someone stopped by
for a bit of mischief
fairy dust
roses
glue
glitter paint
not a clue
who could have done this
luckily
these three
baby r, baby v, nacho the cat
all had gone inside
the cottage
just
minutes before
i wonder
if they saw anyone
or
know anything
—
“they were becoming like a little mafia. if one committed a mischief, the others would not tell.”
– franco diligenti
she called it
her butterfly dress
my mother
a young girl
in italy
twirling
carefree
spreading her wings
all the world before her
and
at her
happiest
before life
got challenging
and things
were
never the same
for her
and she
lost her wish to fly
and this is how
i want
to remember her
on this date
that was
both
the day
she was born
and
the day
that she died
and
i still want
to think of her
twirling
and
carefree
at her happiest
in her
butterfly dress
—
the thing that interests me most about family history is the gap
between the things we think we know about our families and the realities.
– jeremy hardy
climbing the apple trees
flying kites
chasing fireflies
sending messages in a bottle
wandering through the library
playing big games
losing shoes
baking cupcakes
reading books
so many surprises
walking everywhere
finding clues
making costumes
singing made-up songs
talking into the sewer to invite the ninja turtles to a party
meeting the people all around
making up and telling stories
robots and legos
dancing like centipedes
playing in and out and around the water
sand in your pants
tunnels and giant ants
making a palace for the fairies to move into
big, big messes
cardboard forts
cousins, cats, dogs, goats, bunnies, lobsters, frogs, fish
and more family of all kinds
and becoming part of the art
you are six shooting stars on a shining summer’s day.
—
yeah we all shine on, like the moon, and the stars, and the sun. –
john lennon
—
dedicated with love to all of the little stars who make my life so big
and all of my seasons so bright –
peaches
![quote_thumb[3]](https://ididnthavemyglasseson.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/quote_thumb3.jpg)
and today is the last day
for a while
that we all will be together
and we will share every minute of it
before heading on down the road
each in our own direction
and we know
we’ll find our way back together again
before too long
and i wish that this day could go on forever.
—
maximize every opportunity today. there is a lot of living and loving that can be done in 24 hours.
– author unknown
found these two down the street
guess the price was too high
even with
that stripy, ratty love seat
thrown in as a bonus.
—
he who loves, flies, runs, and rejoices; he is free and nothing holds him back.
– henri matisse
spending the weekend with grand baby joeys, f and m,
(who have a look of mischief in their eyes like the vintage lads above)
while their mom is away with friends
and it’s so very different
from time spent with our girl babies
yet every moment is equally exciting
in its very own way
where going swimming in a pool
counts as a bath
and waking up in bathing suits
makes us ready
for another day’s adventure
and it’s all about
perpetual motion
and peeing
and rocks
and bugs
and ghost tales
and staying up late
and everything is sticky
and wet
and dirty
and it is a delight.
boys are found everywhere – on top of, underneath, inside of, climbing on,
swinging from, running around, or jumping to.
– alan marshall beck
—
image credits: everything vintagesteff.com, pinterest.com
like the day
you stood on the upside-down water table
with your beloved blankie and pacifiier all dirty
a bandaid on your scraped-up foot
mosquito bites itching
an empty bug net
and a turtle with a snapped-off tail nearby
you can’t find your shoes
your diaper is wet
you’re tired
and your shorts are all twisted-up.
and then –
suddenly
it is the next day
and the sun is shining
and
you have a fancy cocktail
right in front of you
with
floating fruit cut in shapes
a special bendy straw
and you are standing
at a table just your size
with your fancy red shirt on
and your smile
is as big as the universe
and
in an instant
all is well with the world
once again.
—
here’s to you, baby j, as you continue to persevere
and find your way through the world, even after the tough days.
you are a model for all of us.
and we have added to our family once again.
this handsome fellow,
a flyweight
weighing in at just 8 pounds
and 8 years old
has lived a hard life
first on his own
surviving
on the mean streets
with scars, and cuts, and ruffled fur
then with a family
who may not have fully appreciated his charms
and he was sent away
to spend his days in a small cage
with nothing but an uncertain future
and a short timeline ahead
but he has persevered
against all odds.
–
and when we walked into the shelter
and he reached
with
a tiny ginger paw
out of his cell
to wave to us
and called out
with a little voice
we knew
he had been waiting a long time
to meet us
just as
we had been waiting a long time
to meet him.
and when
we carried him into the cottage
he
was instantly transformed
into
the most affectionate and gentle cat
we have ever met
and knew that he was home at last.
(he has been lovingly named nacho, and he is the furry one with the orange hair.)
how do
a dozen adults plus teenagers, toddlers, babies and dogs
all in one kitchen
end up with a perfect meal?
m and j actively working on their teamwork skills
—
as the fine web
of family connections
spins and grows
the communal vacation kitchen
thrives and glows.
“in the long history of humankind…
those who learned to collaborate and improvise most effectively have prevailed.”
~ charles darwin
I didn't have my glasses on.... 