Welcoming Summer (Thank You, Tortoise)

Papa turned 37 last week, and his birthday wish remained the same as it has for years: a long weekend surrounded by beauty and family on his grandmother's South Georgia land. Each morning, we would wake, stretch, breathe, and explore. The morning glories marked our way through trees and trails, opening brilliantly toward the sun. It seems I'm not the only one that is thankful beyond belief that summer is here, and with it, God willing, a slower pace. The simple act of opening up and reaching toward the sun creates such beauty and stillness. We are truly given everything we need.

On our first morning ride, we found a nice big patch of wild blackberries, and breakfasted there for quite a while. We revisited the patch every day. We are truly given everything we need.

So much beauty and bounty, ripe for the picking. The same was true in Grandma's garden. Peaches from the tree, squash from the vine. We are truly given everything we need.

Big B, little b, and their Georgia cousins celebrated the summer sun by collecting objects of beauty and creating Solar Prints. They all marveled at the speed with which the sun created the shadows, the shapes of the leaves, and what happened when the paper met the water. We are truly given everything we need.

With summer comes water, and the boys (including Papa) drank their fill. Every day held fishing of some kind, whether by boat or on shore. And when the sun became a bit too overbearing, the water welcomed them in. We are truly given everything we need.

Over the last few years, I have become a believer--or rather a conscientious observer--of animal spirit guidance. When animals cross my path repeatedly, all I have to do is pay attention and listen, and their meanings bring me clarity. During this trip, we must have seen a dozen tortoises, mostly gopher, on our rides. Sure, the heat of summer brings them out, but we've been there every Memorial Day for the last few years, and I have never seen more than two or three. The tortoise's message was crystal clear to me, as we release the fast pace of school schedules and bedtime routines and open our arms to easy summer days: Slow down. Look upward to the sun. We are truly given everything we need.

A Fall Family Feast

Little b really does go to the sweetest little preschool in all the land.

On Friday, he and his five classmates and their parents gathered for a fall family feast. Each family brought a dish and a craft to share.

(Our craft: each child made a sycamore leaf crown, inspired by Chasing Fireflies.)

When crafting and singing and playing were through, we went into the sweet school for our feast. It was all, every dish, DELICIOUS.

Much ado was made about fancy manners and best behavior, and for the most part, the little ones lived up to the task beautifully. It was quite heartwarming to see them all together, breaking bread, sharing this space of growing and being so proud to show their big siblings and parents their special place.

Thankful is as thankful does.

On Gardening with Children

I have the joy of being one of the 'room moms' for Big B's first grade eco-gardening project. On the south face of the first grade building, they have been given a 10'x50' plot of land to learn one of the oldest, most forgotten, yet most important lessons of life: how to grow their own food. Through the generosity of several local business partners (a landscape supply company, a landscape architect, a native plant nursery and an organic farm), our garden has two plots for each of the eight first grade classrooms, with one herb or vegetables for every two kids. There are tomatoes, crookneck squash, cucumbers, collard greens, kale, spinach, lettuces, basil, lemon balm, parsley and more.

The children have been involved with every step of the process, from learning about the soil that was put down to planting and watering and now to weeding and caring for the little seedlings.
Big B and his garden-mate have a little collard plant to care for. They are so proud of it, and every morning when we walk by on our way to class, Big B checks diligently on his plant.
A few of us parents are taking turns watering the garden twice a day, and once every week or so, we step into the classroom and take out the children in their pairs, to check on the progress of their little seedlings. My friend and fellow garden mama made charts for the kids to measure the height, number of leaves, fruit and flowers, and presence of bugs on their plants at each visit.

"Teaching children about the natural world

should be seen as one of the most

important events in their lives."

-Thomas Berry

Magnetic Poetry for Kids

A couple of weeks ago, I found a ziploc bag of cut-out easy reading words in Big B's school folder. I have wanted to make him a child's version of a magnetic poetry kit for some time, and just haven't gotten to it--this was the perfect excuse. I scrounged up my magnetic tape, leftover from our annual Photocard Magnet project, and snipped away. Now our dishwasher has a whole new purpose!

New Traditions: Good Morning, Beach

Little b began preschool this week. My heart has been in my throat for three days straight. As much as I love the school, the teacher, the children, the families...he's gone, and I miss him. Sure, I'm able to work more. Sure, the house is cleaner. Sure, I can have a phone conversation. But I feel like part of my body is gone. And with Big B now in first grade, on these preschool days the house is just so...quiet.

To help us both with the transition, little b and I have started a morning ritual. After dropping Big B off at big kid school, we head south to little b's school. The trip puts us there about ten minutes early, so we stop at a quiet beach nearby and say, "Good morning, Beach!" Little b finds flowers and shells, and I watch him, secretly wrapping him up with love and hoping it's enough to carry him through the day.

This is really, really hard.

Sending Summer Off in the Sunset

The end of a great summer is so bittersweet. As this was the first summer which truly embodied a break in routine for our family, I am proud to say we embraced it fully. I am excited beyond words for the new experiences Big B and little b face this week, but there is a lump in my throat that holds the memories of beach days, field trips, lazy mornings and explorative adventures.

Many of the families in our village felt the same way, so we gathered at a favorite beach spot yesterday evening to enjoy the sunset, one last time. (For a little while anyway.) Us mamas and our babies have been so incredibly blessed to grow up together, but these gatherings with our partners are truly special. We are able to witness the harmony of our community and the common thread of parenting we all share: LOVE.

We played...

We gathered...

We laughed...

Our children worked together...

And explored in solitude.

And us mamas? We watched, fully soaking up these last moments of summer,

Until they were going...

going...

...gone.

And we have enjoyed every minute. Here's to the next adventure!

Shoebox Butterfly Gardens

Today, my amazing husband led Big B's class in the planting of their own shoebox butterfly gardens, in honor of National Landscape Architecture Month. I wasn't sure how smoothly things would go, putting wheelbarrows of soil, rocks, mulch and plants in front of twenty-four five and six year olds, but I was pleasantly surprised by the patience and care the children displayed. Big B was front and center, waiting eagerly for his Papa to help him plant his garden.
Papa taught them about the life cycle of the butterfly and how to take care of their plants. He taught them about different soil types, water absorption and mulch. He was wonderful, and for the most part, they all really listened.And check out these adorable butterfly gardens! I was most impressed. Each child planted one coral honeysuckle, one verbena, and one white guara. Beautiful!Big B took great care to design his garden just right...
...and slowly, carefully carried it back to his classroom. And Mama was very proud of her boys, big and small.Note: If you would like to try this activity, Papa suggests poking holes in the bottom and sides of these biodegradable boxes and planting them right in the ground. Butterflies like warm dark rocks, and a plastic lid filled with water would attract them to drink. Enjoy!