wednesday

Eva takes most of the photos of Albert around here, except for the ones she asks me to take while she is holding him. She posted several Albert-photos on her own blog today. We were excited to see old photos of our much loved rat Charlie there as well. Eva was so happy to see his picture that she brought Albert over to share. We wondered about what Charlie and Albert would make of one another. For the most part, I think they would be friendly with each other. Their food preferences wouldn't conflict and I think with those guys, that counts for a lot.

The kids and I took a walk at Smith and Bybee Lakes today (without Jack, I am sad to say, though I am hoping to take him out later to make it up to him). While we were there they talked A LOT about what wild guinea pigs must be like. We all had fun imagining herds of guinea pigs running wild together, head butting one another to move out of the way, purring together, munching. In point of fact, guinea pigs like Albert most likely do not exist in the wild. They are probably domesticated descendants from other cavies like this one. I have mentioned this to the kids once or twice but it doesn't seem to stick. It is far too much fun thinking about Albert and his family roaming and blipping through the Andes mountains, wild and free.



Here he is all shmooped up (as Eva says- well, I guess now as I say too). She wanted a side and front view taken.

We saw a few herons on the water today and so many Woolly Bear Caterpillars running across the path. We took several photos, of course, and then we took a video (actually two, but I will just post one for now). I will have to remember this the next time we run across a nutria!

charlie

Feeling sad and missing our rat Charlie. He passed away this afternoon. The kids and I spent the morning and some of the afternoon holding him and keeping him warm and snuggled in a towel and blanket, comfort and companionship during his transition from this way of being. We talked about how much we enjoyed our time with him and how much we will miss him. I hope to bury him this evening during a break in the rain.

So many things to remember- when we brought him home from the rat rescue place, how he ran under the car before we could get in the car, how we didn't know how much rats really liked to sit on your shoulder, Eva dressing up in her "Charlie outfit" to protect her skin from scratches and tickles, nearly losing him when Eva took him outside and recovering him when he heard me calling him from the other side of the fence!, how much he liked to share eggs in the morning and how our dog Jack begged for food from him, how he turned away from us when he was eating something particularly yummy, how he was out running around once and found Eva's malted milk balls and opened up the container and started taking the pieces of candy one after the other and hiding them behind the bookcase, how he squeaked and wouldn't let me pick him up when he had food to eat in his mouth, how he bumbled along, how high he could jump, how he gnawed at his cage bars to get our attention and let us know he wanted snackies, how he liked anything and everything to eat and how I could always share a snack with Charlie, particularly chocolate chips, how he could smell you opening a bag of potato chips from across the room.

As always I have appreciated spending time with another species, learning about the world from his perspective, as much as that is possible. I am grateful for his friendship and ratty ways and appreciate his ways of letting me know that he enjoyed my company as well. I remember when I knew that he had connected to us all as his family. I will miss his company and his love. No one but no one enjoys fine food like a rat! And who else can snuggle and fall asleep on the back of your neck while you knit...



Eva day before yesterday holding Charlie



Eva's recent photos of Charlie



Eva's yesterday photo of Charlie with Chicky; Charlie today snuggled in a blanket before he passed on.

Watching my kids look at Samuel's Nintendo DS together. Today Samuel told me I was the best mom ever and Eva gave me a medal she drew with a heart in the center for the soup I made for dinner. Such goodness all around.

A quiet day starting with rain and ending with sunshine. Tomorrow there will be time in the garden and I am hoping for a walk in the woods somewhere on Friday.

Our rat Charlie is really slowing down and enjoys sleeping in my hand with his head propped against my fingers and his body nestled against my sweater. He really seems to enjoy snuggling with all of us and asks to be taken out of his cage each time he sees me. He isn't eating as many treats now and actually left his morning eggs untouched. The kids are taking turns letting him sit on their laps and he sat between us last night when we were reading. We have talked about him passing on at some point soon. I have watched enough of these little rodent guys slow down now to know that he is close and I am happy I am able to spend this quiet time with him and thank him for his time here with us, appreciating his ratness.

the day before the day

Senior friends Agnes and Charlie hanging out on my lap together. Charlie was a little nervous at first but soon both were so comfortable in the sunshine on my lap it didn't matter anymore.

Today is the big day before the big day. Today is the day before Samuel's 9th birthday! Today we will buy balloons and put up a giant Indiana Jones banner that says Happy Birthday. Today we will make sure we have candles. We will try and find an Indiana Jones balloon (a trip to Party City is not to be missed!). Today we will make not one but two angel food roll cakes with jam spread inside. Today we will make homemade orange sorbet "just because it is a fun thing to have on your birthday". Today I will put together two treasure hunts- one for Samuel's gifts and one for when his friend Jack comes over later. This year's treasure? Paddle balls!

Last night Eva wanted to watch Spot. You remember Spot, don't you? Sometimes she feels nostalgic for her youth, her babyhood and reaches out for all the little things she remembers from that time. The funny thing about Spot for Eva is that she didn't really ever watch Spot. It is something about the time though, a way of being that she is searching for- like if I were nostalgic for the early 80's and watched The Dukes of Hazard even though I never really watched that show at the time. That sort of thing.

Samuel, however, is so over Spot. In fact he was my child who liked to watch Spot, over and over and over. Apparently he had his fill. Whenever Eva brings a Spot book home from the library or wants to put on the old Spot video he resists. Last night he said, "The thing I don't like about Spot is that he is always learning something. I like the characters I watch to be educated." I could not stop laughing over this. That is Samuel through and through. He really wants people to have it together and doesn't tolerate any waffling around about it. Fascinating quote in light of our unschooling lives. Aren't unschoolers always saying things like "Learning all the time!" Well not around here. Here we have it together :)

But seriously though, it got me thinking about how some characters are portrayed when they are learning and I thought that might be what Samuel was referring to, not the learning per se but the portrayal of learning. Frequently these characters are seen as not knowing things rather than simply learning in their own time. There is an end result to the learning process, those in the know and those out of the loop. It might even be shameful in some stories to not know something, to have to learn. This I feel is what Samuel is responding to when he feels frustrated with different characters and them "always learning something".

He is responding to the idea that you aren't powerful if you need to ask a question, if you aren't an expert. This is something I hope I am helping to shake up a bit around here- for myself as well. Learning is inherent to the process of living. Learning is living. Or living is learning? Either way, each of us is where we are. How could we be anywhere else? Making assumptions, not asking questions, not reaching out for help and even not speaking up when I do know...these are all things I do when I believe I should already know something, or know it better than I do... I guess the word should is a tip off that something is amiss. But hey, I am still learning...

I broke with tradition yesterday twice and cooked the turkey without stuffing it AND I made the stuffing/dressing with sprouted grain bread (Alvarado Street Bakery). The stuffing turned out amazing and I highly recommend it. I didn't dry the bread at all before using it, just cut it up and added celery, celery leaves, thyme, shallots, leek, garlic and some of the broth from the giblets. Oh and butter. And apples.

The kids wrote up their Christmas lists for Santa Claus today. Samuel sent his off in a hurry, in the mail, direct to Santa Clause, The North Pole. We usually get a reply letter from him after a couple of weeks. Eva opted to hold onto her list and leave it for Santa with his cookies and eggnog on Christmas Eve. I was remembering leaving lists in the fire place? at one house I lived in while growing up. I had completely forgotten this memory until reading something about this tradition somewhere out there on the Internet. Fascinating what memories are still in there somewhere.

I am happy to say that our rat Charlie is feeling a little better and has regained a bit more mobility in his leg thanks to the anti-inflammatory meds I have been giving him. I think his leg is permanently wounded but it isn't purple any more and he has more energy. It is hard for him to sit on my shoulder and move around because of his foot being not as flexible, so I have to move slower than usual and sometimes give him a hand, but it is definitely an improvement.

We are reading the second book in the Mushroom Planet series- Stowaway to the Mushroom Planet...we are suspicious of one of the new characters and there is a distinctly suspense-ish feel to the beginning part of the book. And at long last we got Comet in Moominland after a couple of friends highly recommended it. Looking forward to reading about the Moomin Trolls, particularly after reading so many troll stories of late.

I at long last have Oscar Wao back in possession and need to hurry up and finish it before I need to return it again...It is really just such an amazing book, night and day with some other fiction I have tried to read recently. Wondering what will come along to read next.

charlie

Did I say we love our rat Charlie? Samuel and I took several picture tonight of Charlie looking oh so cute in his snuggly. See, he chewed a little hole out so that he could look at us and see if we have any snacks AND stay warm. The little guy gets chilly! Thankfully, Charlie's foot, which was injured just yesterday, seems to be back in working order today. We think he fell on it after climbing up his cage to get snacks. Every. Single. Time. He climbs up the cage bars to the second level and chews on the bars and waits for a treat! Every. Single. Time. Who taught him this? I do not know. Perhaps we did, inadvertently. And yet, I know it was his idea to begin with. I am so relieved his foot has healed as it doesn't look like they do casts or splints for rats. And to be honest, I am a little afraid of having to give him medicine. It's those teeth. He would never hurt me. I just don't want to test it. And besides, when I had to give Fluffy medicine, he disliked it so much, he started putting his little paws out to block the eyedropper before I could get it to his mouth. It is so sweet and I just don't have the heart to do it again. I mean, I would if I had to, I am just saying I am glad I don't have to.

then the talk

I made the Vegetable Chowder from the Moosewood Cookbook (always a favorite) last night. So good and a great way to use all of the different veggies from this time of year. I used potatoes (purple, red, fingerling), corn, broccoli, carrots, purple onion, cannellini beans and basil and sauted it all in butter and then added almond milk. The recipe calls for (cow's) milk and heavy cream, if you like.

I also made some basil pesto with walnuts and hazelnuts (to make it local and the mix of the two nuts made it really tasty) and froze some and then used some to mix with cannellini beans in the cuisinart to make a pesto bean dip. It is lovely with crackers and Charlie and I really enjoyed it. I have to say it is really fun to live with a rat because if everyone else snubs your food, the rat will always join you for dinner or lunch or a snack or whatever you've got. Every. Single. Time. He sits watching me now as I type and when I look over, he gives me the signal that he would be up for a snack right now!

Eva wants to make lasagna and we are going to pick tomatoes tomorrow in honor of the Autumn Equinox. Not sure if I am up for making lasagna tonight, although we stopped for ricotta cheese on the way home from errands today, so I am all set. It seems fitting to pick tomatoes and then make a lasagna in honor of the Equinox. Usually we pick apples on the Equinox but for some reason this year I am not really feeling like picking more fruit. We are still eating many many pears. I made apple pear sauce and that is a hit but I think I will wait a bit to pick apples. My tree out back is very prolific and this could also be a reason I don't feel like bringing more apples home! They aren't quite ripe, but when they do ripen it will be a bumper crop for sure.

Everyone is very excited and anticipating Grandpa's visit next week. Samuel was going over his plans for what we will eat when he visits. We are going to check out Flock and Fiber this year and see what that is all about. I am excited whenever I get to see a lot of yarn and the animals should be fun to see.

Samuel is also very excited about his new Bionicles he got this weekend. And did you know Lego now makes a jewelry/music box? Yes. And we now own the Lego fairy music box. Eva listened to it all the way through the mall and in the car on the way home. It plays twinkle twinkle. The music box is heart shaped and has a mirror inside and Eva said she just loves looking at herself in a heart shaped mirror. So cute.

The kids are watching Thumbelina right now and I am going to take this time to knit some of the dinosaurs I am planning on giving them for Christmas. My first T-rex is almost done! I don't know if Samuel will be surprised because he seems to be taking after me as far as being able to guess gifts, but Eva will be surprised for sure and I think they will both be excited to see these guys finally knit. I think we picked out the patterns last spring!

365 photo blog inspiration

I have been inspired by Project 365 and the Shine-y folks at the shine-with-unschooling list that I am on and I want to try out posting a photo a day to my blog, in addition to my other blog posts. Initially, I had thought about starting another blog for this purpose but decided against it, lest it turn into too many have-tos and not enough inspiration. Goodness knows, I don't need to add any more have-tos to my life. Creative inspiration, however, is always welcome, energy permitting. I was also prompted to fix the clock on my camera, which as it turns out, was three days behind. Imagine! If you want to see other unschooling photo blogs, you can follow the Shine with Unschooling ring on the right. There is some great inspiration to be found among those blogs for sure.

Eva made mud cakes for her frogs...The one with the apple is the birthday-frog and she is off enjoying her cupcake on her own. She is two weeks old today. Eva just let me know that the flower on the apple is actually the frog's hat and she set it on the apple/ cupcake to make it pretty. She is going to take it off when she is done. The full scoop.



And I just cannot get enough of our rat Charlie looking so cute in his little snugly. This snugly is made from one of Samuel's old sweat pant legs. Different than my fleece socks, but really just the same. He comes out for snacks, as usual. Oh, and we found out that he does indeed run on his new wheel that we got him- just not usually when we are around because he is too preoccupied with our giving him snacks.

words and pictures

Eva has different words of the day -sometimes- lately. The other day it was discrepancy and throughout the day she would say it in various scenarios, with various meanings attached to it. The interesting thing to me is that how she uses it, with her tone of voice, which part of the sentence it becomes, who she is talking to, it is always just the right word (even if she doesn't quite know our technical meaning, if you get my meaning). "That princess is so discrepancy." "Yes, isn't it discrepancy?"

Then one day it was revolting and that was fun to listen to. Then derogatory- which she even added -illy to, as in derogatorilly. Today I believe, judging from what I have already heard, it may very well be pneumonia. As in, "Pneumonia is definitely not what you want to do."

I was just going through my most recent photos and there are some very fun pictures in there. A picture of Samuel with his head in the candy bag (from the St. Patrick's Day parade in Hillsboro) and lots of pictures of candy taken by Eva so that she can remember all of the different pieces after she has eaten them. Today Samuel had an idea that he could take pictures of people when they are angry and then erase them...and the anger would go away as well. He took a picture of me pretending to be angry and then erased it, otherwise I would post it as well.



Our friends Mary and Addie visited from Texas and we went to the Arboretum with them. Eva and Addie enjoyed climbing up these gigantic tree roots sticking out of the ground. There is Eva in her new "party" dress climbing in the trees and mud! Also, Eva and Samuel carrying Big Baby!




Playing out in one of the many Spring hail storms...



Fast and furious on Easter morning with lots of eggs and bunnies staying up for the Easter Bunny himself!



These are our Easter pictures, as Samuel calls them, and they seem to be all about having rabbits on our heads!



Eva ready for her birthday with her big unicorn balloon; Samuel with his dragon balloon; Eva on her birthday in her new purple shoes holding up her playmobil penguin family and Samuel holds up his lego guy.



Blowing out candles, up close of penguins, riding in a fast car with Samuel at Chuck-E's.



More Chuck-E rides and cupcakes and cake. Eva said, "Momma I thought we were going to have cupcakes and cake for my birthday!"



And this is where Eva spent most of her time at Chuck-E's- the merry-go-round. She just loves it and the lovely part about the merry-go-round is that someone at some point is bound to come up and put tokens in to make it go, so the kids just climb on and look around, waiting for this to happen!



Ok, how cute is this? I gave Charlie one of my old fleece socks and he really likes it. He gets into the sock and sleeps- so warm. And he learned through trial and error to keep his head available for treats!



Eva and Samuel with lots of animals, Eva coloring with others while Samuel has riding lessons, Samuel's self-portrait.



Samuel on Mirage!



Ok and I just can't resist how gorgeous Spring can be with pink petals against dark gray sky- hail is on the way!

nutella

Anyone had nutella lately? I was feeling festive today and bought nutella and almond butter and they are such a wonderful match. I don't think I have had nutella since I was in Russia and at the time we thought it was so divine. It still is! Eva and her babies had a tea party with green tea and nutella on toast. They just licked the nutella off the toast. She asked for some in a bowl next time, no toast.

We also bought several colors of decorating icing for Samuel's robot cake, as well as candles (pink with sparkles!) and a #8 candle for the center. And marshmallows for a marshmallow toast on his birthday. And we are going to have a treasure hunt (my surprise!). It is getting close now and the excitement in the house is palpable to say the least.

I have to say I am really enjoying living with a rat. Charlie is a lot of fun to have around. He gets up every morning and gets all excited for his eggs. He comes when I call him if I have let him run around. He sits on my shoulder and chatters. And he gives kisses. When we adopted him, the woman at the adoption place told me he gave kisses but he has been quite modest up until recently. Sure enough, if I make little kiss noises at him when he is on my shoulder he will kiss my face. So sweet.

More photos from our recent life-



Here is a photo of Eva's most recent dinosaur. He is quite tall- over a foot high- and when you press his left arm he gives a mighty T-Rex roar. And I just found about 15 more pictures of him in different poses and close-up mode. I won't upload them all, but if you are interested, Eva was very thorough!



Charlie!

hmmmm...

Well, let's see. Grandpa came to visit and we had a lovely time. I just cleaned up the large installment Shadow game that Samuel enjoys playing when Grandpa comes to visit. There are knights, of course, and robots and dragons and castles and hover crafts and bombs and many many many lego pieces. We played miniature golf and had pizza and sorbet twice and brownies twice and chocolate chip cookies that Tammy sent along and Jack had so many dog treats he didn't eat his food for days on end. There are new bionicles and coloring books and dvds and books and sad faces now that he is gone and Jack is mopey mopey mopey.

We finished up Mr. Ape by Dick King-Smith and I have to say we all loved it. Such an inspiring story about finding what you love and doing that instead of anything else. Samuel wants to be a Gypsy and have lots of rabbits and chickens and live in a caravan...

And now we are busy getting ready for the big birthday month, plus Easter. Samuel will be 8 on March 11th and Eva will be 5 on March 20th. So of course there are many many fun ideas floating about the house for the celebrations to come.

I have a whole slew of photos...



Sparrow watching as Eva puts peanut butter in her kong. Sparrow with baby and Eva!


Eva making sorbet for Samuel (as it turns out this is now his favorite kind- orange!)



Jack and also Charlie on Eva's shoulder. She gets all wrapped up to avoid his itchy scratchy claws...