A solstice party

I've been casting around for years now trying to land on a tradition for the solstice and I think we've found one. . .this year we had our own spiral in the yard.  It combined the best of everything for me, candle light and homemade lanterns, outdoors at night, fire, neighbors, school families and kids running around, all of it.

We set it up as an open house so people could come and go.  We served soup and bread and a few other snacks and people brought sweets to share.  The spiral was beautiful and fun.  We had a nice fire on the back patio and people sat out and watched the spiral, and watched the fire, and ate soup, and stayed late, and the rain held off.  So, now we have it: winter solstice garden spiral and fire.  See you next year.  

Making your 5 year old really happy

Turns out it's pretty easy: his own Christmas tree in his bedroom does the trick.  I don't like to bring the big tree in until after the 20th.  So big, so messy.  I like the idea of a big tree, and it's always nice to look at, but the actual mechanics of it are tedious.  Not, though, if you're five.  If you're five it is very hard to understand why the Christmas tree can't go up immediately after Halloween.  This is our compromise, a little Norfolk pine that (hopefully) will live for at least a few Christmases. The lights are on a foot switch so he can turn them on and off himself without dealing with the wall outlet. 

We're fine, just fine.  I have good intentions and lots of ideas to share here, but never seem to create the time.  Liam is singing Christmas songs continuously, which is sweeter and less annoying than it sounds, at least to me.  We're planning an open house for the solstice, I think.  I have until Monday to chicken out, but I probably won't, I think we can make it work. 

When we got the tree today we also got the garland and lights for the outside of the house, which creates a clear plan for tomorrow.  I'll try to post pictures; this tall old house looks its nicest all dressed up for Christmas.  

Happy halloween

Five sure is a sweet age for holidays.  Liam has been decorating the house and singing his Halloween songs for a week.

He carved the pumpkin all by himself, thankyouverymuch.   And he was so, so proud.  When I watch him work on things like this I see a lot of Will in him.  He has great concentration for these types of tasks, and a pretty clear vision of what he wants and an ever growing ability to execute. 

This year's goldfish costume required some explanation on front porches.  "Goldfish." Liam would say firmly.  "No, not Nemo."  But Liam likes it and it was easy as anything to sew.   In an act of good fortune he lost his first front tooth earlier today, so he had a jack-o-lantern face to go with his fish costume.

Thanks to my mother for handing out candy at the house.  And thanks to Grandpa and GoGo for walking the neighborhood with us, including all the way the 8 or so blocks or so to Liam's school, where his teacher had hot cider and pumpkin pie waiting and a yard full of magic pumpkin fairy houses, all lit up.

Happy Easter!

 

 

Liam woke this morning and immediately started looking all over the house for Easter eggs.  I had to send him out into the yard -- where at 7:45 am it took him approximately five minutes to find the five eggs I hid last night.

He is a much better finder than I am, or he is a better hider; tonight after dinner at GG and GoGo's house (Thank you!) he hid six eggs in their back yard and it took the three of us at least 15 minutes to find them, even with hints.  At closing in on five years old, Liam's hints are priceless.  "Look over there (Frantic pointing.); no, no look in that bush, I hid one  in that bush (Jumping up and down)." 

We also found our first tree frog of the season -- so tiny and green, with long, golden, sticky feet.

Our egg tree has eggs from Sunny and Starry that we dyed this year, and a few from the egg tree we had out every year when I was small.  Hand drawn by my mother all those years ago.  The white bunnies also are from my childhood egg tree. It's so sweet to have them, and to hear myself say things like: "They are very fragile! They are not the hopping sort of bunny! Please put them down!"  That's me on the swing, I think.

 

In my memory we always received (besides a chocolate rabbit) new swimming suites and saltwater sandals for Easter. You? Liam was given sunglasses and a lego firetruck set, which he wanted to put together right away, in lieu of his morning TV.  The power of legos.  (Don't worry, he got a small chocolate rabbit too, and he got to eat it before breakfast.)

 

Sun all day today, and although the sewing didn't get done the peas did get planted. Now onward into a very busy week at work and at home.  I hope the weather holds.