Recently in Postmodern Mom Category

Episode 152 of the Creative Mom Podcast is live... it's all over the place. "Catch-up" shows are rarely as tightly woven as they should be. The above photo was a reference photo for a piece talked about in this episode. The photo was taken... wisely... before it was accidentally toppled the next day.

Yesterday I paused and realized how grateful I was that I took time to make rice pudding Sunday with the recipe Gooma8x left at my house. I was skeptical, but it worked. And I made double. And so there is plenty for a seemingly decadent bowl of rice pudding with my toast while I work in the mornings. A simple thing. And yet it is one of the good things.

from Facebook ~ Moments: Two tiny snails picked up on the way to the car and put in a lid to take to school. The lid stowed in the floor. Bird out the window in a tree. Bird out the window on porch steps. Snails in floor on a lid. Snails forgotten in excitement over bird. The relative size of a 5-year olds Croc to a baby snail? Squoosh. Mom's relative comfort level with picking up squoosh out of the floor of the car?

It was a bit gross. And they were in the floor because he is maybe the most fearless of all of us, but he has a bit of an aversion to the "slime" snails leave when they (ahem) yeah... that, in your hand. So, they were on the lid.

Fittingly, the new episode of the Creative Mom Podcast is entitled "Making Moments" (EP 129). It's live as of today.

Respite: The mockingbird there on the same wire this morning, a little one asking to draw in the car, and then wonderful lines about Camellias in The Elegance of the Hedgehog.

And today... after tracking down a YouTube clip of the CSI theme song (by The Who) for a Science Buddies blog entry, I poked around a bit. I don't get the setting of this video... but just close your eyes and listen.

I want to go here... and sit... the right moment in life, the right person, the right pair of binoculars. I want to sit.

It's been a while since I've been here, I guess. I'm surprised to see I haven't posted in the new year. I've been busy with a number of things, and the show has remained on track... but no blogging. And so, today, photos I've talked about already (in EP 81), but photos that mark a year of possibility and a year of commitment to my own journey... to the continuation of it... and to ongoing exploration. And, as you can see, the work in progress right now is the first step... ATCs for January.

One "blank" at a time.

Well, as everyone knows, the birds have basically taken over my awareness and so, finally, I found myself at the bookstore intent on getting a copy of the The Sibley Guide to Birds. Everyone agrees I need a Sibley, right? Of course, I do. I've been slow in bringing one home, but it's time. And so, there I was. Both boys had already picked out something (both graphic novel style) and both were in the floor happily reading while I stood in front of the bird books shelf. As my luck would have it, there were no copies of Sibley to be found. I had considered a Kaufman guide, indeed. But I'd decided, in the end, that my first bird book, of my own, should be a Silbeys. So... today was not the day. (I'm really a tried-and-true Amazon.com shopper anyway, but I had a gift card in hand... so, well... there I was.) But, I spent some time looking at what was on the shelves. I finally got to see Letters From Eden: A Year at Home, in the Woods in person, which I've wanted to do for some time, and I think it'll be a great book to read this year. I also found myself enamoured with Robert Burton's The World of the Hummingbird which is brimming with the most beautiful hummingbird photography I've ever seen.

And then, there were the personal narratives... life with birds... Two in particular jumped out at me: Providence of a Sparrow: Lessons from a Life Gone to the Birds and The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill.

Both seem worth looking into.

And, there you have it.... a bird-oriented trip to the bookstore. And... on the way in... as we got out of our car, the sound of birds was intense. The tree in front of us was bare of leaves... and at first, it appeared empty. But, looking closely, we finally found them... several birds... and amazing song.

I was vacuuming... straightening up a bit this morning, and the kids were playing (and still in pj's). As I started vacuuming down the hall, I noticed the small light was on in their bedroom, and I wondered about that and figured I'd turn it off when I got done. When I poked my head around their door, this is what I saw... both in bed, the oldest reading Hungry Caterpillar (one the little one loves still) to his brother... and reading it what we call the "silly way" (which is something "I" do often these days with books we've read hundreds of times... and something I used to do with songs...).

Such a surprising moment. And so sweet.

So... we went to see Santa on Sunday... the youngest rehearsed all the night before the three things he was going to tell Santa he wanted. Of course, he also spent time rationalizing that even though he figured if Santa asked if he'd been good that he'd be on the spot, he went through other people that he assumes will be giving him something and... you know... I think he decided all is well in the world with or without Santa. (Woe is me! We have no chance with this one!)

Still, we headed out to see the man in the red suit the next day after brunch which meant, unfortunately, that the little one was a bit tired (it being mid-day). That there was a long, long line didn't help us any, and, not surprisingly, I was chartered with the task of corralling the little one. I did let him run circles around a big pillar in the mall for a bit. It was a long wait, the line inching forwards... inching. And, I noticed something I found fascinating...

I did not take my camera.
(Okay - I considered it.)

As we waited, there were cameras snapping everywhere... in the line (the tree as a backing; perched on top of the giant bronze toy soldier's foot, etc.) and up in front of Santa.

But, at one point, I was trying to distract the little one, and we went up front to see who was on Santa's lap.

And, after the official photo was taken, and before they readjusted fussy velvet and bow-laden dresses (again) and added yet another child to Santa's lap, the mom stepped in front, and took some photos. This family had several different "sittings" with Santa, in fact, and each time, the mom stepped in front and took a few of her own.

And, as soon as Santa saw her... he looked down.

Not really obviously. But... down...

Subtle.

I noticed it... and so I watched.

And... every time a camera appeared, he looked down.

Clearly, that's the protocol.

There is no rule that you can't snap your own photos AFTER the official photo is taken. So, parents don't get mad by being told "no cameras."

But Santa's instructions, clearly, are to make getting a good shot difficult - to look down.

It all makes total sense. Very smart, in fact.

But really fascinating to watch.

To Santa's credit, we did get a nod of the head as he told the boys that the number one rule is "No fighting." And, I swear I heard, right before he ushered them off his lap, "Give your mom a break."

We took comfort in the wise Santa.

For about 5 minutes....

Then, as I sat on a bench after that waiting with the boys for something to be returned, they were happily coming up with alternate "number one rules" - like "no nose picking."

Santa, did you hear that?

Oh, and about that "you can tell Santa three things" approach...

The oldest came to me with a worried look... "He didn't just tell him three things," he said, shaking his head.

"How many did he say?"

"His whole list!"

Oh, it was very funny, and, hearing that, I understood the slightly glazed expression Santa got midway through as the little one kept talking and talking and talking!

Did I mention the one family ... Grandma in red... grown middle-aged son in red and with a very tall bleached pompadour-like hairdo... and twenty-something grandson with shocking red hair and a chartreuse reptile-skin-print shirt... and their little dog... they had a family photo with Santa... and Santa's elf used the horn blower to try and get the dog to ... um... smile. All of this... of course... added to OUR wait in line.

But, I really hope they got a good photo.

Not a holiday shot, I know! But a shot of "light," yes... and such beautiful light from this morning.

So, I'm in a holding pattern a bit... I can't finish my "labels" until the new scanner arrives (finally, gave in). So, even if I'd written my holiday cards, I couldn't send them yet! And, I did order special pcards to mail (thanks to Kritty for continuing to push me on that), but they are not here yet either (okay, I was very slow in doing it). So, I can't send those out yet. I have a few things to wrap up and send to a few people. But... again... I need those labels. So... a holding pattern!

But, EP 77 of the Creative Mom Podcast did go live last night.

So... things still appearing here... and the "birds nests" craze continues... I'm so enamored with these, I can't help it. And... the things I sew... means there are constantly little nests piling up all over my table. [I spent time working out how to make small envelopes for them over the weekend. Tedious. But... now I've got sets!]

Episode 76 of the Creative Mom Podcast: The Spirit of Things went live today. (It may be that there is only one more before Christmas!) Be sure and check the show notes for links to some of the people/artists/items I talked about (like the paper cranes ornaments)!

And now... a few things on my radar and still open in tabs of my Firefox browser...

• I talked about these cranes in EP 76... and today... there's a William Morris one! Oh, wow, oh, wow, oh wow! Love her cranes.
• Soltrcy's Paper Trees w/ lights (modeled after ones Poppins posted)
• Mimiga by Kwoozy (aren't these adorable! Just SOOOOOOO cute.)
• Awesome small pin cushions! (Still wanna make a nice square one for myself. Next year... I'm putting that on the list with "selvage strip pillow" for my chair.)
• Parts 1 and 2 of Geninne's Hand-Carved Stamp Tutorial (and browse around to look at her awesome bird art and Illustration Friday responses!).
• Did you see these cookies Poppins made? Fabulous shot!
• Love Ann-D's bird here!
• Kris's carved camera stamp is awesome!

Car
My self and pizza
Santa Claus
Coffee
Our house
Toilet
Book
Toilet Paper
My brain
Milk
Eyeballs
Mouse
Sleeping Queens
Stinkers
My money
Pencil
Lamp
...

Yeah. That's the list from an impromptu game of "I'm Going to the Moon" (not in the car) (requested by 3 1/2 year old).

Did I mention I have two boys?

Halfway through the game, I was so struck by the "content" of the list that I grabbed a pad of (pink) post-its and wrote it down... totally violating the rules of the game, of course, but totally true to my need to record the moment!

(The oldest was not happy that I'd written the list down!)

And, for those of you who noticed there was no post-grocery post today... I did go to the grocery. I went... two children in tow. One in the cart piling boxes up around him and exclaiming, loudly, "Matthew, help me, it's a volcano" (over and over and over down one aisle). And one... walking... and reading every sign and box we passed: "Milk... Wine... Beer... Spirits..."

As we walked into the store, the little one did notice the flowers... and suggest (loudly) that we needed some. So... at least there was that.... a good precursor to the volcano aisle!

I've somehow fallen into a habit of blogging on Sundays after I return from grocery shopping. How has that happened? I have no idea. I don't even attach much significance to the trip to the grocery, and yet somehow it has become a weekly fulcrum for checking in here on the blog. I do remember, longingly, the days of WebVan.... how nice it was to have WebVan deliver each week. WebVan went out of business... and for some reason, having Safeway deliver... just doesn't have the same vibe!

In truth, I don't mind the weekly trip... Today, I am here, on the blogs, catching up just a bit in reading Kritty, and SunnyNole, and Poppins, Average Jane (AKA Burb_Mama), CheryLOL, and SouleMama, and many others while a game of Sleeping Queens concludes in the other room. (I played Scrabble Jr. this morning. I'm excused from a game of Sleeping Queens.)

I am here, today, before the grocery.

And so... the above page from a Moleskine that is nearing its final pages. Right now, it is a sketch that speaks to me... and the colors... and the combination and layering of paint and fabric... the visual and the tactile... it makes me smile to see it.

And that.... matters!

I've somehow fallen into a habit of blogging on Sundays after I return from grocery shopping. How has that happened? I have no idea. I don't even attach much significance to the trip to the grocery, and yet somehow it has become a weekly fulcrum for checking in here on the blog. I do remember, longingly, the days of WebVan.... how nice it was to have WebVan deliver each week. WebVan went out of business... and for some reason, having Safeway deliver... just doesn't have the same vibe!

In truth, I don't mind the weekly trip... Today, I am here, on the blogs, catching up just a bit in reading Kritty, and SunnyNole, and Poppins, Average Jane (AKA Burb_Mama), CheryLOL, and SouleMama, and many others while a game of Sleeping Queens concludes in the other room. (I played Scrabble Jr. this morning. I'm excused from a game of Sleeping Queens.)

I am here, today, before the grocery.

And so... the above page from a Moleskine that is nearing its final pages. Right now, it is a sketch that speaks to me... and the colors... and the combination and layering of paint and fabric... the visual and the tactile... it makes me smile to see it.

And that.... matters!

The above photo is one of several from a walk my mother and I took last week, briefly described in the opening notes of Episode 71 of the Creative Mom Podcast which is, of course, now live. It is a walk I am very glad we took. A special place.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Halloween.... and much fun with their families.

I take it as a good sign... a moment of luck... when you decide to splurge and have a bagel because you are really, really, really hungry... and you toast the bagel, stepping around your children who are occupied in the middle of the kitchen floor, to retrieve it from the toaster after you wait patiently for it to pop up... and, tossing it onto a plate (because it is hot), you move to the other side of the kitchen where the butter awaits... and you butter it... carefully... happily... and just as you finish buttering it, one half falls, flipping and twisting and turning as it heads to the floor... but lands... butter side up.

That strikes me as a good thing.

The photo above is one from last week's tea. This photo intrigues me because "that" was sitting right behind me and caught my eye as I turned to look around me at one point. Struck by it, I snapped a picture. But I didn't see the broken china until I uploaded the photos later.