WiLdRoOtSaLaSkA365

Good-bye Blogosphere...

2009-06-11T16:23:00.000-07:00

I am on a friend's computer typing what is, for now, my last post. Our internet connection at our home fluctuates between works and doesn't work, and we seem to be in the season of 'doesn't work'.

Alas, this is a farewell for now message...Keep checking back sporadically, because as the mood hits the connection, I will post if and when able to. Love and gratitude to my few and precious faithful readers.

*blessings*

2009-04-19T20:34:00.000-07:00

Since last I blogged, the WildRootsFamily has worked our way through a most annoying and uncomfortable Spring Crud, ventured through some emotionally trying times, and meandered through playgrounds and along riverbanks.

We wrapped up our Spring Welcoming celebrations, where we dyed eggs and wool with materials like onion skins, turmeric, cabbage, coffee grounds, and other gifts from Mother Earth; We planted seeds (just flowers so far); We have been dancing to our heart's content (the kids are whirling and twirling around me as I type this); We read our favorite Spring stories, such as An Egg is Quiet, The Faeries at Spring Cottage, Raven and River, Gnomes, Pico the Gnome (This one showed up in our Eostar basket!), Pelle's New Suit and so many more!

Throughout our sickness we watched some movies, such as The Land Before Time (One of little*bear's newfound favorites - Spider-dove loathes it!), Dinosaur, The Planet Earth Series (Spider-Dove's favorite), The Wind in the Willows (we read the unabridged story then watched the movie and compared them...it was interesting to hear what the kids noticed was different between the book and the movie), Happy Feet, and March of the Penguins (another of the kids favorites).

The Earth slowly continues to come unfrozen, and the kids shriek with sheer delight as they rush outside each day (without the cumbersome snowgear) to see what surprises Mother Nature has in store for them. We've been to Creamer's Field to welcome home the geese who are returning and to journey along the trails, and to the river a few times to honor our newly-flowing sister! There has been a tremendous amount of puddle splashing and digging our hands and feet into the damp and dank and luscious Earth (in those few places where She shows herSelf)...even though it's still *sooooo* cold!

And now, as the evening winds down, it is time for me to retire from the computer and reconnect with the kids and begin our evening ritual...

The computer is still refusing to upload photos...so for those of you expecting or hoping for pictures, I apologize! (I have some really great ones and I am a bit bummed out not to be able to share them!)

May ~love~ and ~light~ shine upon you all!

Spring's Blissings...

Blog Tag

2009-04-14T22:12:00.000-07:00

So...

My computer is just not up to the task of uploading photos, which really stinks, because I have a lot piling up that I'd really like to share.

But...

Since I can't do the pics, I can now take the time to deal with this whole 'blog tag' deal. So Mel has tagged me, and apparently I am supposed to 'dazzle you' (her words) with seven things about myself, then 'tag' seven more people to do the same. I don't know what there is about me that might possibly dazzle anyone, but here are some things you may or may not know about me:

1. I am copying this first one from Mel, but only because it is SO true. I am a chocoholic. I am talking obsessive...compulsive...just downright addicted. SunDaughter made me a lovely block of rosepetal-moon-fudge. The thought was that each full moon, I would break off a small piece in honor of the full moon and of the life-blood that flows within me. Yeah, well, I ate the whole block in the span of about 10 minutes! If the chocolate comes in the form of ice cream, all the better, for that is my true passion. Add some peanut butter to the mix, and I may as well have died and gone to heaven. Or perhaps you have some chocolate truffles, or chocolate covered strawberries, or chocolate cheesecake...mmm. I'll take any of it, all of it, at any time of day or night, and then I'll probably want more. And if you try to stash some away somewhere in my house, beware, because I have chocolate radar, and I will find it and eat it! Just a couple of hours ago I ate a chocolate bunny that I had planned to put in our family's Eostar basket. (shhh...they'll never know!)

2. I was a competitive gymnast from the age of 6 until I was 18. I once had a friend tell me she couldn't believe I was a gymnast. Perhaps my post-childbirth body/life looks deceiving. I competed for a local YMCA as the schools I attended did not have teams. I had an unhealthy fear of the vaulting horse, which was typically my down-fall as I usually scored high on the other 3 events, but would end up not placing in the all-around because I scratched on the vault. I suppose there's just something about running as fast as I can, jumping off of a springboard and hurling my body face-first over a big 'horse', twisting in mid-air and not knowing which way was up or where my feet would land was not my idea of a good time. I think my fear started after I smashed my face into the horse. Traumatized for life, I was. My favorite apparatus was the floor exercise, mostly because dancing was also a passion of mine. I still love to dance, and secretly long to take modern dance classes again someday. Spider-dove, little*bear and I often dance together in the evenings before bedtime. Sometimes we dance to 'The Nutcracker', and other times we spin poi to Loreena McKennitt.

3. I have read the 'Sevenwaters Trilogy' (which now includes a fourth book, so I guess that makes it a quadrology?!?) by Juliet Marillier more times than I can count. And I will read them again someday...and again and again. I am just so sure those books are the stories of my ancestors. I am completely obsessed with the second book in the series, 'Son of the Shadows', and am convinced that I could possbily be Liadan re-incarnated, and that M. must have been Bran, and here we are, together again. I usually read the series in the beginning of winter, and my family gets annoyed with me because I will take a whole day or two to read each book, which means everyone is left to fend for themselves (aside from the bare essentials) while I escape to far away times and places.

4. M. and I met at a Bluegrass festival shortly after he arrived in Alaska (I had been here for two years). I had a boyfriend at the time, but there was something between us that first moment we met eyes. Shortly after that I broke up with the boyfriend, and one day a couple months later I picked M. up hitchiking, took him to the laundromat to shower (neither of us had running water back then), had dinner at a local diner, went out to the hotsprings, and then he slept at my cabin and never left! One month later we were engaged, and two months later we were pregnant with Spider-dove. Our whole partnership has been a whirlwind one, with many twists and turns, lots of love and all sorts of stuff to work through. Our bond is strong, and we weather all the storms we are confronted with together, even when the winds of change are abrupt and the rains that fall are cold and harsh. And that makes our bond all the stronger.

5. I am a procrastinator extraordinaire, although I recently came across an article about Lenoardo da Vinci (which is quite serendipitous as I have just finished reading 'The da Vinci Code') about why procrastination is not quite so bad after all...you can read it here.

6. I am a Birth Doula, and am what some may call a 'birth junkie'. I love all things pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding and baby. I am an advocate for the midwifery model of care and of waterbirth. Both of my babes were born in water with the loving support of midwives, and it was challenging and beautiful and excruciating and glorious and I encourage all women to trust in their bodies, their babies, and in the process of birth itself. It is so worth it.

7. I love Trees. I. Love. Trees. I connect and communicate with Trees in ways I can't with humans or any other beings. My Tree Grandomothers and Grandfathers, brothers and sisters, watch over me, protect me, guide me and give me love and strength. They are beautiful and powerful medicine in my life, bring me such peace and joy, and are an important part of my magic. I often will chant and dance with the trees, especially in the summer. I am TreeWoman.

Well...there you have it. I now tag SunDaughter, EiNaLeM, (the only other bloggers I know in real life), and Anna Kiss since she is a regular on my blog. I don't know any other bloggers, so that will have to do!

~*~blessings~*~

Congratulations, M.!

2009-04-13T08:26:00.000-07:00

M. recently passed his Level II Industrial Radiographer test with flying colors!

Yay!

2009-04-11T10:42:00.000-07:00

BECAUSE my computer is somewhat tempermental, I am falling waaaay behind on posts. Not because I want to, OH NO, my friends. I have no choice. We have been creating a LOT around here, and taking many neat pics of our creations, but the computer is just not havin' it. I cannot upload photos. I have tried umpteen times. It's just pooped out, I suppose. I will keep trying, but in the meantime, have a HAPPY day!

~*~love~*~

Happy Eostar...sort of

2009-04-10T01:15:00.000-07:00

As I walked the spiral up to the bedroom tonight, I glanced out the window to catch a most beautiful full moon rising...a golden, glowing orb gently hovering over the darkened hills. It was (and still is) absolutely breath-taking. As I peer out at Her now and again, I am filled with a sense of awe and gratitude. I am filled with love and light. I. Am. Filled.

Today would have been the day we celebrate Eostar - the first Full Moon after Equinox. A time when the Root Family (that's us) and the SunForest Family come together to celebrate the life that is slowly but steadily beginning to stir deep within the womb of the Great Mother, and when she shows us some above-ground reminders that Spring will come...

For the past week or so we have been working on various Springy projects, bird feeders, egg-blowing-painting-dyeing, altar-building, all while preparing our Eostar celebration. We were all so excited for our Wednesday egg-dyeing day and Thursday 'party'...

until...

*poof*

The Spring Crud hit both of our families.

Solstice and little*bear seem to have gotten the worst of it, with Blueberry coming in a close second, and Calvin and Spider-dove pulling up the rear. So far, Mamas seem to be okay...M. isn't feeling well these days, but I think his is less physical and more emotional as his beloved Gram, with her sweet, cackly laugh, spunky spirit and feisty sense of humor, is in the hospital (please send out your thoughts and prayers to M. and his family during this time). And I think Daddy and Uncle of the SunForest Family are holding up.

Needless to say, last week's celebretory mood has been replaced with tears, snot, aches of all varieties (brains, tummies, hearts), hacking and gacking, and sporadic fits of the crabbies. Not to mention we awoke today to a gloomy, overcast kind of a day. SunDaughter and I volleyed for awhile trying to decide whether or not to postpone our plans, and I thought that since the Sun did not shine upon this day, it was a good sign that we should wait. If part of Eostar is the celebration of Mother-nurture - tending to that which we grow - then shouldn't our time be spent tending to our sick little ones?

So, we are moving our Eostar celebration to next week. SunDaughter mentioned that she's glad she's not religious, in that the date, the when, is less important than the now, the family, the connection, being Present with What Is. And I am glad that I agree with her. If we are being Present and completely real, then we recognize that honoring and celebrating what IS, is the Way to live in Right Relationship with our environment and ourSELVES. Of course, Right Relationship will look differently for each individual, for each family, because we each experience reality differently, and we serve the Truth that feels right...to us.

I am so grateful and utterly blessed to have found in SunDaughter my Anam Cara, because we walk a path on which we are able to set down footprints side-by-side. The Truth we serve is one and the same, and when it isn't, we are still able to flow in and around, within and without each other, without severing connection to ourSELVES, each other, or our Truth.

And so, we agreed that part of our Eostar celebration would include taking time off from creating and baking, feasting and making, to just BEing in this moment, turning our attention toward our partners and children, and supporting them through their hurts. Being that Spring takes Her good 'ol time getting to our neck of the woods anyways, another week before we have our feast and egghunt won't hurt, and then we can all BE together, healthily and joyfully and hopefully, with the Sun shining upon us and blessing our holy-day.

It's not about the date, after all. It's about Loving what IS, and celebrating every moment.

~*~Blessed Be.~*~

Bidding Farewell...Welcoming

2009-04-08T00:48:00.000-07:00

After stacking the last of the firewood and cleaning house, we all decided on a late-evening adventure to the playground...

The kids brought their ice skates, and did quite a bit of skating, but THIS did not go unnoticed:

...a beautiful symbol of the transitioning of the seasons here in the interior of Alaska - an in- between time when Winter has not quite gone, and Spring has not yet fully arrived, but the Presence of Both is felt and honored.

I recently listened to a show on NPR about dogs, and how caring for a dog has changed over the decades as our society becomes busier and more scheduled, leaving many dogs home for hours and hours with no human interaction. There was discussion of an increase in doggy-depression, prescriptions for doggy-anti-depressants, doggy hotels, and other such things.

The interviewee (unfortunately I forget his name) talked about how in the past, there was someone in the home (typically a Mother or other caretaker) at all times, so the dog had all of the companionship and mental stimulation and physical activity it needed.

However, while people now are leading lives that require them to be away from home much of the time, they still have dogs, who, sad to say, are getting the short end of the stick. Dogs are being treated for things like depression and separation anxiety. New toys are being created to keep the dogs busy for hours so they get the mental stimulation they need while being distracted from chewing up all the furniture while their humans are out.

After listening to the show, I thought about our dogs and how much I love them and am so grateful for their Presence in our lives...and also how Happy I am that we have chosen a path that not only honors ourSELVES and our children for who we are and what we need, but that also honors our canine companions and meets their needs as well...

Blue had so much fun chasing the frisbee, his new favorite thing to chase...

Oops!

As the sun began to set, the kids took off their skates and we all had a big swing-fest:

Here's the view from the swing as M. pushed me:

Moon peeped down at me through these dainty birch branches, and smiled upon us as we played:

Spider-dove propelled herself down the tunnel slide...I only caught a glimpse:

little*bear chose to climb this snow mountain as we prepared to head home for some snacks, stories and sleep...

I love my family.

Gifts from afar

2009-04-08T00:15:00.000-07:00

The kids recently received a package from Grandpa M., which is always an exciting and oftentimes interesting experience...ya just never know what kinds of surprises he'll come up with!

This time it was dragons for little*bear:

(little*bear had *literally* been hoping and saving up money for a two-headed dragon, and lo and behold, Gramps sent the exact one he wanted...what a guy!)

...and oil pastels for Spider-dove, who said she had been hoping for her own set "for so many years...well, as many as [she's] been alive for, anyway":

Spider-dove knows that oil pastels are one of my favorite mediums to work with, so she offered to share her new colors with me. I was feelin' the Spring Sun shine upon me through the window, so I thought I'd create something to honor the Return of the Light to place on our Spring altar:

with love...

Life-Learning is allWrite!

2009-04-05T23:51:00.000-07:00

Consensual Living, a principle many unschoolers/life-learners live by, has gotten some press in the Canadian news lately. I will expound upon that more in a forthcoming post, but I just want to point out that unschoolers *can* and *do* learn to do things that some may believe can only be taught by a teacher in school or through the use of a curriculum. Just check out Spider-dove, looking quite 'studious' as she shows off her math-spanish-writing skills...or shall we just call them 'life-skills'!?!

PEACE.

Re-Turn

2009-04-05T21:10:00.000-07:00

Slowly, as the Light begins to return, I feel Spring commence Her Journey from far, distant places towards our wintry home...

I am happy to say it has been warm enough to go out with a sweater rather than a jacket!

We've finally gotten around to splitting the last of the woodpile...whew!

The dogs are elated by the warmer weather as well, though they still love a good romp in the snow:

More snow-sculpture:

We've been spending some time getting to know the Forest Family that surrounds our home with love, protection and joy...and provides the kids with a built-in playground!

Spider-dove was enchanted by this space, which she dubbed 'The Beautiful Birch Bridge':

Talk about enchanting...We came upon this Grandmother, who was surrounded by a perfect circle of her 'grandchildren', and we just felt so humbled and blessed to be in her Presence:

little*bear on his 'boat':

Spider-dove wanted to hunt for highbush cranberries, which are a bright and yummy treat while out on the winter trails, but she noticed that there weren't many...until I remembered we had harvested this area in the fall, and forgotten all about them (Doh!)

And so, after we headed back inside, the kids were delighted to share a big tub of these beauties:

Spider-dove couldn't resist topping off her already piled-high bowl:

*sigh*

Mother-Less

2009-03-28T00:27:00.000-07:00

There are many challenges when it comes to being a Mother...well, at least, for me there are.

In addition to the every-day challenges (maintaining a somewhat organized home, helping everyone to find a way to meet their needs, making nourishing meals and establishing a rich and stimulating environment, finding creative and consensual solutions to the 'roadblocks' we all come up against from time to time, finding time to spend with each family member, including mySELF...you know, the usual stuff), there is the more 'internal' stuff to deal with as well...the stuff that is going on at the heart level...the baggage, the healing that needs to be done, the letting go, the figuring out who I am as a Mother, and how to be that Mother in a culture that, by and large, does not support me on this path.

Of the many challenges I face, however, I'd say the one that is the toughest for me is being a Mother-less Mother.

This is something that weighs on my mind and spirit quite frequently, and moreso as my children, especially my daughter, grow and mature.

There are so many times when I have a knee-jerk reaction to something the kids do, and I want to figure out *why* I react the way that I do. One of the first things I tend to want to do is call my mom and ask her if I did that as a child, how she and my dad handled it, and how, as a child, I reacted to how I was parented. I have this burning desire to process my childhood, to find out what it was like for me to be a child, what it was like for my Mother to mother me, what she felt were the right choices, and what she wishes she could have done differently.

But I can't do any of those things. I can't have that conversation, or ask those questions. Sure, it's easy for someone to say 'Oh, but you *can* talk to her, and she *can* answer you'...

It's just not the same, and more times than not, I don't find that a very comforting thought. Of course I know I can still communicate with my mom. Of course I do things to keep her memory alive. Of course I experience her when I feel the wind brush against my cheek, or feel the Terra Firma beneath my feet, or awake in the morning having dreamt about her through the night.

But I want to hear her voice, I want to hear her stories. I want to *know* things about my childhood or about Motherhood, that only my Mother would know. Things I don't or can't or won't remember. I want to hear her side of things, see things through her eyes...Something that, as a Mother in my own right, I am finally ready to hear. I am willing to hear.

But it's too late. She is not here. Her voice is nothing more than a shadow to me now. A dream.

So much of RU (radical unschooling) involves so much de-schooling and processing and WORK on ourSELVES as parents...and part of that work involves learning how we have been conditioned, how our past experiences play out in our present, and how to heal any wounds left untended and accept what was, and what is, so that we can let go of the baggage, and BE HERE NOW, 'authentically' and 'whole-heartedly' for our families.

But I feel lost...how can I process the things that I don't know...the memories that appear to be sliced into fragments, and seemingly would only make sense if my Mother could help me piece them together?

When I became a Mother, it was the first time that I truly felt my Mother and I had something in common. As a thirty-something Mother, I now realize that we had so much in common, but it was Motherhood that brought me to that realization. Becoming a Mother created a closeness and connection with my Mother that we had never experienced before. And the experience of that bond was so incredibly short-lived...for her Death/Re-birth Journey began soon after I birthed Spider-dove.

This time of year is extremely challenging for me. This is the time when She, body and spirit, began to prepare for The Journey...the time when I started receiving phone calls that her condition was worsening. Then improving. Then worsening. Then improving...

Energetically, my spirit re-members this time. As much as I want to celebrate the Return of the Light and the Coming of Spring in all her magnificence, this time of the year is as much about Death as it is about Re-Birth. While, in my mind, I try to remain focused on the burgeoning of New Life, in my heart, I am mourning the Death of my Mother...and I am so, so tired.

No matter how many years pass, this time of the year tears open those wounds anew, and I bleed sadness and regret and longing and guilt and anger just as freshly as I did the day she died.

And so, I take each day, each moment, one step at a time. I learn to accept that this is where I am, and try to figure out how to be what my family needs, while also being what I need.

As I attempt to piece together the past in order to heal in the present and prepare for the future, I call out to my Mother on the Wind, and feel the warmth of her Love as the rays of the Sun kiss my nose and the glow of the Moon bathes me in her cool light.

I shed my silent tears, and I wonder...

Spring's beginnings

2009-03-26T10:44:00.000-07:00

We experience Spring less as a turning of the seasons, and more a shifiting in our concsiousness. It is kind of like slowly waking up after a long deep sleep, and taking notice of the subtle changes in our environment, letting go of the contraction that goes hand-in-hand with Winter, and choosing more expansive activities and experiences. We do a lot of imagining and preparing for what is to come. Now is the time to to begin to take all of the dreaming and processing that occurred during the long dark winter, and bring it out of it's cozy little cave to let the Sun shine upon it.

So when Equinox arrives, it is kind of like a 'kick-off' celebration...that then lasts until Spring actually arrives (in the form of 'break-up').

We did get together with friends for an Equinox celebration, which included a variety of activities from making small bird feeders to a feast, with a little March Madness (College Basketball) thrown in for good measure. That was like the kick-off party, and now we will continue to celebrate the Coming of Spring.

At this point, our focus has been on the Return of the Light, feeding the birds, and re-connecting with Earth through discovery of tracks...we have found tracks from critters large and small...voles, squirrels, various birds, snowshoe hair, moose, and possibly lynx and fox. Oh, and lots of faeries.

We are always sure to leave blessings and offerings:

We were all fairly positive that this was some sort of throne for smallish faeries or some other sort of little people:

And this 'sculpture' created by Mother Nature really struck a chord in my heart:

That said, one of our Spring projects is to make a bird feeder to put our homemade suet in. The design we chose was inspired by our friends at Calypso Farm & Ecology Center.

Here Spider-dove shows off the new spade drill bit we got at the hardware store, along with the drill and the log we chose to use for the feeder:

Spider-dove took these next two photos of the drill-in-action:

Phase one of this project is complete, and the kids' interest shifts from drill to wood shavings:

And of course, no project would be complete without our playmobile family romping in the aftermath:

I heART Ice

2009-03-24T22:02:00.000-07:00

The Winter's here are long.

Looooooooooooooooong.

BUT!

There *is* something that breaks up the monotony of cold, wintry day after cold, wintry day, after cold wintry day, after....

And that is the...

Experiencing life in a world of ice is exhilerating and fun and risky and different and extreme...

(I always chuckle each time I see this sign...I guess perhaps some people just need a gentle reminder that it's slippery inside the ice park ;)

It is filled with distortion and clarity and chaos and stillness and excitement and danger and just plain fun.

And it is totally unique to where we live, and is something we look forward to ALL YEAR LONG!

Because the sculptures and slides are holding up so well, it will be open for another week, and, well...we couldn't be more tickled.

I am always so blown away by artists like:

who travel from places such as:

sketch something like:

and turn it into:

WOW.

Here are a few sculptures that the kids and I particularly enJOYed:

(This brought images of the centaurs from 'Fantasia' to the kids' minds)

Here is a detail from the above sculpture that I thought was really interesting:

little*bear dug the croc:

and of course, what kid could resist a snow machine made of ice?

little*bear calls this 'kid noodles in an ice bowl':

Havin' a whale of a good time...

Yeah. Big slides. Made of ice. Cool. (Seriously, cool - as in, cold):

The Experiment:

I go down the slide on my belly backwards, while holding little*bear's hands, and Spider-dove holds onto his ankles, then we all go down together, *and* I take a picture while in motion.

Hypothesis:

Really fun, slightly dangerous.

Outcome:

PURE SHINE!

(life is good.)

Ice Puppies

2009-03-24T20:06:00.000-07:00

Here we are at the skate rink at the Ice Park:

And who said siblings have to be rivals?

Adventures on Ice and Snow

2009-03-23T20:26:00.000-07:00

We met in town today for some ice skating and snow-mound climbing, and man, was it sunny and shiny and just an all-around nice time (even with the bloody lip and bloody chin sustatined by two kids!)

Spider-dove and little*bear - now that they have nice sharp skates, there's no stoppin 'em:

A 'sister-blueberry' sandwich:

Here in our neck of the woods, Spring usually means the weather warms up enough to bring us some snow...THAT is what makes the end of winter (which often seems to just go on and on and on...and on) so enJOYable...LOTS and LOTS and LOTS of SNOW!

Three peas in a pod:

~May Light and Warmth Radiate out in ALL Directions~

Art (is) Expo(nentially) (FUN!)

2009-03-23T00:21:00.000-07:00

So we had a spontaneous adventure to the Art Expo today! I'm so happy I looked at the events calendar for the winter carnival!

The Parka Parade, an annual event that has been a part of the Winter Carnival since 1937:

little*bear and Spider-dove watching the potters:

...and doing a little of their own creating with clay:

Spin-Art...a big hit:

Our colorful creations...yup, I played, too!

little*bear sat 'still as a stone' as he was transformed into...

DRAGON-BOY!

Cool, huh?

Weavers and spinners, stained-glass makers, beaders, seamstresses, musicians, sculptors, actors, painters, photographers, jewelry-makers, opera singers, poets...what an inspiring experience!

Games Galore!

2009-03-22T20:43:00.000-07:00

Board games were a big part of my childhood...Everything from Checkers, Connect Four, Chutes & Ladders when I was very young, to Scattergories, Scrabble and Trivial Pursuit as I got older. I have very fond memories of Thanksgiving or Christmas get-togethers, followed by an Auntie or two and some cousins, along with Grandma and Mom and Dad and I huddled around the table in our little dining room whooping it up over some games.

The kids are now getting to an age where they are really into board games...and there are *so* many to choose from now! We have been playing games so frequently lately that the kids are really 'getting' it, and playing together when grown-ups aren't able to. It's so fun to see them connecting with each other (and friends, when we have guests) in this way.

Chess, anyone? The kids and I are learning how to play Chess together...I think it's fun for them to see me learning something new right along side them...and fun to beat me, too!

Uno has become a frequently played game at our house, and one of those games that the kids will just pick up and play together...

Here is Spider-dove playing a memory game that we made up ourselves:

The kids are always inspired to do yoga after a round of 'The Yoga Garden Game':

Alpha Aminals is definitely the kids' favorite game...and one of mine as well. It's neat because people of all ages can play it at different levels of 'challenge' all at the same time (*and* it's made of all recycled/recyclable materials - gotta love that!):

And here is a snapshot of the kids playing with the Kapla Blocks Grandpa sent them during the Winter Holy-days ~ not necessarily a board game, but something they are completely engrossed in for long stretches:

Yay for Play!

beautiful CHAOS, Part II

2009-03-22T13:16:00.000-07:00

So...

After my big freak-out over the bedroom mess, and following my photography forray at kid-height, we CHOSE to let the mess just BE, and go play with our friends.

When we arrived, SunDaughter had this *beautiful* snack tray prepared...

And, I found even *more* beauty in the chaos of our day...

little*bear playing with his buddy SolsticeBird (formerly known as little*bird):

Blueberry of the Blue Eyes:

Visions of Spring:

little*bear holding his li'l bro, Blueberry:

I LOVE our extended FAMILY.

ALL is *still* WELL!

Beautiful CHAOS

2009-03-21T11:46:00.000-07:00

Sometime last week, I freaked out over the mess in the bedroom. (We all share a room). It was trashed. (It still is!) Toys everywhere, clothes scattered - clean ones, dirty ones, ones whose clean status was indecipherable. EVERYthing was EVERYwhere. I could not see a path from one side of the room to the other, I did not want to wade through it, it was just complete chaos.

Even though it's been 7 months since we've moved in here, it's taking a long time to really figure out where things go. The bedroom is definitely unfinished in that regard.

Anyways, so I called my friend SunDaughter, wailing and moaning, about the mess and how stressed out I felt and how I just couldn't come to her house (even though what the kids really needed was to play with their friends) because *I* needed to clean the bedroom. I cannot relate through the computer how completely irrational I had become.

SunDaughter felt my pain. She empathized, she validated. She was just *there* for me. Then she said "Okay, I want you to hang up the phone with me, grab your camera, get down to 'kid height', crawl around, and take 10 pictures of the beauty you find there."

With a deep sigh, I said okay, and reluctantly picked up the camera.

Here is what I found....

A basket filled with various newspaper clippings, cut-outs, projects, etc.:

Looks like our dollies like to snuggle just as much as we do!

Definitely the *most* beautiful part of the mess:

Some of little*bear's favorites:

A ball that Spider-dove felted:

Dress-ups (the chain belonged to their Mimi, and I love how they get to connect with her through playing with her jewelry):

If I had not been crawling around at kid-height, I wouldn't have felt the warmth of the Sun shine upon my weary face and light up my day:

At kid-height, I was able to find this Lady of the Wood:

As I crawled around on my belly, the kids jumped on my back to join me, and see things through my eyes as I saw things through their eyes...I love how circles are so much a part of our lives:

Sacred objects:

Some of our favorite stories to snuggle up and read together:

The Dragon's Pearl:

And finally, as I stood back up to my regular height, I happened to glance out the window just in time to receive this beautiful message of love from the Universe...

ALL IS WELL.

Hanging in the Balance: A Walk in my Mukluks

2009-03-20T23:59:00.000-07:00

COMMUNION

STILL/DANCING

UNFOLDING

BALANCE

REMEMBRANCE/FORESHADOW

RETURN

LIFEBLOOD
(STILL/FLOWING)

FAMILIAL

A Ripple of Happiness

2009-03-20T16:48:00.000-07:00

There is a man who stands on the corner near the grocery store with a sign. The kids often ask what the sign says, but as I cannot read *and* drive (well...safely, that is), I don't know all that it says. But each time we go to the grocery store, conversations about homelessness, poverty, gratitude, etc., always abound.

Today, As we passed by him, Spider-dove commented that she was sad that he did not have a home, and that he must get cold standing out there all day long. little*bear thought that he might be hungry as well. So, the kids had just received their weekly 'allowance', and decided that they would like to buy him lunch.

So, we went into the store, and Spider-dove picked out the 'juiciest, shiniest, bestest looking apple' she could find, little*bear picked out a sandwhich that looked particularly 'yummy', and I picked out a cup of hot coffee.

As we were heading out, Spider-dove noticed that he had come inside and was in the hallway that leads to the restrooms. She pointed him out to me, and asked if I would take the lunch to him. So I went up to him, told him that the kids thought he may be cold and hungry, so we had bought him lunch. His response was the following:

"You are so beautiful. Your kids are beautiful. Thank you so much. And God Bless You!!!!!"

The kids heard this response, and immediately their faces lit up.

As we drove away, the kids just radiated JOY! They talked about how happy they were that they did something to bring so much happiness to the man. I told them that their action of buying him lunch was like tossing a pebble into a pond, and the happiness that he felt, and that they were feeling, and that I felt (because of their joy) were like ripples on a pond, emanating outward, and touching life in all directions.

We had had the 'ripple' conversation before, but because they genuinely felt, in their hearts, that ripple, I could see the connections they were able to make about how the actions we choose affect so much more than just ourselves.

It was such a joy to be with the kids during this moment, to witness the compassion and generosity that grows within them, and experience the joy they felt as they chose to share what resides in their hearts.

And blessings to all of you, as well...

Imagine this...

2009-03-19T23:57:00.000-07:00

(The best times for me to blog are typically in the evenings after the kids go to sleep...)

Imagine a mellow fire burning on the hearth; the soft, warm scent of nag champa wafting through the air; two dogs silently slumbering on the cool, basement floor; a mama nestled in-betwixt two exhausted little ones...their arms and fingers and hair all tangled together, their knees and toes tucked into toasty woolen blankets...

(But when the above is the scenario as the kids are falling asleep, who wants to do anything else?)

(This is why I have not been blogging.)

(I'm sure you understand.)

The Lost Treasures of the Middle Realm

2009-03-07T22:54:00.000-08:00

The kids awoke one crisp winter's morning to this scroll hanging from the ceiling...

little*bear unfurled it, and handed it to me so I could read it...

A Quest! Excitement abounds!

We followed the 'stairs to the underworld'...

...sure not to wake the 'sleeping dragon'...

...searching for the 'tree-root riddle'...

Can you see it?

The Riddle...

Thinking...

'X' marks the spot...

FOUND!!! The Quest for the hidden treasures has been complete!

The kids love riddles, quests, treasure hunts, and the like. It all started with the stories of 'The Hobbit' by J.R.R. Tolkien, 'The Acorn Quest' by Jane Yolen, 'A Midsummer Night's Faery Tale', 'The Winter Child' and 'The Faeries at Spring Cottage' by Terri Windling and Wendy Froud, and 'Catkin' by Antonia Barber.

This particular Quest was created by ~M.~ and was a wonderful surprise to us all one morning when we awoke!

Thank you ~M.~!

Busy Livin'!

2009-03-07T19:53:00.000-08:00

I keep *thinking* about posting, but then, we have just been so busy LIVING....by the end of the day I am wiped, and it is much more sweet to fall asleep nestled in between the kids than to stare at the computer screen....

But alas...here is what we've been up to!

We've had LOTS and LOTS of snow in the past week! It's been lovely and wonderful and beautiful and inconvenient (when we got stuck in the driveway)!

Erupting our model of Mt. Redoubt for the first time!

Playing Animal Yahtzee...Spider-dove is so excited that she can keep her own score sheet now that she figured out how to write all the numbers (who says kids need lessons and worksheets and workbooks and teachers to learn numbers?)

Books and blocks make up a HUGE part of most of our days!

We had a 'Planet Earth' movie marathon...

We gathered up every blanket and pillow in the house and made a big nest for the kids to nestle in while they watched.

I watched, did laundry, and intermittently worked on a sewing project while they watched, drew some really colorful pictures, ate off of a lovely snack tray provided by *yours*truly*, played with trucks and dinosaurs, and took breaks to pee, drink water, and play simon says in order to stretch and move their bodies when they were feeling stiff.

(soapbox interlude coming...brace yourself)

Letting go of control over tv-viewing is the one aspect of 'radical unschooling' that has been the most challenging for me to accept...but I am getting there!

Reading posts on the AlwaysLearning and AlwaysUnschooled lists has been exceedingly helpful.

For so long I had this idea that letting go of control over the tv meant that kids were just watching, watching, watching all the time...but thanks to wizened, experienced, life-learning moms (thank you Ann Ohman, Pam Sorooshian, Sandra Dodd, Joyce Fetteroll, Alex Polikowsky, Kelly Lovejoy!!!), I have come to understand what role the tv can and does play in the lives of radical unschoolers.

The tv is not something to fear, it is not something to control, and it is not something that does or can have control over me or the kids. It is not evil (it is an inanimate object...how could that be?), it does not sever our connections or create distance between us. I think that if there is distance or a feeling of dis-connection between us, it is *we* who have created it. The only way the tv, or anything for that matter, can do that, is if we allow it.

I have come to accept that for our family, tv-viewing serves as a way for us to connect, learn, inspire, relax, share, etc - with a 'together' kind of vibe....We don't turn to the tv to 'babysit' the kids, we simply know that is is just one more of the many options we have to share our time together.

Thankfully, since we are life-learners and create our own daily rhythms, I am able to stop what I am doing in order to watch with the kids...Or perhaps I let them know that it might work for me in 20 miuntes...or some other such thing that works for all of us. When they watch, I may watch, or I may do other things - crafting, folding laundry, etc. - but I am right there with them, or close by, to answer questions, create an on-going dialogue, and keep the lines of communication open! Either way, the kids know I will always be there with them and for them, supporting them in BEing who they ARE, and DOing what they LOVE.

(I may not be interested in what they are watching, but I *am* interested in them, and so I take interest in what they like...)

My experience is that the movies we have seen act as springboards - jumping off points that have led us to new discoveries, inspired new ideas and interests, evoked some really interesting (and intense) conversations, and provided new and exciting ways to connect with one another.

For awhile I think I had this image of unschooled kids just sitting in front of their tvs all day.

Perhaps there are some families that are like this...but when I read the blogs and websites and articles created by those unschooling mamas I mentioned above, I have really come to understand that this isn't how it *is* or *has* to be! It is my role to create a rich and stimulating environment for us to live in. There are so many things to do, and watching a movie is just one option among many...of no more or less value than any other of the tools in our 'toolbox of life'.

When the kids are engaged and connected and happy, then they are free to seek out that which inspires them and brings them joy, and THAT is my goal each morning when I awake.

JoyFULLy absorbed, enthralled, interested.....

(moving on...)

This weekend are the Junior Dogmusher Sled-dog races...we checked it out and the kids had *so* much fun! They want to go back tomorrow, then borrow some books and movies from the library about dogmushing when we go on Monday!

*BLISSings*

The Heart of a Dancer

2009-02-23T22:04:00.000-08:00

Spider-dove *loves* to dance...She is just *pure* light and joy when she is dancing. She has also inspired little*bear to dance as well! They have 'dance class' just about every day.

more and MORE unschooling bliss!

2009-02-12T10:57:00.000-08:00

I know, I know...I've been *gushing* about unschooling lately. I just can't help it. Okay, so maybe I can. I *want* to gush. The reason why is this...

Unschooling (the radical sort) gets a lot of bad press. I can't tell you how many blogs and websites I've come across that just *bash* the parents of unschooling families. I think the first reason why is because the term 'unschooling' is defined by different people in different ways. So perhaps there is confusion as to what it actually entails. If you want to know what unschooling means to us, just stay tuned...because it's happening all the time! But if you want something a little more concrete, click here

I think when people hear 'trusting children to learn what they need to learn' and 'children following their interests', their imaginations immediately get to work and what is pictured are kids being left to their own devices to just figure things out, all the time. An image of children just running amuck with no consideration of others might come to mind. Or, perhaps it's the other extreme, and people imagine kids being totally dependent upon their parents to do everything *for* them, with no space to learn how to work through conflicts and challenges on their own.

I don't want to turn this into a big 'soapbox' moment, because that's not what I want to express here. I *could* write a LOT more on this subject, but I think I'd rather put my energy into other things rather than validating or justifying our path or our choices.

What I really want to say is the following:

When I happen to come across the negative comments about unschooling, I sometimes start to doubt myself. I wonder if my kids are missing out on something, or not getting what they need, or are being damaged in some way.

And then I get off of the computer, out of my head, and into my heart. I tune in with my children, with my instincts, with the Source, and I experience first-hand all of the joys, the challenges, the conflicts, the excitement, the learning, the growth...I remind myself that this path wasn't the one I originally set out on. I was headed in a completely different direction.

The one thing *I* did that could be construed as my choice to venture this way, was the choice to really listen to, honor, trust and respect my children. To remember that their choices may not be in line with my own, and that if I wanted to remain connected with them and with my heart, then re-aligning was something I would need to do. It was the choice to really consider their opinions, needs, sensitivities, desires, and to place a value on them as I would my own, or those of any adult, letting go of the notion that I *had* to have some sort of control or authority over them in order to be a good parent. I chose to let go of the ego that, in my experience, seems to go hand-in-hand with being the 'authority'. (Boy, has that been a challenge for me. It still continues to be!)

These past few days have just been so full of love and joy and learning and sharing...I just *have* to share with whoever might read this. Because I know that as true happiness is bursting out of my heart as I write these words and see these pictures of my family, it radiates out, hopefully bringing these same wonderful feelings I am having to more people.

I'm not typically a 'bubbly' kind of gal, but I must admit, I am feeling a little effervescent today...even though I was awoken several times during the night, and at 4:00 in the morning...

So last night, after Spider-dove spent the night at Orca-boy's house, Orca-boy spent the night at our house! He and his little bro little*bird played with us all afternoon...

First, a round of chess followed by a game of goblet...

Next, the theatrical version of the two little pigs and the big, bad wolves. Here are the wolves blowing the house down...

The house was made of brick, so they had to slide down the chimney...

Here are the wolves burning their bums in the fireplace...

After the dramatic performance, we devised a treasure hunt...here little*bird, Spider-dove and Orca-boy 'hide' their eyes while little*bear hides the treasure...

hunting for treasure...

Next, Orca-boy and little*bear wanted to make a ramp to race and crash cars...

During all the play, I made a dee-LISH-ous gluten-free baked macaroni and cheese

After dinner, little*bird went home with his mama, and more and more adventures happened with the three remaining kids. Then we read stories, and the kids curled up in bed and dozed off while listening to the Hobbit audioplay.

Then...I was awoken at 4:00 a.m., and we just took it from there...lots of reading, wrestling, basketball, and some yummy banana-cranberry oatmeal to sustain our energy. And to think I almost said I was too tired to do a sleep-over. I am *so* glad I said yes! (You can say 'I told you so' Boreal SunDaughter!)

Seeing these kids use their imaginations all day long to make up games, build towers and castles, work through conflicts, teach and learn from each other, was all the validation I needed to feel confident that we are on the path that is right for us.

~I am grateful.~

2009-02-12T00:23:00.000-08:00

Why~OH~whY is the formatting of my posts so odd? Even on my other blog (www.moonifestation.blogspot.com), there is *no* line spacing!!! It is driving me absolutely batty! No matter how many different things I try, it just won't format the published version the same way as it does in the draft version. ARGH!

I apologize for my rant. But when I look at the blog I cringe at the lack of paragraph formation.

pure joy

2009-02-11T23:52:00.000-08:00

So yesterday the kids and I went shopping for a swimsuit for me so that I could take them swimming. My search was fruitless. Not to worry, though, our sports store will order whatever I want, it'll just be a bit of a wait. The kids were a bit disappointed, but said they'd understand. Spider-dove sweetly told me she'd rather wait so that I can get a suit 'I liked and felt comfortable in' instead of one I didn't like so much.

We also went to the toy store to look for a few new dinosaurs to add to our collection. As we were browsing, the kids showed me all kinds of neat things they really wanted to bring home 'today'! I explained that the cash I had with me was for the bathing suit, which they had both said was really important to them so that we could all go swimming together. I then added that if they didn't mind waiting a bit longer for me to get a swimsuit, they could each pick one thing to bring home with us.

They decided they wanted to pick something. It was really cool how they each had their own way to decide what to get. Of course, being only 4, little*bear wanted everything in sight, *right* *now*, but he finally narrowed it down to a new playmobile set...one of his current passions. Here he is getting everyone set up, delight just radiating from every pore...

Spider-dove had recently been to a 'tea party' at a friend's house, and told me she wished for a tea set. So I showed her several, but her eyes were drawn like magnets to a stuffed cat. She has wanted a cat for some time now, but since M. and I are both allergic, it is a wish we have not been able to fullfill for her. When she saw that cat, she asked how much it cost, and how much the tea set cost, then asked how much both of them would cost together, and how much a swim suit cost, and how much would fit into our budget...and the list goes on. She asked a lot of questions, and really put a lot of thought into what her options were. Long story short, she chose the cat. Her eyes just lit up! She chose the name 'catkin' based on a story with the same name by Antonia Barber (GREAT story, by the way! Mel L. - if you don't know this one, I think you'll want to! ;) Here she is with her new pride and joy...

I just loved being able to take the time to really work through that process with her. Sometimes I wonder if we do enough...we are both homebodies, and aside from playdates and frequent library trips, are home most of the time (in the winter that is).

But then days like this happen, when we have no appointments, no deadlines, no schedules, and we can really take the time to delve into choices like these with no rushing, no arguments, no disappointments, where we all work together to simultaneously find the joy *and* work within our own means. Sometimes this might involve lots of questions, or even a meltdown. But we are able to work through it all, letting it unfold as it must, and I really enjoy having that freedom.

We are so blessed. May you be as well!

Discovering Pele, Part II

2009-02-10T18:55:00.000-08:00

Spider-dove spent the night at a friend's house last night...That is one thing I really appreciate about this amazing path of life-learning that she has brought our family to...spontaneous sleep-overs! She was filled with glee to spend the whole day with her friends, eat dinner together, sleep over, then play all morning long.

Meanwhile, little*bear and I got to have a 'sleep-over' of our own! After we ate dinner, we made more salt dough for the volcano and finished phase II! little*bear loves those tactile experiences, and playing with dough is one of his all-time favorite activities...

*good night!*

Discovering Pele

2009-02-09T13:05:00.000-08:00

Volcanoes have been a huge topic of interest in our family lately, especially with Mt. Redoubt preparing to erupt. So we checked out several volcano stories from the library, keep up to date on Redoubt's actvity on the AVO website, and have begun creating our own volcano...

*love & light*

Frozen in Time Part II

2009-02-09T11:18:00.001-08:00

Here are the pics that didn't want to upload to my last post...

Isn't Blue the sweetest?

I am so intrigued by the beauty of the hoar frost:

*Truly* frozen in time...

*Happy Monday*

Frozen in Time

2009-02-04T12:34:00.000-08:00

Sondra asked if I could post some photos of 'where we live'...so she could get a visual of our area. I took these pictures on my morning walk with the dogs...Brrrrr!

View from the road:

Looking Left:

Looking Right:

Looking through trees:

J-dog:

I had a few more photos to upload, but the computer keeps freezing up, so this will be all for now...

*blessings of light and warmth to all*

Cold February Days...

2009-02-02T19:31:00.000-08:00

Spider-dove playing outside on the balcony despite another cold snap...highs 15-25 below, lows 30-40 below...

Mt. Redoubt is preparing to erupt! Spider-dove and I have been checking the Alaska Volocano Observatory website every day for updates...We plan to make our own volcano later in the week...

...Of an evening at home...

2009-02-01T11:49:00.000-08:00

From MaMaRoOt:

Where I spend much of my time...the kitchen...all clean and basking in the warm glow of the light...

Creative juices flowing...

And...chai by firelight before turning in...

*lOvE*

The Passing of the Torch

2009-01-29T01:48:00.000-08:00

i am daughter of my mother

granddaughter of my grandmother

both of whom are not gone,

but simply changed.

i know not how,

for it is not in my power to know.

and whatever the great mystery

holds within its depths,

will present that insight to me

when my time comes.

but for now, i reflect.

it has taken me many years

to realize...

to really, TRULY, realize

the gift i was given

when my grandmother moved in with us

all those many years ago

it wasn't always easy

for the two of us to live together

to co-exist peacefully

or even civilly.

thankfully,

we made our peace

long before this moment

we arrived at the place

where we could share our thoughts

and say 'i love you'

and now, as i reflect

i see

that as a girl

i had not one,

but two,

mothers.

two strong,

fiercely determined,

hard-working mothers:

one who went out into the world

to support her family

who worked long hours

and more than one job

so that i could have opportunities she didn't,

so that i could follow my passions;

one who remained in the home

and made it what it was:

a clean, safe, healthy environment

where i was nourished with home-cooked meals

every day of the week.

i remember when

she taught me to play jacks

i remember her crocheted afghans

hanging over the chairs.

i remember the baking and cooking...oh! the glorious food...

christmas cookies

fry bread

barley soup

and even the ones i wasn't so fond of...

pigs feet

liver and onions.

and now the legacy

these two women,

mothers,

left to me

is mine...

to remember

to inspire and be inspired by

to live

to share

to pass down to my daughter, my son.

and now,

when i seek my mother,

i step outside

i let the great mother

wrap her arms around me

i feel her wind brush against my cheeks, move my breath

i dig my toes into her earth

i let her rain cleanse my body, my spirit

i bask in the glow of her light.

or perhaps when i seek my mother,

i look within.

i open my heart

i remember my mother,

and her mother,

and all the mothers before them.

i honor women

woman

the thousands upon thousands

who have nurtured

nourished

worked

struggled

loved unconditionally

laughed

danced

prayed

and i bask in the glow of the light

i find within

and though they will never be replaced,

when it is flesh-and-bones mother i crave

the blood of my kin,

i have only to look

to the women who also carry the torch

that was handed down

from this woman

to whom we now bid farewell,

the women who carry within them

my mother, my grandmother

and all our mothers before us

and i am comforted.

and i am loved.

and i am joyful.

~*~Love to you my mothers, my sisters...~*~

May the Great Mother hold you within her Heart.

ALLways learning...learning allWAYS

2009-01-27T21:56:00.000-08:00

I have been asked a few times now, "What is unschooling?" Here are some thoughts (some my own, some not) to clarify, especially for our friends and family members who wonder what on Earth we're really doing waaaay up here in the frozen North...

According to Pam Sorooshian, on Sandra Dodd's *awesome* unschooling website , unschooling is:
"dropping the conventions of schooling, eliminating such things as required subjects, reading and writing assignments, and tests, and entirely replacing those with the creation of a stimulating, enriched environment and lots and lots of parental support for kids in pursuing their interests and passions...

LOTS of parents create stimulating environments and give lots of support for their kids' interests; this is not unique to unschoolers. What makes it unschooling is that unschoolers give up the rest of the schooling and trust that their kids will learn what they need to learn by being immersed in the rich and stimulating environment and with parental support of kids' interests."

John Holt, in his book 'What Do I Do Monday?' says the following:

"Let me sum up what I have been saying about learning. I believe that we learn best when we, not others, are deciding what we are going to try to learn, and when, and how, and for what reasons or purposes; when we, not others, are in the end choosing the people, materials, and experiences from which and with which we will be learning; when we, not others, are judging how easily or quickly or well we are learning, and when we have learned enough; and above all when we feel the wholeness and opennesss of the world around us, and our own freedom and power and competence in it."

What is life-learning?

It is what we DO. It is who we ARE. It is BEing right HERE, right NOW. It is the notion that each and every moment is a learning experience; that the path we are meant to follow will unfold before us; that each of us is FREE to CHOOSE where to go and how to get there; the understanding that we were brought together in order to BE TOGETHER. We connect, we breathe, we flow, we listen, we learn, we LIVE TOGETHER, as a whole, while also honoring each other as individuals. We do not force each other to learn that which we do not care about or has no relevance in our lives, and we do not force each other to stop learning that which makes our hearts sing, that which brings us joy and fullfillment or is relevant to our lives in some way.

Life-learning happens simply because we are L-I-V-I-N-G. We are ALIVE...alive to the awareness that EVERYthing is possible. We are present, within ourselves, with each other. It is the understanding that learning NEVER stops. It cannot be shut off because an alarm sounds, or we are tired, or we have an appointment to make. It is the idea that we are ALLways learning...learning allWAYS.

~*~Bright & Beautiful Blessings~*~

We are not lost...

2008-10-04T09:34:00.000-07:00

Just very far from home! For the last three months the wildroots family has been moving into a new house, and for the most recent two weeks our journey has taken us south to the Great Lakes region to visit friends and family...one more week to go, and then we will return to our homeland...Alaska!

I am on my sister-in-law's computer, so I don't plan to spend too much time posting, but for those of you who have asked if I am ever going to post again...well...here it is! (Hi Sondra, Wes, Robin and Rudy!)

To all of the friends and family who we have been blessed to share time with during our travels...thank you *so* much for your hospitality and love...I have felt so at home and so loved being here!

I have to run now, but I will be posting again once we get back...although now that we've moved we only have dial-up, so who knows how that will go.

Love and light to all!

*mAmArOoT*

A 'Spider-dove's-eye' view

2008-08-02T11:43:00.000-07:00

I love it when I pick up the digital camera and find that someone other than me has captured the images that speak to them. In this case, it was Spider-dove...

La casa de los pescados:

And here we have a portrait of 'Suckafish':

A very happy little brother:

Mama from behind:

And finally, a gorgeous shot of the beautiful, blue sky, which we simply have not seen enough of this summer:

*Happy* Saturday!

Vessel of Love

2008-08-01T09:35:00.000-07:00

A photograph I just *love* of

Boreal*SunDaughter,

taken a few months ago

as she and I supported a sister

in birthing her third child...

and now SunDaughter

has birthed a third baby

of her own...

(and someday when I have a picture I might even show you! ;)

Time Stood Still

2008-07-30T21:46:00.000-07:00

From mAmArOoT:

Early in the morning,
while most people silently slumbered in their beds,
winding their way
through a spiral of dreams,

Time stood still...

a baby was birthed into being...

I was blessed to be part of this moment in time,
to hear the beautiful, powerful,
primal birth song -
A woman invoking the Goddess;
calling forth the Great Mother;
Conjuring the spirits of her Mothers before her...

I was honored
to stand with my sister,
and support her on this journey
through the labrynth;
to share with her
this sacred communion
of love and life.

I was grateful
to stand in the presence
of those who have become my family;
to join them
in embracing this new being,
conceived in love -
who emerged from a lover's embrace,
a mother's depths.

I was humbled
by the strentgth
of her partner;
by the love
which poured forth
from his eyes,
and enveloped them all
in a circle of protection.

I was overjoyed
to stand witness to two little boys
as they became big brothers...
one for the second time, one for the first;
to watch them and watch over them,
as they took part
of a most ancient art.

And early in the morning,
while most people slumbered silently in their beds,
winding their way
through a spiral of dreams,

Time stood still.

a baby was birthed into being...

New life emerged.
And the essence of *pure* love
held us all
with gentle hands.

Re-membering our Shine

2008-07-29T20:41:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I just could not wade through my *dark* thoughts to find the shine...But today, these *bright* and *beautiful* little beings lit up my day and reminded me of just how much *SHINE* fills our world.

And...

Spider-dove told me I did a very good job being patient today...I *love* that she is able to see my human-ness, forgive my trips and stumbles, and find ways to let me know she sees me pick myself up, brush myself off, and continue putting one foot in front of the other...she sees me trying.

...and my love pours forth...

Catching up...again

2008-07-19T16:47:00.000-07:00

Okay...so you've been wondering what the *wIlD*rOoTs* family has been doing lately to keep themselves *so* busy? Well...here are a few snippets...

We had planned to go to the first annual Renaissance Faire put on by the Fairbanks Shakespeare Theatre...We even made costumes! Spider-dove called herself a medieval princess or the Lady of the Lake, depending upon which moment you asked her. We made her a lovely dress out of our friend's sister's prom dress...little*bear dressed as a knight...but did not want his picture taken...unfortunately the Faire got rained out...so we went to the University of Alaska Fairbanks to climb trees...one of the kids' most favorite things to do!

from mamaroot:

Spider-dove and I have been talking about making paper together, so we spent an afternoon making a mold and deckle together...

from mamaroot:

from M.:

We spent much time this summer exploring the insect world...this is a beetle that was new to all of us:

from mamaroot:

from M.:

little*bear often travels in his big sisters footsteps...he is now quite an egg-cracker!

from mamaroot:

of course, creating of one sort or another happens regularly:

from mamaroot:

little*bear's little*paw:

Adventures in Rhubarb!

The following is the first installment of the Rhubarb Chronicles...together with our friends we journeyed out to Goldstream Valley to harvest some rhubarb, the first step in our jam-making process...

from mamaroot:

My friend and sister boreal*sun*daughter surprised the kids with some steamers for the drive out to the valley:

little*bear delighted in picking the rhubarb!

The kids played 'monster-chase' in the fireweed field next to the rhubarb garden:

boreal*sun*daughter...bright & shiney mama!

my sweet friend, little*bird:

oh how beautiful the intricacies of nature are!

45 pounds of rhubarb to process:

bright & beautiful, squeaky clean stalks:

The sprial of life flows all around us

always

all ways:

the kids enjoyed a romp on the trampoline while boreal*sun*daughter and i processed the rhubarb:

isn't it pretty all processed and bagged up?

time to re-fuel:

Of course, these are just small pieces of the goings-on in our world...but it gives you an idea of where our energy has been going!

Stay tuned for the up-coming installments of the Rhubarb Chronicles, as well as the myriad other adventures that call upon us...

~blessings one and all~

A Lovely Summer Solstice

2008-06-21T12:03:00.000-07:00

When festival days roll around I envision these grandiose extravaganzas in my mind...And the day comes, and nothing goes as planned, and instead of celebrating another turn of the Wheel, I end up disappointed because nothing went as I expected.

Yesterday was no such day...I had no plan whatsoever. We joined some friends for breakfast, and ended up cutting it short because our family's just needed a bit of space...so we headed home, I cleaned out the truck, and the kids and I headed to Creamer's Field.

There was no agenda other than to check out the 'frog pond' and look for dragonflies and damselflies. We spend a good three or so hours there...no looking at the clock, no hurries, no worries, and I have to say, it was a splendid, glorious, *shiney* day!

we started by playing and eating under the big spruce tree, then moved into the garden...

little*bear frolics in the garden by the visitor's center

...then we headed to the seasonal wetland trail...

wild irirses begin to bloom

Spider-dove bounds across a bridge surrounded by roses and birches

this is 'their' place

...we ventured onto the boreal forest trail where we encountered the 'Great Mother Boreal' as Spider-dove called her...Whatever her name, she was definitely there...in the breeze that rustled the leaves, in the myriad birds who sang to us as we strolled...

little*bear coined this 'the longest bridge in the world'

the horsetail was bright and glowing and really talking to me...

It's been awhile since I've been completely present. It was refreshing to really be within the flow, with no thoughts about time or 'other' things to do. We simply were. Together. Enchanted by our surroundings, by each other. There was so much love and connection. These are the moments that give me the courage to continue down this unschooling path, and remind me of how beautiful this path is.

Our evening came full circle when we went back to our friend's house for a Solstice fire...good conversation, lots of fun and playing, feelings of joy and happiness being in the presence of people whom I love and enjoy...

M. was hard at work...however he has off today so that we can celebrate our 6th wedding anniversary!

I love you M.!

The Web of Life

2008-06-20T06:40:00.000-07:00

From MaMaRoOt:

This evening's harvest:

Rose Petals & Raspberry Leaves

From little*bear:

From Spider-dove:

little*bear 'climbing' jacob's ladder

One more from MaMaRoOt:

Spider-dove became interested in string games after camp last week. Ever since, she has been working towards doing jacob's ladder by herself. As her little brother slumbered next to her, she kept working on it until she came bounding down the stairs, squealing with delight, "mama, I did it! Isn't it so great?"

Tuesday Morning Venture

2008-06-20T01:18:00.000-07:00

From MaMaRoOt:

We visited some friends today who are working towards self-sufficient living...So far they have chickens, goats and a big garden. We envision this for our future as well, so needless to say we were very inspired. Ever since we became members of Calypso Farm & Ecology Center, the kids have had visions of goats and chicks, sheeps and pigs, and a big garden. For now, we visit our friends, share in their joy, and ask lots of questions!

Here's a 'peep' at our day:

The chicks were not sure how they felt about having visitors

With patience and stillness on our parts, they warmed up a little

The kids were naturals

Our friends sent us home with some fresh goat milk

Here is the wonderful lunch we had when we got home: Strawberry soup, fresh-baked sourdough bread from our local baker, and fresh goat cheese...Yum!

The Wind and the Water

2008-06-20T00:57:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we spent a tremendously windy evening at Chena Lakes with some friends...We were blessed with lots of playing in the sunshine, which was especially nice looking back on it as it has been somewhat overcast this week:

*peace*

Hidden Treasures

2008-06-20T00:50:00.000-07:00

little*bear found this empty bee's nest in the tire-well of our old truck

Spider-dove was curious about what the inside looked like

Wild Rose Wanderings

2008-06-17T21:01:00.000-07:00

From MaMaRoOt:

Spider-dove spent 5 hours each day last week at Wild Rose Summer Camp. Each day she came home with many tales...from the magic story in the forest to the mud-oven the kids were constructing together...On the final day, families were invited up to the farm for a celebration...How amazing it was to be enveloped within the beauty of the farm and the radiant shine of all the campers...truly *magical*

And without further ado...

*shine*shine*shine*

the garden gate

little*bear taking it all in

the kids decided to make a 'frog' mud oven

little*bear was *so* excited to enter the tipi

The entrance to the 'magic story' in the forest

Spider-dove showing off the candle she dipped

Spider-dove is now enamoured of string games

Plant-dyed silks blowing in the warm breeze

Spider-dove's vibrant silk batik

A simply *awesome* giant puppet show about a prince and a princess and a dragon!

little*bear wanted to go and 'tap' his 'brother-dragon'

after the giant puppet show, the campers and counselors gathered around this string-circle...a hook dangled from it's center, and each person held a piece...

bread that was baked in the mud-oven had been hidden in the field, and it was up to everyone to work together to find the bread basket, 'capture' it with the hook, and bring it back to the table...

Onve the bread was found and delivered, the children took bread and juice to their parents, and then began munching after an exhausting week filled with art, cooperative games, puppetry, and lots of *shine*

in *joy*

Playing 'Catch-up'

2008-06-11T23:10:00.000-07:00

So much for the 'picture-a-day' thing, huh? Last week was very busy...from Spider-dove going to summer camp all week to Folk Fest and a trip to Chena Lakes on the weekend, when I wasn't 'doing', I was sleeping! So, here's what we've been up to...

From MaMaRoOt:

With Spider-dove at summer camp every day this week, M., little*bear and I have had some wonderful 'just-the-three-of-us-time'! Today we went for a bikeride to the Farmer's Market and Creamer's field:

little*bear wanted to see if the frog pond was still there, so we took the seasonal wetland trail.

The clouds were really intense and lovely:

*we* and our shadows:

We're about to take an evening stroll with the pooches, but I'll be sure to post more about our goings-on this past week later this evening....*hopefully*

Sending out bright and beautiful blessings on this splendidly cloudy, windy, sprinkly day!

Smoothing the Stone

2008-06-10T21:59:00.000-07:00

From MaMaRoOt:

PEACE

2008-06-09T20:45:00.000-07:00

finding joy at every turn

2008-06-07T17:40:00.000-07:00

From Spider-dove:

Dinosaurs and their eggs...a re-creation of a scene from the book 'Dinosaurs in the Dark' in the Magic Treehouse series

Her finger

From MaMaRoOt:

Camping food...YUM!

~O~

2008-06-06T08:44:00.000-07:00

frOm mAmArOOt:

pOOp
sOw {seeds Of} lOve
wOrking tOgether
cOmunication
cOOperation
cOnnection
*jOy*

yes, that's right...it all began with pOOp
i awOke abruptly this mOrning
to M. standing Over me
wincing and gagging
his shirt held firmly Over his face
i believe his exact wOrds were
{and this is what wOke me up}
dude...i can't dO it

when my sweet man
begins a statement like that
there's Only One thing it cOuld be
pOOp
puppy pOOp

this was arOund
4:30 this mOrning

sO

i gOt Out Of bed
and tOgether
we began the prOcess
of cleaning pOOp

initially
i was irritated
at nOt Only
waking up at 4:30 a.m.

but tO clean pOOp

puppy pOOp

when the jOb
was finally finished
i thOught briefly
abOut returning to my slumber
but then
i figured
i was already up

sO

i created a plate Of fresh fruits
veggies
cheeses
bread & butter w/cinnamOn
sO the kids may
break their fasts
{they had awOken amidst all the chaOs}
they spread Out blankets
next to the bed
where M. cOuld relax
after lOng hOurs On the jOb

i came dOwnstairs
stretched my bOdy
and walked
Out the dOOr
tO the sOund
Of M.'s vOice
reading the stOry
Of quillwOrker
tO his preciOus children

here are sOme
bits of jOy
i fOund
as i walked
briskly

mOving my bOdy

mOving my chi

as i walked
up the driveway
i fOund
jOy
playing peek-a-bOO
with sun

as i walked
thrOugh
the chilly mOrning air
i watched
as sun mOved
higher and higher
casting his radiant glOw
Over a beautiful canOpy
Of green

what did i smell?
the intermingling
Of death
and life

the dank, musty scent
Of dead trees
and rOtting leaves

the sweet smell
Of lilacs in full blOOm

*jOy*

as i cOntinued
dOwn the dusty rOad
hOpping Over puddles
watching the dOgs
run and tumble

sun sparkeld thrOugh
birch
aspen
spruce
alder
willow

beckOning my attention

my reverence

and i basked
in his warmth

his light

his dazzling beauty

and i fOund mOments
of pure *jOy*
that stOpped time

and it wasn't all nature's beauty
that caught my eye

fOr as i strOde past
an Old lOader
i fOund jOy
thinking abOut
hOw LiTtLe*bEaR
finds sO much jOy
each time we pass by
this very spOt

i fOund jOy
when i picked up
this can
and stuffed it in my pOcket
withOut judgement
Of the persOn who left it behind
just the hOnOr i felt
having the priveledge
tO act
as a keeper of earth

and this sign
became symbOl

the message
was less abOut
the curve
of the road

and mOre abOut
the curve within

the circle Of life

we all cOme
frOm the mOther
and to her
we shall return

i cast my eyes dOwnward
and fOr a mOment
i was reminded
Of the darkness

Of the balance

between

day and night
light and shadOw
jOy and anguish

and hOw
it is all
inter~cOnnected
inter~related
inter~twined

i lOOked arOund
i inhaled deeply
i held that breath
within my cOre

i walked

my feet
pOunding Out the beat
of my heart

the rhythm

the pulse

Of life

and i am One with it

with every step
with each turn
mOving
ebbing
flOwing
be ing

and i have cOme
full circle

and nOw i am hOme

{and it all began with pOOp}

stagnation

2008-06-06T00:07:00.000-07:00

no images struck me today
the whole day i felt stuck
stagnant
foggy
i was irritated by these feelings

i kept waiting for something
anything
to happen
to inspire
to motivate

yet what i had hoped for
never came

and then i realized
that out of these moments of stillness
come the dreams
that fuel future action

that while i was waiting
for the moment to arrive
i missed the moments
that were here
NOW

and so
NOW
i choose
to turn in early
with the seed of possibility
tucked into
the recesses
of my mind

i shall sow this seed
into the soil
of my dreams

i shall release
all expectation

i shall trust
in nature's way
and envelope myself
within the flow

and arise
with the buds of morning

Little paws

2008-06-04T20:27:00.000-07:00

From MaMaRoOt:

As I walked into the cabin this evening,

I looked down upon the stairs,

and what did I see but two small hands.

Who knows when they appeared,

or how long they have been there,

or how long they will remain.

What I do know

is that when I see these two little hands

staring up at me,

I smile,

knowing that at some point,

a little person reached out

and left his mark upon the world...

and I am lucky enough to stand witness...

relishing in these moments of silent joy.

From little*bear:

Little paws

Flour Power

2008-06-03T22:36:00.000-07:00

From MaMaRoOt:

Angel Rocks

2008-06-02T18:55:00.000-07:00

Yesterday buffaloheart *finally* had a whole day off! *JOY*! Everyone agreed that a day-trip was in order to celebrate our time *all* together, so we packed up our picnic lunch and headed out towards Angel Rocks...Here are several moments captured:

From M.:

MaMaRoOt finding *balance*

LiTtLe*DrAgOn and Spider-dove, enJOYing quiet moments

From MaMaRoOt:

I love burls

A new 'beaver stick' for playing fetch

The Angel Rocks outcrop overlooking a beaver dam

Sand + Water + Rocks = *Delight*

A very sweet father-son moment

Spider-dove captured this snowy surprise as we headed up the trail towards the rocky outcrop

Spider-dove and buffaloheart taking in the view from the rocks

a pooped pup!

Tree people,

deciduous and evergreen alike,

stand supported...

supporting the Earth.

The winding river glistens

as Grandfather Sun peeks through clouds.

Earth dips

and rises,

drawing my eyes to her curves, her fullness.

Arms stretching wide,

I breathe deeply the sweet

and slightly musky

air.

I drink in the beauty of this place...

this place I call home.

Remebering Mother

2008-06-02T00:29:00.000-07:00

From MaMaRoOt:

Five times, now,

has the wheel turned...

Five dances around the sun,

has Earth Mother danced...

Some days,

She seems far, so far away...

And then I catch a glimpse of my hands...

The wrinkles in my knuckles,

the pink hue,

the shape,

the way I hold something.

And she is there.

Here.

With me.

Within me.

Flowing through me.

Just within arm's reach...

Always.

In death,

there is life.

As a seed is planted, and begins to sprout...

Birth.

As the apple tree bursts with fruit...

Life.

As the apple falls...

Death.

As the apple is split apart,

a seed of hope, of possibility, lies cradled within...

The promise of new life.

As the apple is eaten,

life is nurtured, sustained.

As the apple rots within...

death.

As the apple is expelled from the body,

it becomes food for the Earth...

Re-birth.

And so the wheel turns.

And the spiral of LIFE continues.

Puppy Love

2008-05-31T20:40:00.000-07:00

From MaMaRoOt:

From Spider-dove:

nAture

We are the weavers; we are the web.

2008-05-30T19:26:00.000-07:00

From MaMaRoOt:

A dream-catcher Spider-dove and I created together

From ~Spider-dove~

Orange on table

From little*bear:self-portrait

Radiating Shine

2008-05-29T21:59:00.000-07:00

From MaMaRoOt:

Spider-dove, at one with her *shine*

From Spider-dove:

leaves and trees

bright and green

keep me warm
and keep me clean

WiLdRoOtSaLaSkA365

Good-bye Blogosphere...

Blog Tag

Congratulations, M.!

Happy Eostar...sort of

Bidding Farewell...Welcoming

Gifts from afar

Life-Learning is allWrite!

Re-Turn

Mother-Less

Spring's beginnings

I heART Ice

Ice Puppies

Adventures on Ice and Snow

Art (is) Expo(nentially) (FUN!)

Games Galore!

*beautiful* CHAOS, Part II

*Beautiful* CHAOS

Hanging in the Balance: A Walk in my Mukluks

A Ripple of Happiness

Imagine this...

The Lost Treasures of the Middle Realm

Busy Livin'!

The Heart of a Dancer

more and MORE unschooling bliss!

pure *joy*

Discovering Pele, Part II

Discovering Pele

Frozen in Time Part II

Frozen in Time

Cold February Days...

...Of an evening at home...

The Passing of the Torch

ALLways learning...learning allWAYS

We are not lost...

A 'Spider-dove's-eye' view

Vessel of Love

Time Stood Still

Re-membering our *Shine*

Catching up...again

A Lovely Summer Solstice

The Web of Life

Tuesday Morning Venture

The Wind and the Water

Hidden Treasures

Wild Rose Wanderings

Playing 'Catch-up'

Smoothing the Stone

*PEACE*

finding *joy* at every turn

~O~

stagnation

Little paws

Flour Power

Angel Rocks

Remebering Mother

Puppy Love

We are the weavers; we are the web.

Radiating *Shine*

beautiful CHAOS, Part II

Beautiful CHAOS

pure joy

Re-membering our Shine

PEACE

finding joy at every turn

Radiating Shine