My kids right now, April 29th, 2010

The kids are growing so fast! Ian just turned 14. For his party he had all his friends from the U Cooperative School over for a movie "Date Night", cake, icecream and Panda Express. He is growing into a handsome, strong and caring young man. His school band will get to play at Silverwood and perform. He plays the french horn. I can't believe he'll be in High School next year although he seems ready to take on the world. He is really good at basketball, soccer, and without a doubt, the best monopoly player I've ever seen!

Finn is at play practice right now. He's in a Science Fiction play at the Bath house. Besides this, he is playing spring soccer. He will be in middle school next year at Salmon Bay. He is playful, funny and loving. He is excited to watch "Mama Mia" with some friends at school soon.

Rowan is also playing spring soccer right now. When he isn't bouncing a ball, wearing an amazing costume, sharing an exciting story about what he is learning at school, he is drawing. He can draw amazing pictures of all kinds, it is so fun to see all his art! We signed him up at the school auction for an Art Night run by his Art Teacher, Maria. He is sweet, loving, cuddly, sensitive and generous. Ellie will be okay at school next year because of him. (Ro will be in 4th grade)

Ellie will be starting kindergarten next year. She is so sweet and whimsical. She loves dressing up, playing fairies, dancing, singing, and creating art and forts. She is always up for adventure. Today at Little Gym her teacher said she should be in the advanced class for gymnastics. Whoa! Who would think that an offspring of mine would be needing a challenge in gymnastics!

Raymond is at work right now. He is balancing many jobs with an ease I wish I had. He works too much but always lets it go when his family needs him. This weekend we are dressing up in 70s costumes for our school auction. He loves soccer, I Tunes, and crosswords.

Next year I'll start teaching 1/2 time kindergarten at U Cooperative School. I am excited and eager to have my own class but know it'll be a lot of work and I'll have to find my rhythm again.

As I write this, I look out at our beautiful garden full of rosemary, lavender, whisteria, and many other beautiful plants I don't know the name of. Ellie and Rowan have built a fairy garden in the raised flower bed out front. Our pink tree is the most vibrant color it has ever been.

We will be going to Spain and Ireland, Wales and London this summer when school gets out!

Bio Poem

Ian
Funny, Ambitious, Benevolent, Deft
Son of Raymond and Mim, Brother of Finn, Rowan, and Ellie
Lover of Finn, Rowan, and Ellie
Who feels, happy, exhilarated, carefree
Who finds happiness in basketball, swimming, eating
Who needs friends, money, sports
Who gives laughter, friendship, joy
Who fears deadlines, Jason, loneliness
Who would like to see, Paris, the future, Bilbao
Who enjoys, friends, food, summer time
Who likes to wear, jeans, aviators, no shoes
Resident of Greenwood
Calvert

The Rabbit Hunt

The air was crisp and the many colored leaves looked like jewels for the taking as we started off on our journey to the woods. The sky had opened up with color that morning; swirling splashes of reds, yellows and pinks, like a box of crayons seen through squinted eyes.

There was an excitement in the air as my teaching partner and I accompanied a gaggle of five and six year olds and headed out to the park. Most of the ring leaders had left early for Thanksgiving vacation. A trio of "Lost Boys" who tended to rule the roost in their merry way like knights over their serfdom. They were loud, vivacious and spent their time hooting, hollering and wrestling like puppies over a bone.

This left an unusually small band of ten-mostly on the younger side. How quiet it felt as we made our way across the street-despite the cars and trucks roaring by. What surprises awaited us?

We headed back through the trees to a clearing which held a log to sit on, a quarry of jewel-like rocks, fairy houses and a tree used often as a cottage. Suddenly, a large, cinnamon colored rabbit was spotted by a few children. It had been inside the tree cottage and quickly scrambled away as the children arrived.

"We must catch that rabbit." A cry went out. But who would step up to lead while the Lost Boys were away?

"I know what to do. I have experience."

A voice was heard from within the children all bunched up together. All eyes turned, wide-eyed in wonder to the solemn face of Alice.

Alice, quiet by nature in a large group, pushed her glasses up higher on her nose, tugged on her long, straw colored hair, looked out of her enourmous, wise, all knowing blue eyes and said, "This has happened to me before. I have caught a rabbit."

A hush descended on the troop as everyone awaited Alice's words.

"Once. A rabbit like this was in woods like this. I picked up the rabbit, brought it to my home and kept it in a cage for two days. When it was ready, I brought it back to the woods and let it go. We can catch it, but you'll have to do exactly what I say."

Nine other children solemnly nodded at Alice their brave and experienced leader. "Everyone stay right here. I'll go ahead and tell you when you can come." Alice put up her small but commanding hand and everyone waited. Alice went ahead a few feet and motioned for us to come join her. Besides the rustling caused by rainboots sliding through the grass, there was absolute silence.

When we caught up to Alice, we had to freeze again as Alice went on ahead. This time to a tree with a hollow entrance. "It lives here sometimes but isn't here now." Alice declared as we caught up. "Freeze like a statue. I need to go ahead again." Away Alice went as we watched. It seemed she could hear the trees and communicate with rabbits. She had us all following her every command as we froze like statues and tiptoed up.

We continued this walk, freeze, walk pattern until we arrived full circle back at the tree cottage. Then it was time to move on.

We never did find that rabbit but thanks to Alice we saw "eaten out" logs, large and small dogs, leaves that made the best umbrellas, patches of sunlight, patches of shadows, soft moss and many more animal homes.

I will always remember how enraptured the children were following the vision of their steadfast leader. What rich qualities we all possess that are just waiting to show themselves when we find our own rabbit hunt.

For Angela, by Margaret Menges

Angela's coming for dinner, he said and 

he bought the card with flowers and red hearts

flashing in circles.

He set the card under the rose light

on the dining room table,

next to the bills and junk mail

piled there in the daily hubbub

which we promptly cleared away

because

Angela, Angela's coming, he said,

and it made me laugh to remember

and I thought it'd be swell to have a theme,

like a national holiday for young love, so

we had Angel-hair pasta and Angel food cake,

white and full of air, whipped cream

and strawberries redder than roses and

blood and fairy-tale apples.

Angela, Angela...she arrived like the

Fourth of July and sat at the 

end of the table, staring into

the blue eyes of the boy I've known forever.

baby dies in automobile

A baby froze to death in a car overnight with her parents.

they slept together in a car

she was 14 days old

she died because she didn't have the warmth her little body needed to survive.

she didn't have a home.  a place to light a candle on a dark and dismal night.

The baby died, the newspaper said

in a dented car, bruised black and blue from old scars

left long ago by other, newer owners.

Squeezed between two parents, three drifters in a dismal world

inside the only shelter they had.

Woken by the cold December morning, they felt for their treasure 

laying still between their unwashed, shivering bodies.

She was cold as frost, numb and empty.

Still, they rushed her to the hospital

Still, they hoped that this time, this new beginning would stick.

This fragile, profound creature 

would not fade.

It faded anyway.

Leaving two scarred drifters 

with wounds that will never go away.

trick or treating with Grandma Glenda

today I am learning how to blog