Spring! Where are you?

"Bread feeds the body, indeed, but flowers feed also the soul." ~The Koran

This post is a round up of sorts. I am getting tired of Winter, as are many of my East Coast friends. We've had a lot of snow, and it's all frozen and yucky now. I can't get my car in and out of my parking space without getting stuck, which bugs me, seeing as how I'm a New Englander and all. Yesterday as I was walking around, I felt that Spring was in the air - I could FEEL it. But today, it's blustery and cold out. I've been thinking of all those Daffodils under the snow and ice, and how GLAD I will be to see them bloom.

I'm also dreaming about our recent trip to the UK and how beautiful and green it was in Cornwall in December! Part of that trip included an amazing tour of Westminster Abbey, where we saw the tomb of Eleanor of Castile [image]. She sounds like an awesome lady, impressive that her husband (Edward I of England) had crosses erected for each place her body stopped on the journey back to London after her death. There was a beautiful stained glass window of Eleanor and Lady Margaret up in the rafters of the Abbey.

And of special note, I had a stunning conversation w/La Segunda recently which I will recount here:

me: I love you.
La S.: Why did you say that?
me: Well, we were quiet, and I wanted to tell you how I felt.
La S.: Well, I think you should say, "we're alive, we're happy, and we love each other."

WOW



[image from: Idle Speculations]

Blog Round-Up

There's been a lot going on this week:

Letter to Bush from a mom on mainstreet, thanks, Siren's Chronicles, for that. Friend speaks my mind.

Civil Disobedience for Climate Change?! I'm on it! P.S. That's Sir Bono and Al Gorgeous together!

What's the fastest way to become a US citizen? From TextMex

From a recent meeting at my girls' nursery school. This quote just reinforces my whole belief that nothing has changed over time. Yes the players and tools do, but not the feelings.

'The children now love luxury; they have bad manners, contempt for
authority; they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in lace of
exercise. Children are now tyrants, not the servants of their
households. They no longer rise when elders enter the room. They
contradict their parents, chatter before company, gobble up dainties
at the table, cross their legs, and tyrannize their teachers.'

Bob Blogs about my favorite superhero!

The "Forêt/Forest" Exhibit in Montreal looks awesome. I wish I could get up there to see it. Thanks bldgblog for the link.

Chicago has a climate plan. Yay! Maybe Philly will be next...?

Aerophant always blows my mind (in a good way) - it IS a beautiful world.

Apparently, my guy George Michael was busted again for drugs. Thanks to JoeMyGod for the news.... but maybe it's not really news anymore.


Cupcakes Take the Cake pointed out that people search for cupcakes in a financial crisis. So I tried seeing how often people search for religious art. It was pretty much the same until this week. Check the spike. [I wonder how many of those points over the years have been ME!?!] And, 5 Reasons why this Depression really IS Going to be Fun! From Gawker.

This week on the fashion front, we see BOTH plaids AND argyle on the Fug Report.

Idle Speculations posted a beautiful image of St Anthony the Abbott in the Wilderness. Wow. It feels appropriate for this week. Thanks, Terry.

And who knows whether the debate will actually happen tonight. I can't watch. Just like the Eagles in the Superbowl - I get too nervous to sit still. So, I'll be sending all my positive energy to Obama tonight. But in the spirit of the thing - I hope he lands some good "body checks". "Keep your stick on the ice" tonight, Barack!

What a Way to Start the Day!

La Segunda took one look at my Dollywood coffee mug this morning and asked if that was my picture on the mug. Isn't my girl awesome!? I wish all mornings started out like that!

Later in the day I had a test in Chinese (taking a beginning Chinese language class). It was hard.

La Segunda's friends

Well, it's official, La Segunda has imaginary friends. She told us about them at dinner the other night. Their names are "Shackie" and "Curly". I just about fell off my chair when she told me. All I can picture is Shecky Greene and Curly Howard when she says it.

Josiah immediately asked: " Is it normal that my toddler has an imaginary friend?"

I told her I had imaginary friends when I was a kid: Corleats and Plumedine. They went on adventures with me all the time. I miss them. When I grew out of playing with them, they took an extended vacation to Alaska.

La Segunda's interests

I read this morning on Green Mom Finds about how to figure out if your kid is eating seafood safely. [wtf - what kind of world are we living in!?!] And I thought of La Segunda. Yeah, she eats fish, but she loves the ocean, or at least the IDEA of the ocean, thanks to Ariel - you know the one, La Petite Sirène.

We call her our little mermaid - LOVES to swim. I mean, she will stay in water way past when it's good for her. Her lips are blue and she still argues to stay in the water. And she's fearless around it. Pools, lakes, seaside. Doesn't matter. And she loves to lie in the sand, just like her auntie, Angie, while we make a sand sculpture of a mermaid over her.

La Segunda also loves cake. Every night we need to read "Bunny Cakes." She saw this beautiful cupcake on Cupcakes Take the Cake, and couldn't stop talking about it. Me neither - I adore Peeps! Easter is just around the corner, time for my second-favorite Easter candy to make an appearance.

Well, all, "Keep your stick on the ice. We're all in this together."

La Prima's interests

Last year when La Prima was applying to summer day camps, she had to fill out a form telling what her favorite food is, what music she likes, what games she plays, what books she likes to read, etc. For the question, "what music do you like?" La Prima answered "Louis Armstrong". [!] She had heard Satchmo in music class that year, and I guess he made an impression. Here, from the National Archives site, is his WWI draft card.

Mother Reader is talking about getting support for the "Reading is Fundamental" campaign, which is in danger of losing funding under the current regime. Which brought me to search for my favorite "READ" posters. I think La Prima would approve of this one, as do I!

There is also an announcement on Narnia web that Harper Collins, the publisher of the Narnia books, is launching a "read it before you see it" campaign for Prince Caspian - a great idea. I've been trying to get the Chronicles of Narnia series into circulation in our house, but Harry Potter is definitely the obsession nowadays.

And finally, via Boing Boing, a new nautilus-shaped house in Mexico City that I covet. Wouldn't it be awesome to live in this place?! I love the outside being inside. And the colors! I wonder if the architect would build one on a reclaimed lot in Philly? Hmmmm.....

Home Too Long with Sick Child

I'm hooked! The Backyardigans RULE! Lazy Town"? I'm there! Especially if Sportacus were to ask me.... ooh so cute! And then there's STEVE!?! Who doesn't just adore Steve? His eyes......

La Segunda has been home with a fever and a cold, and it looks like La Prima is coming down with it! Not only do I have the Backyardigans theme song in my head on constant replay-loop, but I understand La Segunda's massive crush on Diego! I mean, what's not to love? He's Latin, bilingual, well, actually TRI-lingual if you count that he can talk to the animals, he's outdoorsy and prepared for anything......

See what I mean? I've GOT to get back to my day job!

"Mommy, you're just like Strega Nona"

La Prima told me that this morning, as I stuck a band-aid (tm) on her big toe. "How's that?" I asked. "Because whenever anyone ever doesn't feel good, you make them feel better. Like Strega Nona takes away people's headaches."

It's just about the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me! I've never read Strega Nona, but apparently it's a fantastic book, written by a fellow Connecticutian (at least, that's what I call us!).

I have a lot I want to blog about, but haven't had the time, recently. Happy Thanksgiving to all!