Oh ScRiBBles!

This morning my 3-year old asked me to help her with her "art projects," - she loves her artwork! Our home is "wallpaper-ed" with artwork from Jayne...drawings, scribbles, collages and sketches that she has created over the past few years. Yes, years. She's loved her crayons since she was one. Give her paints and a brush, she's Picasso. She even loves to paint rocks - which, one day will be part of our garden walkway.
And how could I forget glitter glue?! A staple in our home!
Crayons, however, have to be her favorite. I realized this morning just how much fun it is to pick up a crayon and scribble. No patterns, no lines, just start scribbling! I think we may be telling kids to "stay in the lines," a little too much these days. "Don't go outside of the lines here," we keep telling them. But what's SO wrong with going outside of the lines every so often?
We went outside the lines this morning and made all sorts of fun stuff and, for a moment, I felt like a kid again too.
Being childlike is fun and going outside of the lines is fun too.
Maybe, just maybe, we'll have some more creative kids, if only we allow them to go outside the lines a little more often...
Go scribble!


Our scribbles for the day:

 Jayne's other favorite art...

Etsy finds for the day:

FolkArtbyKerry



Grazim


stephanieryanart
       

Swanbones


scribble-like! Safarisister


holli

child-like always....  BannerBotiqueonEtsy


Crayon holder! a beauty ! Syrendell

Sharks, Alligators & Pneumonia

When I was a kid, maybe 5 or 6, I was afraid of three things: sharks (after having seen too many shark movies!), alligators (more movies!) and pneumonia. I recall everyone telling me, "don't go outside without  your boots, your coat, you'll catch pneumonia." and "dress up, dress warm you don't watch to catch pneumonia, do you?"
Thirty some-odd years later, here I am, pneumonia-stricken! And I know I dressed warm, wore my boots (I LOVE boots!) and didn't play in the rain (too much!), but, I got it anyway. I didn't, however, put those plastic bread bags on my feet before I put my boots on - maybe that was it! Maybe those wonder bread bags really were magical!!!?? Wonder Bread bags are medicinal!
Of course, I shouldn't complain either. I got a few days off of work and have been able to catch up on some books and other work I needed to do. I even got to work on some yoga positions which helped me breathe better and feel better.
But, I suppose, fears don't disappear. Somewhere, down deep, strangling my lungs, was a fear of getting pneumonia - fears weaken us. Eventually, if you allow enough fear, you'll get exactly what you "asked" for - in my case, pneumonia.
Now, I do plan on working on that fear of sharks and alligators! They are marvelous creatures, but they don't have such a great "record." I recall fearing alligators in my bathtub. Yes, there was some awful movie we watched as kids where alligators ended up in pools and bath tubs... I think I went without the suds and water for a while. I even imagined they were under my bed! And sharks, well, after Jaws had just come out, I wasn't one to jump right into the ocean any more. I do love the ocean, the beaches... but I can do without the sharks!

It's a dreary day today, not helpful for pneumonia-stricken people, but I do love watching the rain, it's peaceful and meditative. I can't smell a thing, but normally, I love the smell of a good storm. Being a bit "set back" has also made me realize that fears are silly, but also serious. If we allow our thoughts to take over, they win. If we stop thoughts(the fearful ones)  in their tracks, we win.
As a teacher, I have to ask myself, "ok, so what have you learned from this?" - and here it is:
a. Fear nothing, love everything and everyone
b. let go
c.yoga is amazing
d. sharks and alligators are beautiful
d. always wear Wonder Bread bags on your feet!

Here are a few images for the day... thanks Etsy! :)

MaMagasin



Cartbeforethehorse



     (wonder if she has her Wonder Bread bags on!?)
carambatack

TheApple



living on tea! -thetwobuttons


enchanting... Fuzzylightbulb



michelemaule


raindrops... FableBay


now there's a GREAT shark! NYrika


Cosmicfirefly




Love , always... Rossella

Our four-legged friends...

I've been loving some of the posts from the Anthropoligist, of  Anthropologie , lately about staff and their dogs, pet adoptions and events. I am an Anthro fanatic! Their company is very creative and yet, very in tune with their communities.
The photos, the artists and the statements they make are all very real, yet fascinating. They write and blog of things we all relate to on an every-day basis. They are artists reaching out, as I reach into my wallet, of course.
Animals almost always have a play in what Anthro markets, and they do it in a unique and original way, with the art of whimsy.
I too like to support my local "mom and pop" "brick and mortar" shops, but this is one company that does get my attention, and, of course, at times, my Visa.
I don't work for them, although, I'd love to. But that wouldn't work, my check wouldn't make it past the door!
I suppose what I do like is that this company, shares a love for animals. I realize other businesses also embrace pet adoptions, bring your pet to work day, etc... It's growing, it's getting there. Being kind to our planet, means being kind and loving towards our animals too. It's important that businesses share in this idea and pass it on.
I realize that not everyone has the same love for dogs, or cats, but I always find it a bit odd if they don't. How could you not love the eyes, the fur?! (I too am all for short haired dogs and cats though!) How could you not find a "pal" in a four-legged friend? They're amazing. They're therapy! They have unique personalities.
As a child, I grew up always having a pet - mostly dogs. We had a cat stage and a "Farm" stage too...But dogs have always been my "buddies." My husband too has grown up with that "love" for pets, and we teach our daughter to love our "gang" of 4 dogs (and 2 cockatoos). Hey, the more love you give, the more you get... Hug your dog (or cat) today, and every day! :)

and from my friends at Etsy...

Boxer - HaveCameraWillTravel

Tea Party- MissKym

ArtbyAfton

Bumble Bee - Puppysbreathe

Dog Hat - Beantownhandmade

(as the proud owner of a  Boston, how could you just not love this?!)

also from Beantown

eringarrisondesign

autumnraincreations

Oh! The Places You'll Go!

Once again,  photos have it! As does Dr. Seuss! Oh the Places you'll go - a favorite in our home... And in photos.......

Photo challenge! get outdoors with your camer and take (at least!) one photo a day. Study it. Edit it. Enjoy it.

have fun!

Some favorites for today - from Etsy, of course! :)


Dome - avecjasmine



Korean Mountain Temple gangawesson



Rolling in Ocean Waves - Silverhorse Photography


Butterfly's Lunch - Rossella


Summer Memories - Barbargordon



Paris Collection by LittleBrownPen



Fine Art, Switzerland - Johnbragg



Indian Summer - Raceytay



No Checker Cab - JMDunitzStudios


Path - JKPhotography



Ferris Wheel Days of Summer - Rossella 

Farm Days...

When I was younger, I was fortunate to live on a farm for a few years. We had horses and a few other farm animals; accompanied by a few dogs and cats (bats too - but they weren't really cute or cuddly). 

Every day we would wake up to the smell of hay, grass, and all things green. Our horses would neigh and I'd feed them, let them out for a quick run, and get off to school. I rode them in the afternoons when school was over, life was good.

Our farm was on a tiny dirt road, no one even knew we were there. Our little home was OLD, probably built in the mid 1800s, it still had an ice house on the porch, a well outside and a stone wall basement. The floors were big planks of beautiful wood and the rooms were tiny, but cozy. Nothing was straight - the floors, the ceilings, the steps - all off, and a bit crooked, but we loved our home's character! The quiet there was heaven. Of course, at the time, for a teenager, quiet, sadly, wasn't always appreciated.

Then, it was off to college (zero quiet there!). Eventually, my mom sold our little farm on the dirt road (and the horses were sold too) and she joined the ranks of townhouse owners. 

From time to time, I think of our little farm, it's still there, fixed up and looking very pretty. The barns are still there, and horses live there too. It's one of the few places that has a dirt road too - still! 

My husband has always been enchanted with farms as well. He didn't have the fortune of living on one as I did, but, a few years ago, he recalled a farm he went to, as a child, for pumpkin picking. Ends up this farm happens to be the same one that my mom brought us to as kids to go pumpkin picking too! I do wonder, at times,  if we were ever in that big old pumpkin field at the same time as 6, 7 or 8 year olds???

Today, we bring our three-year-old daughter to that same farm, Alstede Farms. We adore it! It's much larger than the little farm I lived on as a teenager. But it has so many of the characteristics of my little farm. There are horses and ponies and some beautiful scents of hay!

Our daughter goes on wagon and pony rides and climbs hay bales and tunnels. She loves petting and feeding the goats, cows, pigs and donkeys. My husband pulls a metal wagon through the fruit and vegetable fields as we pick fresh apples, peaches, berries, pumpkins and veggies. For a man who would never think of meditating, this is it. This IS his meditating. He's clear as a bell and the happiest person I know when he wanders the grounds of Alstede.

Alstede Farms recently held an annual pig roast. We attended the event just last night and I think we're still "on a high"! Seeing our favorite place on a crisp (almost) autumn night, riding a hay wagon, watching a bonfire and eating fresh farm foods was the PERFECT family date - best we've ever had. We will certainly be making this an annual event!

Of course, next weekend we'll be back, we need more apples and pumpkins are looking good too. Plus, I'm due to make a few more trays of eggplant parmigiana :) And my husband needs his meditating time (aka - walking through the fields)

And one of these days, who knows, maybe we'll find a little farm of our own , on a tiny dirt road, to call home too.