in nature or in the quiet somewhere, things are just so damned simple and wonderful.

My Son, 7 Years

A Walk With Nels

Thimbleberries

Thimbleberries; raspberries are my favorite, but these are delicious as well. Oddly a bush will have a perfectly-ripe specimen neighboring several so unripe you couldn’t even pry off the plant. When they are ready, they are so soft and juicy, a complex citrusy-sweet flavor. I’ve never done anything other than what Nels and I did today (along with several huckleberries); eat them off the bush.

Later:

Fire!

A bonfire gets a little hot for the musicians, but is just the right temperature for others.Amber

Girls, Excited

Bonfire

I used to talk and talk at gatherings and get all wound up. Hyper. Either angry or happy. That person is still with me but often these days I’m quiet, enough so that my husband thinks something’s wrong when nothing really is. He puts his hand in mine or rubs my shoulders and would do just about anything for me. I feel incredibly grateful for his company and that of my children and my friends. Many times, these days, it’s as simple as that.