Constant

No, I didn't move or crawl under a rock, even if I wanted to. Summer life has wrapped around my ankles and pulled me in all directions. Here's a little taste.
The little one has proved to be very adventurous this summer. Keeping up with the big guy. No matter what is in or on my hands, Oscar seems to think that they are only for him.
Constantly little toys everywhere. A new sculpture game for the summer that is EXCELLENT!
Constant laundry,
Constant dishes
Constant shoes on & off, bathing suits wet & dry.
Constant ball play, sandbox fights and bug spray.
Constant thought of " when are the chickens coming again?" and secretly "when will this be finished??!"
Constant garden neglect. I know, you all have of this too but I wanted to explain my absence.

My last 2 months in a nutshell. The show went great ! The opening was attended by family & great friends, I was all smiles and I finally wore a shirt that I made last summer. OH OH, before that I went to new york to visit 3 ( out of 4) of my siblings. Not being the cell phone or camera type of person I don't have anything to show for it. But it was an amazing break, time to talk uninterrupted with my maturing brothers and ever silly sister.
I try to give myself a month off after a big project to focus back on my family, and I suppose I am doing just that. So not much creative stuff except for some pants for the little guys. I do have the rearranging bug back so hopefully I'll have some house photo's soon. thanks for checking in.

Now I'm going to check back out.

final lap

I'm in the home stretch for the show. The paintings are finished, but a few more up my sleeve so stay tuned! Here's most of the source material for the ball jar series. I am so excited, this is the first concrete series that I've done, from conception & sketches all the way to the gallery wall. I suppose that I could insert a part about my kids into that last sentence but this rite here is about me. I can finally say without a shrug of the shoulders that I'm an artist ( which used to mean, I have a degree in something that I can't make money at nor do I have the time or inspiration ) but now I can. sigh.
so now that I can see the light at the end of this tunnel here's what I'm thinking about next.

Sewing some clothes. I reorganized the sewing area a little bit, I hope it's easier to use & clean up now.
I need to spend more time with him, playing music.
and get out of this cold & dirty basement and out into the sunshine. It's summer !

spring trash finds

Look at these gems!!! For those who don't have a minivan yet, here's your incentive, my favorite trash picks of the spring. Both found in my neighborhood albeit on opposite sides of the tracks. The chainsawed childrens' armchair came with a horse that will show up in another post ( if I can take a few good pics with the boys on it fully clothed. ) And the oak bench has a armchair with it too, I can't believe people throw this stuff away!
Thank you all for your kind comments on the last post, I should ask for your advise more often!

mama time

the findings from this morning, the morel gods were shining on T apparently. He giggled.
Working on a chicken coop, I know it's been on my mind but this progress is not due to my nagging.
The dash around the table is his favorite game.

But that was a few days ago and now, it's just me. They're gone, all three of them, as a early mothers day present I suppose, off to oma & opa's house for the night. Big, deep sigh. What to do?? Well plenty of course, I'm able to blog & change things around a bit here and in my real physical house. Here's my list:
house stuff
- weed & mulch front garden
- change sheets
- finishing that huge pile of laundry down there
- figure out where that smell is coming from
- tidy up
me stuff
- have some good friends over for a rowdy " my parents are out of town party"
- sleep it off
- go to the market w/o lugging kids
- paint
- print
- sit
- listen
Indulge me:
It's been on my mind lately the limbo of this little family. Well, not the boys just me. It stems from the big question all families face , is this my whole family? Is there any one out there who's missing? maybe 2 ? Or is this US, our unit? Other families we know who are sure that they're done having kids seem so settled, moving forward. Saving special outfits and handing over the rest, sure that they won't need them anymore. Now I should make it clear, I am not planning on getting pregnant any time soon, but it just popped in my head. Who else is out there for us? I'm not the most patient mother, nor am I the calmest so adding another little one may just tip me over but I can't help but thinking that it's in the cards. And what does that mean? hmmm, I think I need my first cocktail to think it over.
Happy Mothers Day all of you
love, Lily

forcing rhubarb

April 1 : My patch of rhubarb just barely poking out of the ground.
Covered with a broken pot to block out the light and make the shoots reeeeach up.
April 30th : Forced Sweet Rhubarb.
I have always wanted to try this, ever since I saw these beautiful rhubarb forcers in England. Since I can't seem to get enough Rhubarb I started a second patch in our herb garden so that I could experiment with forcing this year ( I never plan ahead!) The theory is that the leaves of the rhubarb don't open up as large leaving the stalks to grow tall & slim but very very sweet, and you can harvest a little earlier in the season. Ohhh what to make what to make, maybe just a little compote on plain yoghart to see how sweet it is!

finally a gift

My first piece of jewelry made by Felix, I swooon. Is this because I took him on a date this weekend ( camera batteries were dead! of course. ) I arrived at school early today, another errand would have surly cost me in between $10 - $25 depending on where I stopped. Felix took my hand immediately & lead me into the classroom and gave me this bracelet, isn't it perfect!
I'm starting a new job tomorrow ( a little PT thing making muffins ) and I am having a little separation anxiety from the boys, so this token is just the rite thing. At dinner we were talking about it again & felix said " mama, you and I are artists and papa makes the music. "
proud proud mama.

spring things

Spring has begun in our house this weekend. The gardens opened today across the street and the hustle & bustle of optimistic gardeners is hard to ignore. T & I found a little time to plant some seeds outside too, peas, beets, spinach, carrots & potatoes. It's hard to be inside on days like this, but if there's a drum session we linger.