let them work

The days are cooling down significantly, even in these parts of the world.  The sun is rising just a bit later.  And the bugs (for now) are at bay.  Oh, words cannot express my gratitude.  


And with that I have forgotten what it feels like to only want to hide from the sun.  To step outside and be sticky wet with a layers of mosquitoes and gnats gnawing away at your flesh, well?  It is a thing of the past.  How soon I forget…. But why not?  Why not just bask in the glory of this.

So quite clearly our time spent (enjoying) being outside has multiplied ten fold, at least.  I have noticed quite  a few changes among the facial features and the emotional well-being of my little ones (and myself too) with the change in the patterns of our days as well.

Outside.  It is a thing to behold. Outside there is no toy that must be aught after.  Outside there is always a “big job” or a “lot of work” to do.  Oh, this is something I encourage whether in doors or out of them.  But outside it always seems no one needs me to do a thing.

Suddenly cleaning the chicken coop is exciting.  Raking is so rad.   Just like that, out of the blue, we are gathering up sticks, knowing quite well if we don’t do it… Who will?  (A job is a job people)  Work.  Good old-fashioned work.  It is the thing small children thrive off of.

Outside I can sit and knit and answer questions and observe at such a joyously slow pace it makes my heart flutter.  Each boy has the ability to play at their own cadence.  And play hard at that.

Oh outside, how I have missed feeling so exceptionally fine.  With you.  

the crashing waves

Since I don’t know when my little man has had a unprecendeted fear of the ocean.  He does not mind the tide pools but the mere sight of the ocean waves rolling makes this sweet little blondie of mine stutter and shake with true fear.  This aversion is not limited to him going in the water either.  It includes both Rowan and I respectively.  If I even so much as dip my piggy toe in the vast ocean that boy honest to goodness panics.  He begs and screams for me to come back.  He wails.  He claws at the sand.  It is plain old sad to watch.  So what else can I do but come back and play safely on the shore with my little man.  I tried all sorts of recommended tricks none of which even came close to easing his mind about the tumbling waves.

Well todays beach outing included a little buddy.  And it proved to be just the remedy.

Perhaps it was the peer pressure or just the visual understanding that yes, you will survive if you play at the shore.  But my little man inched his way down to where the tide meets the beach and what else; fished.  He looked up at me and said in Miles fashion, “My did it.  My not afraid of the ocean anymore!”.

so proud of this little boy