There are days in this parenting game that a girl can get lost in all the chaos happening around her.
I always think in the very back of my head that one day I will figure this all out. One day I will get it together. One day I will be organized and one day I will react to every situation thrown at me with poise and calm and wisdom and the children in turn will calmly accept my words of wisdom and decrees and go on with their day. I don't know where this ridiculous idea of perfection comes from but it is my undoing.
I know on the surface that I should focus on the fact that I have the dishwasher loaded, part of the kitchen clean and muffins in the oven for lunches tomorrow. On the surface I should be happy and grateful that my daughter is out for a walk with her Oma-just one on one, getting some exercise. Unfortunately I can only focus on how UN-happy my son is that I couldn't take him on an errand he's been looking forward to all week because Oma dropped by and it's now too late to go out. Have I mentioned the joys of Asperger inflexibility in this space??? Sigh.
The only thing a girl can do at times like these is throw up her hands and knit on.
Knitting will bring on the zen I need right now.
They say knitting is the new yoga...you may have heard that one before...and I swear it is.
So I say give up on the perfect mothering crap and KNIT ON ZEN MOTHER. If I had a mantra that would be it.
Tuesday, June 24, 2014
Sunday, June 22, 2014
Gratitude Sunday-weeding, knitting and what-not
Joining Taryn today at Wooly Moss Roots Blog:
I finally got the last 2 rows of my garden weeded and mulched. Now (hopefully) I can just concentrate on weeding around the plants instead of the space between the rows. I also got a good start on the collar of now-The-Emster's Jackaroo sweater. I really wish I'd made notes on the pattern about such things as what needle size I used to knit the thing. Urgh.
So without further ado, my list:
:: the cool morning air so I could weed without cooking in the sun
:: not too many mosquitos to contend with as I weeded
:: coffee :)
:: toasted tomato sandwiches for lunch
:: time to add new things to my Etsy shop
:: laundry hanging in the sun to dry
:: peace in the house, for a little while anyway
:: strawberry-rhubarb crisp
:: playing Scrabble with my son, using such words as "toy", "pine", "if" etc. There are professional Scrabble players getting sharp pains in their heads and they don't know why.
I finally got the last 2 rows of my garden weeded and mulched. Now (hopefully) I can just concentrate on weeding around the plants instead of the space between the rows. I also got a good start on the collar of now-The-Emster's Jackaroo sweater. I really wish I'd made notes on the pattern about such things as what needle size I used to knit the thing. Urgh.
So without further ado, my list:
:: the cool morning air so I could weed without cooking in the sun
:: not too many mosquitos to contend with as I weeded
:: coffee :)
:: toasted tomato sandwiches for lunch
:: time to add new things to my Etsy shop
:: laundry hanging in the sun to dry
:: peace in the house, for a little while anyway
:: strawberry-rhubarb crisp
:: playing Scrabble with my son, using such words as "toy", "pine", "if" etc. There are professional Scrabble players getting sharp pains in their heads and they don't know why.
Wednesday, June 18, 2014
Farmstead Chef and Hedge-hog/bear Mittens
Joining Ginny today at Small Things blog for Yarnalong:
I found Farmstead Chef at my library on Saturday. I picked it up thinking it was a nice cookbook with a farming bent to it but when I got it home and started looking through it I quickly realized it was much more than that. John Ivanko and Lisa Kivirist include lots of recipes to make the most out of your kitchen garden produce but then peppered through are all sorts of little snippets to read. There are stories about foraging, advocating a backyard garden for all, building community through growing food and living a sustainable life. I'm looking forward to really digging into this book. Pun totally intended.
Knitting another mitten. Yup. Wish I had something new and exciting to report but time is short in my world these days and mittens are quick. I love knitting mittens though. I love them because they knit up quickly and I love their practicality and how nice hand-knit mittens look and feel. Every time I see someone with hand-knit mittens I automatically think "someone loves this person a lot". These mittens were going to become hedgehog mittens but I realized at one point that I should've started the moss-stitch to make them all hedge-hoggy sooner and was too lazy to rip them back and redo. So now they'll be bear mittens. Still cute I think. I also should've gone down a needle size but I love my wooden needles and going down a size would've meant metal needles and I just couldn't do it. I'm going to sneak down to my little corner of the house now and see if I can't get another few rows done on The Kirin shawl. It's a slow process to be sure.
Knitting another mitten. Yup. Wish I had something new and exciting to report but time is short in my world these days and mittens are quick. I love knitting mittens though. I love them because they knit up quickly and I love their practicality and how nice hand-knit mittens look and feel. Every time I see someone with hand-knit mittens I automatically think "someone loves this person a lot". These mittens were going to become hedgehog mittens but I realized at one point that I should've started the moss-stitch to make them all hedge-hoggy sooner and was too lazy to rip them back and redo. So now they'll be bear mittens. Still cute I think. I also should've gone down a needle size but I love my wooden needles and going down a size would've meant metal needles and I just couldn't do it. I'm going to sneak down to my little corner of the house now and see if I can't get another few rows done on The Kirin shawl. It's a slow process to be sure.
Tuesday, June 17, 2014
Knitting is the thing to do at moments such as these.
There are times when I understand why tigers eat their young. My oldest child is at camp with his classmates for the next 4 days. I envisioned lots of quality time with the kid left behind but instead this evening has been nothing but mood swings and disagreements. Maybe the tigers are onto something....
After yet one more disagreement, this one about whether or not there would be chocolate chips in the cake she was baking (there would NOT be) I threw up my hands and escaped to the front stoop to stew about ungrateful children, chocolate chips and the feasibility of starting life anew in Mexico. I did calm down and so did she. This child of mine is a strong-willed, independent one and I know I should be grateful that she has a mind of her own and isn't easily swayed by her peers or anyone else but it is exhausting some days to parent this situation with love and grace and wisdom.
I did come inside and pick up some knitting after a little while. Knitting is like meditation and yoga and a long, brisk walk all rolled into one when there's no way you can get away because your child has a cake in the oven and hasn't got a ton of experience checking for doneness but refuses help because SHE CAN DO IT HERSELF MOM. Knitting is the thing to do at moments such as these. It looks like you're engrossed in something and not paying attention to what they're doing when in reality you are totally tuned into what's going on and the only thing keeping you sane is the repetitive soothingness of knit and purl.
My oatmeal blanket was the thing I picked up. By the time I'm done knitting or purling 200 stitches I feel a little more rational about life in general.
Is there a project you gravitate towards when life is getting a little out of control and you need some serenity NOW?
After yet one more disagreement, this one about whether or not there would be chocolate chips in the cake she was baking (there would NOT be) I threw up my hands and escaped to the front stoop to stew about ungrateful children, chocolate chips and the feasibility of starting life anew in Mexico. I did calm down and so did she. This child of mine is a strong-willed, independent one and I know I should be grateful that she has a mind of her own and isn't easily swayed by her peers or anyone else but it is exhausting some days to parent this situation with love and grace and wisdom.
I did come inside and pick up some knitting after a little while. Knitting is like meditation and yoga and a long, brisk walk all rolled into one when there's no way you can get away because your child has a cake in the oven and hasn't got a ton of experience checking for doneness but refuses help because SHE CAN DO IT HERSELF MOM. Knitting is the thing to do at moments such as these. It looks like you're engrossed in something and not paying attention to what they're doing when in reality you are totally tuned into what's going on and the only thing keeping you sane is the repetitive soothingness of knit and purl.
My oatmeal blanket was the thing I picked up. By the time I'm done knitting or purling 200 stitches I feel a little more rational about life in general.
Is there a project you gravitate towards when life is getting a little out of control and you need some serenity NOW?
Sunday, June 15, 2014
Gardening, Sprinkler-jumping and Gratitudes
Joining Taryn today at Wooly Moss Roots for Gratitude Sunday...
I have spent a good chunk of this weekend puttering around in the garden weeding, mulching, planting, transplanting and the like. I don't think I've enjoyed my garden as much as I have this year. Things are growing and I have this feeling that it is really important this year that this garden be productive.
I'd so like to be home and not going to work but food costs money and these growing kids of mine need to have healthy food available to them and perhaps this garden will contribute significantly to that.
(part of my garden in the background behind the Em-ster leaping through the sprinkler)
On Saturday morning we went to the market and I bought a flat of Ontario strawberries, quarts of imported blueberries and raspberries (not my favourite choice but it'll be another month before local berries are available), leeks, spinach, the most gorgeous, delicious tomatoes, radishes and-much to the dismay of the aforementioned growing children-2 bunches of asparagus. I am in love with simple meals made from local ingredients right now.
As for my list of Gratitudes:
:: rain this weekend that broke the humidity, sent temperatures down to 15C and sent the mosquitos into hiding
:: gardening without being swarmed by mosquitos
:: farmer's markets and local vegetables. I particularly favour the stalls where the people taking your money have dirt under their nails and clearly picked the vegetables the day before.
:: Ontario strawberries-so so so good! and eating them out of hand because you know you can get more and don't have to ration them out.
:: mason jars around my house full of fresh-cut flowers from around my yard
:: long-hoped for good fortune coming our way
:: giving myself a night off from working and tucking into the new Taproot magazine
Wishing you all a peaceful week full of good food, cooperative children and time to follow your passions!
I have spent a good chunk of this weekend puttering around in the garden weeding, mulching, planting, transplanting and the like. I don't think I've enjoyed my garden as much as I have this year. Things are growing and I have this feeling that it is really important this year that this garden be productive.
I'd so like to be home and not going to work but food costs money and these growing kids of mine need to have healthy food available to them and perhaps this garden will contribute significantly to that.
On Saturday morning we went to the market and I bought a flat of Ontario strawberries, quarts of imported blueberries and raspberries (not my favourite choice but it'll be another month before local berries are available), leeks, spinach, the most gorgeous, delicious tomatoes, radishes and-much to the dismay of the aforementioned growing children-2 bunches of asparagus. I am in love with simple meals made from local ingredients right now.
As for my list of Gratitudes:
:: rain this weekend that broke the humidity, sent temperatures down to 15C and sent the mosquitos into hiding
:: gardening without being swarmed by mosquitos
:: farmer's markets and local vegetables. I particularly favour the stalls where the people taking your money have dirt under their nails and clearly picked the vegetables the day before.
:: Ontario strawberries-so so so good! and eating them out of hand because you know you can get more and don't have to ration them out.
:: mason jars around my house full of fresh-cut flowers from around my yard
:: long-hoped for good fortune coming our way
:: giving myself a night off from working and tucking into the new Taproot magazine
Wishing you all a peaceful week full of good food, cooperative children and time to follow your passions!
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