Summertime country time

A few days ago we left NYC, making a break for the country.  We drove 785 miles to Ben's parents' home in Indiana.  August in New York is hot and humid.  The city boils.  The garbage on the streets (no alleyways in nyc) is more noticeably fragrant.  We have flexibility right now with our jobs, so it seemed the perfect time to take off.

Driving 785 miles with a 2 year old isn't high on my list of things to do again soon, although Arlo was in good spirits most of the way.  But being here is great, being here in the house Ben and I got married in.  It's nice to think about all the adventures we've had since then, and how many more we're slated for.

Plus it's just beautiful here.  Trees, open sky full of stars at night.  A yard for Arlo to run around in...

But as much as I love being here and enjoying the open space, I think for now it just helps solidify what we're doing in the city, and that's the right place for us right now.  Someday we'll break free.  But no rush.  Not yet.

Summer's bounty

At this time two years ago I was in early labor.  I was preparing to transition my sweet Arlo to the outside world.  Two years later I find myself so profoundly affected by this amazing little person.  I am so very very lucky that he and I managed to somehow find each other across space and time, and choose each other for this journey.

Ben and Arlo went to the park this morning so that I could do yoga and get some work done.  This is our new routine, and I think it's divine!  Arlo came home and napped, and I had the most beautiful lunch, inspired by fresh baby lettuce and perfectly sweet tomatoes from our CSA share.  It was nourishing in every way, and I spent the greater part of my day reflecting on how truly blessed I am. 

I have taken Arlo's birthday off from work (and plan to every year) and we have plans to make a run for nature in the morning.  I want to commune with the earth on this important day, the anniversary of his birth.  In the future Arlo can tell us what he wants to do for his birthday, but for now we're feeling the draw of the mountains and the trees and the dirt and the water.

Bday present from Gramma and Grandpa Lieber

Mon petit ange, my little rapscallion prince, with great spirit, with great heart.  So many adventures await.  For now I treasure your kisses, your smiles, your snuggles, your expressions, your words, and sometimes even your tantrums.  For this too shall pass.

Snowclones

After an Arlo inspired hiatus I am making art again!  And it's a wonderful thing!
I recently was given the opportunity to show some artwork in an exhibition called Snowclones.  It's a really exciting show and has been a lot of fun.

And now

It's been awhile since I updated.  So much has happened!  Yoga, art, love, apartment renovations...! Months have passed, and I wasn't really sure what to post after we lost Moon.  We were very sad and everything was so crazy with renovations, that nothing seemed important enough to post as a follow up.  But now so much has changed that it's finally time to start anew.  We still really miss Moon a lot.  I often think how cruel it is that our furry friends don't stay around as long as we might like.

Image via http://www.ics.uci.edu/~eppstein/pix/dv/CrackedMud1.html

That said, my sweet skinned, 2 legged, beloved Arlo is growing and becoming more and more interesting every single day!!  He is soaking up the world around him, and Ben and I are learning to watch our language!  ;)  My little yogi will go right into downward facing dog if one of us calls it out.  He understands so much of what we say and what is going on around him.

Our 2 month long apartment renovations were long and arduous, despite the fact that we weren't physically doing the majority of the work.  It was painfully difficult working from home, trying to take care of a toddler, and having strangers in our home making loud noises all the time!

But life starts anew (thank goodness!) and time ticks by whether we're ready for it or not. 

 

So here we are today, reconciled with the time that's past, enjoying the moments as they go by (even more so now that the heatwave has subsided) and looking forward, but not rushing it.

Moon

Image via Science On a Sphere

There was a full moon 14 years ago on the night when Ben found a little black kitten, who he named Moon.  Our Moon girl has had a good life, a life of leisure, I might say.  She hasn't had to hunt for food or look for warmth or affection.  She has had to deal with a young human cub these last nineteen months, but he has loved her and learned to be gentle with her in his adoration.  She, in turn, has been incredibly tolerant and sweet with him.  They are fast friends.  There have been plenty of scratches, but only when he deserved them.

Our Moon

I am so sad that we had to say goodbye to Moon this evening, and I am still kind of in shock.
I know I shouldn't be surprised.  She's an older cat, and has never been the picture of health.  We took her to the vet a week ago and found out she had hyperthyroidism, so I guess I thought she was getting better and would stick around for awhile.  If we lived in the country she probably would have left us a few weeks ago, and not come back.  But for some reason it's still a sad surprise.

Arlo really loves Moon, probably as much as we do.  He follows her around the house and says her name.  I really wanted her to live long enough for him to remember her.

I think we're going to be a family of two legged creatures for awhile.  I figure someday Arlo will ask for another pet, and we'll want to oblige his request.  But for now, all I can say is that I'm eternally grateful for the good times and the good love we had with Moon.  I will miss her a lot.

5th wedding anniversary

For our fifth wedding anniversary Ben and I decided to leave town at the very last minute.  Within 2 hours of making the decision, we were packed and on the road.  I think we both had been itching to get out of the city for awhile.  Pretty much every time we've gotten in the car the last month I've said "I wish we were going somewhere--I mean other than the grocery! I want to be in the woods" (or at the ocean or in the mountains, etc.)  We had numerous conversations that started with one of us asking "What if we just head north right now?  I mean we could wear the same clothes for a few days... hike, climb some rocks..."  So I certainly wasn't shocked when the moment came and we decided to get the heck out of town to celebrate our anniversary.  What a great excuse!  :) 

Ben and I both grew up in rural settings.  As a kid, I have a very clear memory of learning what the word "dusk" meant, because that's when I had to come home.  But other than that we would pack sandwiches and spend our days in the woods.  In the summer we tromped in Rocky Creek, in the winter we sledded Suicide Hill.  Ahh, sweet memories.

As a teenager I couldn't wait to escape country life and get lost in the city.  As an adult I've spent most of my time in cities, retreating to the country at every chance I get.  Having a baby in the city has cemented so many of my values, it still surprises me.  No matter whether we live here forever or end up somewhere else, it's crucial for me that my boy knows how things grow and where his food comes from.  He should know the leaves and the dirt and the sound of the birds.  He should know mud and wild onions and wild animals.  I remember with fond pride watching him pick his first (organic) apple off a tree and start munching.  He was 13 months old.

And now back to our story.

Shawangunks, NY  March 2011

For five years now Ben and I have been married.  For five years as a married couple, bound by law (!!) we've suffered each others' quirks and moods and enjoyed and annoyed.  And I'd do it all again.

We had unseasonably lovely weather for our anniversary, 2 days before the official start of spring.  Absolutely gorgeous weather, just like the day we were married.  I'm glad we were able to get out and enjoy it.  Together.

New yoga mat

A couple of months ago I got a new yoga mat.  I got a Manduka Pro-lite, and I tell you it's love.  I couldn't decide which Manduka to get, so I bought an EKO mat and a Pro-lite.  After practicing on both, I've decided to give the EKO to my husband.  Luckily I picked gender neutral colors when devising this plan.

My old mat served me well.  But it had a burn (from ear candling gone awry), cat scratches too numerous to count and sadly, two cat puke stains.  Plus it just didn't offer the same support as the Mandukas I'd tried at Virayoga.

Pic via Gaiam Life

I didn't want to throw it away though!  So I did some research on recycling and reusing yoga mats.  Here's an article that offers 50 ways to reuse your yoga mat.  We ended up using part of my old yoga mat to line the shelves where we leave our shoes upon entering the apartment and the rest as a pad under and around the cat litter.  Very useful!

We still have some scraps left, so maybe I'll try and tackle these yoga mat flip flops next.  Kinda awesome!

Stretch it out!

When I was around 16 weeks pregnant we went in for an ultrasound.  First Arlo was lazy, then he was  swimming around like crazy.  At one point I swear he was doing downward facing dog.  I looked at my husband and asked "Did you see that?  He's already a yogi!!"

Well he's still going strong.  Hands up to the sky, hands to the floor.  When I pull out my yoga mat he bends over and shows me how stretchy his little body still is.  It's beautiful.  He can even do the splits!

18 months

This child makes me feel grateful, thankful, blessed.

Patience

Yesterday I did this wonderful, short yoga sequence by Elena Brower on Yogaglo.  The description of this 10 minute sequence says "A selection of standing poses, a makeshift mudra for patience and a brief meditation that will help all moms find more strength, space and time in the most challenging moments of your day."  First of all, I felt great afterward--spacious, grounded, patient and full of love.  Little did I know how much I would need those feelings just a bit later in the afternoon!

 

My husband is an artist, and I absolutely love that he makes his ink drawings at home rather than in the studio.  I did not love it yesterday though, when he left a bin with at least 4 different bottles of ink (without lids!!) within toddler's reach.  Luckily I had just done that sweet little yoga sequence, so I was brimming with patience and love and managed to find humor in the situation rather than being too terribly upset during the 45+ minutes it took to clean up this pretty little mess.