Leaves

In the deep fall
don't you imagine the leaves think how
comfortable it will be to touch
the earth instead of the
nothingness of air and the endless
freshets of wind?

~ Mary Oliver, excerpt from Song for Autumn
in New and Selected Poems, Volume Two

I know that Christmas season is here in full swing, but I need to reflect one more minute on leaves.  You know, the billowy pile of Maple, Oak, and Sweet Gum leaves at your curb or in your neighborhood.  Yes, the ones you walk by or run through or kick or leap into shamelessly.  Wait, you don't?  It's not snow, but oh I have a weakness for leaves.  The smell, the crunch, the colors, the appeal.  And piles of leaves are one of the best sources of entertainment that should have been included as item #6 in this article.
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Alex and I spent many a day in Pennsylvania in the past month tending to family.  One warm sunny Saturday, we took a break by going on a nature stroll.

I expected that we would return with pockets billowing of leaves and gum balls, rocks, twigs, and berries.  But how I love to watch plans change into unexpected adventures.


Speaking of love, I love this view. This tug. 

And prancing down a quiet street full of a fading sun.

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Our adventure took a shift when we found a small pile of leaves that gathered by itself at a curve. Then Alex gave me the Cheshire grin and came straight at me with an armful of giggling ammo. 

And in that exact moment of Cat & Mouse, we decided to create our own pile of leaves.  And what I discovered while I raked leaves?  We didn't need to wander far to have hours of fun.

Exhibit A: Rock. Rocks are fun.  Seriously, a seat, a jungle gym, a launching pad.

Exhibit B: Glorious leaves.

Understand the community where my in-laws live pays to have the leaves gathered and removed, so making a pile is absurd.  (Our absurdity had nothing to do with disposal people. Get over it.)


Pounce

And in that moment of rolling, jumping, burying, and chasing, time stopped.


She reminds me that I need to be idle and blessed, especially during this Christmas season.  

And I am. 

Hooky

A few weeks ago, I played hooky from work in order to spend a quality day of goofing-off with my dear friend Shannon at the Maryland Zoo.  The timing was perfect: a) It was my first day in weeks to walk away from work without the overwhelming pressure of deadlines, b) I was given free admission tickets by my local Managing Partner, and c) God gave us a day full of sun, blue skies, mild temperatures and space to run wild.  

Nate is growing up so fast.  He's no longer a baby, but a partner in crime.  Alex enjoys the shift.

::The zoo is full of the obvious, but it's a pleasure to see the excitement through a child's eyes.  There's a fascination of watching your child timidly feed a giraffe some lettuce, observe a baby elephant lumber around, or yell at the polar bears in hopes of waking them up.  It fills you with joy and pride.

And somehow, the smallest inhabitants of the zoo, the frogs, left the two of them speechless.

I will admit that I have a fondness for the primates, which must be a result of spending days of my childhood at The Philadelphia Zoo (they still have the most amazing primate section!).

:: Discovery comes in all sizes.  A pinecone catches Nate's attention in the petting zoo.

My friend Christina and I recently agreed that we feel more aware of life, more grateful of the changing seasons, & appreciative of simple blessings since bearing children.  

As if the clarity and brightness on each picture of life is sharper and bolder.  

My heart is thankful every day for this journey.

Blooming & Growing Forever

Excuse the delay in posting.  I've been enjoying the ride.

The other day, Alex and I ventured to the park.  The girl mastered running in (unlaced) tap shoes, which created an echoing clamor as we played monster-chase.

And every chase ended the same way - a fast ride down the tallest slide.  Thanks to her tutu style skirt full of polyester, the fast slide became a ride of marginal control.  This girl is a thrill seeker.

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Fall activity abounds.  Starting with the County Fair, which always strikes in the midst of September.  The weather tastes like summer, but there's a different energy once the school year starts.  Nancy and I conspired for the past year how we would take Alex and Enzo to the fair this year at dusk.  Our children are finally old enough to endure the nighttime experience, and oh baby, they were amazed and energized.


I love this fair.  There's a beautiful balance of 4-H competition, animals, forbidden foods, and carnival activity that parallels childhood memories of the fairs in Baker, Oregon. However, Baker failed to deliver pig races. 




We were all captivated.

(I love capturing the gentle embrace.)

As for the 4-H portion of the event, I am floored by the pride and the responsibility these children take in rearing and showing their goats, calfs, pigs, sheep, and foul. So unplugged, but so connected.  

And after eating a little bit of carnival fare,

it was time to get this party started.

Really, I don't think she stopped laughing the entire evening until we hit the mechanical bull. Yes, the girl has a set too, and proved to be strong especially when the controller decided to tip the bull slightly forward and backwards.

The night flashed before us, and at 10pm, Nancy and I found ourselves eating our dinner (dipped soft-serve ice cream) from afar, watching our husbands and children dancing in a field in front of a live band.  Here we expected to meet everyone out by the cars with the children laced in their seats; but the wish for those last 5 minutes trump.
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On to Pennsylvania to visit family and deliver an belated birthday cake. Going "home" to me is always a crush of time and obligations; and I struggle with the balance of how many people I can see.  And this trip was all about one word - family.


We had a play date at a local park with my father, brother and his family. 

The playground was diverse enough that the cousins barely overlapped. 

Missy and I started having fun after we caught Alex taking her pal Sally down every slide.

Next thing you know, we wrapped Sally up in a sweater and placed her in a tree like a chrysalis. Evil I know, but it has me seriously thinking about making a photo book about the adventures of Sally. She's much more than just a doll.

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Seeing that time has not been my creative side-kick lately, I schlepped Christina's birthday cake supplies to PA, and started the process at my in-laws at 10pm.  In the back of my mind, I knew that I wanted Christina's 40th birthday cake to reflect her beauty and grace, which translated to me as sleek with clean lines.  

I succeeded. 

If anything, it gave the opportunity to try a new technique and now I'm inspired to try this layered look with an ombre effect; but baby, I see the ombre effect on a 3 tired cake with no additional decor. 


I'm always reminded that nothing I create compares the pride I feel when I give Alex her own cake and the space to decorate by her own terms. I do love this moment.

And this moment, catching her lying on the ground on a cardboard box, singing "The Sound of Music" at the top of her lungs.  Vibrato included. I need to catch this on video.

And this too.  Alex is imitating the Gilda Radner Muppet Show act of "Tap Your Troubles Away." She rehearses and has requested that we glue planks of wood on her shoes to reflect the props from the original skit. 

She has even gone as far as to pluck chunks of wood out of the firewood pile and use her white glue to complete the task.
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And there's so much left to enjoy this fall. So here's wishing you the opportunity to take the time to soak it in.