Friday, May 26, 2006

The Flow of Life


I spent a day this week with students walking the paths and seeing the Falls in Yosemite. A place we have traveled to many times since our move, yet a place that never looks quite the same. The Falls are flowing full force as the snowfall is melting and the show it makes as it flows in Yosemite is always spectacular but at this time of year it is beyond. A good time to travel up to stand and be filled with awe. This is a time to realize just how small we really are no matter how big it can all seem at times. The speed of life can get out of control it seems and it is hard to remember to breath. This is how it seems these last several weeks. Too many decisions, too many errands, changes in life, unable to slow it all down or even turn back the clock and watch as the children climb the apple trees. Having chosen to homeschool our children was probably one of the best choices Wayne and I made. For us, it was a time to allow our children to grow and learn and see it all right before our eyes. It was also a time to make sure if there were questions and ideas, they were explored. It was not something everybody we knew was thrilled with, yet we felt it was best not just for our children but for our family and eventually for our community and world. To allow these two beautiful children to learn how to teach themselves, gave them the chance to explore, build their confidences, question basically everything and realize that we did not know everything but we were just as excited to find the answers or theories that were already explored and those we created ourselves, or so we thought. I do not remember a time we ever questioned if they would not learn enough. I do remember wondering if we would all get along well, spending so much time togethor. What a shock to see how close we grew. As my son was lying on the couch today after his return from Grad nite at Disneyland and reliving all the fun, I turned and asked my daughter why she kept smiling. "Because he's my brother.", was her response. We spent so many years togethor learning, playing, traveling the roads to lessons and games and we became closer than I ever could have imagined. Life has flowed on and as I crawled out of bed this morning I realized that I did not have to wake my son for school and would not ever again do this simple task. For the next two years, I would have my daughter to wake and then there would be a morning like this when I would realize that now I would never have to call to her to wake and prepare for school. But life flows on and it is beautiful as were the Falls I experienced this week. There will be new surprises waiting for me as there was while driving the road into Yosemite and I began squealing with delight as a bear was walking among the trees beside me. This brought laughter and pure excitement from my Spec. Ed students as first they were excited to see Miss Sharon so excited and they were excited to see a bear for their first time outside of a zoo or a tv screen. There will be questions and theories to explore with my grown children and the new ideas they come across as they are off studying or with students as we work at bringing them yet one step closer to an independent lifestyle. Life will flow as the Falls I stood and watched, sometimes strong and powerful as they run now and sometimes life will run calmly as these same Falls will trickle late this summer. Among it all, I will breath and smile as I watch my son later this week recieve his diploma or as I did this week as I stood at the base of Yosemite Falls with a wheelchair bound student as he squealed with delight as this powerful and very cold sensation covered us with the spray of the Fall. I am thankful for the years we spent homeschooling and the times my daughter climbed the tree with yet another book to read among the branches, her favorite type of school desk. I am thankful for the drumming my son filled our home with as he learned from amazing teachers. I am hopeful that all these two young children took the time to teach me over the years will go with me as I work with new students and find ways to explore their questions. I hope to breath through the moments, the weeks, and the years to come and try to learn from all the teachers I pass, the trees, the children, friends, the clouds, my gardens, the continual music that fills our home. May the Falls each time I travel to Yosemite remind me of all the unanswered questions I have explored and those that are waiting to cross my path. May they remind me to breath as life flows and at times rushes by. Blessings-

Saturday, May 20, 2006

Garden Surprises

As I walked the gardens one evening this week, I was quite surprsed to find this amazing bee enjoying our passion vine. Never have I seen a bee that was truly golden! This little creature is not so little as it is the size if not a bit larger than our black carpenter bees which measure in at 1.5". I spent much time watching it and snapping pictures of it and was amazed at how close it would allow me to get. At first, it was a bit shy but soon, it realized I was not going to harm it, and then it allowed me to get my lense within an inch or two of it to snap some shots. We spend so much of our home time walking the gardens, watering plants, and enjoying yet another batch of Morning Doves. It is always quite a surprise however when you run across something new and this was just that. I have spent quite a bit of time trying to find just what type of bee this little one is, and as of yet I cannot find any info on him. So, for now I will just enjoy his beauty.

Sunday, May 14, 2006

Prom Night


Asking is always the worst, isn't it? But once it is over and they have said "yes", the planning and excitement all begin! Having a daughter and a son going off to prom is quite an experience. Two seperate proms. Two different personalities. Opposite sexes. Could they be any more different in their approaches. What fun to be a teen and heading off to the biggest night of the year. Dresses and tuxes to find. Makeup, manicure, hair, shoes, and a clutch later, we realize that the guys have it easy with just one stop at a tux shop. Then of course the excitement of waiting for that day to arrive. Two seperate proms at seperate locations but of course they fell on the same night so we were twice as busy trying to prepare. Schedules, transportation, and plans for after prom had to be figured out and coordinated so parents knew where each child would be. But finally the day arrives with Bry heading off early for entrance exams for college courses and Brit off to have her manicure and pedicure done. Hours later they meet back at home to prepare with Brit doing hair, makeup, etc. while Bry prepared lying on his back sound asleep for a few hours. They both arrived dressed and gorgeous as it was announced that it was time for pictures before Brit's date arrived and Bry headed off to meet up with his. Yes, you guessed it, as happens so often these days, my tears began. They have grown and matured and have become such beautiful young people who not only clean up well but have worked hard to achive so much these last several years. With our huge move just over a year ago, I wondered if they would make it and once again be happy. Would they find friends? Would they fit in? All the fears of a mother and yet they have grown and blossomed beautifully. They have made wonderful friends and have become stronger in their beliefs and convictions. These two young people have accomplished so much and it has been a delight to be near by to watch them grow. The reports of Prom were wonderful! Each had fun and the nights seem to have been a success. Stories enough to fill my Mothers Day once they both awake and what better way could I spend Mothers Day but with these amazing two children, listening to all their stories! Happy Mothers Day to all you amazing mothers!







Tuesday, May 09, 2006


This is my sign and my reading for today. How can it be any more accurate?

PISCES (Feb. 19—March 20): For six and a half months in 1881, James Garfield was president of the United States. More impressive than his modest accomplishments during his short time in office was his multilingual ambidexterity. He could write a passage in Latin with one hand even as he wrote in Greek with the other hand. That kind of skill reminds me of the aptitudes you will have in the coming weeks, Pisces. If you so choose, you'll be able to take multitasking to profound new levels. Juggling will be your ruling metaphor. You may even be able to make a beautiful mess with one hand while creating a dynamic peace with the other.

So, life is about balance and at this point I just pray I can continue to breath through it all. A daughter headed off to prom amidst testing and prepping for finals. A son preparing to go to prom as he spends lunches with friends and enjoys Senior activities. Grad night is approaching as well as graduation and parties. Packing up his room and boxes will soon be labeled. Before this must come the addressing and labeling of invitations, the menu for the upcoming open house and preparations and planning for grandparents arriving for all the festivities. Our church celebrates through a “bridging ceremony” where we will celebrate the next path fifteen of our youth will be crossing over. How many tears will fall that day! Senior pictures today, and time yet to grab last minute accessories for prom for both Bry and Brit. Can it be that life has continued at such an amazing speed and seems to be no where closer to slowing down? Breath! Breath! Is it time and if so will I step up to the challenge and send them on their way with love and blessings?

“If you so choose, you'll be able to take multitasking to profound new levels. Juggling will be your ruling metaphor. You may even be able to make a beautiful mess with one hand while creating a dynamic peace with the other.”
Blessings-

Sunday, May 07, 2006


The house is quiet as the men have left and Brit lies catching up on reading. Something she has put to the side for months while studying for school. Summer is just around the corner and break is almost here, so she has spent time stocking up on poetry books, etc. to begin diving into during break. This leaves for me a quiet moment with coffee, birds singing, and my computer. I write in spurts as you all know by now and morning seems to be the best time for me to get any thinking, written down. Once again we have passed through winter and with this one, we spent many days wondering if the rain would ever cease. As they continued to report yet another week of rain, my mood sank and dreams of the market were squelched. This has all passed finally and is just a memory now as the fruit surrounds us and the smells of the orchards permeate the air! My trip to the market this week was a blessing and the gifts abounded as I stocked up on prickly cactus to add to our eggs, snap peas that are sweet as honey, plump, sweet tomatoes, green spinach, and cilantro as well as bunches of fresh asparagus. What I live for and love!!! The freshness of living in the valley and having produce abound! This also brings with it the scents of spring which I love and cherish. I usually cannot get enough of the smell of blossoms this time of year. Driving out of the mountains this week with students, however, I was taken back by the overpowering fragrance of the orange orchards on the edge of town. Something I love in small amounts but as you drive by this time of year it is as though you cannot wait for that fresh breath of clean air. You know how it is when you have seated yourself on the crowded subway or in a closed office right next to that one person who decided to bathe themselves in a bottle of sweet powdery fragrance before running out into the world? Well this is how it can be at moments when driving past the orange orchards in spring. Now don’t get me wrong, I absolutely adore the orchards, the blossoms, the bees, and the scent of sweetness all around. However, as in all things, too much of a good thing is not always so good and this is how it is at times for me with the orange trees in full bloom. I am happy to say however, that they are but a mile from my home and so I can enjoy these blessings at all stages of the seasons and so I plan to wait a bit before I venture out that direction again. For now, I will keep it subtle and enjoy the orange blossoms gracing my backyard. The lemon tree is in full blossom as well and the jasmine just finished its parade of blossoms. Before that we were honored with the scent of freesias in all their glorious fragrance. So, you see as I walk my gardens, the smells change as do the many blossoms filling our gardens. I am happy to say among the current blossoms we have sporting their colors are the passion vine, the kangaroo paws, and the bird of paradise. These are some of my very favorites along with the bottle brush tree that joined us last season and is now three times the size it was when it arrived! Wayne and I spend much of our at home time among the flowers and trees that we have added to our home since arriving. We also spend an insane amount of time watching over each new batch of Morning Doves that arrive over our patio. Mama Dove is on batch three already this season and the other two nest fulls wander the gardens daily. These are the quiet moments I cherish in a life that is filled too full with end of school activities, children’s events, prom and graduation planning, social outings, business engagements, and the soon to be and greatly awaited arrival of grandparents. Perhaps this is the balance my life finds between the busy daily organizing and meeting of expectations of others and the quiet still giving my gardens provide. In this intense mixture, is the calmness I find to enjoy and cherish each moment from one extreme to the other.

Saturday, May 06, 2006

New Chapters

We spent the night before, traveling along the edge of the coastal mountain range. Once again amazed and in awe of the beauty of this area. There was excitement as we traveled! We were about to have a glimpse into the pages of the new chapters in Bryant's life. I, of course, shed a few quiet tears as we made that drive, knowing everything was about to change. When you are told as your child is a toddler that you must enjoy it all, because the years go fast, you nod and agree. Never, could I have imagined just how fast those years really travel. Bry has been so much fun over the years as he changed from this young child who had to spend time each night lining up every toy in a perfect row before he could go off to bed, to digging holes deeper than he could stand in, in the back yard. We cheered him through his short love of wrestling as he grinned and held high those trophies! The soccer years were some of the best times! We loved the years we spent cheering him on as he ran those fields and spent all his free time watching the games on tv. We spent years homeschooling, where we learned so much as a famly. It was wonderful to have the experience of learning with my children and our homeschool group. Music has been his love since he was born! He has spent so much of his life enjoying and playing it. Our children have been lucky to have many musical influences in their lives, beginning with their father. He began singing to the children before they were born and continues to gift them with music having to make quick stops by the store on his way home at night because yet again he has thought of a CD they must add to their collections. And there were so many others that helped to fill this love for Bry. On a trip we took to Springfield years ago with our homeschool group, Bry fell in love yet again. This time it would be with architecture and this would lead us to the very campus we traveled to in order to begin Bryant's next chapter. To enter this space was inspiring as we walked a campus that had been established in the 1800s and to hear those that would be the very persons to push Bry to learn and stretch his imagination over the next six years. Amazing people and beautiful buildings are what awaited us as we left the subway and walked the short path to the entrance of UC Berkeley. Clicking on the arrow at the title of this post will take you there as well. You can then experience a bit of the energy we felt as we walked the campus and listened to many beautiful people that day. As we sat and listened to the band and then the many speakers who graced us with their time, I again shed a few silent tears and was covered with joy and excitement for the possibilities waiting for Bryant as he enters his next chapter in life. To hear the dreams of the architecture school of developing a world that will be earth friendly and that will not contribute but lessen global warming. To listen as they described their dreams for urban development. These are the things that Bry knew would fill me with inspiration. As we walked out of this presentaion and entered the paths of beauty, Bry turned grinning and asked if I liked the place now that I had heard their ideas for our future. We toured the dorms and all they had. This is where our son would live and grow. He would make new friends and study through the nights. Bry is lucky to have several friends of his going off to Berkeley with him and they have spent a lot of time comparing notes and helping each other learn all there is to learn over the last few weeks. We walked the paths and breathed in as much as possible that day. Brit and I enjoyed a dance performance as the guys watched a baseball game. They were playing Stanford that day and the guys had to see how we look. There were of course a couple protests that day on campus because it would not be Berkeley if there weren't. We filled our bags with information galore! We left the campus and walked the short way back to catch the subway out of town. We crawled into the car and headed to the closest coffee shop to prepare for our trip back home along the edge of those majestic mountains. They will be what cradles my son as he rides from our home to school on the train with friends. These will be the sights we see over the next six years as we travel to and from the campus. As we drove along side these beautiful mountains, the cell phones were out and we listened as Bry called yet another relative or friend to relay all the fun he had had at his new home in Berkeley. May these next chapters bless himand may he bless this world with his creations!