the flow: in which we encounter cards, cows and critters...

You know, some days have it. And some days don't. The flow. We had a couple of good ones this week, and I will happily happily write away about them, as though they are precious gems to be treasured, 'cause they are!

To be sure, there were some rough spots - after all, as I see it our main work here in this life is figuring out the human part of how to get along, but at the end of the day I was still laughing and feeling grounded.

When we've had these flowy sorts of days, I usually try to figure out how to replicate them for, you know, every other day of the month. Really, I think it is the combination of the days we have leading up to the flow (usually busy, full of friends and things to do), and a suggestion of an agenda of what we'd like to get to that day.  Sometimes it's a conversation over breakfast, but some days, when I'm needing more structure to connect with each of the girls alone, and when I'm feeling particularly on top of it, I make what we've always called a Morning Board, though it's no longer drawn meticulously on a blackboard, but is scribbled (somewhat legibly - after all I want the budding readers to be able to read it!) on the back of some paper from the recycling bin.

It merely suggests a sequence of things, so we maybe have fewer distractions and can check back to see if we've managed to get in the parts that felt important.  After "chores" (I laugh, because they love the word chores. It makes them excited. How long will that last?) on Tuesday it was the part about "Mama and Eliza time" and "Mama and Ani time".  The way it worked out this week was for each it meant I chose something to suggest and they chose something.

For Eliza it was some math blocks and learning a magic card trick.  As I left her to practice the trick while I made lunch she cried, "Come quickly if I call you; it's a matter of life or math!!!" For Ani it was reading books together, and a game of Mancala.

We listened to stories as they painted valentines and I needle felted some more...We sat on the couch for a long time and read a couple of great non-fiction books: Underwear: What We Wear Down There had Eliza stripping down to tie a long scarf, sumo style, around her nethers. Wish I could include a photo, it was awesome. So of course there was wrestling as well...Then we spent a long time with What's Eating You?: Parasites, The Inside Story, which was unbelievably interesting though it kind of icked out the girls.  Especially Eliza, who couldn't fall asleep for a while last night, certain that her head was crawling with bugs.  So much of this book cropped back up in our conversations throughout the day; I love when a book gives us so much to come back to.

One of our rougher spots came when Ani was trying to needle felt a sheep. Finally I asked if she might be able to draw it, so she did...

...and today we got back to it, finally creating something that she was happy with!

This morning was less structured; Eliza did her magic trick a hundred more times, and Ani taught Eliza how to play Solitaire.

Then we went out running errands - an hour or more at the library where Eliza clocked in as a volunteer and Ani tried on all the dress-up clothes, then a stop at the post office where we ran into Farmer Dan from farm school who told us Kitty had her baby this morning!!! Yipee!! Suddenly we knew exactly how we were going to end our afternoon.

He's a little bull.

It  was so beautiful to be there and see this big sweet gentle cow and her baby.  I'll spare you the picture of the placenta, but the girls were fascinated with all of it.

So that brings us to this evening and a snuggle with Ani on the couch and - wait, what is that? There? In her hair? Remember that book, What's Eating You? Yeah. Apparently we have lice. Isn't life funny?