First Snow

First snowball ...
Fun "Ice, Ice Baby" video of our day for those inclined: www.youtube.com/watch?v=igsb1F_CZCg

First Snowball Fight!

First Snow, originally uploaded by Sparky2*.


SNOWBALL
by Shel Silverstein

I made myself a snowball
As perfect as could be.
I thought I'd keep it as a pet
And let it sleep with me.

I made it some pajamas
And a pillow for its head.
Then last night it ran away,
But first- it wet the bed
Uploaded by Sparky2* on 13 Jan 11, 12.45PM CST.


Lukas has learned to vocalize his opinion lately. About everything. Food? "Blech! (spit) Ooon't like it!" or "Ummmm, liiiiike it! Toys (his own, someone else's, or ones in a store ... usually the "Like it" is expressed loudly with wide eyes, a covetous smile and grasping fingers. The snow was definitely a winner. ;-)

BTW: That's vaseline on his face! ;-)

Flying solo!!!!!

Lukas ... overdosed on fun ... can't move another step.

Zachary ... a little hot cocoa ... a few minutes by the fire ... ready to go again!

Looking around ... believing.

Looking around ... believing., originally uploaded by Sparky2*.

It's so bittersweet to think back to this time last year when my mom was still with us. All the talks and laughs and hugs mixed up with the hurts and worries - and only now realizing when each turned out to be the last one. All part of the grieving process, I know ... and I'm doing it. Making sunlight where shadows were.

Looking Around, Believing
by Gary Soto


How strange that we can begin at any time.
With two feet we get down the street.
With a hand we undo the rose.
With an eye we lift up the peach tree
And hold it up to the wind — white blossoms
At our feet. Like today. I started
In the yard with my daughter,
With my wife poking at a potted geranium,
And now I am walking down the street,
Amazed that the sun is only so high,
Just over the roof, and a child
Is singing through a rolled newspaper
And a terrier is leaping like a flea
And at the bakery I pass, a palm,
Like a suctioning starfish, is pressed
To the window. We're keeping busy —
This way, that way, we're making shadows
Where sunlight was, making words
Where there was only noise in the trees.
Uploaded by Sparky2* on 11 Jan 11, 9.40AM CST.

Winter ... Yes, I've Noticed.

Winter ... Yes, I've Noticed., originally uploaded by Sparky2*.

*Please click for black ... original size is surprising!

Afterwards
by Thomas Hardy

When the Present has latched its
postern behind my tremulous stay,
And the May month flaps its glad green
leaves like wings,
Delicate-filmed as new-spun silk, will the neighbours
say,
"He was a man who used to notice such things"?

If it be in the
dusk when, like an eyelid's soundless blink,
The dewfall-hawk comes crossing
the shades to alight
Upon the wind-warped upland thorn, a gazer may think,
"To him this must have been a familiar sight."

If I pass during
some nocturnal blackness, mothy and warm,
When the hedgehog travels furtively
over the lawn,
One may say, "He strove that such innocent creatures should
come to no harm,
But he could do little for them; and now he is gone."

If, when hearing that I have been stilled at last, they stand at the door,
Watching the full-starred heavens that winter sees,
Will this thought rise on those who will meet my face no more,
"He was one who had an eye for such mysteries"?

And will any say when my bell of quittance is heard in the gloom,
And a crossing breeze cuts a pause in its outrollings,
Till they rise again, as they were a new bell's boom,
"He hears it not now, but used to notice such things?"

Color anyone?

Color anyone?, originally uploaded by Sparky2*.

Psyching myself up for snow tomorrow! Needed a shot of sunny and color ... ;-)

Somewhere .... over the fence top ...

Somewhere .... over the fence top ..., originally uploaded by Sparky2*.

Here comes the cold ...

Happy New Year - 2011!

What a year it has been! A real roller coaster ride for this household. Lots of sad sprinkled with glad throughout to bring a bit of balance and tease us forward.

I've been so remiss about keeping up with my blog and I hope I can find the time to back it up and maybe do a "time capsule" of sorts for all the days I've missed. We do so much and move so fast that I need to put it down for myself or I forget too much of the good stuff! We'll see ...

I wish for you all only the very best of good things in this coming year.

...excerpt from:

The Passing Of The Year

" ....My pipe is out, my glass is dry;
My fire is almost ashes too;
But once again, before you go,
And I prepare to meet the New:
Old Year! a parting word that's true,
For we've been comrades, you and I --
I thank God for each day of you;
There! bless you now! Old Year, good-bye! "

Robert W. Service

Tutu Mania

Tutu Mania, originally uploaded by Sparky2*.

Today we made tutus. And outrageous hairstyles. And in between waged ferocious sword battles. Barks, shrieks, giggles, bumps, tears, chases, catches, debates, court, judgements. Bike rides. Lemonaid. Maddie's Always goodie-bag for that long, long 20 minute ride home ...

A brief "recovery" period and thirty minutes later in the midst of preparing dinner I burst into laughter at a mental image of a particular moment of the day -- Oh, wow, how I wish I'd had that one on time lapse!

Of course you will be inflicted with more pics later. Especially of the tutu events. ;-)



I did get this one pic of Kenzie against my bathroom wall -- no lights, no nuthin' special ... just wanted to play around with it for practice and fun.

Kenzie is 10 and loves the photo fuss ... but 5yr old Maddie peeled her tutu off before I could make a move for a camera (oh, the girrrrl knows me!) and was back to the sword fight. ;-)
Oh ... and note the watermark of Sassafras Photos ... More on that later. ;-)