The Unicycle (Picnic part 2)

We couldn't have a family gathering without taking Bethany's new unicycle along. There were several interested parties, Allen, Dave, Steven,... but no one has yet mastered the art of one-wheeled cycling save Uncle Chuck. I think Hiram and Harim, Chuck's grandsons, might be able to do it too, but they were absent from this year's celebration and missed their golden opportunity.

Seeing as he is past seventy years old, we thought it in Uncle Chuck's (and our) best interest that he not actually try to ride the unicycle. He did however give us some pointers on how the feat might be accomplished. Raising the seat was not too difficult and with something steady to hold onto one can even keep the thing upright..

His other suggestion? Toss a rope over a beam in the top of the barn or a garage and use that to keep from landing on your head (or butt) while learning to find your balance. I think a tree limb would also work out rather well. Uncle Chuck did feel it necessary to sit on the unicycle and show the guys how to get started. I think he wished he could still trust his body to take off riding circles while the rest of us looked on in amazement.

We all know that somewhere out there is another family member just waiting to find his or her place atop this marvelous contraption. Maybe its Steven... or Hannah!

The Gathering of Family (Picnic part 1)

Yesterday was an absolutely splendid day for a family picnic. We drove a little over an hour down to Red Jacket Park in Penn Yan where my uncle has hosted Fourth of July picnics for the past fifteen years. Each year the crowd varies slightly with different cousins, aunts, uncles, and other friends and family members. Each year Uncle Chuck brings out his crazy homemade bicycles and the kids make spectacles of themselves riding back and forth in front of and through the park. Some years there has been stilt walking, bean bag tosses, or jump roping. This year's new fun? Pogo sticks. All the kids had to try it.


Audra is quite good at pogo jumping.

Bethany does everything in flip flops.

Pogo jumping makes Rachel happy.

Living in the Rain Forest

Warm, humid, overcast, the perfect kind of day for straightening up about the house, reading a book, or taking a nap. It isn't raining but the possibility lingers as the wind picks up and the clouds hang low like a thick blanket. A fine mist blows through heavy air.

I cleaned the kitchen this morning but have yet to run the vacuum cleaner. In this weather everything feels slightly sticky and my sugar clumps into one big lump in the bowl. Cereal and crackers get soft in the box. I pack them into zipper top bags to keep out the dampness.

I recall camping in this weather as a little girl. At night I crawled into a slightly moist sleeping bag in a rather damp camper. Often the sun would arrive bright and strong the following morning burning off the condensation of the previous day and drying out our soggy surroundings.

Today it feels like I live in the rain forest. The windows are open and the birds are happy. My garden is happy too.

A Little Bit of Space

It has been a long day... kind of.
It started out with a pain in my neck and a little bit of Benadryl and ended up with me feeling spacier than a moon crater. I expect to sleep well tonight and have a better day tomorrow.

A Summer Daze

When the calandar reads July I know that summer is officially here. I have two months (or nine weeks) to enjoy as many school-free, fun-filled days as possible. I'm looking forward to plenty of picnics, pool parties, sleepouts and campfires. We have a Cousin Camp to consider and daytrips to dream of. There will be sunshine to soak up and rainstorms to dance in.

Nathan is leaving for El Salvador early Saturday morning and Ben is heading off to camp Sunday afternoon. Hannah goes to camp the following week and comes home on her thirteenth birthday. Aside from picking blueberries, this is about as far as my summer plans go. I have plenty of ideas but am uncertain if they will ever come to fruition. Either way I plan to enjoy these next couple of months.

Yesterdays

When my oldest children were small and my husband worked full time, I spent many evenings down at B. Forman Park. I watched the kids throw rocks in the lake, pushed them on the swings, and caught them at the bottom of the slides. Sometimes we were alone and sometimes the park was full. It can be a peaceful, lonely kind of place or bustling with activity.

Years back seagull strutted along the shore squawking at us in hopes that we might throw them a piece of bread. I don't see many gulls now but the "evidence" of Canada geese lies in the grass along the water's edge. The playground equipment, at least the swings and slides, has stood the test of time and has likely been there since the days of the dinosaur. Only the merry-go-round and springy animals are gone. I suppose these were deemed dangerous and hauled off to where ever old playground equipment goes. The beach, although changed by the action of the lake, remains covered with small round stones perfect for skipping or tossing into the water.

On the western edge of the park are private homes and cottages. Some of them look very much like what one might see along the Atlantic coast. Driftwood washes up on their beaches and they always have a perfect view of sailboats and sunsets. Spectacular thunderstorms dance over a dark lake on hot July nights. I think I would like to lie in bed, thunder rumbling, rain pelting the roof, and watch the lightening flash.

The Watching Sky

It seemed the perfect day. Ben, Hannah and I decided to take a ride down to the park, skip some stones, and watch the sailboats. The sun was shining and the park full of people picnicing and celebrating graduations. Children laughed and people called out.

Not long after we arrived the warm, gentle breeze gained strength and cooled. Storm clouds rolled in and blocked the sun. The water no longer glistened or shimmered, instead the surface began to ripple and the waves lapped at the shoreline. It was beautiful.

I took several photos of the storm clouds. Do you see what I see?

Rapunzel's Place?

While out gallivanting with my daughters this afternoon, I spied what looks possible to be Rapunzel's tower. We drove down for a closer look, got out of the vehicle and called out "Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair!" but no golden locks came flowing down from the tower's lofty heights. The tower sported a bight yellow sign warning passersby to "Keep Off". I wondered why someone had placed all those footholds up the wall if scaling the summit was prohibited. We retreated to the safety of the van as the residents of the neighboring retirement home kept watch on the structure. Maybe I will return again at a future date to see if there is ever any action down there.

A Hole in One

Some Friday nights Ben and Hannah go to the teen group at church and some Fridays we choose to have them home with us. Tonight they stayed home with James and I and we went out to play miniature golf. I don't know who actually won the game, none of us did very well tonight, but I did get a hole in one. Only one of the eighteen holes wins a prize and this happened to be it. The prize? A slice of pizza from the NY Pizzaria up in town. Maybe one day, if I can find some more coupons, I'll take the kids up for pizza.

On our way home James stopped for ice cream. I had a chocolate/vanilla twist. Yum! We don't often stop for ice cream so it is always a treat when we do. Our normal practice is to buy our ice cream and cones at the super market, hopefully on sale, and bring them home to make cones. You might say having seven children has encouraged a certain amount of frugality.

Feeling Slightly Helpless

This morning Ben and Hannah each had an appointment with their doctor for a yearly physical. They will soon be headed off to camp for a week and a physical is one of the unwanted but necessary requirements. Now that my children are older I normally let them go back for their appointments alone and wait for the doctor to call me in if she has a question or needs me to sign for immunizations or something. Hannah had three shots this time and Ben just two. I came back to sign the consent forms. When Ben was finished we all stood up to go but Hannah had a strange look on her face and said, "I can't see." A million things ran through my mind at once! I had just read the shot information... Or maybe she was just reacting to a blood pressure change? The nurse hurried back over just in time to catch Hannah as she crumpled to the floor inside the exam room. The doctor assured me it was not likely the content of the vaccines, but the actual "poke" of the needle. They did seem concerned but not overly nervous. As my daughter came to I began to feel a sense of relief. They had her sit up and finally got her back on her feet. She was asked how she felt and said "good" but her color was off again... We almost made it to the exam table this time, but not quite. There she was on the floor again. I wasn't sure what to think but was thankful the Lord had Ben recieve his shots after Hannah. The short lapse of time between her shots and his meant we weren't yet back in the waiting room when she passed out or worse, the parking lot. We did find that she hadn't eaten breakfast before the 10:30 am. appointment (they gave her a Tootsie Roll and some water) so that may have been a contributing factor. Whatever the reason, she sure gave me a scare. I'm so glad she is okay!
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After looking around online a bit, I am not altogether convinced that Hannah's reaction was not from the injection itself. I was hesitant to allow the HPV vaccine anyway, but have now read that as many as 10% of girls who receive it have a reaction like this. I think she'll not be getting the final dose.

Passion's Fruit

I recently read a book, Cure for the Common Life by Max Lucado. This book has left me pondering once again, wondering what really is my passion in life? What is it that I was specifically created to do? It isn't a question that others can answer for me, rather a question whose answer lies deep within myself. There are, of course, numerous clues which will eventually lead me to the answer, but the journey may take some time and will definitely require much thought. Not all of life depends on my passions, no matter what they may be, and there are plenty of jobs which need to be done whether I enjoy them or not. I have been told that my passion will overrule and crowd out those "other things" but I have not yet found that to be true. Often "other things" call louder and clearer, and appear much more urgent than what I love to do, so much so that my gifts and talents have become all but lost in the crush.

It's Thursday. A good day to make a list of things I love, some to do and some... some just things that I know are connected in some presently unseen way.

1. Blog- I think it's really the writing I enjoy. The feedback makes it all the more worthwhile.
2. I used to write poetry, especially when I was in 5th grade up through high school. Once in a great while I will still write something, but once it was a passion.
3. Read. I don't do much reading anymore as it feels like I am accomplishing little to nothing when I do, but I love a good novel and usually can't resist telling others the story as I read it. I do miss reading to my kids too.
4. Drawing. My dad instilled in me a love of drawing. At a very young age I learned to look for pencils and papers. My skills are not honed and I feel very inept, but I'm pretty sure its in there somewhere, just waiting
5. Decorative painting. This is actually just another type of drawing only I'm using paint instead of a pencil or pen. Mostly I use someone else's pattern, but once in a while I paint from a photograph or other picture/drawing.
6. Pottery. I took a class a few years ago and tried out the wheel for the first time. I fell in love, closed my eyes and felt the clay spin between my hands...
7. Sculpting with clay is another love. I have an ample supply of clay and a small kiln out in James' spray booth but haven't pulled anything out in what seems like years. Some of my things have yet to be fired. Honestly, we've only fired up the kiln once. I don't know much about ceramics except that I love how clay feels in my hands.
8. The woods. Another thing that's hard to explain. When I was a little girl I loved walking through or playing in the woods. It is a land of fantasy and imagination.
9. Although I was often exhausted by the time and effort invested, I loved having a house full of kids and I loved my babies. They provided the perfect excuse to think childlike, go childlike places, and do childlike things. (O yes, and read those childlike books; Otis Spofford, Homer Price, The Not-Just-Anybody Family...)
10. Making crafts. The dilemma here is that I like a craft worth making, not just things that get tossed in the trash a few days later.
11. I loved walking on my wire wheel.
12. I love making things look cozy and welcoming. Some people hate knick-knacks and "dust collectors" but I find they have a place and make my house feel more like a home. Sometimes they come in the form of pillows or blankets on the couch, sometimes they are actually a basket of toys in a corner. Whatever they may be, they say something about who I am.
13. Music boxes. I don't know what it is about them either but I used to be mesmerized by them. Now I'm too distracted.
14. Ha! Taking photographs needs to be added here too. I love capturing a beautiful moment and putting it on film. Hurray for digital cameras!

Anyway, I am thinking, pondering, musing... One day I'll have an answer to my search.

Caged Animals

It was a perfect day. Perfect sunshine, perfect temperatures. Josh came to play this morning. He is no longer content to sit on a lap or in the stroller. The high chair occupies him for only short periods of time while the Cheerio supply holds out. He wants to move.

Seeing as my home is not very well baby proofed and I preferred to be outdoors, today we set up "the cage". I can't recall where I picked up this particular life saving piece of apparatus, but I think it may have been the church dumpster a few years back. We lay an old bedspread out on the floor of the back porch and stretched out the pen. Add a few toys and voila! a perfect place for Josh to play. (As you can see, we are aware of the dangers that come with the diamond shaped openings and he was not left unsupervised.)

This was Troy's last "Martha Day" and only Alysa arrived on the bus at noon. Sara and Tyler both went home with friends. So, now school is out and the fun begins. I need to figure out some fun days in July so I will know when I am available to watch little girls who must attend summer school and when I will be off gallivanting...

Keeping the Bases Covered

There are days when I feel as if all I ever do is run from one end the house to the other picking up and putting away, sifting through and sorting, cooking meals and cleaning up afterward. There are days when I long to get away from it all for just a little while. Then there are also other days, days when I am perfectly content to stay at home, putter around, bake some cookies, and dust the furniture. The laundry must be washed, groceries must be inventoried, and dirt must be removed. The bases must be covered, but do they have to be covered before I relax or can I relax first and then worry about the bases being covered?

Years ago when I babysat and my husband worked full time away from home, before my homeschooling adventure began, my days were filled with what may have looked to others like play. Of course I still cleaned, washed clothing, and cooked meals, but I spent a lot of time reading books to and playing toys with little people, dancing to kid tapes, walking around the block, and sitting outside just watching the kids play. We walked to story time at the library, went to visit Grandma's house, or drove down to either the park or the playground. Somewhere between those days of "play" and here I lost my ability to take it easy and not worry about the fact that I am sitting down. Is it really okay to sit and read a novel for hours? Can I pull out my paints or clay before the morning chores are done? What if I feel like jumping out of bed one morning and taking off for a day at the beach or a hike through the woods? Aren't those productive activities too? I think they are. This summer I hope to make a return to the days of "play" and maybe I'll take my grandson along.

My Blue Heaven... almost

On my way to town this morning, I took a detour and drove along the lake. I stopped to take a photo at the Pultneyville Yacht Club where I could almost make believe I was sitting on the shore in Maine or Nova Scotia. I believe the yacht club has sailboat races on Thursday evenings during the summer. I've seen them coming in before but haven't yet taken the time to sit and watch. Maybe I will...

As gasoline prices continue to rise, I think more and more about my own surroundings, places I often take for granted because they are so familiar to me. For my entire life I've lived a short distance from a beautiful lake that looks more like a sea or an ocean. Over there somewhere is Canada but I can't see it from here. The lake was rather calm today, but there are times when it is rough and wild, times when the water crashes against the shore spraying anything and everything within reach. There are winters when chunks of ice float in the water and the spray freezes on fences and trees turning them into icy monsters. Along the shoreline are privately owned homes, marinas, parks and orchards, lighthouses and even a lonely cemetery.

As I strive for simplicity this summer, you just may find me somewhere along the southern shore of Lake Ontario taking in what I otherwise may have missed.

Winding Down

The school year is slowly winding down and coming to a close. Although Ben and Hannah continue to do math and work on other things, the year-end tests have been taken and I am ready for summer vacation. Troy will be here on Tuesday and Wednesday and then he will be home with his parents for July and August. When he returns it will be half days. Sara and Alysa will finish up school this week too. It is highly likely that I will not have them for the summer months as their schedule will keep me in limbo more than I would like; summer school, riding lessons, day camp... I am hoping to have time to do some visiting and take a few day trips before settling in again in the fall. I'm also thinking about doing some artwork or maybe painting my living room. Maybe I'll find a few good books to read and enjoy some time on the back porch, go out to lunch with my husband, or sit by the pool with Rachel. Perhaps Shelly and I will take a hike or Gudl and I will walk through the Little Forest. Maybe I will meet up with Apple and Country Girl when I take my kids to camp in Oswego. Do you suppose I might find my way to visit my friend in NY City or Grandmanita in Halifax, Nova Scotia? Anything is possible if you only believe...

Twenty-Seven and Counting

Happy Anniversary to my best friend.

We've been through ups and downs, good times and bad, sunshine and rain. Through it all God has been with us, leading and guiding us, providing for our needs, keeping us together when we wanted to throw in the towel, and bringing us through to the other side.

Twenty-seven years sounds like a long time in so many ways and yet feels so short in others. Wasn't it just yesterday I fell on your lap when we played hide and seek in the cornfield? Wasn't it just yesterday we hid beneath the weeping willow and watched your Uncle Carmen ride past on a bicycle looking for you? Wasn't it just yesterday that our first beautiful baby was born, and then the second, and third and... ? Wasn't it just yesterday that we bought our first car? That we moved into our first apartment and then house? Somewhere along the way we must have grown up. I don't recall when or where it happened. I guess I was so busy enjoying the journey with you that I didn't notice.

The Crazy Week

A busy week is almost over, but not before a final hurrah. We started out Sunday with a Father's Day gathering at Rachel's and will be finishing up tomorrow with a birthday/pre-graduation party for Nate. He wanted to have a gathering of friends before everyone goes their separate ways. In between we have babysat, picked strawberries, made jam and shortcake, fought an allergy headache, shopped for clothes, taught at church, celebrated a birthday with the family, gone grocery shopping, and today is James and my 27th wedding anniversary. (No wonder I'm feeling scatterbrained.) I'm not sure if we are going out or staying in, but I've told him that I think we should get married again and make it on a quieter kind of week. Of course, the activity level seldom slows to a real quiet, it just merges into a new level of motion.

"My Birthday's June 19"

This was a common phrase when Nathan was a little guy. He doesn't tell us this anymore, but for several years it was his favorite thing to say. Today he turned 18. Wow! Where have the years gone? Yesterday I had a smiling two year old, baseball cap on his head, hands in his pockets. What a wonderful little boy he was. He is every bit as wonderful today, just slightly larger... As a baby he was enthralled by music, now he makes his own. A few years ago he learned to play the guitar and now he is teaching himself to play the piano. Music is his passion. I wonder where it will take him someday?

Happy Birthday, Nathan!

Shop Til You Drop

This morning we went out to the stores. Nate needed a few things for the up and coming missions trip to El Salvador and Ben was a little short on shorts. Whilst in K Mart, Hannah and I decided to try some shoes on Josh.
These look perfect to me. I didn't buy them cause I'm afraid he won't be wanting his feet inside of shoes too much during the summer months and he's sure to outgrow them by the time the weather cools off again. I wanted to see how he "walked" in them but he had a tough time of it with his feet tied together. Instead of shoes, I found him a nice bouncy ball covered with colorful pictures of Finding Nemo. Josh was very pleased with my purchase and took it home to play ball with his daddy.

Hail to the Chief and Straw Breeze

Yesterday brought thunderstorms and hail. First it was pea-sized, then marble, then nearly golf ball sized. It bounced off the roof and collected in the grass and driveway. Thank God the storm was short lived and didn't chop our gardens to bits. It provided a little excitement (Troy had to get up from his nap to see) and cooled the temperatures down about ten degrees. Today is a sweatshirt kind of day with a cool lake breeze.
Speaking of "breeze" (strawbreeze...), it was a great morning to go berry picking. Nate, Ben, Hannah and I met Bethany at Burnap's and we picked a whole mess of strawberries. The season has just begun and already Beth and I have each made two batches of jam. I will likely freeze several bags of crushed berries and make more jam during those cold winter months. By then I should have some lonely jelly jars longing to be filled up with warm jam. I think I hear the strawberries calling me right now... Mmmmmm!