Happy Halloween!

I feel very lucky that we'll be able to partake in all of the usual Halloween festivities this year. For many people in the U.S., especially those on the East Coast, this will not be the case. Whatever your case may be, I wanted to wish you a fun-filled and sweet Halloween!!!

PS ~ I LOVE all things pumpkin so this is a small roundup of some of my pumpkin pictures taken at pumpkin patch and orchard outings!

U-R-B-A-N

We took advantage of a beautiful Charlotte weekend by taking the train downtown. A change of scenery was in order! It was Clara's first time on the train and I think it's safe to say that she enjoyed it!  A small walk, a coffee stop, a playground visit and, TADA, happy family.  

  

  

     

  

   

                                                

                                     

    

                                                  

I spent Thursday night with this guy....

Zac Brown

The show was just awesome.

The music spectacular.

I don't know of another band that I can say sounds better live.

My friend, Barb, invited me to the concert and treated me to the ticket ("because we don't get to go out enough") and, I'm telling you, it was good for my soul.

During one song (Free.....Free As We'll Ever Be), I remember looking at the stars, feeling the music and thinking, "I am so damned happy to be alive".

All concerts should be like that!

Iggy Pop

Alain asked me several times this week if I have another picture of the four brothers. So I thought this would be a good week to post one of my favorite pictures of the four brothers, taken at a very intimate moment when the brothers were still welcoming the fourth member of the bunch. How beautiful is this picture? I love how Ygal is draping his arm over to get just a little touch of his baby brother. How amazing is it that someone (I'd imagine Cris or Hugo) caught these wild boys in a moment when all three of them are staring at Michael. The splendor of a new baby!  I think the pictures we have of all four brothers together have always been special. Nowadays they've taken on even greater importance and each one has an almost shrine-like quality.  I don't know how to put my feelings into words but I think you know what I mean.

Alain, Diego & Michael.......I love you guys and I think of you all the time. 

I hope you enjoy this week's picture.

XOXO

Garden Pride

I know it sounds silly but yesterday I discovered my VERY FIRST EVER pea blossom. It's so pretty and made me smile. Have I mentioned lately how much I love gardening???

I had to put up chicken wire around one of our raised beds because someone was eating my lettuce plants!

Nature Baby

I remember when the book Last Child In the Woods was released. I read it that very week even though me reading that book is like preaching to the choir. The parents who really need to read that book probably don't! Still, I liked the term "nature-deficit disorder" and I've used it often in the years since. You can trust me, it doesn't apply to my kids.  I take Clara out for walks/hikes a few times each week. It's time I treasure, for so many reasons. I don't often take my camera with me because I want to be fully present for her (I often regret this when we see something wickedly cool, like snakes!). This afternoon was one of the rare occasions where the trusty camera joined us....

One thing I love about taking Clara in the woods is how it helps her developmentally. I do also love playgrounds and think they're important but they are predictable places ~ the equipment is always in the same place and the surfaces are more or less level. In the woods she has to contend with tree roots, rocks, fallen sticks, leaf piles, puddles, dips, hills, etc. She has to pay attention and walk carefully or she'll end up flat on her face. Clara's quite steady for a 14-month old and usually has no problems at all.

Every once in a while, she'll stop in her tracks to contemplate something, I usually stand back and watch to see what it is.

When there are low branches, Clara loves to stop and play with the leaves.

I love hardwoods in this area. Looking up at the tall canopy always makes me feel enveloped and safe.

Ooh, how Clara loves ants. She always squats down to get a good look.

Clara always seems drawn to this fallen log. Now and then she'll climb on and over it.

I love seedpods, especially this type. Is this from a hickory tree?  I'm not sure. But I love the thickness of the shell on these. I remember collecting them when I was young.

I often find Clara doing this.  Looking for falling leaves. Sometimes airplanes. Many times birds.  Always holding on to something for support!

I just love tree bark.

This tree is ambitious.....

....and tenacious!

Has anyone else on Earth seen the movie Touched By Love starring Diane Lane?  It was based on the book,  To Elvis, With Love.  The movie is from 1980 and it used to play a lot on HBO. I can't tell you how much I loved that movie when I was young. I'd watch it over and over again. In one scene, Diane's character, a young girl with Cerebral Palsy, is playing outside with an old tree stump. The details are a little blurry but she's pretending it's a house or a town and she decorates it with items found in nature.  I think of that scene a lot when I come across an interesting tree stump. The one above was just amazing!  (If anyone else has seen that movie, please write and tell me!!!!) 

We found a friend on today's walk.....Ollie.....and Clara kept trying to run through the woods with him.....although it was hard to keep up!

It was sunny and warm this afternoon ~ an amazingly beautiful Fall day ~ so happy to share it in the woods with my baby girl.

V.I.P. Visitor

Yesterday, when we got home from school, Sophie ran in the house to tell me we had a visitor. I grabbed my camera and ran out to see.....

While we were watching this guy, he heard a little rustle down in our pine needles on the berm. He turned and I'm sure he saw our compost mouse running to hide. Very quickly he turned to look and then swooped down to the ground. He was somewhat hidden behind a tree but I don't think it was a successful hunt.

The below two pictures are blurry (crappy camera) but too cool to exclude.

A visit from a hawk is a highlight in my day!  Small pleasures!!!!