January :: My Favorite Month

My favorite month of the year, January, is almost over.  So much has happened these past four weeks, while at the same time I feel some of that time was paused, leaving me feeling restored and rested.  Sounds like January has a little bit of a split personality, eh?  The first month of the year holds so much promise for me.  I have consciously slowed down, accomplished several home projects while working on Apartment Therapy's :: The January Cure for the third year in a row and I made an effort to get in the kitchen and cook healthier meals at home.  Yes, a good slow-down was definitely in order.

The first order of business was to carve out more time to read the printed word (not the internet).  The holidays tend to swallow me up and my brain is so full of tasks that need to be done that I can't focus on serious reading (or even reading for pleasure).  I couldn't even read a magazine during the month of December, so I'm jumping back into the habit and catching up on old newspapers, periodicals and New York Times Book Reviews.  I just finished reading my book club selection for the February meeting, A Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes.

I found a new book that I fell in love with and I must share.  It's a graphic novel that I ordered from the library for Grady, but I was drawn in by the incredible story and beautiful, colorful graphics.  It was one of those books that I had to purchase for our home library.  Now, I'm pretty selective about what books I want to own and this one makes me incredibly happy.  I even purchased two more to gift to friends.  Funny, witty, dark, some curse words & a be-heading, but in the most wonderful way.  The Encyclopedia of Early Earth by Isabel Greenberg is a gem.  You can read NPR's review of the book here.

Speaking of books, Grady is currently reading The Fault in our Stars by John Green.  Let me back up.  We rented the movie from the mobile library a few weeks ago and sat down to watch it with him last weekend.  I prefaced the movie with a little talk about how it might be a little heavy for him - you know with the terminally ill teenagers, short sex scene and a heart wrenching funeral, just to name a few.  He said he would tell me to stop the movie if it was too much for him.

Well, it was a lot for him, for us.  We sat there with tears streaming down both of our faces through much of the end of the movie.  My son nestled into the crook of my arm and quietly sobbed.  We had a good talk about life, death, friendship and horrible diseases.  This also gave us the opportunity to talk about the pettiness of gossip, what's important in life and how to find beauty in our everyday lives.

G just so happened to be collecting change this week for a school fundraiser on behalf of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Pennies for Patients campaign.   Timing is everything, right?

The next morning we were drawing & painting in our sketchbooks and he asked if he could look up quotes from the movie.  We continued talking about those heavy themes while creating art around some of the powerful phrases from the book/movie.  This was such a wonderful parenting moment.  Witnessing my son being vulnerable and sensitive, but also knowing he's smart enough and ready to broach conversations about big topics, like life and death.  These moments are the wonderful side-effects of being a mother and they are quite unexpected.  I never gave much thought to this phase of being a parent and it's just so, so good right now.  My fears at the beginning of the school year have subsided and I'm settling into my role as the mom of a sixth grader.

Speaking of Grady getting older, I received a letter from him last week via the Tooth Fairie.  It made my heart just about burst and then put a smile on my face for the next few hours.

So, here is my tooth.  

Sorry I don't believe in you anymore (and I mean the tooth fairy, 

not you mom), but I am a little too old.  

It just happens, right?  Well, thanks for the exciting 

ride as the tooth fairy, for me having such delight 

as a kid to find out a fairy gave 

me money and for being my loyal "Fairy Bank."  

Well, nite!

The note was unsigned, but Grady is 11-3/4 years old - it was time.  The tooth fairie jig is up and it's bittersweet, but I think I'm finally ready to put all the make-believe magic behind me, too.  He lost two teeth this week.  He's growing up so fast.

This month found me looking back on my life and pondering my crooked path to the mother I am today.  I was invited to contribute an essay to the 28 Days of Play series created by the smart and talented New York mama, Rachel Cedar.  I connected with Rachel through Instagram a year or so ago and feel absolutely honored to contribute to the conversation on how we play (or don't play) with our children in this modern day and age.  I had to dig deep and can't wait to share my essay, along with all of the other talented writers, next month.  Stay tuned!

Last year I embarked on a drawing-a-day journal project that I'm super proud of.  I didn't want to commit to a daily exercise again this year and instead have decided to use both pages of my sketchbook and stretch my exercises into several days (or weeks, if needed).  

We're training for another hike up Mt. Rainier later this year.  We will revisit the part of the mountain that we partially climbed in 2011 and you can read about that wild trip here.  Steve will be joining us this time around.

We're lucky enough to only have to drive 30 minutes and arrive at the Armstrong Redwoods in Guerneville, California.  Having lived in Sonoma County for 13 years, I can't believe I've never hiked underneath this amazing canopy of giant trees.  The hike made me feel small and grateful and restored.  I love how nature can do that to me.

As always, the children lead me and my dear friend on these hikes and we quite like watching them run, jump, laugh and have fun with each other.  They are growing up right before our eyes and these Saturday morning excursions are really special.

January is my favorite month of the year because it's allows me a stretch of days wherein I can reorganize my home and mind.  It's like a month-long reset button for my life.  I look forward to it every year and get a little melancholy as we approach the 31st day.  The upside?  February is my second favorite month.

Quote in Stephen King's Memoir of the Craft "On Writing"

Well, I started this blog post at 6 o'clock this morning and since then I've made breakfast and lunch, taken my son to school, hit three grocery stores & shopped for new pillows & curtain rods at Target.  I stopped by my work office and typed up the last remaining 1099 tax forms that need to be mailed out today and came home and unloaded all the groceries.

It's 1:27 in the afternoon and sunny outside.  I'm going to grab a book, throw on a sundress and say goodbye to this freakishly warm Friday in January out on my front deck.

And, well, I've got to make time to read, so I can make time and have the tools to keep writing, right?

Happy weekend, friends.

Written Word Roundup

Our reading stacks are sprinkled throughout the house and walking by these literary vignettes brings me such pleasure.

I fell behind in my Sunday New York Times reading, as one Sunday edition didn't get delivered a few weeks back.  My octogenarian neighbor called to inform me that it showed up mid-week in their newspaper receptacle and all was right with the world.  This is truly my greatest indulgence and I usually take all of Sunday to read it cover-to-cover.  When it didn't show, it freed me up for a day at the local flea market and many pieces of furniture were purchased!  So all was not a total loss.

My favorite articles from the last few weeks have been:

Selling a Smaller Soccer Ball by Claire Martin

The Problem with Positive Thinking by Gabriele Oettingen

Does Everything Happen for a Reason? by Konika Banerjee and Paul Bloom

Look Homeward, Reader (A Not-So-Young Audience for Young Adult Books) by Meg Wolitzer

And, of course, the oh-so handy Book Review section.  Always saved to read last and that's where I learn about new book titles and authors.  I add any "to-read" books to my Goodreads.com account, so that I don't forget.  I use that list to order from the library or buy from our local bookstore.

Have any of you read any of the Moomin comic strip series by Tove Jansson?  A friend gifted the first one to Grady over six years ago and it's a quirky, sweet, Scandinavian treasure.  You can read more about the author here in this New Yorker article from March 5, 2014.  The books are printed on creamy off-white paper and have the most beautiful (and colorful) bindings.  They are published by Drawn & Quarterly out of Montreal, Canada.

The characters are odd, sweet and have such an innocence to them.   They are always up for a little adventure and have a great love of food, as well as their family and friends.

You can find the books here on Abebooks.com for a steal.   I only recommend the comic strip series, as the little books of fiction have left us a bit underwhelmed and they lack the illustrations that make this series so very endearing.

Oh, and I just read about this Moomin: The Deluxe Anniversary Edition in stores now that has been published as a way to celebrate what would have been the author's 100th birthday!  I must add this to Grady's xmas list right this very second.

This is Grady's stack for the week.  He's been really into re-reading his Roald Dahl books, as well as some of the Nicholas series.

Have any of you read the Nicholas books?  They have the dreamiest, simple covers and black & white drawings.  Our first introduction to this book was from a friend who picked it up while thrifting.  What a wonderful, classic find.  

Here is the synopsis:

In France and Germany practically every child of seven and upwards knows the adventures of Nicholas. Written by the author of Asterix, Rene Goscinny, and with illustrations by New Yorker illustrator, Jean-Jacques Sempe, the five Nicholas books tell of the endearing exploits of the young French school boy and his chums. Available in twenty six languages and established as a literary cult figure, the sublimely innocent Nicholas has seduced millions of readers all over the world. Considered a classic and regularly used by primary and junior school teachers, these stories have the ability to delight both children and adults. Nicholas is the first of five titles to become available to English speaking children all over the world In some way similar to the cheekiness of Calvin and Hobbes and the innocence and naivete of characters created by the Italian film maker Roberto Benigni, Goscinny and Sempe have created a world of confusion that makes you chuckle out load. Written between 1959 and 1965 these classic books are continually reprinted around the globe and offer, not only an entertaining read, but a vivid description of French life and culture.

This series is over 50 years old and absolutely timeless.  I'd go for the simple covers and not the updated, cartoony versions.  Here are a few links from Abebooks.com.  All books written by René Goscinny and illustrated by Jean-Jacques Sempé.

Nicholas 

Nicholas on Vacation 

Nicholas in Trouble

Nicholas Again

All of these books are a pleasure to read aloud to your kiddo, too.

I've tried to get through this book.  Twice.  I finally gave up this time on page 133.  I'm sure this makes me some kind of Neanderthal, but I just could not get into the characters or settings.  I wanted to like them (and I did, kind of).  I wanted to care about their plot lines, but it was just too slow for me.  And, a little confusing about where everyone was from and where they were going and the politics and backstories that were inferred.  I just didn't get most of it and I finally set it aside last night.

My book club read this a few months back and most of our readers loved it.  They had a great discussion that, unfortunately, I had to miss.  I don't like to give up on a book, but I felt I had to with this one.

This is my husband's on-deck reading stack.  Wired magazines, 7x7 Magazine and a real estate periodical.  He did get a new pair of readers from Warby Parker that make him look extra smart (glasses at the top of photo).  He turned 50 this year and apparently needs TWO sets of readers now!  Just more things to keep track of, right?

Since I'm in a book lull right now, I'm digging into my stack of magazines on my nightstand.  I haven't read any magazines since August!  How could that be?  It's interesting how my reading habits have changed over the last year.  I jumped online last night after catching up on my bon appetits and Sunset magazines and cancelled my subscriptions.  I've subscribed for years, but since I started my NY Times subscription - I have more than enough to read about food, wine, travel, the arts.  I'm ready to let these go.

The Bay Nature magazine was a gift from a colleague that we have been receiving for years.  It has an abundance of local information about nature, trails, watersheds, conservancy efforts and beautiful hand-drawings of birds and plants.  I peruse through it and pass it on to Grady with an article or two marked for him to read.

This is Grady's desk and to-read stack of periodicals (the Turkey Vulture article should intrigue him). Steve signed up as a member of the Audubon Society and we have been receiving this magazine for about a year.  Grady used to really be into birding and drawing birds.  His interest has waned a bit over the past year, but he mostly enjoys looking at the images in this one.  

Fun fact:  Grady shares a birthday with John James Audubon.  April 26th.

Keith Haring, The Political Line exhibit is coming to the de Young Museum in San Francisco next week and I can't wait to go.  We watched a documentary a few years back about this artist and his graffiti-inspired drawings and murals reeled my son in.  I flagged the pages of the 7x7 November edition's article and told him that we would definitely go and see the show when it opened.  

"Touching people's lives in a positive way is as close as I can get to an idea of religion." - Keith Haring, July 1986

"Radiant Baby" is one of Grady's favorite Haring pieces (above).

"An artist is a spokesman for a society at any given point in history.  His language is determined by his perception of the world we all live in.  He is a medium between 'what is' and 'what could be.'" - Keith Haring

So that's what we're reading and perusing this week in our household.  I love how reading spurs me into research; inspires me to make art or write words.  It also fosters discussions within our family, as well as pushes me expand my thoughts on the world-at-large.  

So, what are you reading?  

Social Media Overload

Recently, I decided to treat myself (and my family) to a subscription to the Sunday edition of the New York Times.  My first copy arrived yesterday.  Not to my doorstep, but to a small receptacle on my neighbor's property a few hundred yards down the road.  As corny as this may sound, the arrival of this iconic periodical made me feel like a full-fledged adult.  I have never subscribed to a newspaper.   I'm shamefully uninformed when it comes to politics and the stock market.  For the most part, I'm okay with that.

This simple act was actually my way of slowing down the clock in our household, making an intentional choice to read the printed word and to (hopefully) gain inspiration from the pages as I read, perused, clipped articles from and shared with my family.  Yesterday was the longest Sunday I can remember and it was glorious.

If I'm being honest, one of the triggers for me to subscribe to the paper was my recent evaluation of my usage of social media.  I'm on it.  A lot.

I recently spent a week in Portland with my family wherein I spent a few days in Powell's City of Books, thrice visited the main branch of the Portland Library, read two novels and picked up a copy of the Sunday New York Times.  I was immediately pulled in by all of the gorgeous fonts and typography.  The formatting and illustrations were beautiful.  I knew I wanted more.

In between all of that reading, I was constantly and incessantly checking my phone.  I'm totally embarrassed to write this, but it's true.  Instagram has become my social media crack addiction.  Facebook, too, to a lesser degree.

Taking pictures, posting and sharing a little blurb feels good to me.  I'm inspired daily by my friends and followers (that feels funny to type and read), but how much is enough?  Would I ever be satisfied by what I viewed or shared?  What was the value of all of this supposed connectedness?  Could I walk away from it?  I'm not so sure.

I'll tell you what doesn't feel good about the whole thing, my son saying "Mom, you're always on your phone."

Ouch.  That stung.

Conversations quickly turned around and my 11 year old son wanted to know if he could get an Instagram account.  My immediate answer was in the negative.  I didn't really even think about why, just no.  My husband thought we should discuss and give our son a reason.  I channeled my mother and father and thought it's no because I said so.  Oh, that didn't fly with my calm, level-headed, reasonable husband.

And so we debated the use of social media for our son and the pros and cons of same.  In doing this, I had to analyze my usage and what I was modeling for him.  The word hypocrite was spoken and hung in the air like an imaginary anvil ready to hit me in the head.

I am a social media hypocrite.

I had to let the weight of that settle in.

Now, I can justify it until I'm blue in the face.  The fact is - it's true.  I love the inspiration and sweet faces of my friends' children as they come across my phone screen.  I like receiving prompts to visit a new blog post written by someone I know.  I guess I'm a voyeur at heart.  I enjoy memoirs, real stories, real people and even if this is glimpsed in a seemingly impersonal way, through my phone screen, it still feels personal to me.

Two of my friends recently posted about their struggles here and here.  I've taken these words to heart and reexamined what social media means to me and how I can achieve a balance with it.

I think for me, I just need to step back and take a little break.  I'm an all or nothing kind of gal, but I want balance in this area.  I get a lot of good out of the friendships and relationships I've made through social media, as funny as that may sound to some, and I'm not ready to give them up completely.

For my first move towards a lighter social media infatuation, I decided to delete the Facebook app from my phone over breakfast.  I told Grady what I was doing and he told me I didn't have to.  I explained to him my reasoning and told him that I wanted to.  I told him I wanted to be more present and that looking at Facebook on my phone wasn't that big of a deal.

He told me that when he talks to me it seems like I'm not listening to him when I'm looking at my phone.  He said sometimes I don't even hear him.  Oh, my.

It's not only Grady that it is disconnecting me from, but it's my husband, too.  I go to bed with my phone under the guise that I check the time on it, but lately I'm on it before I go to sleep scrolling through pictures and catching up on the day of my fellow social media "friends".  I wake up in the morning and check the time and check up on what everyone was doing via Instagram and Facebook…while I slept!  Really?  Yes, really.

Instagram is a beautiful place to visit, but I'm going to try to put my phone away more often.  Just enjoy the day without needing to see what others are up to every 15 minutes.  I'm not going cold turkey, but I'm going to make a conscious effort to use it less and enjoy the beauty and solitude of my days here at home.  It won't be easy, but I don't think it will be that hard either.

So, for the foreseeable future, I will do my best to concentrate on putting my phone away and really being present for my guys and myself.  Grady is on a permanent hold when it comes to social media and I'm hoping this phase will pass or I'll be more prepared when the talk rolls around again.

Old habits are hard to break.

Wish me luck.  Or don't, if you need a break from commenting, posting, sharing, liking...

Recalibrate

Line drawing
Micron pens + watercolor paper

I've been swimming in words and art lately.  I've completely immersed myself in poetry and library books - gaining knowledge and confidence from the written word.  I'm gathering up visual inspiration from artists I admire.  I'm having a creative surge right now and riding it out.

I've been typing and drawing; painting and scanning my work.  Making lists, doodling in my line-a-day journal, memorizing lines from poems I don't want to forget.  Photocopying bookmarked pages from books to hand out to friends who I feel must read this.

Organizing my workspace and editing paper and stray bits of this and that from my line of view.  I've been curating my home, doing the laundry and purging the refrigerator. All of this makes me feel so good and eager to create.

I haven't been inclined to cook this week and quickly surmise that my attention to meal planning is an art form, too.  I feel incapable of doing more than one creative thing at a time these past few string of days and the guys have been good sports with my last minute vegetarian meal options.

I feel intensely motivated about finishing the illustration project I accepted.  I'm fueled by the assignment and go to bed only to dream about lines and shapes and wonky circles taking shape as a bizarre species of flowers or a tight grouping of anemones [above].  I wake up and try to get it all on paper before I forget my ideas.

I gave myself permission to purchase a piece of art from one of my favorite illustrators and can't wait for it to arrive and hang it above my desk.

I'm riding the wave of this feeling.  I'm also sharing what I'm doing with others.  This is a huge shift for me.  Normally, I keep it all locked up inside where it's safe and mine alone to tinker with.  Saying what I'm working on out loud feels new and defiant and, ultimately, freeing.

I'm giving myself permission to do less stuff lately and purposely carving out blocks of time in my day to just work on art or read books.  I'm currently reading a book by Greg McKeown titled Essentialism :: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less.  It's a bit of a dry read, but the principles in the book are pretty simple.  Being busy is not necessary being productive.  You can spend a lot of energy in a lot of places and say yes to everything or…

You can carefully consider where you want to spend your time and consciously choose to spend your time and energy in one or two focused areas that have greater meaning for you.  This is a revelation for this gal.  I don't know about you, but I tend to say yes to a lot of different things and have long lived with the idea that I had to try and do it all.  I have a hard time saying no, especially to community volunteer requests.  However, I think I've hit volunteer burnout-mode.  Actually, I think I hit it last year but I'm only willing to admit it now.

It feels like flexing a different muscle when I'm consciously considering social invitations and volunteer gigs.  My years of saying yes have conditioned me to taking on more than I should, as an individual and even for our family, and that has left me depleted.  Exerting my voice and power of politely saying no will be a daily exercise for me, but I'm up to the challenge.  I feel like I need to be.

The upshot of all of this is that I feel more in control of my life.  I'm excited to wake up, jot down some words on paper or on my laptop, doodle in my journal and enjoy a cup of coffee.   Big changes are coming our way as a family and I want to slough off a few obligations and commitments to make room for this new phase of our lives.

The pace of my life is recalibrating.

I'll say yes to that.

Analog vs. Digital

It's so easy for me to waste a day on the computer.  I'll log onto Facebook, check a few of my favorite blogs, read the headlines in our local paper and then shuffle into the kitchen to make breakfast for the boy.  My phone rests on the butcher block and I'll check instagram and perhaps snap a few photos - like a dozen times in the span of 15 minutes.  It's embarrassing.  It's the truth.  It's a problem.  And it's usually only 6:30 am when all this starts.

Line drawings from class with Lisa Congdon

In an effort to find my inner-artist, I committed to doing a drawing-a-day in a dedicated art journal for this purpose.  Okay, I just typed that and realized how freaking rigid that sounds - but exactly like me.  See, I want to be loosey-goosey and just create art, but that's not really me.  You see, it's hard for a Virgo to just wing it.  I need a plan, a list, a mission.  I'm going to try to own this and bend my own rules from time to time.  We'll see how it goes.

I picked up the book Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon after reading about it here.  What a treasure trove of good advice!  It's a quick, fun read and really inspiring.  It's almost like this book gives you permission to just give it a go with writing, drawing, painting or anything else that strikes your fancy.

Watercolors at my dining room table

After reading Austin Kleon's book, I decided to paint or draw what I love and what brings me peace.  And as silly as it sounds, circles are my thang.  I am immensely pleased when I use this little sphere as inspiration and I'm never disappointed with the results.  I just needed the permission to keep at it.

Grady's words + Eye screen print from class at ohhappyday!

Children are natural artists.  They are free and have no edit button.  They just go for it.  I need a little bit of that going on in my head.  I'm trying to embrace the act of just trying.  It doesn't have to be good or perfect or sellable.  It just has to please me.

Art Studio (aka - The Catch All)

A few years ago we turned our former well house into an art studio for Grady and myself.  Grady likes to hole up out there and listen to books on tape, play Legos, make origami and draw or paint when the mood strikes.  The studio holds my art printer and an embarrassing amount of art supplies.

One the first day of G's spring break, I asked him to read Steal Like an Artist.  I'd been asking him for weeks, but he sloughed it off and had little interest.  I knew he would appreciate this book, so I nudged him again.  I'm so glad I did.

Grady's analog desk and a few of his favorite pieces of art on the wall

He devoured the book in a sitting.  Walking straight to my desk, he asked for some sticky notes to mark the pages that were his favorite.  Marking 16 out of the 140 little 5" x 5" pages that he wanted to discuss with me.  His words, not mine.  

His favorite idea in the book was the concept to create an analog and digital desk/workspace.

Our little pink studio was a hot mess of supplies and it lacked order.  He asked me if we could go out to the studio and clean it up and work on an analog and digital desk for him.  Be still my mama heart.

Tackling the studio has long been on my to-do list, but always seems to fall down to the bottom and never quite gets done.  Well, I was motivated because he was motivated.  We spent two hours sorting through Legos, Pokemon cards, mountains of paper airplanes & Star Wars-inspired origami.  We purged dead pens, crumpled up papers, broken telescopes, dead flies and toys from inside those four little walls.

In the end, we labeled drawers, created shelves with easy access to cardboard, watercolor paper and empty journals.  The Legos found a home (all one billion of them, ahem).  The desktops were cleared, pencils sharpened, scissors, hole-punches & rulers corralled into a handy, within reach container.

His analog desk held his log book, watercolors, pencil case and a few other things.

Grady's Analog Desktop

His digital desk held his iPad.

When we were done he said it just feels so good in here.  It did.

I love the chance to clean up and reimagine a space.  I'm addicted to rearranging furniture and art because it does make me feel good.  The space gets refreshed and, usually, so do I.

G enjoying his new, clean studio

I'm going to work on an analog and digital desk for myself.  I like the separation and my mind seems to settle down when I'm away from my computer.

And while I love all the conveniences and information I have access to on a daily basis on my devices, I feel like I really need to disconnect a bit more and dive into making and reading the printed word.  Both give me an incredible amount of peace.

This is my digital entry for the day.

Now I'm off to go make something with my hands.

Happy Friday, friends.

Hockney, Homemaker + Holiday Style

I've been up since 1:46 a.m.  Sleep is going to be elusive, so I put on my felted slippers, cranked up the thermostat and shuffled into the living room.

It's cold.  And dark.

The past 10 days have been full and satisfying.  I feel like I need to get the images and thoughts about what's been going on down here in this space.  It's less like a chore lately to come here and write.  I guess that's because I've taken the blog to a private-invitation-only status, so me and my family are not quite so exposed online and I have somewhat mastered the photo editing site I use (ahem, finally) for my collages.

Persimmon harvest + newly arranged living room

Our home is feeling really good right now.  I've been tidying up, purging periodicals and loose books, hanging art and rearranging furniture.  Somehow, this always brings me a little bit of inner peace.

I've got a confession to make.  I've kind of been on a book binge this week.  After all the touching and rearranging of Grady's bedroom bookshelves and perusing my dozens of magazines, I needed more.  I hit the local library and independent book store several times last week and even picked up my library book haul from the mobile librarian in Tomales.  Grady and Steve stopped by the new elementary school library to find out about their new after school family hour(s).  I just can't get enough of the printed word lately.

To help satisfy my love of letters, words & fonts, I attended a poetry letterpress workshop at iota press in Sebastopol this past Saturday.  Walking into that studio is like getting a fix.  Grady ended up having to go with me and I'm so glad he was there.  The workshop was about 4 hours long and he was my assistant.  Good thing, too, because he has really good, young eyeballs and helped me set the type for the poem I wanted to letterpress.  This poem was one that he wrote five years ago after getting a prompt from his former preschool director (who was teaching the kids about Langston Hughes) and was recently published online here.

It was very important for him to add his name in small italic type and put the age he was when he wrote it.  He is a little embarrassed by the poem, but I think he feels really proud of it now that he selected the font, set the type and used the Vandercook Press to print same.  I know I just absolutely love it and can't wait to gift it to friends and loved ones this holiday season.

The David Hockney exhibit at the de Young in San Francisco blew my mind.  Seriously, Hockney's 12 foot paintings of trees, landscapes and portraits of people were out of this world.  I wandered from room to room and was in awe of his prolific body of work.  My favorites were actually his portraits with pencil and white crayon, using the camera lucida technique, and were the very last images I saw before I wandered out of the museum.  I felt like I needed a nap after taking in all of that beauty and grandeur.  I was absolutely exhausted visually and physically.

I must take Grady back to see this exhibit.  When I got home and told him all about it, he shared that the best painting he has ever done is Forest (above middle) and asked if I would frame and hang it in our home.  He will love this show and appreciate the paintings done using an iPad, of all things.

1,000 hand-crocheted doilies using 100 different color pathways

Later that same evening, I met up with a fellow/former blogger, Amy (aka - The  Hip Homemaker) from Montana.  We met at the opening reception for artist, Lisa Solomon's show Sen at the Fouladi Project.

1,000 hand-drawn cranes

We joked about how awkward it was to be meeting and that it sort of felt like a blind date.  I was nervous before meeting up and she shared that she was too.

We ended up taking in all of Lisa's amazing pieces and then walking across the street to grab a cocktail and some yummy pizza.  It's weird when you meet someone that you kind of already know through their writing and sharing on a blog.  I mean, you don't really know them, but you definitely get a sense about a person.  My sense about Amy was spot-on.  She is a smart, witty woman in transition, she has two sweet kids and she has a desire to find out how things work and what makes people tick.

I feel honored to have met her and it gives me hope that this big bad world isn't so bad after all.  Kind people are out there.  You just have to take a step and you will most likely be met and accepted for who you are.  I can't wait to go to Montana one day and have a cup of coffee at her kitchen table and meet her little ones.  Yes, I just invited myself, Amy.  Let me know what I can bring. ;-)

Two Crabs or Four Crabs?

Dungeness crab season opened without a hitch this year and we shared our first two this weekend.  There is nothing like fresh crab.  We buy it live, boil it up and serve with hot melted butter.

He stole your grandpa's style, right?

Grady has a new holiday outfit and he is really happy with his look.  I picked up this bow tie for him at J.Crew and wasn't sure how it was going to fly with this guy because he has been super picky about what he wears and how his hair looks lately.  He put together this outfit on his own and asked me what I thought.  I love it.  What do you think?

This weekend was spent sharing meals with friends, watching movies, reading and planning Thanksgiving.  I had a lot of really good heart-to-heart talks with Grady, as we have been working on how we talk to each other these days.  His tone (and mine) need a readjustment every now and then.  We finally figured it all out and he asked if he could spend some of his own money to take me to get a frozen yogurt in town.

Just the two of us.

October :: Granfondo + 12th Anniversary

October does not disappoint

Life has been so full every single day.  Just when I think I want to come here and write it all down, the next thing is on the calendar and off we go.  I'm not complaining, because I actually like the break it's given me from thinking about what would be pretty to post here or throw up on Instagram.  I like the flow and rhythm we're in right now, as well as the contents of my days, but I also like being the historian for my family, for myself.

MCM chair thrift score!  45 years old with original upholstery and tags

We were out with friends at a museum and Grady casually stated "my mom doesn't really do anything, except lay on her bed and read books".  Huh?  Really?  That's what my son thinks of me?  It stung like a mother f*cker and I let it slowly sink in.

Legion of Honor with Cheryl & Tony

I laughed it off at the moment because I was a little embarrassed, but I really let his impression of me sink in during the two-hour long ride home from San Francisco.  And while I know I do more than lay on my bed and read books, it really bothered me that this is what Grady thinks I do all day.

I decided to share with him what goes into my day as I'm making lists, jumping on the computer to pay bills, readying his breakfast and lunch, scheduling social events, prepping dinner, going to work myself and shuttling him to and from his many sporting events.  I gently reminded him that trips to the library, museums, chess club and shopping don't happen without a mom willing to do the driving.

He was immediately sorry for what he said and that wasn't what I was going for.  I didn't want to chastise him for his thoughts, but I did want to engage him in a conversation about the value of what I do for our family.  Quite honestly, I think I make it look too easy.  I think a lot of moms do.

I also thought it was important for him to value what I do as a mother, wife, friend, neighbor and community volunteer.  I wanted him to value this in all women and realized I've been a little neglectful in valuing myself.  And so, here we go with another tweak to our days - sharing all that goes into making our household run, WITHOUT BEING A MARTYR.  I have my work cut out for me, but since I am woman - no problem.  I'll make it look easy. ;-)

There has been much to celebrate these days with little Sophia (my goddaughter) turning 10 and a group of my close friends walking in the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer in San Francisco last weekend.  We cheered them on and enjoyed this perfect weather that the last weekend in September affords us year after year.  We also welcomed the autumnal equinox and enjoyed sunrises that have been out of this world.

The guys participated in Levi Leipheimer's Granfondo event this past weekend with the Rangel women.  They opted for the Piccolo route which was 32 miles of bicycle riding through picturesque West Sonoma County.  They finished in a little over four hours, one bike crash (no substantial injuries) and I was so proud of them.  They had trained little and that concerned this lady, but in the end the experience strengthened their resolve to train for next year's ride.

Grady, Steve & Isabella rode together for most of the ride and Sophia & Stephanie powered through a little farther back.  I absolutely love seeing what strong and sweet kids we are helping to navigate this world.  I have no doubt that these memories and experiences will galvanize them as friends and help them to become good citizens of this earth.

I didn't play a lot of sports growing up, but I'm slowing understanding the value of Grady being part of a team and trying new things on for size.  His soccer team just battled for first place in the Under 12 division and the lessons learned from his coach have been invaluable.  Next up...basketball season.

Our his + her stack for this month

Our library visits have morphed and changed over the last year or so.  Not so long ago my boy was reading with a big goal in sight (he read 417 books in 2012!), but since school let out last June it's been all about pleasure reading.  He can quickly fill his book bag and max out his library card with 30 books, most of those being graphic novels.

I've been doing my fair share of research and adding a few books to our mobile library list.  He used to just dive into whatever I recommended, but he's pickier these days and it's getting harder to entice him with award-winning authors.  I have found that if I at least start the book for him or read the inside jacket, he'll give it a whirl - but only if it strikes his fancy.  If not, it's cast out.  If he doesn't care for the title or cover artwork - gone!  He's ruthless right now, but still reading up a storm (on his terms).

I was having a conversation about e-readers the other day with a friend and Grady piped up that he didn't ever want one.  It would seem a natural fit, since he flies through books, but he shared that he likes going to the library too much and holding an actual book in his hand.  This was one of my proudest mama moments of late.  And while the appeal of an iPod touch still floats around in his head, the iPad or Nook or Kindle are not something I have to worry about for right now.

"12 Years" a Portrait of Us by Grady Salas Hecht
Us back in 1998

This blog had it's six year anniversary on October 1st.  I can't believe I've been coming here to write tidbits about our life for that long.  Odd and satisfying at the same time.

Speaking of anniversaries, we celebrated our 12th wedding anniversary on Sunday.  We spent the day as a family shopping, having lunch and watching a documentary about the Impressionists.  Quiet, relaxing and just what we needed.  Grady drew a portrait of us as we sat in our respective chairs Sunday evening.

Best present ever.

Summer 2013 :: Day 28

The epistolary novels

:: Bodega Bay, Sebastopol, Santa Rosa, Tomales, Bodega Bay, Valley Ford.  All before 1 pm.  Whew!

::  My Babylon book club meeting was hosted at Jill's house, just down the lane from me.  Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple gave us all plenty to talk about.  Seattle, geniuses, helicopter parenting, Microsoft culture, the many forms of communication in this modern era and the epistolary novel format.  Good food, wine & lots of laughter.

:: G's first art lesson using collage with the oh-so talented watercolorist, Jean Warren.  She is such a soft spoken creative and he loves spending one-on-one time with her at her home studio.

:: Afternoon play date with a grandson of one of Steve's clients.

:: Short Tail Gulch lazer tag session.

:: Fireworks.  Ilegal on the coast.  Oops!

:: First viewing of a Dr. Who episode (a little scary for the boy).

:: 10 pm curfew.  The boy fell into bed from his fun-filled, busy day.

:: Pokemon-mania is back and I still don't get it. ;-)

Summer 2013 :: Day 18

:: Early morning landscaping crew here to do a major clean-up and haul away of yard debris on our one acre parcel.

:: Our best friends arrive tomorrow!  The countdown has begun...

:: Spontaneous Walt Disney Family Museum field trip with G after summer school.  Maurice Sendak Exhibit - 50 Years. 50 Works. 50 Reasons.  Sendak is such an amazing artist and there were video interviews, quotes from people he influenced, lithographs, interactive drawing and writing prompts, a small library of his books, as well as amazing decals of Max and The Wild Things.

:: Camille Rose Garcia's Exhibit Down the Rabbit Hole.  Dark, intriguing and lots of purple.

:: Mother-son dinner date in Petaluma, complete with chocolate mousse for dessert and a quick stroll through the children's literature section at Copperfield's Bookstore.

:: Quick game of baseball with our neighbors before bedtime.

:: G cracked open my hardback copy of Alice in Wonderland & Through The Looking Glass, an Illustrated Junior Library Edition from 1976.  I think he'll love it.

:: House windows open all night long.

:: Today was my favorite day.