A Father's Day Well Spent

The day started with a boat ride and some "fishing" in the morning.

And was concluded with the launch of a rocket. Need I say more?

Could a boy BE more impressed by his father?

Happy father's day Richard/Daddy. We adore you!

On this day we remember.

Today was the first anniversary of my mother's passing. We think of her every day but today we memorialise once more the strength, courage, grace and love that she embodied and with which she transformed the tragic event of her death into a truly graceful exit from this life and a brave and faithful entry into that which beckoned her from beyond. May she rest in peace.

Strawberry Picking

It's strawberry season and we went strawberry picking on a farm nearby with some of our friends. We could pick as many as we wanted but we settled on filling one small basket. Rowan was great at spotting them even those that were a few rows over. At first I did most of the picking but when he realised how easy it was he started picking them too and loved it.

Now here is a sight you don't really see on farms these days - people in the fields - working the land. What a sight and what a nice feeling to take part in it.

There were also some goats. One of them actually ate the grass we grabbed for it outside the fence. The other one was a little more picky since it has been munching on the berries from a mulberry tree which was too high for the other goat to reach. We decided to give the smaller one some strawberries. I think it liked it.

The adults also joined in on the fun at the play structure. Yes, even I slid down the huge drain pipe of a slide.

What a fun day. We will definitely have to do it again some time.

A Mountain of Work/Fun

We have taken on a huge project again and Rowan could not be more happy. Somehow seeing his father slaving away, laying brick by brick, hour after hour, doesn't bother him one little bit. In fact he loves being able to help out and then of course there is all that raw material that usually ends up in one big lump somewhere in our back yard. This one is made up of small stones ranging from fine to the that size that can only be described as just right to collect and throw.

Exploring this mountain took on many different forms:

At the first stage of exploration willing hands, some good boots, a shovel and wheelbarrow came in very handy.

The bike was then brought in to load up the cargo for more energy efficient transport.

Then he had to test the 1 x 3 wheel capabilities of the trike. Needless to say it didn't make it to the top of the mountain. The crash tests were done several times though just to make sure that they really were as fun as he had imagined them to be.

The last crash brought Rowan's attention to his shadow and he spent a couple of minutes admiring his build cast so masterfully onto the mountain rising in front of him. Suddenly his shadowy friend had more of a presence than ever before.

Soon the adventure called again and off he went. He seems to be quite a careful explorer though. Here you see him throwing the pebbles to the top of the mound and watching them tumble down.

I guess he figured the risk was low and made it up the mound himself.

"Yay!" at the top. "I did it!"

So we spent the rest of the morning running up and down and up and down and... well, you get the idea.

The mound has slowly been shrinking over the last few weeks and I am happy to say that soon our outdoor eating area will be firmly established and ready to host many many years of fun family togetherness.

Getting Ready for School is Not a Laughing Matter Anymore

Rowan loves school. He always gets excited at the mention of it but some mornings he has trouble with the idea of leaving the comfort of his home. This is what happened yesterday.

When he woke up in the morning I reminded him that it was a school day. He smiled that wide-eyed kind of smile and talked about his back pack. Somehow the idea of a back pack makes him very happy. So we came downstairs and had some breakfast. He asked to watch one of his DVDs and settled way too comfortably into his chair.

Later on I walked up to him and gave him the usual "Ten minutes 'till school!" He pretty much ignored me and so I went back after five minutes. This time he cried: "No!" I walked away and when I came back after another five minutes he had constructed a kind of a barricade between me and him with the clever use of two chairs and when he spotted a tiny gap he ran for his box of sanitary wipes and plugged up the hole. I looked at this construction of his. He looked at me and when he saw that I was considering the situation he said: "It's closed!" Meaning I am here behind this great big door and I can't get out. Better yet, Mom, you can't get to me.

I laughed and called Richard over. He laughed. Rowan laughed. And so Rowan left for school with all of us laughing our way to the door.

Playing Outside in the Rain

Earth Day 2010

Today is the 40th anniversary of Earth Day.

It seems to me like the kind of day that needs to be celebrated. It's Mother Earth we are talking about here. Our home planet that houses us and sustains us. It is a part of us as much as we are a part of it. There should be festivals, parades and nature hikes - families spending their time together in communion with this beautiful creation.

Yet there was little mention of this very special day today. No fuss was made. We just carried on regardless.

We, as a family, didn't make much of a fuss either, but spent quite a bit of time outside today, which is where we happened upon this amazing discovery in our garden. The cycle of life and the beauty and complexity of this world that we live in could not be more evident...