SouleMama

my hometown

It's no secret that I love this little city of ours. Having spent most of my life here, I may be a little biased, but I do think it's a really fabulous place for families. So, naturally, I jumped at the chance to talk about my hometown recently when AlphaMom asked me to write "50 Things to Do in Portland, Maine With Your Kids Before They Grow Up".

Head on over and take a peek. If you're local, I hope there's something new for you to discover there - and I'd love to hear your favorite spots that I left off the list (leave it in the comments of that post for all to see!). And if you're headed this way for a vacation sometime, I hope you'll find something to make your stay even more enjoyable. And if Portland isn't in your travel plan anytime soon, there are some other really great lists for cities across the country already listed and more coming in the next few weeks.

Special thanks to my Dad, for not only his help with this list, but for taking me to so many of these spots as a kid!

Here's to exploring your favorite cities with litle ones!

Week of Spring :: Friday

It's nearly planting time!

beaches & books

A photo from an after-dinner walk along the shore with friends last week. Good friends, good food & the ocean - I'm not sure it gets much better than that. Except when you add the sound of squealing children, and a toddler laughing and running with all her might for as long as she could (which is a very long time) just because she can, and because it feels so good.

Before I give you all the wrong impression of Maine weather, I should tell you that the water is COLD. You wouldn't find me in it yet - not for months. But the kids? Well, they love it. And yes, it really has been warm enough to go the beach in 'spring' clothes, but you know, it could very well snow this weekend (but please don't) and I wouldn't be surprised, either. April in Maine - you really never can tell what will happen (this time last year). We'll take the sunny warm beach days and be grateful for them while they're here.

A little note about the book: You can now find signed copies of The Creative Family in my Shop! My apologies to those who would have liked this option earlier - It took me a bit to figure this part out.

And one last thing for the locals: don't miss the Food + Farm: Examining Our Access to Sustainable Food event at SPACE gallery this weekend (and co-sponsored by MOFGA). There are some great things going on throughout the weekend, including a kids event on Saturday we're pretty psyched about (see the schedule for details). It's farm season!

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Earth Day 2008

I'm a firm believer that one must truly know and love something in order to be believe strongly enough to protect, save and heal it. This philosophy guides the way we parent in so many different areas, and certainly our feelings and beliefs about the Earth are at the top of that. I truly want for my children to love and know the world around them, and as a byproduct, I know (and have already seen) that a sense of caring for it will evolve. I don't want to flood them with doom and gloom of the state of the world, but rather, mindfully give them information as they are ready - as they age, and as emotions mature. I think they know a lot about the state of things, but more than that, they really quite simply are in love with - and still getting to know - the Earth around them. I do think most children are...

So yesterday we celebrated Earth Day in a way that is similar to many days around here, I think - part action, part education, and a whole lot of living, loving and growing in the woods.

Their day ended with their first camp out under the stars. They prepared excitedly for it all afternoon - gathering everything they needed and playing out there. And when it was time for bed, they marveled at the mysteries in the dark around them, read a book by headlamp, and fell asleep.

We carried them in after that, because Mama has this silly little rule about sleeping outside without a tent when it's  only 35 degrees and there's still snow on the ground. But I do agree that Earth Day is, indeed, a wonderful night for dreaming under the stars. I'm glad there was some dreaming...

bringing it back outside

The days are still mostly cool, and there are even still little bits of snow in this part of the world. The ground isn't ready for planting, and there's little cleaning up that can be done quite yet. But we're getting out there anyway in the brisk spring air not long after sun-up and staying out all day. After such a long winter spent inside, none of us wants to waste a minute of the sunshine and the chance to be outside for so much longer each day. Each time I open the door, I feel this outward spill of energy virtually busting the door open as everyone rushes outside to get as far away from the house - and sometimes, each other - as possible. Scattering to their respective outside work and play spots - taking up as much space as possible. Just because we can. Because it feels so good to stretch like this. Yes, it feels like we're coming out of hibernation.

And with us - also outside goes the 'making' of our days. From the wintry inside things of: sewing machines; drawing paper and pencils ; and blocks, to the tools and materials and projects of the outdoors: new bike rails out of logs; a hole dug in the mud; and searching for bits for the fairy houses.

It feels so good. And it's just beginning.

it begins

{One year ago, give or take a day.}

Ah.....we've been watching...hoping...and waiting for this. On March 1st, we turned our bird calendar to a page full of robins - and we all wondered, "Really? This month, they'll return?"

We began preparing the bird book basket - which sits out all year long - with some new additions. The beautiful How To Paint The Portrait of A Bird - a magical tale of dreamy bird love (thank you for the recommend, Jennifer!). And of course, our treasured Bird Song purchased just last year - with the binding falling apart and already in need of duct tape from it's frequent and oh-so-loved use. And the requests to visit the photos in Birds of the World have been increasing each day. And then more waiting.

Then last week, in between the snowfall, we spied our first cardinal pair, frolicking amidst the piles of white, searching for the bits of food.

And just yesterday that we had our first real Spring "bird moment" of the season. Where our little family crowds around the windows or quietly opens the door and tiptoes onto a porch to stare, marvel and wonder at the magic we see. Robins, chickadees, cardinals, a woodpecker (it's type debated heavily amongst the Soule Birders - if only because we're all eager for a good bird debate), and a turkey vulture - all out there yesterday morning at the same time. There was running for the bird books, and the camera....but more than either of those things, there was a lot of watching. And hushed whispers of, "Do you see...?" and "It's a...!". And a lot of big eyes. 10, to be precise.

With big eyes and open windows, we found that silence within - silence that is so rarely found in this noisy house of five. Silence as we closed our mouths and opened our ears and hearts to hear them sing their bird songs.

Oh, I think it's magic. Simply magic.

Wintry Weather Favorites

{Aw, thanks. You are very sweet. I really appreciate your kind words about our little calendar. We had such fun putting it together...and after a little break from my scanner (or perhaps a scanning lesson for Calvin), I can't wait to see what project we begin next!}   

So...we've had some serious snow around these parts.The word is that this is the most snow we've had this early in the season in something like 40 years. The kids are beside themselves with glee at the outdoor play land we've got going on: cross country skiing, skating, sledding, snowshoeing, and generally rolling around in the powder...and Steve and Calvin are downright giddy about hitting the mountains for some downhill action this year too.For now, and for the most part - I'm rather enjoying all the snow. It's beautiful out there!  And inside is the pleasure of January nesting - we're getting in some serious couch time; drinking lots of cocoa and tea; playing more Animal Yahtzee than I ever thought possible; making lots of everything; and doing lots of reading. The couch and quilts and a pile of books are where it's at right now. In that light, I thought I'd put together a reading list of our favorite books from our Winter basket, and perhaps share a new list as each season begins this year.

Our Favorite Wintry Reads!

(A few that made their way onto the holiday list I did in November that really apply here too: Owl Moon - Jane Yolen; Snow - Uri Shulevitz; The Big Snow - Berta and Elmer Hader; The Story of the Snow Children - Sibylle Von Olfers; Winter - Gerda Muller )

And the rest...

Snowflake Bentley - Jacqueline Briggs Martin
I love this story - I love finding children's books that tell the true story of people following their passions. This story tells the tale of Wilson Bentley, the snowflake guy! This book usually inspired a great flood of snowflake making in this house, which I feel coming on pretty soon. Gotta stock up on my coffee filters. I keep adding Snow Crystals - one of Bentley's books - to my wish list, but it hasn't made it's way in yet. Maybe this winter.

Flannel Kisses - Linda Crotta Brennan
This was a recommend from our last book list, and I'm so glad for it. It's a short, sweet, and simple story featuring so many things we love about winter - snow, quilts, soup, family, and coziness.

The Tomten, and The Tomten and The Fox - Astrid Lindgren
Adelaide has a big Tomten thing going on right now - I can't even imagine how many times I've read these books. I adore everything Astrid Lindgren did, but these are really special, sweet stories. And just the right length for my two year old.

Flower Fairies of the Winter - Cicely Mary Barker
I found this book (along with the others in the collection) on a recent clean-out of the basement. I think I had them before the children were born, and I'm so glad I found them at a time when they can be so enjoyed. The poetry is simple and lovely, and of course, her drawings of the fairies and flowers are stunningly beautiful.

Grandmother Winter - Phyllis Root
I bought this book as a holiday gift after being reminded of it on the last book list. I'm so grateful for that reminder - it's such a sweet tale of the origin of winter, and we've been enjoying it's cozy tone.

The Snowy Day - Ezra Jack Keats
One of the few books I remember so fondly from my childhood. And my little ones love it too - of course, being by "Ezra" and all makes it a whole bunch more fascinating around here to my little guy. I love the simplicity of this story - and the 'blanket' of snow that arrives. Sweet, sweet.

Mr. Snow - Roger Hargreaves
I recently rediscovered these Mr. Men and Little Miss books when Edith & Edna started carrying them. Do you remember them? I remember reading them as a child, and my kids are as in love with them as I remember being. Reading them as a parent, there's a fine line between them irritating me and enjoying the simple stories. But these books have insipired a great deal of my kids' book making of their own characters, so for that I do love them.

Winter Waits - Lynn Plourd
I love this series by Lynn Plourd with of nature's 'family' personified through characters in each season. In this book, "Winter" is a playful young boy who sparkles in the snowy winter. This seems to be out on Amazon, but the Author (a fellow Mainer!) has links to purchase on her own website here.

Brambley Hedge Winter Story - Jill Barklem
Oh, the sweet mice of Brambly Hedge...this one tells the tale of them preparing for a magical snow ball. It appears to not be available on Amazon, or anywhere else I can find, though perhaps I'm just confused by the different editions. Maybe the library is the best place to find this tale - I do think it's worth it, espeically for those who are in between the picture book and chapter book stage.

Winter Tree Finder and Winter Weed Finder - Okay, these I don't have yet, but I just ordered them from my bookstore, and I'm really excited to see them. We have a lot of nature field guides, but I don't have any that are geared towards the landscape of winter. So I'm eagerly anticipating their arrival here for some exploring to begin.

Do you have a Wintry Weather favorite I haven't listed? I'd love to hear in the comments!  It's kind of fun to settle into a long book inside, that reflects what's going on outside, isn't it? We think so. And on that note (and in the interest of exercising your scrolling muscles) - this is what it does look like outside here now - taken over the course of a day.

Have a cozy weekend!

snowy day

Outside::

Inside::

It's still snowing out there! It's been one of those storms that I must admit - I've rather enjoyed from the inside for the most part. From my cozy spot on the couch? It's very pretty out there.

out walking

Some sights from a walk this week. More snow arrived last night (making the Old Port absolutely beautiful for Merry Madness), and more is headed our way tomorrow.  We have every intention of hunkering, playing, and cozying on into a wintry holiday weekend.

Wherever you are, and however white - or not - it is outside your door, I hope your weekend is a cozy one!

it's here!

Winter has arrived around these parts, and with it ... some of the treats of the season: gingerbread cookies, warm cider, and sledding with friends.

It amazes me each and every year - how instantly everything changes when this blanket of snow comes down and covers everything around us. Everything transforms into something new and fresh. And even though the weather has been slowly shifting as it does, it's still always a shock those first few times of the season - stepping out into the white crunch. It's beautiful, magical and amazing. The challenge is to still find it as beautiful, magical and amazing come March when it feels as though it will never end. So here's to remembering in March. It really is magical out there.