Boots and Boats

John and I recently had some time in a wet field - time to make boats and float them in puddles.

Well, to be perfectly honest, John was first drawn to the playground.  I really didn't feel like chasing him around, lifting him onto zip-lines and trying to squelch my height advantage in tetherball.  I personally prefer to spend my time making boats out of grass.  Fortunately, John is a pushover when wearing his "puddle boots."  

So, I lured him into the temporary pond.  Then I got to enjoy taking pictures and thinking about how dreamy he appeared as he made floating objects out of reeds.  Actually, to be perfectly honest again, he stomped on the "boats" the second that they hit the water.   

Anyway, I got my idyllic scenes.  And I do think John had fun with his boots, and his boats.

 

Making Things: A Coat Rack

I am thrilled with our new, homemade coat rack.  It isn't actually functional, but somehow that seems secondary.  It was a collaboration primarily between Clara, John and myself.  Here is what we did:

1.  Clara whittled a huge stick / branch.
2.  I found the base of an umbrella that lost its umbrella to a windstorm probably ten years ago.
3.  Clara's stick / branch fit perfectly into the umbrella base.  (This coincidence inspired the rack.)
4.  John hammered holes in some strips of wood.  (See hammer above.)
5.  From John's holes, I screwed the wood onto Clara's stick.

The wood strips are a bit small, and they flop down under the weight of a coat.  Yes, I know the purpose of a coat rack is to hold coats.  But, some of John's jackets are light enough.  And, Jeff's windbreaker hangs on the top of Clara's stick.  Anyway, we made it so who cares?  At least three in this household consider it art.

Cranberries on Cedar

Today, amidst the cold and snow, Clara and I laid a bright red strand of cranberries on my favorite cedar tree.  Brave, bold colors await a brave, cold chickadee.

Just a few feet away, our warm home feels like a messy blur of color and tone.  Yet, we have our own clear contrasts: little joys and little sorrows, affection and anger, late night quiet and mid-day screams, cuddles and kicks, vegetables and sugars, sweet costumes and temper-inducing socks, dreams and worries, fears and hopes.

I remain inspired by the red on green and white.  Its beauty, its contrasts, and the clarity it inspires.  A nice vision for the new year.