tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68750174741907121212024-03-14T01:14:55.738-05:00The Full Cuppaulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14938879299996167825noreply@blogger.comBlogger283125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6875017474190712121.post-38264517256979102212020-05-08T20:15:00.001-05:002020-05-08T20:15:51.742-05:00Cover design for HamletDo you like the cover of your copy of <i>Hamlet</i>? Often, they put a painting or photo of the melancholy Dane on the cover. What makes a nice looking book? Should this be a nice looking book? What's important about this play, that should go on the cover? <br />
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Design and draw your own paperback cover for <i>Hamlet</i>. It should include at least the title and author. Send me a copy.<br /><br />MamaBearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12967824007753146854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6875017474190712121.post-44355429516462807592020-05-08T20:04:00.000-05:002020-05-08T20:04:34.188-05:00Revising Your Poem Is your poem boring? Would a random person find it interesting to read? If not, it needs some help. Don't let it lie boring and limp and helpless! Let's plump it up and breathe some fresh life into it. Help it along with a prayer that it would be to the glory of God.<br />
From the excellent book we've been working through, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Roar-Other-Side-Guide-Student/dp/1885767668" target="_blank"><i>The Roar on the Other Side</i> </a>by Suzanne U. Clark: "After you've produced a draft and worked it into a shape you're fairly pleased with, get your pen-knife out and start cutting. Delete careless repetitions and wordiness, as in the following first draft by student Emily Windes:<br />
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Potato<br />
A potato is rough, brown, and wrinkled,<br />
It's lined and wrinkled like an old man's face,<br />
The skin looks like dirt or an elephant's skin<br />
It sprouts, it looks like little trees are growing out of the dirty skin.<br />
The sprouts are green, with hairs and bumps.<br />
A sprouting potato looks like and animal with crazy legs.<br />
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Here's her final draft:<br />
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Potato<br />
The potato--rough, brown and wrinkled,<br />
Lined like an old man's face.<br />
The skin looks like dirt or an elephant's hide.<br />
It sprouts little trees with hairs and bumps.<br />
A sprouting potato is like an animal with crazy legs.<br />
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Clark continues; "What changes did she make? What words did she eliminate or find synonyms for? Notice, too that the basic poem was there, in the first draft, like a face in a slab of marble. The sculptor must chisel away the stone that is <i>not </i>the face. The writer must cut out words that are not the poem."<br />
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Please take one of your poems. Cut out the parts that don't earn their keep. Breathe life into dull descriptions with imagery or more interesting sounding words. If you have cliches, think harder about your subject, and find your own way of describing the particular aspect you're trying to convey. Type it up and send me the first draft, along with your revision, to share in class on Friday. MamaBearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12967824007753146854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6875017474190712121.post-86764339687376073422020-05-08T14:57:00.001-05:002020-05-08T15:11:05.186-05:00Make Yourself a Drawing Kit<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlZJTfNDXG7I093KkxQ3rRljoeeZJ4ylEklnxj9Hi0kvgXuZ7dRIhyexB6lyQXwznd9hPWEvHCbnXL_M8x5qSZZWGngBPjhhGYLqyKAr2qpa1f9bxdEkxzHEVKO4dpQ8aUSqgOrd4HzO4/s1600/WIN_20200508_11_34_09_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlZJTfNDXG7I093KkxQ3rRljoeeZJ4ylEklnxj9Hi0kvgXuZ7dRIhyexB6lyQXwznd9hPWEvHCbnXL_M8x5qSZZWGngBPjhhGYLqyKAr2qpa1f9bxdEkxzHEVKO4dpQ8aUSqgOrd4HzO4/s320/WIN_20200508_11_34_09_Pro.jpg" width="320" /></a><b>Make a drawing kit for yourself</b>. The best one is the one you have with you when you want to draw, so keep it <b>simple </b>and <b>small</b>.<br />
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It can be: </div>
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your very favorite fancy markers and easel and pens and ink and paints, only if you will get out there and use it!</div>
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(drawing kits from the <i>Artist's Guide to Sketching</i> by Gurney and Kinkade; 1982)</div>
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It can be your plain ordinary sketchbook and a pen or sharp pencil, in a chair by the window, </div>
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or a spot where you can draw someone cooking in the kitchen, or playing in the living room, or curled up on the couch. </div>
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It can be in a bag you take for a walk or sit and watch people walking by with their dogs. </div>
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This is the sketching satchel of my dreams. I stock it differently, depending on what I'm going to use it for. </div>
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These days, it contains:</div>
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-jack knife for sharpening pencils</div>
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-walnut ink and brushes and dip pens</div>
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-pens I can grab and draw quickly with</div>
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-portable watercolor box with trays for mixing colors, a water brush that has water for painting inside of it, and a scrap of cloth for cleaning the brush and switching colors</div>
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It can be any kind of little notebook that fits in your pocket. </div>
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This is my pocket notebook. I fill it with handsewn folios of art paper, and it holds shut with a leather thong, so the pages don't rub and smear if I carry it around in my bag or pocket. It's refillable.You can see more of my watercolor supplies, and another beloved satchel, in an<a href="http://thefullcup.blogspot.com/2015/08/satchel-for-sketching-in-real-life.html" target="_blank"> older post on my setup</a>.</div>
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This is just index cards clamped together with a binder clip.The index card stack, sometimes called the Hipster's Personal Digital Assistant, actually works great. Fits in a shirt or jacket pocket, or cargo pants pocket.</div>
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I've also done the index card stack with a strong rubber band like the kind that holds
brocolli together when you get a bunch from the grocery store. </div>
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An advantage of this simple setup is you can keep a pencil under the rubberband.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghB25D7NaEvmY72aAFc5PLsfwXlyasbEKt6y42PlGu5ZjKjpeRtkyWgUWlGijuZK62a_zaHwpwF_TJC_6aBIT1aBLjH3JmAhSSl9sq89uDN0QL2tJKr6LpOfJ7uc6pO_w3YQJ2_zgLt7w/s1600/WIN_20200508_11_43_35_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghB25D7NaEvmY72aAFc5PLsfwXlyasbEKt6y42PlGu5ZjKjpeRtkyWgUWlGijuZK62a_zaHwpwF_TJC_6aBIT1aBLjH3JmAhSSl9sq89uDN0QL2tJKr6LpOfJ7uc6pO_w3YQJ2_zgLt7w/s320/WIN_20200508_11_43_35_Pro.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Any suitably sized box or tin can hold your supplies. I hold this shut with a broccoli rubber band.</div>
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It<b> can't</b> be:</div>
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-a notebook<b> that you don't know where it is</b>, </div>
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-a pen that<b> doesn't write well</b>, </div>
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-or a pencil <b>with a broken point </b>and no eraser. </div>
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The best drawing kit is:<br />
-the one you<b> have with you</b>,<br />
-that you<b> take out</b>,<br />
-that you <b>like to use</b>, <br />
-and that you <b>actually do use</b>!<br />
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Take <b>whatever you have</b>,<br />
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start <b>where you are</b>, </div>
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and <b>do what you can!</b></div>
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You will turn your simple paper and pen or pencil into a world-class drawing studio!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRmYOEfSnW0cpyvh0FIia66b6nc7isn-13qvAnyEeFRQIWoVxHPb7PGxj8VjeKxZFOpbv3Zl2MURizudje_Xdbadb0rinCIvdk8sLZxS9V2V2FEaA5KkqIxtc2h1m2zOiCTO2I-G9a9gU/s1600/WIN_20200508_11_28_30_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRmYOEfSnW0cpyvh0FIia66b6nc7isn-13qvAnyEeFRQIWoVxHPb7PGxj8VjeKxZFOpbv3Zl2MURizudje_Xdbadb0rinCIvdk8sLZxS9V2V2FEaA5KkqIxtc2h1m2zOiCTO2I-G9a9gU/s320/WIN_20200508_11_28_30_Pro.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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An entry from my Drawing Diary, clockwise from top left:</div>
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-my empty plate after pancakes with knife and fork</div>
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-close-up of Paul, in the car</div>
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-trees next to the porch, </div>
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-from a book I'm reading; "Writing a story isn't about making your peaceful fantasies come true. The whole point of the story is the character arc. You didn't think joy could change a person, did you? Joy is what you feel when the conflict is over. But it's conflict that changes a person. You put your characters through hell. You put them through hell. That's the only way we can change." -Don Miller, <i>A Million Miles in a Thousand Years</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR9_pMW0UizJ2XyyP6J4UgNyPqFSd-hixgFBzX0o8A8S46jDey0maRjwJytM5p1rbxLpu1rOXLXABYBRT4sM72_RamuopCliLAU3klFmiuWwr9VlEtlLCAnz92qWofJyJEMK5424P3DkI/s1600/WIN_20200508_11_48_07_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR9_pMW0UizJ2XyyP6J4UgNyPqFSd-hixgFBzX0o8A8S46jDey0maRjwJytM5p1rbxLpu1rOXLXABYBRT4sM72_RamuopCliLAU3klFmiuWwr9VlEtlLCAnz92qWofJyJEMK5424P3DkI/s320/WIN_20200508_11_48_07_Pro.jpg" width="320" /></a> </div>
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Or, you could be like E. H. Shepherd, illustrator of Wind in the Willows and Winnie The Pooh, and draw on every envelope and greeting card and advertisement and bill that comes your way. Draw in the margins. Draw what you see. Draw what you hope. Draw what you imagine. Draw on on the front and draw on the back. </div>
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Your assignment today: Make yourself a drawing kit. Set it up to use it, and make an entry in your daily drawing diary. If you already have a kit you like, draw a picture of it in your diary to share with us! </div>
MamaBearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12967824007753146854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6875017474190712121.post-12300987692328257682020-05-01T18:23:00.002-05:002020-05-01T18:23:40.893-05:00May 1-8 SciWriFri poems and bitsOkay, my copy of Hamlet may have seen better days, but it's<i> Now a Major Motion Picture!</i> <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS6xat7Hs_ruxNR9k-e7NQhpMUjdFcEzD6EU53vx_e1CztmjOWMWyuOU7YBerkp6BW66ykG0PVITq8pNQAWHrclynDxvLboZS4MN_waKVNxWCFlP1YHG22a5Stim_QGUqDPh52GyhSewM/s1600/hamlet+cover.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1240" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS6xat7Hs_ruxNR9k-e7NQhpMUjdFcEzD6EU53vx_e1CztmjOWMWyuOU7YBerkp6BW66ykG0PVITq8pNQAWHrclynDxvLboZS4MN_waKVNxWCFlP1YHG22a5Stim_QGUqDPh52GyhSewM/s320/hamlet+cover.jpeg" width="248" /></a></div>
Posted for my students studying <i>Roar on the Other Side</i>. Normally our class meets in person and we work straight from the book, but now on Quarantine we have to make do electronically:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfXL2WMXuy0ae3szd6DjKYn7u9VM1iRo8ruaCIByt8K89B2jEifXmdd0qzvUXi1vtIqX2kwQXgJfqi0lWohrgpqFJOycAhWRasu92Odwj7DW7zBn4NSRKPiIK45EHTpIUvvL1xRfnWy9I/s1600/Bloodroot.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="823" data-original-width="1600" height="164" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfXL2WMXuy0ae3szd6DjKYn7u9VM1iRo8ruaCIByt8K89B2jEifXmdd0qzvUXi1vtIqX2kwQXgJfqi0lWohrgpqFJOycAhWRasu92Odwj7DW7zBn4NSRKPiIK45EHTpIUvvL1xRfnWy9I/s320/Bloodroot.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From my own Nature Notebook.</td></tr>
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God's Grandeur<br />
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The world is charged with the grandeur of God.<br />
It will flame out, like shining from shook foil;<br />
It gathers to a greatness, like the ooze of oil<br />
Crushed. Why do men then now not reck his rod?<br />
Generations have trod, have trod, have trod;<br />
And all is seared with trade; bleared, smeared with toil;<br />
And wears man's smudge and shares man's smell; the soil<br />
Is bare now, nor can foot feel, being shod.<br />
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And for all this, nature is never spent;<br />
There lives the dearest freshness deep down things;<br />
And though the last lights off the black West went<br />
Oh, morning, at the brown brink<br />
eastward, springs--<br />
Because the Holy Ghost over the bent<br />
World broods with warm breas and with ah!<br />
bright wings.<br />
-Gerard Manley Hopkins<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUdfAIc17i5orGTlxY-At1TqFQMpzJhyRD9EPDjgDd-86FpYCKmdcHR6UCf4aDpjrHpSLQ0okCMCTU8_eNEVxamRWQaLL__N7uMu2p8tmmTcsp4uOuvktsrahoBTZ1agKIKzIc1_dKiKA/s1600/Image+%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1364" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUdfAIc17i5orGTlxY-At1TqFQMpzJhyRD9EPDjgDd-86FpYCKmdcHR6UCf4aDpjrHpSLQ0okCMCTU8_eNEVxamRWQaLL__N7uMu2p8tmmTcsp4uOuvktsrahoBTZ1agKIKzIc1_dKiKA/s320/Image+%25283%2529.jpg" width="272" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Attend, a papercut from Nikki McClure's 2019 calendar</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 14.0441px; left: 513.874px; top: 926.318px; transform: scaleX(1.05085);"> </span><span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 20.2859px; left: 186.589px; top: 79.8452px; transform: scaleX(1.03473);">Song for Wood’s Barbeque Shack </span><br />
<span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 20.2859px; left: 186.589px; top: 79.8452px; transform: scaleX(1.03473);"> </span><span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 20.2859px; left: 226.268px; top: 104.817px; transform: scaleX(1.03132);">in McKenzie, Tennessee</span><br />
<span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 20.2859px; left: 226.268px; top: 104.817px; transform: scaleX(1.03132);"> </span><span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 14.0441px; left: 150.079px; top: 149.585px; transform: scaleX(1.05524);">Here in mid-winter let us begin</span><br />
<span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 14.0441px; left: 150.079px; top: 149.585px; transform: scaleX(1.05524);"> </span><span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 14.0441px; left: 150.079px; top: 169.865px; transform: scaleX(1.05884);">to lift our voices in the pine woods:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 14.0441px; left: 150.079px; top: 169.865px; transform: scaleX(1.05884);"> </span><span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 14.0441px; left: 150.079px; top: 210.438px; transform: scaleX(1.05782);">O sing praise to the pig</span><br />
<span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 14.0441px; left: 150.079px; top: 210.438px; transform: scaleX(1.05782);"> </span><span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 14.0441px; left: 150.079px; top: 230.718px; transform: scaleX(1.06013);">who in the season of first frost</span><br />
<span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 14.0441px; left: 150.079px; top: 230.718px; transform: scaleX(1.06013);"> </span><span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 14.0441px; left: 150.079px; top: 250.998px; transform: scaleX(1.0802);">gave his tender hams and succulent shoulders</span><br />
<span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 14.0441px; left: 150.079px; top: 250.998px; transform: scaleX(1.0802);"> </span><span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 14.0441px; left: 150.079px; top: 271.277px; transform: scaleX(1.07561);">to our appetite:</span><span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 14.0441px; left: 150.079px; top: 311.851px; transform: scaleX(1.08281);">praise to the hickory embers</span><br />
<span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 14.0441px; left: 150.079px; top: 311.851px; transform: scaleX(1.08281);"> </span><span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 14.0441px; left: 150.079px; top: 332.131px; transform: scaleX(1.06491);">for the sweetest smoke</span><br />
<span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 14.0441px; left: 150.079px; top: 332.131px; transform: scaleX(1.06491);"> </span><span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 14.0441px; left: 150.079px; top: 352.41px; transform: scaleX(1.05682);">a man is ever to smell</span><br />
<span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 14.0441px; left: 150.079px; top: 352.41px; transform: scaleX(1.05682);"> </span><span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 14.0441px; left: 150.079px; top: 372.69px; transform: scaleX(1.0683);">its incense a savor</span><br />
<span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 14.0441px; left: 150.079px; top: 372.69px; transform: scaleX(1.0683);"> </span><span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 14.0441px; left: 150.079px; top: 392.97px; transform: scaleX(1.08096);">of time bone deep:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 14.0441px; left: 150.079px; top: 392.97px; transform: scaleX(1.08096);"> </span><span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 14.0441px; left: 150.079px; top: 433.543px; transform: scaleX(1.06234);">praise for Colonel Wood and all his workers</span><br />
<span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 14.0441px; left: 150.079px; top: 433.543px; transform: scaleX(1.06234);"> </span><span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 14.0441px; left: 150.079px; top: 453.823px; transform: scaleX(1.08265);">in the dark hours who keep watch</span><br />
<span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 14.0441px; left: 150.079px; top: 453.823px; transform: scaleX(1.08265);"> </span><span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 14.0441px; left: 150.079px; top: 474.103px; transform: scaleX(1.06197);">in this turning of the flesh</span><br />
<span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 14.0441px; left: 150.079px; top: 474.103px; transform: scaleX(1.06197);"> </span><span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 14.0441px; left: 150.079px; top: 494.382px; transform: scaleX(1.06173);">to the delight of our taste:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 14.0441px; left: 150.079px; top: 494.382px; transform: scaleX(1.06173);"> </span><span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 14.0441px; left: 150.079px; top: 534.956px; transform: scaleX(1.08405);">praise to the sauce—vinegar, pepper, and tomato—</span><br />
<span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 14.0441px; left: 150.079px; top: 534.956px; transform: scaleX(1.08405);"> </span><span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 14.0441px; left: 150.079px; top: 555.235px; transform: scaleX(1.06481);">sprinkled for the tang of second fire:</span><span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 14.0441px; left: 150.079px; top: 595.809px; transform: scaleX(1.06393);"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 14.0441px; left: 150.079px; top: 595.809px; transform: scaleX(1.06393);">praise we say now for mudwallow, hog grunt, and pig squeal</span><br />
<span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 14.0441px; left: 150.079px; top: 595.809px; transform: scaleX(1.06393);">snorkle snout ringing bubbles of swill in the through,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 14.0441px; left: 150.079px; top: 595.809px; transform: scaleX(1.06393);">each slurp a sloppy vowel of hunger,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 14.0441px; left: 150.079px; top: 595.809px; transform: scaleX(1.06393);">jowl and hock, fatback and sowbelly, root dirt and pure</span><br />
<span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 14.0441px; left: 150.079px; top: 595.809px; transform: scaleX(1.06393);"> piggishness of sow, boar, and barrow.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 14.0441px; left: 150.079px; top: 595.809px; transform: scaleX(1.06393);"> -Jeff Daniel Marion</span><br />
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<br />MamaBearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12967824007753146854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6875017474190712121.post-43707577669214985892015-12-04T08:43:00.000-05:002015-12-04T08:43:32.228-05:00Pretty, happy, funny, real, advent!Pretty-<br />
I pulled it together and made our prayer place prettier. I cleaned it up. It is simple, but works. We went out in the snow and gathered greens on our morning walk. Well, I did while thhe kids clobbered one another with snowballs. I would like to add some cedars boughs. Sure we can find some soon. I have candles in the roght colors, and a beautiful Christmas candle with mother and child I made last year that will suffice for one more year.<br />
I put the home made animals over by the potted plants (which in itself is a little corner of charm I pulled together in the front window. Potted up herbs before the garden froze!) and little hands moved them back to the prayer place, so somebody really cares about them. Some were broken when friends came to play recently, so maybe we will make a fresh batch?<br />
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Happy-<br />
So happy to be doing an Advent devotion daily! I just love it! The middle son told me this week that he likes our little prayer things, and some children have begun chiming in on the prayers, instead of just reading them. So, I will count that as pure joy and call it happy indeed.<br />
I am also so happy to be using the Charlotte Mason educational methods. This framework of ideas is just the right level of structure for us, and we are beginning to see the fruits of our labors. It is adding up to joyful learning! All the little, humble pieces fit together and become a bigger, beautiful whole.<br />
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Funny-<br />
Eldest said yesterday that he likes seeing people's eyes more, now that it is winter. He said everyone is squinting in the summer. I like that way of thinking of it. Here, in these dark, perhaps drear days, we have our eyes wide open. We are watching. At least until the blinding, icy sunshine of January!<br />
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Real-<br />
Thinking hard about trying to get the house more ready for hosting holidays. Tumbling it around. We are quite hopitable in certain ways, and not in others. Great in having folks over for special dinners on regular weeks, not for any fanciness at all.<br />
So wondering what is next. I do avoid certain types of work, while embracing others. Taking stock...how to simplify more... What can be shed to be more ready? Which are the damp, dreary places that need attention next, and what ruinous corners can we nicen and reclaim, to the glory of god?<br />
I caught a renewed vision for the valor of handwork, order, and the faithful fight against encroaching chaos on our trip in Appalachia. It is a real and difficult work.<br />
Also real: I cannot seem to upload pictures from my tablet to blog. There must be some simple solution, but it has stymied me for the moment.MamaBearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12967824007753146854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6875017474190712121.post-5398698372322015472015-08-06T07:41:00.000-05:002015-08-06T07:41:49.425-05:00Satchel for Sketching in real life.Pretty: Artwork<br />
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Trying to rekindle my art, I read a<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Caldecott-Co-Notes-Books-Pictures/dp/0374522189" target="_blank"> biography of E. H. Shepard</a>, who drew the original pictures for the Winnie the Pooh books. I was struck by Shepard's life long practice of drawing all the time! He just drew everywhere! On whatever he had! On both sides of all kinds of scraps of paper! All the people and exciting happenings and characters around him!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi62iLJYTa5rkgHF00nOAk1F9vYqZiDPFvUpopJfg6qIA8QzEYAGfdXv-VZGJSOkhLIIggH7KmfM9FzjlMvDtbCm6xJn9TMZaYEUhtgEXyN1Pg_z8lI2U77IxcSaJ4wFxIwwVljIj90ztk/s1600/IMG_1132.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi62iLJYTa5rkgHF00nOAk1F9vYqZiDPFvUpopJfg6qIA8QzEYAGfdXv-VZGJSOkhLIIggH7KmfM9FzjlMvDtbCm6xJn9TMZaYEUhtgEXyN1Pg_z8lI2U77IxcSaJ4wFxIwwVljIj90ztk/s400/IMG_1132.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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I'm trying to make my art fit my real life rather than changing my life to accomodate art. <br />
So---I pulled together my art essentials to make this old satchel a grabbable art kit! The leather bag is military surplus from somewhere in Europe. I've had it since high school. It's beginning to crack, but I'll use it as long as I can. The stamp is too faded to read. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyyfdHJv_IZoiefsIA8I4dpOaUOMnOjfuKP7Ufji8NtuLcyCEF1HOTTF3n7p-tTPIbzS8iauo5j6LkFGc1H1CKZvtUpdf7gZNbr3aWcqetyyc-o9eIamWsyy2GGJ3U0FjQokigR6KTppM/s1600/IMG_1126.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyyfdHJv_IZoiefsIA8I4dpOaUOMnOjfuKP7Ufji8NtuLcyCEF1HOTTF3n7p-tTPIbzS8iauo5j6LkFGc1H1CKZvtUpdf7gZNbr3aWcqetyyc-o9eIamWsyy2GGJ3U0FjQokigR6KTppM/s400/IMG_1126.JPG" width="298" /></a></div>
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All that stuff fits into the satchel, (9.5x8x2.5") which has a shoulder strap. Pencil, ink, paint; plein art, illustration; I'm ready. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSDfEwPULpcO_wW9hDkFv2sDCXkl-uNse6lvDc7Jwkac5vW12KuK-eLdBorGMo8j9e9K_g0lFjPut8NE6W6DEeBvXz8KfRE4qiCvzbPeDxvh0Z_-h0KSd8cCDff3TVb__ZqbgTBd9D-4I/s1600/IMG_1130.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSDfEwPULpcO_wW9hDkFv2sDCXkl-uNse6lvDc7Jwkac5vW12KuK-eLdBorGMo8j9e9K_g0lFjPut8NE6W6DEeBvXz8KfRE4qiCvzbPeDxvh0Z_-h0KSd8cCDff3TVb__ZqbgTBd9D-4I/s400/IMG_1130.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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I've started working more on real watercolor paper. I don't really want all my sketches to be on the edges of church bulletins and crowded round about with notes about other things. This sketching is all the art I have time for! I might as well set myself up to do it in a way that will be satisfying. This way, if I get a drawing I like, I don't have to tear or cut it out of something, or leave it cloistered in a notebook, or sacrifice whatever is on the back of the page. I can put it up on the wall, give it away, ink it or paint it.<br />
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At the moment, I'm working on a little booklet that will have recipes and instructions for baking bread. It's for a little class coming up where I pretend I'm a live cooking show for a few friends. <br />
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Happy: a clear work space!<br />
This is my secretary, a piece of furniture that I mildly hate. It is about as big as our refrigerator, though much less useful. I have thought about painting it. Fie on faux wood panelling! Most of
it is oak, varnished and slightly spattered with stain. Was the
natural oak grain not grainy enough? It's a little too high to actually work at, so I mostly just pile things on it.<br />
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I have lately, however, been keeping it straight more of the time! This is a miraculously tiny amount of stuff for this space! There are bottles of ink in that little box. My parents shop at Trader Joe's a lot, and they just have the best packaging. I begged the box off of them when they'd finished the chocolate that came in it. <br />
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Unfortunately, the second picture of the secretary is the after. When people come over, I panic and pile and stuff. It was our day to have the whole beautiful little pile of children at our house, and I haven't undone from that. I did, however, manage to keep up with dishes through the day, and that is something to celebrate!<br />
The whole area is waay better than it used to be. <br />
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See the pencil sharpener? I screwed it right on to the secretary. It was mounted in a closet when we bought the house! What a deal, right? I'd been looking for one just like this for a long time, and it's great! It sharpens any size pencil. It does not sharpen crayons.<br />
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Gibbie caught us a whole walleye dinner in June, fishing on the St. Croix. We fried them up, for our family plus a couple guests, and were able to offer some seconds! <br />
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Funny: The kids love to make a huge mound of bubbles when they do the dishes. I think Ezra is about to do them here. That's why he's so happy. William is mad, even though all he has to do is straighten shoes, the easiest job in the world. Some people, not mentioning any names, like to blow the bubbles all over the kitchen. <br />
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Real: Can't find the kids? Look up. This is a pear tree, climbed to avoid picking cherries last month. <br />
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I've noticed quite a few people basically don't want kids to climb trees much. As in, see a kid in a tree, tell them to get down. I'm not sure whether the concern is for the children or the tree, but it doesn't bother me too much. We do try to avoid trees that are very small! If the branches are bending down when climbed, let that tree get bigger!<br />
Anyhow, happy summer!MamaBearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12967824007753146854noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6875017474190712121.post-91624089110408193112014-09-10T23:25:00.000-05:002014-09-10T23:25:20.428-05:00Wise Woman's words, via MacDonald From <i>The Wise Woman and the Princess; a Double Story</i>. by George Macdonald:<br />
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<i>That is my part of the work. </i><br />
<i>Now you do yours.</i><br />
<i>But first let me remind you that if you had not put it off, </i><br />
<i>you would have found it not only far easier,</i><br />
<i>but by and by quite pleasant work,</i><br />
<i>much more pleasant than you can imagine now,</i><br />
<i>nor would you have found the time go wearily.</i><br />
...<br />
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<i>She sat down again to think</i><br />
<i>what was to be done.</i><br />
<i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXTa7g_rb-grYrYP1-kBvk8KgEfQjGLr-pDUokwxO660QbE3Rxfv0hU47XfaZu0JtfDtBu8shE-lzn1SYW9WpCvuFl4_ss0aIlyej2U0aC9sN8RcEv0lEaW5-K4saE6h9S75r8sdLDFgY/s1600/FujiGA645zi-00014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXTa7g_rb-grYrYP1-kBvk8KgEfQjGLr-pDUokwxO660QbE3Rxfv0hU47XfaZu0JtfDtBu8shE-lzn1SYW9WpCvuFl4_ss0aIlyej2U0aC9sN8RcEv0lEaW5-K4saE6h9S75r8sdLDFgY/s1600/FujiGA645zi-00014.jpg" height="296" width="400" /></a>But there is very little indeed to be done when </i><br />
<i>we will not do that which we have to do.</i><br />
...<br />
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<i>But just because she ought, </i><br />
<i>she wouldn't.</i><br />
<i>Perhaps she feared that if she gave in to doing her duty once, she might have to do it always--</i><br />
<i>which was true enough--</i><br />
<i>for that was the very thing for which she had been especially born.</i><br />
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We read this story; a novella, a fairy story, what? on the women's canoe trip just a month ago. It's an old favorite of mine. Still turning it over in my head. And working on doing and enjoying the work I have been given.MamaBearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12967824007753146854noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6875017474190712121.post-5943138109577800312014-09-05T16:04:00.000-05:002014-09-05T16:04:07.396-05:00A Pick-Me-Up!So, I'm planning my work and working my plan with Mystie Winckler at <a href="http://www.simplifiedorganization.com/course/" target="_blank">Simplified Organization</a>.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRy7B9Ol6hApKpzJ3c0ApOf5QIApxJOuZpYMqGYRKHPQEuobcuIrx_31LWwsjQwumtco9RzefRWjtcicBuStccnyd9KxSK5SmUoT1r7U8B43M3Jc_s7u-h0H1X1kF2jHDafTMYKCfe0sw/s1600/RIMG0095-PS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRy7B9Ol6hApKpzJ3c0ApOf5QIApxJOuZpYMqGYRKHPQEuobcuIrx_31LWwsjQwumtco9RzefRWjtcicBuStccnyd9KxSK5SmUoT1r7U8B43M3Jc_s7u-h0H1X1kF2jHDafTMYKCfe0sw/s1600/RIMG0095-PS.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These kids are helping me plan my work and work my plan. Can you tell?</td></tr>
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As I said in the last post, I talked a couple of friends into signing up with me for this e-course to simplify and organize my life. I've been working on this for years -gulp- but this format is really helping me.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This summer has been fulfilling artistically--it's been jam-packed with creative and personal projects! But all the practical stuff has spun into chaos!</td></tr>
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The course is really positive, really practical, and really purposeful.<br />
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The big surprise so far is the positivity.<br />
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I had slid into despair over my house! I hadn't noticed. I just thought I was bad at organization and increasingly forgetful. This summer did a lot of explaining, "I'm so sorry... I totally forgot. You see, I'm just really bad at scheduling... and getting things done.... I'm like a pocket with a hole." In fact I was starting to tell myself that all the time, <i>like a pocket with a hole</i>.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the beautiful things this summer has been face painting. </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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Mystie's admonitions to smile at my family while working, and take my discouragement and turn it into gratitude? Like a splash of cold water, waking me up. I hadn't realized how much I was internalizing this sad picture of myself. I also didn't realize how little I was smiling. One of my kids confirmed it the other day when he said, "Why are you sad today? I just wish you were happy." I wasn't unhappy--I was happier than the day before! And, while shopping, I took my little one in the restroom/changing room to try on some clothes and he said, "Do you want to be in the bathroom by yourself? So you can cry, Mama?" This underlined for me the attitude I project about our life--one possibly more negative than I actually feel--and how greatly it affects them. How they love me and care how I'm doing, whether I realize it or not. What a difference some smiling could make.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy fun from Willem's birthday party!</td></tr>
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Do we tell ourselves the truth about ourselves? The truth sets us free.<br />
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I clicked "done" on each of the activities in the first module of the course because I had started them, but I don't want to rush on by. I think I will take some time to go over each one and work on it some more. Isn't that the advantage of a self-paced course?<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kids get elaborate in their requests if they can ask for anything--full face and both hands! </td></tr>
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It's also helping me to <i>see</i> what I really do. Before, I just thought that I didn't do enough. That <i>Not Enough</i> felt inexplicable and intractable. How could I ever do <i>Enough</i> if<i> Not Enough </i>was so hard and tiring? This course is not at all just giving me a new or longer to do list, but helping me to actually do what I have been attempting for so long--making a <i>better</i> list, one that will be both more effective and less tiring; and having a more free and competent approach to the whole plan.<br />
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The tasks in the first module of Simplified Organization are things I can do. They are doable things. Not cleaning and organizing the whole house all at once! They have been difficult for me because the attitude shift is seismic, but they have made an immediate and positive difference.<br />
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MamaBearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12967824007753146854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6875017474190712121.post-63100812368149837952014-09-02T17:30:00.001-05:002020-05-08T15:16:36.088-05:00On the Simple Life<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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So we just returned from a week (almost) in the wilderness. This is a picture from our trip two years ago, and that was ALL the stuff that our family brought. I think one of the reasons I love camping is that it's the only time I'm away from our stuff. When we're on a canoe trip, everything on my To Do List, I can do that day. And there is little enough of it that I needn't write it down. And I do do it. No regrets. No crying over the undone, or hauling piles of Undone up and down stairs.<br />
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I love, in the wilderness, how little we can live on. How we don't need so much because we have learned what just the right things are, and just how much. I find that there's less in between me and God. I can hear better. Think better. Breathe more deeply.<br />
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Every time I go, I want to bring it back. I want to cast aside everything that hinders.<br />
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I want to imitate my train-hopping friends who carry all their stuff on their back. <br />
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So, because of that, and a series of consecutive days with long bouts of crying over my inadequacy at cleaning, which I've been trying so hard at for YEARS and my overwhelmedness at life's big busyness, and some prayer and really feeling ready to do something drastic, (in a constructive, ok, I really need help kind of way) I tentatively signed up for <a href="http://www.simplifiedorganization.com/" target="_blank">Simplified Organization</a> by Mystie Winckler.<br />
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I think this woman is a genius. I've been trying to put it together. So hard. This summer I did some creative directing/ design work for our church's day campish adventure for kids, and it was so clear to me--I can do some creative things other people can't, but I am deficient in organizational and administrative ability. I flourish when creating, but give me a list of things to get done, and I will not only not get the things I blithely promised I could pick up, I will likely forget which notebook I wrote it in, worry about it a great deal for a while, and then<br />
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forget I ever had it.<br />
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Over the years, I've learned a lot. I've been sighing with recognition, taking notes, bewildered, and stymied by FlyLady, Messies Anonymous, Getting Things Done, Home Comforts, Pomodoros, and a host of other people and groups teaching about homemaking, housecleaning, simplification, and organization. I even had a wonderful housemate who invested a great deal of time helping me clean and simplify and purge every room of our house, including the basement. It was a labor of love! I needed a lot of hand-holding in order to let go of things.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Doing lots of projects like this may be a contributing factor to our home's exuberant spirit and lack of tidy.</td></tr>
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I've learned and implemented a ton from Leila Lawler's great blog, <a href="http://likemotherlikedaughter.org/" target="_blank">LikeMotherLikeDaughter</a>, Margaret Kim Peterson's profound and unlocking book, <i>Keeping House</i>. I've really learned things. I always have a meal plan and (twenty minutes after my husband was ready to leave for the grocery store) a shopping list. Still, I read another book, underline everything, and discover that I already know what I need to do. I figured it out when my first son was eighteen months old. I did it for two weeks, stopped, and forgot what it ever was. My house is not usually reasonably tidy. Neither is it usually disastrous.By my standards, at least!<br />
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But it is usually too chaotic to comfortably host another family with little kids for a day of lessons and play. Which we need to do regularly!<br />
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So I'm trying this e-course. Which is a big deal for me, since I'm kind of allergic to technology and screen time. But it's self-paced and I got two real-life friends to sign up with me. I figure we can talk in real life or at least on the phone; that make it more friendly and realistic for analog me.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's safe to say that nearly everyone in my family is better at making things than cleaning them.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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So, after that lengthy prologue, a short update:<br />
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I'm getting our space for lessons ready this week.<br />
I'm not going to use google calendar, but may try to get more space for my calendar in my planner so it will be more effective.<br />
I'm using simpler, shorter daily to do lists.<br />
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I was initially frustrated by the first module's philosophic emphasis on attitude. I decided to work through it faithfully. It is more practical than I first thought. As in, she addresses practical stuff too.<br />
But the attitude bit itself was also practical. For me, it means replacing critical thoughts with gratitude. This has made an immediate difference.<br />
I realize that most of the books I've read advocate an apocalyptic cleanse of the house. That I have done. More than once! Apparently what I need is more a change in behavior. And deeper, my mindset and expectations? Still getting my head wrapped around this. <br />
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Smiling when I'm overwhelmed and discouraged? Sounds cliche. Sounds Little Orphan Annie fake. But also sounds kind of pleasant. I'm giving it a try.<br />
<br />MamaBearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12967824007753146854noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6875017474190712121.post-87728292507298145062014-06-24T16:44:00.001-05:002014-06-24T16:44:15.407-05:00Oh, it's the Far Northland that's a callin' me away!I am leading a womens' retreat to the BWCA this summer, and thought I'd post some images from past Boundary Waters trips. We will be on a big lake, full of islands. One is called <i>Three Mile Island</i>, to give a sense of scale.<br />
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We camp on the lake shore, which is often rocky. One can hear the water lapping on the shore, and the loons and whip-poor-wills calling.<br />
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The surrounding forest is generally mixed pine, fir, and softwoods like birch and aspen. There are some astounding and ancient cedars.<br />
By August we can hope for fair weather.<br />
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I believe this was a picture of our whole family's gear before we loaded the canoe! We try to pack light.MamaBearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12967824007753146854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6875017474190712121.post-91836031656117378252014-06-21T01:31:00.000-05:002014-06-21T01:31:21.529-05:00How Green Was My Valley<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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"O, Brandy Broth is the King of Broth and royal in the rooms of the mouth. A good chicken and a noble piece of ham, with a little shoulder of lamb, small to have the least of grease, and then a paste of the roes of trout with cream, a bit of butter, and the yolk of egg, whipped tight and poured in when the chicken, proud with a stuffing of sage and thyme, has been elbowing the lamb and the ham in the earthenware pot until all three are tender as the heart of a mother. In with the carrots and turnips and the goodness of marrow bones, and in with a mixing of milk and potatoes. Now watch the clock and every fifteen minutes pour in a noggin of brandy, and with the first a pint of home-brewed ale. Two noggins in, and with the third, throw in the chopped bottoms of leeks, but save the green leaves until ten minutes from the time you sit to eat, for then you shall find them still a lovely green.<br />
Drink down the liquor and raise your eyes to give praise for a mouth and a belly, and then start upon the chicken."<br />
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I recently read <i>How Green Was My Valley</i>, by Richard Llewellyn, upon the urgent commendations of my mother. It was beautiful. It was melancholic and nostalgic. Friends who would rather not read a book unless assured of a happy ending might as well just skip this one, alas. <br />
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"My father always said that money was made to be spent just as men spend their strength and brains in earning it and as willingly. But just as they work with a purpose, so the results of that work should be spent with a purpose and not wasted. So in our family, since all the grown-ups were earning except my sisters and my mother and me, there was always thought before the tin was taken out of the kitchen."<br />
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"A hundred years before, a craftsman in wood had put love into his job for all men to see in that little pattern of grained woods on the lid and round the sides. There was not need for him to spend those hours, for the box was made, but that pattern was his kiss of love, and I could see his hands passing over its smoothness, feeling its weight, having joy from the look and feel of it, and slow to let is pass into the hands of a buyer."<br />
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"O, blackberry tart, with berries as big as your thumb, purple and black, and thick with juice, and a crust to endear them that will go to cream in your mouth, and both passing down with such a taste that will make you close your eyes and wish you might live for ever in the wideness of that rich moment."<br />
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"There is happy are hens. All day they peck for sweet bits in the ground, twice they come for corn, and in the mornings they shout the foof off to have you to come and see their eggs. And no trouble to anybody. I do like a little hen, indeed. A minder of her own business, always, and very dainty in her walk and ways."<br />
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"Bad thoughts and greediness, Huw," my father said. "Want all, take
all, and give nothing. The world was made on a different notion. You
will have everything from the ground if you will ask the right way. But
you will have nothing if not. Those poor men down there are all after
something they will never get. They will never get it because their way
of asking is wrong. All things come from God, my son. All things are
given by God, and to God you must look for what you will have. God
gave us time to get His work done, and patience to support us while it
is being done. There is your rod and staff. No matter what others may
say to you, my son, look to god in your troubles. And I am afraid what
is starting down by there, now this moment, is going to give you plenty
of troubles in times to come."<br />
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"Gaslight, when it came, made people want to read less, for comfort perhaps, and electric light sent them to bed earlier because it was dearer. But when did people stop being friends with their mothers and fathers, and itching to be out of the house, and going mad for other things to do, I cannot think. It is like and asthma, that comes on a man quickly. He has no notion how he had it, but there it is, and nothing to cure it."<br />
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MamaBearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12967824007753146854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6875017474190712121.post-85316600864795907092013-07-18T11:36:00.002-05:002014-06-21T01:21:35.826-05:00Git'cher Mullberry Sodapop! Illustrations by Libby Jane!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Gibbie has been dying to have a lemonade stand! When the Mullberries hit, he did one better and sold Mullbery sodapop from our front stoop! We have a SodaStream thing that charges the juice with CO2, that I thought was the coolest thing when I was a kid, and apparently, it still is! The kids get out there and pick the berries themselves. He was hindered by a scarcity of ice, and some kinks in service, as well as a strange lull in afternoon foot traffic the day we did this project. The business can only grow from here!<br />
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On a related family entrepreneurial note, I illustrated a little reader for <a href="http://www.logicofenglish.com/" target="_blank">Logic of English</a>, the reading and spelling curriculum we are using. I think their materials are so great, I was thrilled to get to do a bit of artwork for them! You can see (and order!) <a href="https://store.logicofenglish.com/foundations-b-readers-pdf" target="_blank">my reader here</a>. They also have many free videos, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPn2yUNP8Jc&list=PLI-J5Z20TC6tItPZ1DEu6DDPpMTDV2VS8" target="_blank">like this one</a>, on teaching technique and content which I have found particularly helpful.<br />
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We entered a fresh-caught turtle in Battle Lake's turtle races this June. Despite our high hopes, she didn't bring home glory.<br />
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Gibbie and Ezra did some glorious fishing, however! We ate fresh panfish at nearly every meal, and even had some to take home!<br />
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So wonderful to have lakeside time with Grandmothers and Great-Grandmothers. The children have been exceptionally blessed in the grandparent department, on both sides of the family!<br />
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All the adults helped remove hooks at one point or another. It is precious to me that they get to fish with Grandpa Bob, just like Mary and Robert and I did! Plus, my mom has caught the fishing bug too!<br />
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This summer has been an exciting time for us! Here are two powerful figures in our life. John Stanley, of the Church Army, paid us the honor of a visit recently. He biked four hours out of his way, through hours of drenching thunderstorms! He has been something of an Elijah to us. He stirs things up. As does John Tolo, and his work right in our neighborhood!<br />
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We've been spending as much time outside as possible, now that the sun's finally shining. (We had almost a solid month of rain here in Minnesota earlier this summer!) I love the familiar landscapes of our favorite outdoor adventure spots! This is Crosby Farm Lake park, in St. Paul, on the Mississippi. <br />
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Willem, like his big brothers, loves to play with the rabbits. He may be "nursing" this one!<br />
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<br />MamaBearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12967824007753146854noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6875017474190712121.post-57790494941832987382013-02-24T20:30:00.000-06:002013-02-24T20:44:13.878-06:00Auntie Mary SaysMy sister Mary whispered to me today, "Demons aren't scary. They're just little punks."<br />
I think she's right. She really helped me out a lot today. That girl has spoken some really sensible things to me lately. Thanks, sister!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA1c0gk7yj7oOZAExPdN69Zq18ZNTMKGTeDpc2nWq1WFNng7V05WWNJS9a64d4RBtjKSIVisFnYFJA9w3e6_MpnPxjwNvuYTN_sgodRFRzUidlKaKeqSCA8wRjfAe81KJgA_SVrxV6Y64/s1600/cl-000563.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA1c0gk7yj7oOZAExPdN69Zq18ZNTMKGTeDpc2nWq1WFNng7V05WWNJS9a64d4RBtjKSIVisFnYFJA9w3e6_MpnPxjwNvuYTN_sgodRFRzUidlKaKeqSCA8wRjfAe81KJgA_SVrxV6Y64/s640/cl-000563.jpeg" width="425" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A local landmark</td></tr>
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By the way, I didn't mean anything derogatory about punks at all! I love me some punks. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsw0L-BWknWYpEH6VNgb41KBF6IxByGH2uN3SnRFi2oM8llHNgC14LNGx0pQCfAlj8Grdcg5ZB-8gpX5K9f9b43C7y_p8YTs48zUWG-VQ6jjQXDWNwZcmRARxGTYO8zEgd1stQAvkH21o/s1600/cl-000564.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="499" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsw0L-BWknWYpEH6VNgb41KBF6IxByGH2uN3SnRFi2oM8llHNgC14LNGx0pQCfAlj8Grdcg5ZB-8gpX5K9f9b43C7y_p8YTs48zUWG-VQ6jjQXDWNwZcmRARxGTYO8zEgd1stQAvkH21o/s640/cl-000564.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love how much shooting Paul has done in the neighborhood because of his <a href="http://thefullcup.tumblr.com/" target="_blank">show</a>.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzraqrYS9txqwrvHfiTiW_w3t-iuH3zmbx-o11GLQ26ZmCoYaOCjiPq1f8_rFBdDeF0QfKpaXD1aaGVQODIo7WFPkrGF5givZqxsJyF_oeVEDDdd3hT4W4BAwMeYwR3HafwBp3Rk10zGc/s1600/cl-000570.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzraqrYS9txqwrvHfiTiW_w3t-iuH3zmbx-o11GLQ26ZmCoYaOCjiPq1f8_rFBdDeF0QfKpaXD1aaGVQODIo7WFPkrGF5givZqxsJyF_oeVEDDdd3hT4W4BAwMeYwR3HafwBp3Rk10zGc/s640/cl-000570.jpeg" width="432" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Speaking of little punks, this one sure can climb the walls!</td></tr>
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Things I love about February:<br />
-the yellow sunshine<br />
-ice melting on the sidewalk, because of that golden light.<br />
-birds singing spring songs--ahh sweet music!<br />
-chopping up ice on the sidewalk with my ice slicer, just like my Grandpa Roy made me do. So satisfying!<br />
-being inside a lot, reading cozily on the couch with my kids.<br />
-making origami and cut paper art.<br />
-Lent. Simplifying. <br />
-Indoor projects<br />
-garden planning<br />
-Hot drinks after playing in the snow outside!<br />
-Organizing our house with my housemate Jess!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAot_vLXMMeUdb8LIfNlmFrpxP5yxl561fIVWzOs9DQfhibcmuUjO_wXrr_-FeSW0Pg5_RWgXGxwkYqNr3g18W3fAN71zJc4MRqSbhj1buO0Eo_EtIgLRkYgBNF-NvdVGh1_hXA2SBszg/s1600/cl-000565.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAot_vLXMMeUdb8LIfNlmFrpxP5yxl561fIVWzOs9DQfhibcmuUjO_wXrr_-FeSW0Pg5_RWgXGxwkYqNr3g18W3fAN71zJc4MRqSbhj1buO0Eo_EtIgLRkYgBNF-NvdVGh1_hXA2SBszg/s640/cl-000565.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"THINK". Soon it will be spring again! <br />
It doesn't look like this outside now! <br />
Here in Minnesota, it's been a beautifully snowy white February,<br />
lit with golden sunshine and blue skies.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRPMsNSqfvmGvjYTGSaxexH9tRjZt-p253Lijm7Ec1fQrj8nnt-v9LMHGaDs7ymRWndltmwf-VXZlhOF74KTjrYU-gyzz_-aXhEJToRPkwXka5vrDHJoyTh-gWyG6Z9oxin70pMzsPoyw/s1600/cl-000559.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRPMsNSqfvmGvjYTGSaxexH9tRjZt-p253Lijm7Ec1fQrj8nnt-v9LMHGaDs7ymRWndltmwf-VXZlhOF74KTjrYU-gyzz_-aXhEJToRPkwXka5vrDHJoyTh-gWyG6Z9oxin70pMzsPoyw/s640/cl-000559.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Willem is exploding with language! New words every day! Today I discovered he can identify all the major body parts of our rabbits.</td></tr>
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<br />MamaBearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12967824007753146854noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6875017474190712121.post-22502720041716970092013-02-22T13:38:00.003-06:002013-02-22T13:38:57.302-06:00I'm reading<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWNv3AXFV1Cz7_QaTN_3M7gT5EDYsInr9mO26SxmfF5VgvZCrJRmDqxSpesLy4DggJs9ReM6k7xMRKbYCNYqDe30qs6P5phdW2BRqAh0ZGtCM10I9RqbB8lzb_qAtG1QlorIcgZq1aNdw/s1600/cl-000605.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWNv3AXFV1Cz7_QaTN_3M7gT5EDYsInr9mO26SxmfF5VgvZCrJRmDqxSpesLy4DggJs9ReM6k7xMRKbYCNYqDe30qs6P5phdW2BRqAh0ZGtCM10I9RqbB8lzb_qAtG1QlorIcgZq1aNdw/s400/cl-000605.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Family adventure day at Bull Run Coffee; the young artist.</td></tr>
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I'm reading a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Oscar-Wilde-Arthur-Ransome/dp/B005H1RW9Y/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1361561717&sr=8-2&keywords=oscar+wilde+ransome" target="_blank">critical study of Oscar Wilde by Arthur Ransome</a>:<br />
"The artist himself, for all his gift of tongues, is not blinded by the descending light to the plastic qualities of the existence that fires his words and is itself intensified by his speech. He, too, moves in walled town or on the green earth, and has a little time in which to build two memories, one for his fellows, and another, a secret diary, to carry with him when he dies."<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6sN9V_6FJGz53maAvtBJEEmOTeeIeB8zwnDAO-yI-wDAa_pbKxOZksOSjLcMaXUItMb89lXlUGbnwZGrwyWcjHQFQBGmzP_26asvSWhYBNcKx0NkHf_F-Ek8Qp5joQ1oIxuoWmMpknxI/s1600/cl-000607.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6sN9V_6FJGz53maAvtBJEEmOTeeIeB8zwnDAO-yI-wDAa_pbKxOZksOSjLcMaXUItMb89lXlUGbnwZGrwyWcjHQFQBGmzP_26asvSWhYBNcKx0NkHf_F-Ek8Qp5joQ1oIxuoWmMpknxI/s400/cl-000607.jpeg" width="333" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We are enjoying Willem sooo much!</td></tr>
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"No man's life was crossed by Wilde's without experiencing a change. Men lived more vividly in his presence, and talked better than themselves. No common man lives and dies without altering, to some extent, the life about him and so the history of the world. How much wider is their influence who live their lives like flames, hurrying to death through their own enjoyment and expenditure alike of their bodies and their brains."<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwtQq7dzpHDCDrFQ14VRETIYtMgJUnYLXbxp0cV98ffnDkF4mg_HA0Wo54SFq2-eD2cgZxiAwsotVP3NkS-EveBlI5CGQkQnkAkO7XlyyuIXssZqHACUjeUGtP9GG8XrFOWvGvCExw1uo/s1600/cl-000599.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwtQq7dzpHDCDrFQ14VRETIYtMgJUnYLXbxp0cV98ffnDkF4mg_HA0Wo54SFq2-eD2cgZxiAwsotVP3NkS-EveBlI5CGQkQnkAkO7XlyyuIXssZqHACUjeUGtP9GG8XrFOWvGvCExw1uo/s400/cl-000599.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hoping to make more candles before Easter</td></tr>
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"His personality was stronger than his will." This describes me these days. I'm leaning into Lent.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAcv5bMy0OaSoo1_BZlUkWchKtRds9CRNa3aY9xIQZ3TRE_ePs9EFin6zntlDKcDwH1JJVkFK_QH0ZfVzKdU9VplEiItEgfXsm0Swq2eI5DSg4fNemEM3StdW94zOhRDP0ZDwEPXN6K_0/s1600/cl-000584.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAcv5bMy0OaSoo1_BZlUkWchKtRds9CRNa3aY9xIQZ3TRE_ePs9EFin6zntlDKcDwH1JJVkFK_QH0ZfVzKdU9VplEiItEgfXsm0Swq2eI5DSg4fNemEM3StdW94zOhRDP0ZDwEPXN6K_0/s400/cl-000584.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We've been playing a lot of Monopoly. Sometimes it's rough.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2zrrBL3hl3bSeVUz9z3TpiJ8gB0Et1J9wICqgaXF_737VBptMz_PF-VOXLnzjt8WWtg2dUXCHnQEEbuDKY5PwAaE0aJ2RF9WsbPIc9jg2NEznNSTAnKEDNMEYb1Mlulv8Sl04xH0TQ58/s1600/cl-000580.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2zrrBL3hl3bSeVUz9z3TpiJ8gB0Et1J9wICqgaXF_737VBptMz_PF-VOXLnzjt8WWtg2dUXCHnQEEbuDKY5PwAaE0aJ2RF9WsbPIc9jg2NEznNSTAnKEDNMEYb1Mlulv8Sl04xH0TQ58/s400/cl-000580.jpeg" width="281" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Need a friend? Willem is available for talking.</td></tr>
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<br />MamaBearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12967824007753146854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6875017474190712121.post-62441997420034339262013-02-15T18:54:00.001-06:002013-02-15T18:54:21.293-06:00February Happiness<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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William is hardcore into books these days. He can recite much of the thunderous "Hand Hand Fingers Thumb", which I'll bet you can too, if you have it at your house?<br />
We were at the art museum today, and William was ecstatic and very loud in identifying everything he had a word for in all the artwork. He saw Zeus rather fiercely turning Periphas into an eagle, and gleefully dubbed Periphas, "Duck!" He was likewise enchanted with nursing Madonnas, singing "Baby!" and "Nonnies!" Okay, all breasts got happy identifications. There sure are a lot of them at the MIA!<br />
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The sunlight is so much brighter in February. We are heavily encrusted in snow and ice but the days are distinctly longer. The light is so yellow! The skies are so blue!<br />
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My dear Grandparents, Loretta and Bob. I pretty much love every picture of them, because I love them so much!<br />
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A little neighborhood character. I'm sorry the digits are faded away so we're no help if you want to buy horses. It's been so much fun watching Paul go through the whole process of putting together another show, funded by a grant for neighborhood artists. His show documents our changing neighborhood as a light rail line is constructed down our University Avenue.<br />
The darkroom has been bumping! I got to help him install the <a href="http://frogtowninfocus.tumblr.com/" target="_blank">show</a>, and everything looks great. You can see it and pick up a fresh donut at Suga Rush bakery through February!<br />
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Or wonderful new housemate, Jess, has been helping me revamp the whole house! I would say this picture is indicative of the general "before" state of things: cluttered, untidy, generally askew, sunny, bursting at the seams with projects, and gloriously chaotic!<br />
I've been working so long trying to fight back this chaos with limited success--I really needed outside help. Hopefully by Easter we'll have some gloriously harmonious after photos! We've finished the basement, pantry, and kitchen in just a few short work days!MamaBearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12967824007753146854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6875017474190712121.post-21218562290222537672012-12-04T09:30:00.000-06:002012-12-04T09:30:14.651-06:00happy birthday Wendy!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Happy Birthday, Wendy! I hope you have more fun than this guy here!<br /><br />MamaBearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12967824007753146854noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6875017474190712121.post-27842278829616590512012-09-05T23:46:00.002-05:002012-09-05T23:51:40.732-05:00Songs for Worship September 9th<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIbCvyiFqm6U225_hobQoQ9dNtMTb27cAswTF-9LAa04jD3uVJxdOLMfcXW1O11EeKiB8tAq1FELSnMyqoCvDrcU_mHz4JNsX1vST7zTo7Q3rjzYUcLX-pZBvdXUFcB5w77Mt35f-4uao/s1600/cl-000038.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIbCvyiFqm6U225_hobQoQ9dNtMTb27cAswTF-9LAa04jD3uVJxdOLMfcXW1O11EeKiB8tAq1FELSnMyqoCvDrcU_mHz4JNsX1vST7zTo7Q3rjzYUcLX-pZBvdXUFcB5w77Mt35f-4uao/s640/cl-000038.jpeg" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photos are from a wedding at Messiah this summer. Here is the beautiful bride and attendants.</td></tr>
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Songs for Worship on Sunday, September 9th, at Messiah Episcopal Church:<br />
<i> </i><br />
<i>Praise to the Holiest in the Height </i>Hymnal #445<br />
<i>All Creatures of our God and King</i><br />
<i>Agnus Dei</i><br />
<i>Take up your Cross</i><br />
<i>Morning has Broken</i><br />
<i>Sanctus, </i>Mass of Plenty<br />
<i>Lord's Prayer, </i>Kidder<br />
<i>Fairest Lord Jesus</i><br />
<i>All you who are Thirsty</i><br />
<i>Jesu Jesu Fill us With Your Love</i><br />
<i>Jesus Messiah</i><br />
<i>I am the Bread of Life</i><br />
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To anyone interested, some very sweet children will be singing some of these songs, at the 8:30 and 11:00 services, in the new Children's Choir Ensemble! Come and Worship with us!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJt0dx49IlIcJbqjrG1u5voTjQvZMo46Q3m2Jd5SsTsMKV7XDO041FGumL_KNy2oD3aiX_MUYBdsD7lf0G0VTiggMtCHLTBSOQ9KdXayeCzOhAXTtlzt5du59ngcV_inJzIUpoKCvXHwU/s1600/cl-000036.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="470" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJt0dx49IlIcJbqjrG1u5voTjQvZMo46Q3m2Jd5SsTsMKV7XDO041FGumL_KNy2oD3aiX_MUYBdsD7lf0G0VTiggMtCHLTBSOQ9KdXayeCzOhAXTtlzt5du59ngcV_inJzIUpoKCvXHwU/s640/cl-000036.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Note the intersection of pop and traditional culture.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGNFL4Yuvw6SAN6x52YJvyujyN6ay5tXPkMwn_f0sL_-PRAq_yjbLKOy6-uPKvV8ZIJ44xkLzAEy-moeGvPNVUMD94lxg_k1McBk6Nvh8WKpLf8Bm0lmXhf3el00fXLZSxP67MYVge4D0/s1600/cl-000035.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGNFL4Yuvw6SAN6x52YJvyujyN6ay5tXPkMwn_f0sL_-PRAq_yjbLKOy6-uPKvV8ZIJ44xkLzAEy-moeGvPNVUMD94lxg_k1McBk6Nvh8WKpLf8Bm0lmXhf3el00fXLZSxP67MYVge4D0/s640/cl-000035.jpeg" width="460" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dancing! I love to watch folk dancing. (and do it when I get the chance) These guys are awesome. Wouldn't it be fun to have some participatory folk dance nights at Messiah? I wonder if that could work at a coffee house?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR9Zaup319P2f6kPYSVix5GWCsa-mkiisxO7LlTXjvn-LL8Cvk5pNQ7YxPvfbXkBJ7f65JNFtb2CPOWkVaCpu4bL1ggFrKK8LJas9h_XxxDKS77wZJukYrbsY4Ehr8bEnfxNeEBFfVG1M/s1600/cl-000029.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR9Zaup319P2f6kPYSVix5GWCsa-mkiisxO7LlTXjvn-LL8Cvk5pNQ7YxPvfbXkBJ7f65JNFtb2CPOWkVaCpu4bL1ggFrKK8LJas9h_XxxDKS77wZJukYrbsY4Ehr8bEnfxNeEBFfVG1M/s640/cl-000029.jpeg" width="424" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I really admire the craftsmanship and excellent graphic design of Karen textiles. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho91qjHHPi6dNvBmF84QcP0E88P6US94Z3XncbOSn2l-VCcnm6yCBOd6VztW7udUCNMHS0UGPY_tcPkkocNd9l0qlzc33lzqAZf7Uy0vcdxtYFBHldUoz4CbPdyxOygREj5xRWMCZ0qMY/s1600/cl-000032.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho91qjHHPi6dNvBmF84QcP0E88P6US94Z3XncbOSn2l-VCcnm6yCBOd6VztW7udUCNMHS0UGPY_tcPkkocNd9l0qlzc33lzqAZf7Uy0vcdxtYFBHldUoz4CbPdyxOygREj5xRWMCZ0qMY/s640/cl-000032.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These energetic dancers just don't quit!</td></tr>
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Have a beautiful week!MamaBearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12967824007753146854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6875017474190712121.post-73535818603614515262012-08-30T23:05:00.000-05:002012-08-30T23:05:15.022-05:00Pretty Happy Funny Real at the Lake<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMJIDYYo7pgQXxWZ0-DGUaG_Kk__F2oWNzyMEjJ0qIhMlB78tL92OxCIe9QAkmOmJmPcR9ffVFXW5CPx8QFsCdIcSzqm4aDCwdyoqIftT0XacTUU-d0D-wfg6q5vijw8aAW6cJrFkuRNc/s640/cl-000154.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is part of my Grandpa Bob's space, in the garage, up at the lake. </td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Capturing the context of contentment in everyday life: Pretty, Happy, Funny, Real.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Today's photos are from our little vacation in July at my grandparents' Lake Cabin. There is some controversy in our family about whether this is really a "cabin". In our minds, cabins don't have electricity. But this cabin is not a luxury home, at least!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkdmteDGpvp1a38XjxFDsrT4XLLItLX4iN0vUsfll_D28WKROottK7HTGMpaXvjeIZYb3ts0iUj_NRbZK5iYUjXRSKJ3Z0ujibudrFqZmN7aNlBwKdFR0EqmAIMJDD5IBWOfyCBGK4PgM/s1600/cl-000159.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkdmteDGpvp1a38XjxFDsrT4XLLItLX4iN0vUsfll_D28WKROottK7HTGMpaXvjeIZYb3ts0iUj_NRbZK5iYUjXRSKJ3Z0ujibudrFqZmN7aNlBwKdFR0EqmAIMJDD5IBWOfyCBGK4PgM/s640/cl-000159.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In the cottage at night.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">*Warning! This post contains explicit photos of dead fish. Don't look if you won't want to see.*</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxrnUPlG5BgHmLKj6iOBt_Ado8QhAAZ_28Pa3eFz9XxdNMAU_hgPnF61eWBUlXrr6ngPA-tB4HSgn3o6FpqJojZJe2-10RW6L86vsE539wxkZqd-GRCdO5_Iti-sCbwC-Cu6GN3N7jWq4/s1600/cl-000152.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="524" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxrnUPlG5BgHmLKj6iOBt_Ado8QhAAZ_28Pa3eFz9XxdNMAU_hgPnF61eWBUlXrr6ngPA-tB4HSgn3o6FpqJojZJe2-10RW6L86vsE539wxkZqd-GRCdO5_Iti-sCbwC-Cu6GN3N7jWq4/s640/cl-000152.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gibbie, with one of the many fish he caught! We had fish for breakfast and dinner more than once!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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I am excited planning and launching the kids' lessons for the year. Things have made a lot more sense since I realized that this is Ezra's kindergarten year. We were calling last year kindergarten, but he just turned six, and if he were in school, this would have been the year to start the big K. Physically, emotionally, socially, mentally, I'm quite sure. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy! We discovered our friends have a cabin near by, so we met up in Battle Lake! </td></tr>
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I've been trying to figure out how people do it, homeschooling. It seemed so simple until we tried! It's really crazy.<br />
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I have a theory that effective homeschooling families either let the house go to hell, or just have way better homemaking skills than I do! Maybe some families can function in more chaos than we can? Or can be joyful and free with way more order and discipline than I can?<br />
Really, I can't, mustn't relax any more than I am. We need order to function, and that order, for me, is hard-won. I seem to just make a mess wherever I go. Sometimes I feel like Pigpen from Charlie Brown. I look around me, at the space that started the day Reasonably Tidy, and marvel that I was here while it happened. I was a part of it.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiahyrOqYaaD76fm87vbbzFiiZS2U2rltyRtTWjJiN6DbuHGFAA94aghvIzmeu4nuGVwnRDid3gEySTbqmXoGH2a5IuISmmVp2Vg7LYH_R_BkNBPZHmcVsTPd3evd-xyn0TC-jEc-qydms/s1600/cl-000117.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiahyrOqYaaD76fm87vbbzFiiZS2U2rltyRtTWjJiN6DbuHGFAA94aghvIzmeu4nuGVwnRDid3gEySTbqmXoGH2a5IuISmmVp2Vg7LYH_R_BkNBPZHmcVsTPd3evd-xyn0TC-jEc-qydms/s640/cl-000117.jpeg" width="451" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy! Picnics every meal. </td></tr>
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The atmosphere of our home is so important. How can one learn but in joy and peace? But how can one have joy and peace and order with all these children and so much to do?! I read blogs and books by mothers with many more children than I, trying to level up to the task.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ81OGMujkIqF2QFOJM2sVsXvkcWc-fysk_WEL5JNLBCfaBtJPvPQy8d27mJ_voniWimn1QyRsF8TRWLYI_WRRknWRRTQlS_iJriimDeO0f4HhLegse0Inslcds89qdwxgPo5PxItX5LU/s1600/cl-000113.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ81OGMujkIqF2QFOJM2sVsXvkcWc-fysk_WEL5JNLBCfaBtJPvPQy8d27mJ_voniWimn1QyRsF8TRWLYI_WRRknWRRTQlS_iJriimDeO0f4HhLegse0Inslcds89qdwxgPo5PxItX5LU/s640/cl-000113.jpeg" width="499" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We had banjo music. And my father. Happiness.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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I wonder if I have an Idolatry of the Moment that gets in the way. The desire that every moment be joyful. A reluctance to insist, for fear of spoiling innocence and curiosity. In other areas of our life, we have found that insisting and expecting develop good habits, which are the pathway to curiosity and freedom and fulfillment. But insisting and expecting are hard. I shirk from fear of being oppressive.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMDg9_TRIKzSvcTdnVm3ZAbj9oTCmJDmN189msX8JIwWCHDpcNVVVYUJJmJ0FIWDbMf-Fkb6_S9jNUKzLnf4AE4zy-tjW0RlfUJ1oJl0eWWuBOLXC4QPwXdSGy1Etla-I5aFlr7eTiKII/s1600/cl-000109.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMDg9_TRIKzSvcTdnVm3ZAbj9oTCmJDmN189msX8JIwWCHDpcNVVVYUJJmJ0FIWDbMf-Fkb6_S9jNUKzLnf4AE4zy-tjW0RlfUJ1oJl0eWWuBOLXC4QPwXdSGy1Etla-I5aFlr7eTiKII/s640/cl-000109.jpeg" width="451" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy! One fish after another.</td></tr>
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Really, I just want to have fun. I want to read all day in the hammock with the kids. I don't want to do phonics and definitely don't want to insist my beautiful children do math lessons and that make them complain at me! Rather I would chuck it all and go to the woods again, or play Skully in the parking lot for the rest of the afternoon, or make stacks and stacks of pictures. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grandma Loretta and Grandpa Bob, sitting and looking out towards the lake. The bestest part about being at the lake is being with Grandma and Grandpa. (The kids' great-grandparents)</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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But this year, I am sure that its time for doing the hard daily work. The mechanical disciplined work of learning tough new skills. Important skills that will open doors to worlds of enchantment. We have to do it. It will be worth it. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW__qkLqjj_-CGQ-Gewf8e5dVF5cqqLRkmKSwW_oVjpnrJEifarouWMmWvtS5gStVXC9UZ6UcxwLil3ttg7x4XIldJcF53rYtGRNUACD773-PXm07kWKG-nMHkogKuWzAcMyZ3mxSXzeo/s1600/cl-000153.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW__qkLqjj_-CGQ-Gewf8e5dVF5cqqLRkmKSwW_oVjpnrJEifarouWMmWvtS5gStVXC9UZ6UcxwLil3ttg7x4XIldJcF53rYtGRNUACD773-PXm07kWKG-nMHkogKuWzAcMyZ3mxSXzeo/s640/cl-000153.jpeg" width="483" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Real: cleaning the fish: skills shared and learned.</td></tr>
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But how do we do it? Can I? Can they? Really, are we capable of this?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXdvEpwUUaY8rAbarLyunDCrioTC443WecBruUy0pHZPeNasT8BbZbbYohi4AlgfbDFfViVOQ0jIauotkt9AoC0aoUY4qcIfDm_YXiQydTaHcS0vC9oqqx2FTvoUulwX93rF_vZBsfcbI/s1600/Mm645-00171.jpeg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXdvEpwUUaY8rAbarLyunDCrioTC443WecBruUy0pHZPeNasT8BbZbbYohi4AlgfbDFfViVOQ0jIauotkt9AoC0aoUY4qcIfDm_YXiQydTaHcS0vC9oqqx2FTvoUulwX93rF_vZBsfcbI/s400/Mm645-00171.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Real. The fish are dazzlingly beautiful, glittering rainbows of sunsets and spots. Scaling and filleting them is quite real.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJS5LoE4rHHMwlmFob3aGKe1JB7pe7Un60R1EbML1pSGk2s9K4RTc3KfZ-0Vzzpp3ywliGpAMNTbjriUirfqbYfJlSdNdvB4fd-TkT3t0zwzY-JERHKW4BTyQcPuKnXKWTuWXUwUyTtCU/s1600/Mm645-00181.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJS5LoE4rHHMwlmFob3aGKe1JB7pe7Un60R1EbML1pSGk2s9K4RTc3KfZ-0Vzzpp3ywliGpAMNTbjriUirfqbYfJlSdNdvB4fd-TkT3t0zwzY-JERHKW4BTyQcPuKnXKWTuWXUwUyTtCU/s400/Mm645-00181.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fish Heads, fish heads, roly-poly fish heads. Eat them up, Yum!</td></tr>
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We have but three children, but will they survive intact? Hopefully we will each come out of this year in one piece, unlike these fish! <br />
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<a href="http://www.ourmothersdaughters.blogspot.com/" target="_blank" title="Like Mother, Like Daughter"><img alt="round button chicken" height="75" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5308/5609751923_b38935def8_s.jpg" width="75" /></a>
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MamaBearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12967824007753146854noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6875017474190712121.post-34120194575870968672012-08-29T10:21:00.002-05:002012-08-29T10:21:50.497-05:00Messiah Songs for the First Sunday of September<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i> Awake my soul and with the sun </i>(1982 hymnal #11) <br />
<i>Uncreated One</i><br />
<i>Wonderful Maker</i><br />
<i>Speak O Lord</i><br />
<i>Many Are the Words</i><br />
<i>Now to Live</i><br />
<i>Sanctus</i> (Mass of Plenty)<br />
<i>Lord's Prayer </i>(Kidder)<br />
<i> Take My Life and Let It Be</i><br />
<i>Let Your Healing Love</i><br />
<i>One Bread One Body</i><br />
<i>Beautiful Lord</i><br />
<i>Forth In Thy Name O Lord I Go</i> (Karen)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg7eNXwkWNILF7JDutcier_uGBZ3vW72UPXLb_IhGfYRF0Wlc1hCSIwjkWrpHx9-YWKPTqmmRP_wmGyo0FjAGbg7Lk7KRlyAJNnbp3OLHewJKLecfUJ7N5SZTqMVijx5D1X97H4mkZHi4/s1600/Mm645-00209.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg7eNXwkWNILF7JDutcier_uGBZ3vW72UPXLb_IhGfYRF0Wlc1hCSIwjkWrpHx9-YWKPTqmmRP_wmGyo0FjAGbg7Lk7KRlyAJNnbp3OLHewJKLecfUJ7N5SZTqMVijx5D1X97H4mkZHi4/s640/Mm645-00209.jpeg" width="474" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Playing in a stream, I think at the Devil's Punchbowl, near the Red Cedar in Wisconsin?</td></tr>
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By request I am posting songs planned for this week at our church, Messiah Episcopal. It can help children to participate in the worship if they are familiar with the music. There is a nice nursery at Messiah, with nice folks in it, but children are also welcome in the service. <br />
We are in St. Paul on 1631 Ford Parkway, on the corner of Macalester and Ford. Services are at 8:30 and 11:00 on Sunday Mornings.<br />
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How do you help children worship? MamaBearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12967824007753146854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6875017474190712121.post-68872455097604253052012-08-27T22:27:00.000-05:002012-08-27T22:27:00.380-05:00 Family Trip in Canoe Country + Tips<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In June, we went to the Boundary Waters for a week-long camping trip. We had perfect weather. I thought the bugs were normal, everyone else said they were horrible. </div>
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I want to share a bit of our experience and some tips for camping with kids. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5K20YAulv2IecUAIJRs80fHcEM_xRrkcx9pWt5Ff1U_OmdygzORxqxX5DVYhgt5pxD19P5x-AgiFCi-mwiOXT1BOawh9RsJOJAwFg2QYnzSzQVhKYWiCOWPHPFHruTveLq25jZaPBt_Q/s1600/Mm645-00162.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="473" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5K20YAulv2IecUAIJRs80fHcEM_xRrkcx9pWt5Ff1U_OmdygzORxqxX5DVYhgt5pxD19P5x-AgiFCi-mwiOXT1BOawh9RsJOJAwFg2QYnzSzQVhKYWiCOWPHPFHruTveLq25jZaPBt_Q/s640/Mm645-00162.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Left to right, Back: Jess, Willem, Libby, Steph. Front: Gibbie, Ezra</td></tr>
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This was our crew, minus Paul because he was taking the picture. Here we were on the top of the Palisades on Seagull Lake. Seagull is at the very end of the gunflint trail, which meanders north out of Grand Marais. The Boundary Waters is designated a wilderness area. It largely has no roads or buildings. When we camp there, we carry all our stuff in canoes and live entirely outdoors. There are designated campsites on the lakes. Good maps are available of all the lakes, and along with a compass, they are absolutely necessary. I straightened out one group of paddlers who were completely disoriented! Each campsite has a fire grate and a latrine, which is just a seat over a hole in the ground. We call them "ranger boxes" but I've never heard anyone else use that term. My dad always mentions it to rangers when we run across them, and the rangers don't seem to appreciate it.</div>
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The Palisades are a tall, sheer rock cliff on the edge of a large island. Passing by in the water, ancient petroglyphs can be seen on the rock face, though we couldn't find them this year. We hiked to the top to take in the view. I love seeing the island-studded lake, and the patterns of the wind on the water like stretchmarks riffling across the lake, and the giant cloud shadows sliding over the lake and islands. There are blueberries at the top. The hike up is short and easy.</div>
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One of our favorite activities was reading <i>The Lord of the Ring</i>s aloud. (We read selectively; lots of parts had to be saved for after kid bedtime or out of earshot!) It was so exciting to read this book that is so dear to us with friends who are so dear to us. Which brings me to </div>
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<b>Family Camping Tip #1</b></div>
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Bring with other Helpful Adults</div>
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The inclusion of other adults tips the balance of the trip in favor of the adults. It gives more people to share the workload and the child supervision. We took turns cooking, cleaning, getting water, reading aloud, steering, duffing. (for the uninitiated, duffing is the coveted position in the canoe where one does not steer but one's butt is wet for the duration. Duffer may be in charge of snacks, drinking water, sunscreen, leading songs, and navigating, if duffer is not a child)</div>
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In our experience, it is not fun to go camping with another family with little kids so that the kids can play together. In reality, kids are a delightful liability on a camping trip. They need constant supervision around the ever-present dangers of fire and water. They get hot and tired and they may whine. They can't carry much stuff or steer. </div>
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With the help of an awesome grown-up, kids can be tons of fun. They can build a fire, paddle, sing, gather firewood, fish, remind us to be awestruck, set up tents, and do everything around camp that they couldn't do on their own. </div>
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If there are more grown-ups around, we can take turns being the awesome kid-helping grown-up and relaxing. Okay, not that much relaxing happened because we had some sickness which threw a wrench in our plans.</div>
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<b>Family Camping Tip #2</b></div>
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Expect Stuff to Go Wrong</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1f6N3PJrBz0nbUSiHcc52aaPvH7LxdZpX85WsmJWdBa0_9eys2ZhiR-FAajSEJC50JnACLjBE4lZd6iZt1VQLQIzCe9ngdW7PXEJQdKAaQAQjxPgw8FrTv2yDP0zvoS-ZCkarMFEoSIU/s1600/cl-000080.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1f6N3PJrBz0nbUSiHcc52aaPvH7LxdZpX85WsmJWdBa0_9eys2ZhiR-FAajSEJC50JnACLjBE4lZd6iZt1VQLQIzCe9ngdW7PXEJQdKAaQAQjxPgw8FrTv2yDP0zvoS-ZCkarMFEoSIU/s320/cl-000080.jpeg" width="240" /></a>People can get hurt, crabby, and sick, and weather can threaten. Except for the weather, all of these things can make you equally miserable at home. When we go camping, we know we will be working hard. Since we don't expect leisure, we can enjoy it when it happens instead of being mad that we can't expect complete relaxation all the time.<b> </b></div>
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<b>Family Camping Tip #3</b></div>
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Be Well, Well Prepared</div>
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The Boundary Waters is not the place to go if you have never outfitted yourself on a trip before. It might be dangerous to be unprepared in the wilderness. You want to know what you are doing, and have all the right stuff.</div>
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Having the right stuff will make your trip more fun, relaxed, and carefree on any camping trip with kids. Having the right stuff can prevent you from having way too much stuff, one of the most common packing errors. The more experienced we get, the less we bring, because I'm not packing three of everything just to make sure, or because each one has something wrong with it!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIa6nUsTQljoiEc8cbFskyYSQJM_3JDXij64PSt3tbj7el9Lg1WvOjOB6n5Aj3iNY2TLyFiPILd4MVJpIGv40DVNN6I-MvcjyfHCDChOCFlNwbGDuYiHkoN9H-2xvQIMVo5RvaNqc2umY/s1600/Mm645-00158.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="321" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIa6nUsTQljoiEc8cbFskyYSQJM_3JDXij64PSt3tbj7el9Lg1WvOjOB6n5Aj3iNY2TLyFiPILd4MVJpIGv40DVNN6I-MvcjyfHCDChOCFlNwbGDuYiHkoN9H-2xvQIMVo5RvaNqc2umY/s400/Mm645-00158.jpeg" width="400" /></a>I recommend the book <span style="font-size: small;"><i><span id="btAsinTitle"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Canoe-Country-Camping-Wilderness-Boundary/dp/0816642729/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1345865224&sr=8-3&keywords=canoe+country">Canoe Country Camping: Wilderness Skills for the Boundary Waters and Quetico</a> </span></i><span id="btAsinTitle">by Michael Furtman. He has excellent lists for clothing, gear, and food, and this is an all-around great guide to going to the BWCA. </span><span id="btAsinTitle">First Aid Kits in particular, need adapting. They aren't stocked with a week in the wilderness in mind. I think it would be wise to start with a decent small wilderness first aid pack and beef it up. You just want enough supplies that you can keep likely accidents clean and freshly bandaged for your whole trip.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span id="btAsinTitle">When I say the right stuff, I do not mean the most expensive stuff. Lots of pricey camping products are no better than cheaper ordinary stuff we already have. On the other hand, most cheap camping stuff isn't worth the tears you will spend over broken zippers letting thousands of mosquitoes into your tent, or the shivers, blue lips, and tears of kids in rain gear whose seams burst during the first portage.</span></span></div>
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<b>Family Camping Tip#4</b></div>
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Make Merry and Drive Dull Care Away</div>
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Bring along a great book to read aloud. Sing songs, tell stories and jokes, take time to be silly and do stuff you like. </div>
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The women who came with us were great for lifting every one's spirits. We were with beautiful people we love in a beautiful place, doing what we like. </div>
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<b>Family Camping Tip#5</b></div>
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Plan Your Route Wisely </div>
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With our kids, ages 7, 5, and 1 on this trip, we didn't move camp every day. We Base-camped, meaning we set up camp in one place and stayed there all week, taking day trips as whimsy or ambition directed. </div>
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Base-camping eliminates a ton of work, and makes a trip much simpler. It also allows us to make a wilderness home. The kids get to know the campsite intimately, and the little area around us. That helps them feel more comfortable and less stressed about being away from home. </div>
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It's important to be realistic in planning a trip. We plan to do less, and if it takes longer than expected, we're fine.</div>
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<b>Family Camping Tip#6</b></div>
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Be Flexible</div>
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I had an idea in my head that we were going to go on long day trips every day. On our trip health didn't allow that, often weather or the ages of kids will impede our plans. Just camping is fun and beautiful and exciting. I had a lot more fun when I let go of my expectations and enjoyed the people I was with, in the place where we were.</div>
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To paraphrase the woman in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Perelandra-C-S-Lewis/dp/B001IKAYGG/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1345868432&sr=1-4&keywords=perelandra"><i>Perelandra</i></a>, instead of wishing for the good that you thought God would give, enjoy the good that he does give.</div>
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<b>Family Camping Tip #5</b></div>
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Be the Grown-up</div>
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Sometimes being a grown-up is hard. I don't always want to be in charge.</div>
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Camping is a good time for me to practice sucking it up and doing more work than seems fair. Life is full of work, and that work can be beautiful and good if we choose to embrace it rather than sidling away from it.</div>
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I worked this trip on communicating well, asking for help, cooperating, listening, making decisions, and trusting my gut. It was worth it.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the shore of Lake Superior</td></tr>
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<b>Family Camping Tip #6</b></div>
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Make the most of the Car Ride</div>
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Leave early in the morning, so the kids can sleep for a good stretch of the road. (We left around 3:30am, and had three hours behind us before they woke up.)</div>
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Plan for Meals on the road. We like to eat a simple picnic breakfast on the shore of Lake Superior. Then we plan a bathroom break not long after that. Then we stop at the ranger station in Grand Marais for the permit, and pick up forgotten supplies in Grand Marais, and a quick lunch at the put-in point after the boats are loaded. </div>
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Even given all this, going to those northern lakes is about a seven-hour car trip for us. We bring read-aloud books, favorite toys, novel toys, audio books, and fun music. </div>
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<b>Family Camping Tip #7</b> </div>
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Car clothes and Big Splurge</div>
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We pack a full set of clothes for each person to change into after the trip. Some trips really destroy clothes--it's nice to have something clean waiting in case everything we brought is dirty, ripped and smelly. We cleaned with soap (bucket shower away from lake, then swim) the night before, and feel all good and clean.</div>
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Then we drive into Grand Marais and have a big wonderful meal at the Angry Trout, really my favoritest restaurant in the world. That pretty much takes us all the way back home, with a stop or two for gas and bathrooms on the way.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6FHLK7MmuqYD6UyJy3TqSVIQdMxAvj4QARIh8YuJ122xEIoyS0bFxQopR0czgnYuQNNTURrwJ4CrKtOevGSwNgIHWZFBpV4kYquJEF7B8bdQLiCy2uYvX2nMKAfZ-gLpjE3pseGFO2cg/s1600/cl-000084.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6FHLK7MmuqYD6UyJy3TqSVIQdMxAvj4QARIh8YuJ122xEIoyS0bFxQopR0czgnYuQNNTURrwJ4CrKtOevGSwNgIHWZFBpV4kYquJEF7B8bdQLiCy2uYvX2nMKAfZ-gLpjE3pseGFO2cg/s320/cl-000084.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Random people having a romantic lunch at the Angry Trout. We were too busy having fun to take a picture of ourselves. We opted for shade and air-conditioning with a lake view from <i>inside</i> after our week in the sun.</td></tr>
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MamaBearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12967824007753146854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6875017474190712121.post-22618306818090707322012-08-25T12:46:00.004-05:002012-08-25T12:46:34.319-05:00Messiah Music: Song list for August 26th<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0chSfdOSZs0WBDZwrDzpSaa-AnTOjHsE7e7PFRZnS6Cc9jMxKpDZevzGXaafIBvH6FftOB4QKiYnLoOWC8VYmVFEcxO-1q0qNkEtXwpT-bMEXRz6r-nc0t8ext0XtFHaawo5FA6FtcSA/s1600/Mm645-00194.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0chSfdOSZs0WBDZwrDzpSaa-AnTOjHsE7e7PFRZnS6Cc9jMxKpDZevzGXaafIBvH6FftOB4QKiYnLoOWC8VYmVFEcxO-1q0qNkEtXwpT-bMEXRz6r-nc0t8ext0XtFHaawo5FA6FtcSA/s320/Mm645-00194.jpeg" width="241" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOUr2NWpsxdaSOupqA24aecESFL9scgOGRQAwmQF1oE4X1zFuvBG6oh-dyhAmVYYZIVvTwX2vHPFQJa6jhMVHxJYzvWAMPSYZy-Hi_07rJmRoC2sLHyz6wHThzpitzRNIffw39CjmmSrQ/s1600/cl-000210.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOUr2NWpsxdaSOupqA24aecESFL9scgOGRQAwmQF1oE4X1zFuvBG6oh-dyhAmVYYZIVvTwX2vHPFQJa6jhMVHxJYzvWAMPSYZy-Hi_07rJmRoC2sLHyz6wHThzpitzRNIffw39CjmmSrQ/s320/cl-000210.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jeff and Jackson Kidder at a coffehouse</td></tr>
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I thought I'd experiment with trying to post a list of the upcoming songs for Sunday worship at our church, Messiah.<br />
It's last minute this week, but we'll be singing:<br />
<i>Christ whose glory fills the skies (#7 in the 1982 Hymnal)</i><br />
<i>Indescribable</i><br />
<i> Bright the Vision</i><br />
<i>People of God</i><br />
<i>Mass of Plenty</i><br />
<i>Jeff Kidder's arrangement of the Lord's Prayer</i><br />
<i>Kidder's Sanctus</i><br />
<i>Deep Within</i><br />
<i>Remembrance</i><br />
<i>We will run</i><br />
<i>All my days</i><br />
<i>The Day of Resurrection </i>(Hymnal #210)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gibbie and Johnny at the lock and dam</td></tr>
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I definitely can't copy the music because of copyright, but if there's enough interest I could try to provide a songlist with Paul's help. Possibly on Tuesdays?<br />
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So, here's how I do it: I just page through my bulletin each week and
pull out a copy of any song I like that we don't have a copy of at home
yet. I put them in a folder. Before you know it, you have a quite
complete songbook for Messiah!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lukey and Ezra at swimming lessons!</td></tr>
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Let me know if this would be helpful to you.MamaBearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12967824007753146854noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6875017474190712121.post-88126992707662294232012-08-23T21:34:00.000-05:002012-08-23T21:37:18.851-05:00Pretty Happy Funny Real: Birthday, Funeral<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Pretty is Natalie at her recital. It was lovely to hear how much she's learned! She's playing beautifully and bountifully.<br />
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Real.<br />
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Paul's Grandmother, Joyce Marine, died this month.<br />
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She died peacefully and well. We are grateful for her.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_3iOfIeOQ3RvwXbTlDPmVfjTenMvGKyiaa3c3t03S3iAPZgZrogcf5AUFjJdiXYvgUyw_VdMuRRpGhtcwtomRFs_8tF3I-IjAl6x2KoLhltzCuMedGNDTUXTqnEZffQ8_dcYBSvb6Alw/s1600/cl-000195.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_3iOfIeOQ3RvwXbTlDPmVfjTenMvGKyiaa3c3t03S3iAPZgZrogcf5AUFjJdiXYvgUyw_VdMuRRpGhtcwtomRFs_8tF3I-IjAl6x2KoLhltzCuMedGNDTUXTqnEZffQ8_dcYBSvb6Alw/s640/cl-000195.jpeg" width="520" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grandma Joyce's house with dear family</td></tr>
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This photo was taken under the Ford bridge. It reminds me of a sanctuary.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYBLp_QZv1lF-aK8vizzORDb6OMJeljT6s-NgwtbPrKaBS01W0o_VB-wNaKKFV4aLqgGLsIIFMiN2e-4v-oMbZD_SPvPqNwAYV62ChBfMU1oNXypdXfYx74gIQ9gsB_46Rtzcv6dv47qU/s1600/cl-000176.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYBLp_QZv1lF-aK8vizzORDb6OMJeljT6s-NgwtbPrKaBS01W0o_VB-wNaKKFV4aLqgGLsIIFMiN2e-4v-oMbZD_SPvPqNwAYV62ChBfMU1oNXypdXfYx74gIQ9gsB_46Rtzcv6dv47qU/s640/cl-000176.jpeg" width="440" /></a></div>
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Happy is Ezra's Long-Awaited Much-Anticipated Sixth Birthday, which was also this month.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhpHUvkcbmVBYXFq2igq-oj31gIIl5hYDrOtEbDitmdisGKZr4UdORA12c-8eLtXVvwh-ACayJLy5PjWBVknZWiuxCaZJS0W9dh25RTBl0PrT1skvzdiTjUNxrOTbxaecHZyTK4oX2c-U/s1600/cl-000226.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhpHUvkcbmVBYXFq2igq-oj31gIIl5hYDrOtEbDitmdisGKZr4UdORA12c-8eLtXVvwh-ACayJLy5PjWBVknZWiuxCaZJS0W9dh25RTBl0PrT1skvzdiTjUNxrOTbxaecHZyTK4oX2c-U/s400/cl-000226.jpeg" width="302" /></a></div>
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He asked for a Blueberry Cake. Repeatedly. He said he did not want blueberries inside of it, but on top of it, a plain cake, with frosting. I did all this, and thought the cake turned out beautifully. For some reason it failed to please its honoree. But he was quite pleased by the rest of his birthday!<br />
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There was a parade going right down our block the morning of Ezra's party! Here we are, on the bed of Paul's truck, watching for its advent.<br />
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Funny is our Little Willem.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaAZm040DZmVruUBVw6o_9sWF1P9rSkEo_Em4gf7y1sTBUFZ0JlSBxMGoktEKqCEMhFMflkALbo4BbPj2DPgsImSKtN9a8vSp5bxSu1_kQ114D_bCS9JPsZHUg0QHbmRWd9rz1q2OP74o/s1600/cl-000205.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaAZm040DZmVruUBVw6o_9sWF1P9rSkEo_Em4gf7y1sTBUFZ0JlSBxMGoktEKqCEMhFMflkALbo4BbPj2DPgsImSKtN9a8vSp5bxSu1_kQ114D_bCS9JPsZHUg0QHbmRWd9rz1q2OP74o/s320/cl-000205.jpeg" width="239" /></a></div>
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He likes tangling himself up in string.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVCIz7U61sp5exXo2kQC3MFEKvCukR7SgfKUJyEogHd_KrJRYatLciNPXWbUSZH2uiP1K3xCaiYfVcssHr3SvsxPvg1Dpx27ZzczP7dBEtFBvbLihduoqF3SSr5QAcdTnKvwClhsDel0E/s1600/cl-000225.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVCIz7U61sp5exXo2kQC3MFEKvCukR7SgfKUJyEogHd_KrJRYatLciNPXWbUSZH2uiP1K3xCaiYfVcssHr3SvsxPvg1Dpx27ZzczP7dBEtFBvbLihduoqF3SSr5QAcdTnKvwClhsDel0E/s400/cl-000225.jpeg" width="285" /></a></div>
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He likes shoes, likes clapping.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuBFJ5z6OdOvBmZxTxK4PQEL8ZBCNC9Qa2d2xrSbriHtBTXln3g04vcFt7zUNgORhElc-EZbWP40sy7wYZRMw5txN97zyPTyfCxqEtOOpJgGyWQ5atOAT3VrfhmpSlQE8EesWGOh37FUU/s1600/cl-000212.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuBFJ5z6OdOvBmZxTxK4PQEL8ZBCNC9Qa2d2xrSbriHtBTXln3g04vcFt7zUNgORhElc-EZbWP40sy7wYZRMw5txN97zyPTyfCxqEtOOpJgGyWQ5atOAT3VrfhmpSlQE8EesWGOh37FUU/s400/cl-000212.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0rHi0JuuSTV4Z4OxALoWH2tHr0cwZvgtMlc8L91yVMNcJRGON-g8d91k4gmTXQcU-R9w9NqZqM7qJvQFGfuWGtGwJ5_G6MX7CvVc6fIgz-EW9MiKRzbMcoV9jh0jUkRcfJR45nPxPY9s/s1600/cl-000211.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a>
Happy is a wonderful place in the woods. Quite hidden, with forts. I won't tell where it is. Ever.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJI7xa8m4iStaolhQ9hY3H56DRjYfEpby99y70xGOHCpnTH0EViemCwRrmgsdHsV2_rj84Q2FReCwXj8rLBnpRDAJ1piDT1rcaDWzRDURBO-gRtvBH2ENdZkt6w3tmPl6z2LS_KLV_zas/s1600/cl-000180.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJI7xa8m4iStaolhQ9hY3H56DRjYfEpby99y70xGOHCpnTH0EViemCwRrmgsdHsV2_rj84Q2FReCwXj8rLBnpRDAJ1piDT1rcaDWzRDURBO-gRtvBH2ENdZkt6w3tmPl6z2LS_KLV_zas/s640/cl-000180.jpeg" width="452" /></a></div>
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Happy is family together: Grandpa Bill, Gibbie, Willem, and Ezra.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZBhDA2a-JhyphenhyphenU__5o1mQtICOtWMwj0jVI5w32p46x7I62KQMI1IHPHjTs4lkrz6VZpLpHRrxSptBkmj2Y-YCMJvx1zwACMsKFOP5KBGqaQ6yhV0zi3D6fdLpU6_Lufa7l8hlk347Ov4kM/s1600/cl-000185.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZBhDA2a-JhyphenhyphenU__5o1mQtICOtWMwj0jVI5w32p46x7I62KQMI1IHPHjTs4lkrz6VZpLpHRrxSptBkmj2Y-YCMJvx1zwACMsKFOP5KBGqaQ6yhV0zi3D6fdLpU6_Lufa7l8hlk347Ov4kM/s640/cl-000185.jpeg" width="433" /></a></div>
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<center><a title="Like Mother, Like Daughter" href="http://www.ourmothersdaughters.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5308/5609751923_b38935def8_s.jpg" width="75" height="75" alt="round button chicken" /></a>
</center>MamaBearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12967824007753146854noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6875017474190712121.post-14620050437479798482012-05-05T12:47:00.000-05:002012-05-05T12:47:14.480-05:00A Year Ago Today<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj-EXm1mQQoav1jUj_bP8j9V1JdIU4Dm3TjHoN1Fh73DN22peCdwMQGml2gcB_ZN8D8D9j0yhhfB0ExAXD7iAcWLtb4RG-vt8TWuUkmMB7qwnqznEIQqnvJLxFl3dhdfMnSsduYmzdY_s/s1600/fg20-0486.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj-EXm1mQQoav1jUj_bP8j9V1JdIU4Dm3TjHoN1Fh73DN22peCdwMQGml2gcB_ZN8D8D9j0yhhfB0ExAXD7iAcWLtb4RG-vt8TWuUkmMB7qwnqznEIQqnvJLxFl3dhdfMnSsduYmzdY_s/s640/fg20-0486.jpeg" width="448" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The joy of discovery</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho3ASV5scL8MlCvfjzPqgJJvmi0BzdhPQ_SgSdDVXqqH9QYeVdJ9kx1ksmWr7Krv6Cv95X7z8l7z0rf6hYMFotf9qk5jv1t5UU5f4b1t7UL4AthRg3UhMj6e_IJKG8YEmsGEtQCz9hgiA/s1600/fg20-0494.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho3ASV5scL8MlCvfjzPqgJJvmi0BzdhPQ_SgSdDVXqqH9QYeVdJ9kx1ksmWr7Krv6Cv95X7z8l7z0rf6hYMFotf9qk5jv1t5UU5f4b1t7UL4AthRg3UhMj6e_IJKG8YEmsGEtQCz9hgiA/s400/fg20-0494.jpeg" width="317" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First time holding</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlA2T7mV6LNHEIBhvlyrVetucFiv2sU1aTJ_MSUWpoLjywaVLzCL4FHMtkvJ8E0Fa1T7VMzFZyoC1LL5K91WNH-Qn98_WqnnuZR7iLPposNlNGHwI1_aRCtC_onMVUAOvlnjZiToJOeaI/s1600/fg20-0496.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlA2T7mV6LNHEIBhvlyrVetucFiv2sU1aTJ_MSUWpoLjywaVLzCL4FHMtkvJ8E0Fa1T7VMzFZyoC1LL5K91WNH-Qn98_WqnnuZR7iLPposNlNGHwI1_aRCtC_onMVUAOvlnjZiToJOeaI/s640/fg20-0496.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hanging out together</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmk0rl7zGieuykYADTmYkT8lRs4nklgOG9ajnMINT9mKT9_bH8vnTFq6IOAJ94tSwpa4v7YfNc3ro24HGa9wwAqUDCuLfweH5-8MM5DhtaKCFVWH5vEEBZTaiXhwGoDWuuczB1_hH_MiA/s1600/fg20-0487.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmk0rl7zGieuykYADTmYkT8lRs4nklgOG9ajnMINT9mKT9_bH8vnTFq6IOAJ94tSwpa4v7YfNc3ro24HGa9wwAqUDCuLfweH5-8MM5DhtaKCFVWH5vEEBZTaiXhwGoDWuuczB1_hH_MiA/s640/fg20-0487.jpeg" width="538" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ezra said, "I didn't know he would be <i>like this</i>."</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisw9kiJaBoUg6Llmham81uV0RM5JKP8DvG_H7PlHOQm4r3MJjfo5s8v2YWb5LkV_ipUBn6EOIC2nSveXUyx4k6tzomcUC9-E58CrJAw17aaUHYaYu-VSAOYz2uiUWFMKsOD-7IPr6Lm_8/s1600/fg20-0491.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisw9kiJaBoUg6Llmham81uV0RM5JKP8DvG_H7PlHOQm4r3MJjfo5s8v2YWb5LkV_ipUBn6EOIC2nSveXUyx4k6tzomcUC9-E58CrJAw17aaUHYaYu-VSAOYz2uiUWFMKsOD-7IPr6Lm_8/s640/fg20-0491.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eyes Open</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS7D1-eP_EHBH57FwuwwWRAjS7ZB0u3vs1_O1SWtgnKcelQEaV51E58ZLWDR6ObUaSF3onYtCVflPWZmhblrHOfCpq7pVa5wpjQ8MF2sMrzKQ3BRunFZEP-aE-RvB42q2IdIOv_0Yj1Ys/s1600/fg20-0495.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS7D1-eP_EHBH57FwuwwWRAjS7ZB0u3vs1_O1SWtgnKcelQEaV51E58ZLWDR6ObUaSF3onYtCVflPWZmhblrHOfCpq7pVa5wpjQ8MF2sMrzKQ3BRunFZEP-aE-RvB42q2IdIOv_0Yj1Ys/s640/fg20-0495.jpeg" width="554" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ezra's first day as a big brother</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwk6KNq0MybyL2I4cA3dFXfOO7Nalj9yxXgNE3xxgmZnMrb0FDrRDad-ROlZGlxrY1e-yxKOZ87xkdfMs3oKEAL3i_lRSbU3SX87TUQdXQ1Wxf-puG_KO03NgCG-NvNeyqCaSFuTHEggk/s1600/fg20-0500.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwk6KNq0MybyL2I4cA3dFXfOO7Nalj9yxXgNE3xxgmZnMrb0FDrRDad-ROlZGlxrY1e-yxKOZ87xkdfMs3oKEAL3i_lRSbU3SX87TUQdXQ1Wxf-puG_KO03NgCG-NvNeyqCaSFuTHEggk/s640/fg20-0500.jpeg" width="464" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lots of holding, resting, cuddling</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3dGYOzCW3tA7A2LFMZKvIAPpFmiL_UPaFLtCSY2Jezmso0igupqskCZBgSZqfTY8WQC9dCinvK4gntpSzIt_CpvMjKzO1rqoVlaB4nnc607tjV1TMc_jmfoTVtVZH9Y_ejTHl7YRO2Qc/s1600/fg20-0467.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3dGYOzCW3tA7A2LFMZKvIAPpFmiL_UPaFLtCSY2Jezmso0igupqskCZBgSZqfTY8WQC9dCinvK4gntpSzIt_CpvMjKzO1rqoVlaB4nnc607tjV1TMc_jmfoTVtVZH9Y_ejTHl7YRO2Qc/s400/fg20-0467.jpeg" width="273" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Labor; here with Jessica</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXzI3zmRzxh9MLxSHLtrAKTqrCHSwtBrn8ArBqM7x8WXzSiQPjulVXG1GFv6C3MU7knl_SG7KblzDwqSFL-qJU4oEN0Sis22v8Efc7E0y9-sNBRUezEj-isrxcWmnEWwZZ1bVF28IisII/s1600/fg20-0497.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">.</a></div>
I was poor and needy. I was in great distress. I cried to God, and he delivered me and rescued me from death. Here I am in the land of the living! With great joy I thank God; for life, for breath, for this baby! <br />
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Thank you thank you thank you.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLqo6X984E3ZS5LDoNPe9B-0E9c_Y7fQJ5DoZtnE0z_zr8YzkdpKEb1Cv_UXE3D-s7nMbVU_gUGOFdpUTIwWOBz78K3XUfMlMPKVNtFLbLfAMa4bV5WNw6vdfukVjrgXhE-C-6lBldfRA/s1600/fg20-0509.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLqo6X984E3ZS5LDoNPe9B-0E9c_Y7fQJ5DoZtnE0z_zr8YzkdpKEb1Cv_UXE3D-s7nMbVU_gUGOFdpUTIwWOBz78K3XUfMlMPKVNtFLbLfAMa4bV5WNw6vdfukVjrgXhE-C-6lBldfRA/s640/fg20-0509.jpeg" width="448" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">William Moses Johnson, born May 5, 2011, Thanks be to God!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUpasZoyvTttVA3HEpZK1HSrx1d4sMJxwwiisDGAoC_lVSl6tA2F18S3QMfKmiodld2g1vkXHUqzLlt-z-zmCHUmhevZ1g4XNs8PekMvD-S4wYDeboeyeLxzo7eKwekOyitR4tCghOiAY/s1600/canonetql17-00032.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUpasZoyvTttVA3HEpZK1HSrx1d4sMJxwwiisDGAoC_lVSl6tA2F18S3QMfKmiodld2g1vkXHUqzLlt-z-zmCHUmhevZ1g4XNs8PekMvD-S4wYDeboeyeLxzo7eKwekOyitR4tCghOiAY/s400/canonetql17-00032.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You have grown so much, Willem! We love you so!</td></tr>
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<br />MamaBearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12967824007753146854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6875017474190712121.post-9628616113201412462012-04-28T20:50:00.000-05:002012-04-28T23:51:48.000-05:00Useful Books, Drawing with Kids<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWH7jF0L25MC-mlWa2qESu4N00bZVxjMu_lIV-yLmIYKP0QV7UyIitJKARQ2JXrrerb8c0xZsbitns_dAR6mciS3yxXg-07CtQflBreRQ3L8mIk1_hcxRDEBm-sVDOA5wgLxZhpepJ3Io/s1600/secretsofcompanionplanting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWH7jF0L25MC-mlWa2qESu4N00bZVxjMu_lIV-yLmIYKP0QV7UyIitJKARQ2JXrrerb8c0xZsbitns_dAR6mciS3yxXg-07CtQflBreRQ3L8mIk1_hcxRDEBm-sVDOA5wgLxZhpepJ3Io/s320/secretsofcompanionplanting.jpg" width="279" /></a></div>
<i>Happy</i>. I'm happy at finding a good book: <i>Secrets of Companion Planting</i> by Brenda Little. This is a small, slim volume that I picked up as you can see, at our local library, and it is a gem! Other companion planting books I have read are intriguing, overwhelming, and not terribly helpful. Perusing the pages here, I found myself wanting to copy down ideas, maps, rotation charts from every other page. Little presents simple, coherent plans for rotational vegetable beds in small spaces. Like; three vegetable beds rotated on a five year plan, planted rather intensively, just the way I like it. She also offers suggestions for a separate potato patch and combinations for fruit trees. I'm so excited to find this nice volume of very useful and accessible, well-organized ideas.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhViqSa3koWXmhKdovOzd2eXGBlLhjj-hDaMBxIs1OpvmniOEy_gfyoKGdruAPncv5ZlLEVI_HIntmtp9tHmwA6Ct_9oofZzid65VkivQRntsCGwz_HfDe98ZTZn-NPynkBCSxvnaK2dg/s1600/ezrasduck.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhViqSa3koWXmhKdovOzd2eXGBlLhjj-hDaMBxIs1OpvmniOEy_gfyoKGdruAPncv5ZlLEVI_HIntmtp9tHmwA6Ct_9oofZzid65VkivQRntsCGwz_HfDe98ZTZn-NPynkBCSxvnaK2dg/s320/ezrasduck.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr4iq3Yulln-DNyMkr7ExZUWYKlVt-Ma9MJgV9n8Jev8Ky4YBbOxjbrItwFTkfVEG0AcnqS1GQyvS2A84n-QSrFA7CYADUsmkWY-pVc3fKk8itkrSaAAzBlSOo39v0J1nj3AFecNFxT5Y/s1600/drawingwithchildren.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr4iq3Yulln-DNyMkr7ExZUWYKlVt-Ma9MJgV9n8Jev8Ky4YBbOxjbrItwFTkfVEG0AcnqS1GQyvS2A84n-QSrFA7CYADUsmkWY-pVc3fKk8itkrSaAAzBlSOo39v0J1nj3AFecNFxT5Y/s200/drawingwithchildren.jpg" width="158" /></a></div>
<i>Pretty</i>. We've been going through Mona Brookes <i>Drawing with Children</i>, which represents a seismic shift in my art pedagogy philosophy. Shhh! She suggests teaching children how to draw things! She says it won't kill their native genius, but will give them skills to keep drawing as they grow.<br />
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You see, I never planned on teaching my kids how to draw, say--a duck, or a car, or a... anything. I thought kids would figure it out all on their own and giving them a method would somehow spoil the artist in them. But I saw some of my own kids drawing less, ironically, as their artistic eye improved. This kid was frustrated so much by a lack of technical drawing skills that the poor fastidious child didn't want to draw hardly at all.<br />
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When I was a kid I <i>loved</i>, <i>loved, </i><i>loved</i> drawing. I remember that I liked to draw things I could draw well. First, I drew flowers and grass across the bottom of the page and a sun. Then I found a way to draw the sun into the corner and make a face on it. I drew houses and trees. Then I copied a house from a girl next to me in Miss De Vine's Kiddie Kollege (sic) who drew her houses sort of 3-D. I went through a phase where I thought I maybe wasn't so good at drawing and that made me pretty sad, but I was helped out of it by Ed Emberley of the thumbprint books, and various How To Draw books from the library, and Bob Ross, the happy tree guy who had a painting show on public television. I also had lessons in classical drawing, where I learned that the time-honored method for teaching art students is teaching them to copy masterpieces. Copying a line drawing, even a cartoon, develops skills that will carry over into life drawing. Brooke's book amply illustrates that what each student uses the techniques in unique ways, generating original works. Well, copying simple drawings might not be so crazy after all.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVkIUP1XzWFpxz1j54LCia9cSDybksRSxVagIhFMGyH9fZfuQqQp8dqAT7p_8gJNTwoHwW5vclUblUA_3rOSBXHZ_i0MFszF7TNg90DAFo0Ts5Y2mm0dtB0wOkNe5VTjk6hk7R4kys51I/s1600/sevendivingducks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVkIUP1XzWFpxz1j54LCia9cSDybksRSxVagIhFMGyH9fZfuQqQp8dqAT7p_8gJNTwoHwW5vclUblUA_3rOSBXHZ_i0MFszF7TNg90DAFo0Ts5Y2mm0dtB0wOkNe5VTjk6hk7R4kys51I/s200/sevendivingducks.jpg" width="159" /></a><br />
So Mona Brookes' approach really got me started on something. I found that the kids are hungry to learn to draw things. She also offers lots of helpful suggestions about teaching methods and attitudes to combat the paralysis of perfectionism! However, my kids are not crazy about the specific drawings in her lessons. It helps so much to have subject matter that they like! So I've been loosely using her method, but swapping the drawings for images that resonate with my kids. Like these ducks by Margaret Friskey. <br />
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Here are my sketches of the splishy, chubby duckies:<br />
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I was trying to figure out simple ways for the kids to get them. Basically, each duck is to circles; one for the head and one for the body, with other shapes added on. I do a step-by-step demo for the kids, describing exactly what I'm doing in terms of shapes. ("So now I'm going to draw a half-circle between the bottom corner of the beak and the head. That's the cheek. Then I do one on the other side")<br />
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Things I'm learning:<br />
1. My kids have very exacting standards for themselves<br />
2. Not being able to draw as clearly as you <i>see</i> is frustrating.<br />
3. Keeping it short helps. One drawing is plenty. Brookes recommends warm-up exercises, which my kids enjoy very much, but we need a break! After just one drawing, they are bursting with tension! They run to the couch and throw all the pillows off for a friendly little war.<br />
4. Drawing with my kids is so much fun! <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQwAhyphenhyphenRq4_UiLvpKFCP0ELTpYzkMoajf7asRCjSiG0tyLuIercNr6VIfxItw5C1WhJFsQ7ICW6gG7zkSSdU3dSbI4A-FNQH8c1Pht5TUeZTNgbkkIKR_ePqV5KfRJHGIET6Dflmt-pBCU/s1600/gibbiesduck.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQwAhyphenhyphenRq4_UiLvpKFCP0ELTpYzkMoajf7asRCjSiG0tyLuIercNr6VIfxItw5C1WhJFsQ7ICW6gG7zkSSdU3dSbI4A-FNQH8c1Pht5TUeZTNgbkkIKR_ePqV5KfRJHGIET6Dflmt-pBCU/s320/gibbiesduck.jpg" width="289" /></a></div>
<i>Real</i>: I borrowed Drawing with Children from a friend and immediately spilled water all over it, sigh. I bought a new copy for her.<br />
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<center><a href="http://www.ourmothersdaughters.blogspot.com/" target="_blank" title="Like Mother, Like Daughter"><img alt="round button chicken" height="75" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5308/5609751923_b38935def8_s.jpg" width="75" /></a>
</center>MamaBearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12967824007753146854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6875017474190712121.post-64024272691655107572012-04-22T09:30:00.000-05:002012-04-22T09:30:01.662-05:00On the love and care of new parentsNew parents are awkward as young lovers. Really, we were so fumbling the first time around, with that new baby. Trying so hard, having read so much, all my hopes and dreams being tested so hard for their mettle.<br />
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I speak from experience, as a virgin bride, about awkward love! I loved so much, but knew nothing. I knew so much, and loved so little. Our capacity to love in truth broadens and deepens as we walk in love and grow in the knowledge and discipline of God's love. Just by living on, clinging to our Great Love as our lifeline.<br />
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I hope that in coming years I'll be ripened and full of wisdom. I feel like I'm just starting to get my feet under me, and keep losing ground still--and yet, I can say with full assurance that it has gotten so much better! Understanding my baby comes so much more naturally. Coping with the whirlwind of a house of children, managing my own unruly will--as we do and keep doing these things, we get more skilled at them!<br />
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<a href="http://blogs.twincities.com/dailyjuggle/">Old ladies get such a bad rap these days</a> for telling young moms to enjoy their children, but I think they say it precisely because they remember how impossibly hard it was! They don't say it because they think it's easy for us! They can see how incompetent we are, and how hard we're trying, and they have sympathy and compassion for us.<br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">I am thankful for:</span></div>
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Meals made and given and delivered!</div>
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thoughtful gifts, prayers, companionship, absolution</div>
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so many hand-me-downs</div>
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People really loving my kids</div>
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people not angry, but delighted at my kids' interruptions in church</div>
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listening, processing, advice, stories, reassurance</div>
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friends like family and family like friends </div>
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playdates, good books, beauty, cleaning my house!</div>
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handmade gifts, babysitting</div>
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friendly strangers</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Pictures all of Willem Moses, third-time-Charm baby.</i></span>MamaBearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12967824007753146854noreply@blogger.com0