Busha Full Of Grace

Chicago - A Matter of Perspective

Oh, sweet little Ikey sees such wonder in the world.  Everything is beautiful and precious.  Even his view of city life is as he sees it through his eyes only.  They live in a very nice part of downtown.  So many places are within walking distance.  The thing is, and I guess it is common in cities, there is quite a rat population in the sewers and alleys and garbage cans.  While walking to get a coffee one evening a rat jumped from the curb into the adjacent bushes and Ikey pops up with, "Look mama!  A bunny!"

Here is their home, the brick with the green door.

And my favorite, the back stairs from the alley.  those of you who know me, know my affinity with stairwells and stoops and flags and clotheslines.  Thus, I LOVE this part.  Theirs is the middle unit with the Tibetan flags.

So close by that you can see it from the street (and hear it all day and night) is the El Train.  I actually loved the sound of it, which surprised me because I am such a person who loves the quiet so.  But this spoke to me in some romantic way. 

The children have a lovely playroom where the dining room would be.  Enlivened by Rainbow Fairies in the warm morning sun.  This space will be wonderful in the dead of winter.

Fiona plays with the fairies, and her Busha on the floor everyday.  ikey has so much room to explore his imagination.  What I truly love is the vibe.  It is the center of their home, warm, bright, surrounded by all the going-ons of the household.  It is perfect for the little ones.

Ike and I both discovered fireflies together.  A first for both of us.  For me, they were always these magical little creatures that I longed to experience firsthand.  i think Ike felt my exuberance and they became our combined passion every evening.  After the first night, when Ike caught one so gently in his hands and we put it in a jar and brought it inside, we went to the library to learn more.  The funny thing is, he had been begging (whining actually) nonstop for a "pet".  And just holding these little bugs in a jar for a bit and letting them go, sufficed.  he was more than content with his new "pets".  What I loved most about them was their slow and gentle nature.  they moved at a speed where a child could easily catch them without needing to grab and possibly harm them.  The look on Ike's face when he cupped two hands together and caught his first "pet", was priceless.

Again, Ike's perspective of Chicago made me laugh...as we hunted fireflies in the "fields" ( 6x10 wrought-ironed patches of flowers or lawn lining the sidewalks).

What else did we do?

I knitted.

We went to the Gay Pride Parade

We enjoyed quick, intense summer storms.

And we cooked and ate and had tea parties in their big old - fashioned kitchen.

Of course, the week flew by for me and it was one of adjustments and beginnings for the Vargas family as mama began her residency. 

 

 

Peace Flags

In the land of our preschool, a common phrase is, "Show me your gentle hands."  Thus begins the road well travelled toward kindness, compassion, caring and peace.  So my last project of the school year with the children were Peace Flags.  It began nearly 6 weeks ago when I tacked a large piece of muslin up on the stage.  Over several weeks the children painted this fabric with Stockmar water color paint, using only the three primary colors, red, blue, yellow.

This step took quite a long time.  Every child was welcomed to paint during outside time each day.  It was our goal to fill in the entire cloth!  Such a lesson in delayed gratification as well as the endless possibilities of color! 

And while we painted, BEHIND the canvas became a favorite rainbow hidout.

 Then we flipped the cloth and the top became the bottom for little artists.  When we were done, the canvas was hung in the hot summer air to bake for a couple of days.

Next we rinsed it well in a big tub, then prepared a white vinegar bath for a good, long soak (to set the colors).

It was hung to dry, and then sewn into little flags.  As a final step, each child was given a flag while we spoke about gentle hands that cared for our friends and animals and plants and trees, they dipped their hands in paint and left prints with the very essence of peace as a preschool child knows it, on their flag.

And finally, our flags were strung and hung, surrounding the place where our oldest children walked the rainbow bridge into kindergarten land.

Sarah, Christie and I also did prints of the hands that loved the children well, and hung them on the fairy arch though which they entered.

And finally, the flags were cut apart, separated, and sent home with each child  to spread their peace and gentleness further in the world.

And this morning I am off to the airport and my trip to Chicago.  Peaceful summer days to all of you.

May I Introduce....

That crazy little spitfire who we thought had Tourette's Syndrome when she was 5.  Never doubt any child's potential.  WOOOOO  HOOOOO!  You go Shannie!

Ta Da!

 

I finished my first Pillowcase Dress.  I'm very happy with it;  it's pretty small so Temple gets the first one.  I need to make them wider from here on out.  But still.  It's pretty cute, no?

A Surprise Vacation

I received my "E tinerary" in the email from Jet Blue this morning.  I am going to Chicago June 28th to visit the kids. Thank you Shannon and Isaac for this perfect surprise.  I'm so excited!  I will be there for the first week of July right as Shannon begins her residency (and to celebrate her birthday).  And I'm flying into O'Hare rather than Midway, which also makes me very happy.  The descent into Midway is so abrupt it never fails to make my ears hurt terribly.  I dread the landing the entire flight.  Shannon tells me that this needs to be because Midway doesn't offer a lot of room for landing.  So again my good fortune.  Then I return and go on my journey with Camille to college orientation and her "surprise reservations" that were my Mother's Day gift.  I'm a happy, well cared for mama.  And I'm grateful.

I talked to Ike and he wants me to bring him "a big castle that goes like this, and this and then all the way to the ground like THIS." 

"Oh yes, Ikey.  I know just what you're talking about.  But would that fit in my suitcase?"

Details, details.  Grown-ups can be so logical at times.

Last night I got the sewing machine out and I'm trying my luck (I'm NOT a seamstress) at pillocase dresses for Temple and Fiona.  I'm determined to BE a seamstress with two new granddaughters.  And then I want to make the same pattern in short summer shirts for Heather and Camille.

The weather has been melting material here in Northern California so I'm enjoying my coffee iced this morning.  I was awake until 1:11 last night, waiting for the breeze to reach my loft bedroom window.  At least I was able to make a wish.  I knitted and watched a silly movie Camille had rented, "Fool's Gold".  If nothing else, I got to get an eyeful of Matthew McConoughy (did I spell that right?).  Speaking of hot.

Happy Summer Sunday.

On The Summer Solstice...

• 
  "Whatever is dreamed on this night, will come to pass."

William Shakespeare - Acknowledging the Magic of This Time
A Mid-Summernight's Dream

(photo is the first sunflower in our garden bursting open for solstice!)

 

 

 

Even Here. Ha!

In this sweet little preschool in the country....

A child approached me today with sweetest little voice and asked, "Busha, could you please make a 'k'?"  I took the crayon, and then the paper.  Glanced.

"Oh, not a preschool word.   I will just fold this up and put it in my apron pocket.  Thank you."

And away I walked.  Matter-o-fact.  No looking back.

I hope I don't offend anyone.  I had to share.  It's just a part of growing up, right?  Did I laugh then?  No.  Do I grin now?  yes.

Diddle Diddle Dumpling Socks

Diddle diddle dumpling

My son John

Went to bed

With his stocking on.

One shoe off

And one shoe on,

Diddle, Diddle Dumpling

My son John.

Remember that nursery rhyme?

I am knitting Christmas gifts.  I know.  Wonder Woman.  So check out his fun fun fun project.  Brooke's fabulous request.  I am knitting 13 socks for Satchel.  All similar enough to feel comfortable, but each sock out of a different color scheme and slightly different stitch.  The idea is (since kids don't give a hoot about matching, and in fact, find mismatched so much more fun) Satchel will have a sock box filled with a myriad of colorful stockings from which he can choose any two to wear on any given day.  No lost matches.  And I don't have to worry about "second sock syndrome", that dreaded, "OK.  I finished one.  Now I MUST do a boring second of the same thing."  I see it as a win/win, don't you?  This is what I have begun:

 

And remember the little flowers on the sunsuits? They haven't been done yet, because in the move I cannot find an embroidery hoop.  And do you know there's not a fabric/craft store for 15 miles? Sheesh.

 

Saturday

Finally....FINALLY....yesterday found me sorting through those zillion boxes that have been hanging out in the new living room waiting to be unpacked.  Really, after 10 hours of children each day I don't have anymore life force to give.  I need to recharge.  So my evening activities are usually relaxing rather than work filled.  And then you all know how my last 2 weekends slipped by on me, spent healing and grieving.  So I took yesterday to get myself in order and it felt GOOOOOD.  Home is starting to feel like home.

And in the afternoon I was even able to get two pieces of the little cotton clothing that I bought, dyed for Fiona and Temple.  The color I chose was "truffle brown" , which I had concerns wouldn't look as deep as the sample, but it turned out great!  It is a dark chocolate with a hint of purple.  Today I'm going to embroider some little flowers on the neckline and the bum.  I'll post more photos of the embroidery later. But for now, here are these cute little things.  The outdoor shot looks a little more purple than brown, the inside shot is more true to the color.

I purchased the little undyed, 100% cotton knit sunsuits at Dharma Trading Company in San Rafael, CA.  (They also have an excellent mail order catalog, with every size from newborn to men's XL.  You can find them online.)  I have 2 more outfits to dye today for each girl, and sunhats for the boys.  They are VERY inexpensive, yet well made.  Very nice, soft, sturdy cotton knit.  I believe each little sunsuit was around $6.00, and the hats were $3.00.  Check them out if you're into cotton clothing and a few little projects.

Have a great Sunday.  Take care of your papas!  I'll be back soon with more photos.

If I'd Only Known

Roll back to 1978.  Wide blue eyes, with the depths and wisdom of all the oceans combined, imploring me. 

"Mom, PLEEEEASE can I walk to school with my friends.  So and so does it."

Hemming.  Hawing.  Sweating.  OCD-ing.

"OK.  I'll walk you to (her) corner and when she meets us, you can continue on together."

I knew she could do it.  There was no doubt.  I just prayed to the universe that her angels were watching over her.  Holding her as I matter-o-factly gave her her freedom.  I trusted her judgement more than some adults.  I rejoiced in her curiosity about life. 

About.com: http://urbanearthmama.typepad.com/brooke/

But, in my inexperienced, naive, young mama arena, I had no idea the floodgates that opened with that first solo walk from Hobart Street to the Saint Matthews second grade classroom. I am so proud of Brooke's zest for life.  Her sense of exploration.  Making it big.  Doing it all as it strikes you.  Yes, I work to fill an empty place each day as the time gets closer, so I don't find myself waving goodbye as I teeter at the edge of  an ominous precipice.  But instinctually, Mamas always see their children as fledglings, knowing that primal feeling of "the nudge".

But damn.  What would have happened if I had just said no?