Bluebells

"The bluebell is the sweetest flower,

that waves in summer's air,

it's blossoms have the mightiest power

to soothe my spirit's care."

-Emily Bronte 

Spring may have come a little late this year, but it's in full bloom now and has been spoiling us with absolutely gorgeous weather lately.  The maple tree in our backyard seemed to bud and leaf overnight, casting that familiar area of shade in the middle of the lawn.  The grass, the tree, the clothes on the line, and the sun tea warming on the deck bring back memories of my summer with Cruz last year, sitting on the quilt reading books, doing crafts, or telling stories as we enjoyed the stillness and simplicity of summer.

And just as our backyard is a canvas for the things I love about summertime, our town comes alive with little pockets that show off this season's best.  The outdoor patio furniture is set up at Soho and Mulligans, the bike trails lead to wooded Hartman Reserve or picnic perfect George Wyth, and Overman Park readies itself for Farmer's Markets, Movies Under the Moon, and the annual Sturgis Falls Celebration.  

Sometimes, I grow a little tired of the same ole, same ole, and wish our town had more to offer in terms of restaurants, sights to see, and things to do.  But having lived here for almost a decade now, it seems we continue to discover hidden pockets and treasures along the way.  Things like the splash pad or Herb's Barbecue in Waterloo, Alice Wyth Lake, a little lake about as far back as you can go at George Wyth, or the revival of College Hill with the arts festival and the first annual music festival.

To add to our list, the three of us discovered (thanks to my friend, Megan) the Katoski Greenbelt this past Mother's Day and were told it was the best place to catch a glimpse of the amazing bluebells that had bloomed over the weekend.  We've driven by this greenbelt many times; however, from the road it's nothing more than a roadside parking lot with a couple of picnic tables.  This vast expansion of woods is tucked away for what seems like miles.  Its dirt trails run parallel to a creek, with big shade trees meeting on both sides to create a canopy over the water.  There are places to stroll off the beaten path, with big tree limbs serving as bridges over waterways and even bigger limbs serving as resting spots or time for Cruz to play hide and seek.  Besides the picnic tables by the road, there is no sign of civilization in this greenbelt, making it feel farther away from reality the deeper you explore.

And then there are the bluebells.  Fields of never-ending purple, so pretty that you hate to walk through them.  And just as this greenbelt seems to preserve its natural bounty in the middle of the man-made world around it, the bluebells stick out, surrounded by a sea of green.

It's been three summers now of me watching Beau carry Cruz on his shoulders.  Three years of trailing behind the two of them, amazed at my very own image of what I always dreamed about.  They are my world, set out to explore this bigger world with me and discover our own pockets of beauty in the most unexpected of places.   

   

Counting My Pennies

Cruz has been changing a lot lately, growing more boy and less baby all the time, and constantly surprising us with the things he knows, remembers, and thinks to say at the best times.  He has always been so game for trudging through the bits and pieces of this life with us, and his ability to embrace and soak up his surroundings, no matter where he is, has challenged me to do the same so many times.  I watch him and am overtaken with awe at his sweetness.  The way he watched Charly's every move at the playground on Sunday, smiling from ear to ear at the chance to play with his friend.  The way he closed his eyes tight and stretched his ear to his shoulder, all the while trying to be brave as our neighbor's dog gave him kisses on his face.  The way he wraps his legs around my waist as I rescue him from the top of the stairs in the morning, this little figure with disheveled hair standing there in the dark holding his water cup, his baby, and sometimes a puzzle piece, race car, or spoon, depending on what he chose to bring to bed with him the night before.  These small little snapshots of raising him evoke so many different emotions, emotions I've learned come with the territory of motherhood.  A mix of a overwhelming happiness, a humbling thankfulness, and a aching twinge of sadness knowing how quickly these moments slip away and fade into new moments.

Writer, Annie Dillard, compares these free surprises to pennies on the sidewalk and says in an essay called, "Seeing", that "the world is fairly studded and strewn with pennies cast broadside by a generous hand."  These moments are uniquely ours, strewn across a life that is full of other reminders that have the power to overshadow the sweet ones.  These reminders of the reality we live in are constantly present, but instead of sticking out like pennies on the sidewalk, they sort of slip together into a fog, making it hard to see the pennies.  Sometimes, I get sad thinking about how many pennies I miss or fail to see because my sights are focused on something else.  Dillard says, "It is dire poverty indeed when a man is too malnourished and fatigued to stoop down and pick up a penny."  

But then I remember that the reason surprises are surprises are because they are unexpected and evoke a sudden feeling of wonder or awe.  If I surprised Beau with a Big Green Egg for his birthday every year, he would come to expect it or look for it every year and over time, even with a Big Green Egg, it would lose its luster.  These pennies of motherhood, the moments when I'm overwhelmed with wonder and awe at this boy I created, occur in the midst of the regular, routine, and reality, and remind us that the clock ticks in moments, not minutes.  

Motherhood is hard, and sometimes, it feels like the foggy realities outweigh the pennies.  My nerves get frayed, my patience wears thin, and it's easy to dwell on everything that's undone or out of order.  A penny is worth just one cent, after all, hardly enough to keep the boat afloat, the laundry done, and the bills paid.  But then I'm reminded that it's not really about how many pennies you collect, but how you strive to see them.  Dillard says, "if you cultivate a healthy poverty, so that finding a penny will literally make your day, then, since the world is in fact planted in pennies, you have bought a lifetime of days."  

So, I wait.  I trudge through this life and wait to be surprised with moments of wonder and awe.  Responding to Cruz's fifteenth, "Why?" only this time stopping and noticing how brown his eyes have gotten.  Feeling how his hand fits in mine as we look both ways before crossing the street.  Watching him concentrate as he takes his time climbing up the ladder at the playground.  These are my pennies and they have bought me a lifetime.               

Flower Picking

Can you believe this wild weather we're experiencing lately?  First, it was snow in May, and now, less than two weeks later, record high temps. of 96 degrees!  And while I would have otherwise embraced this abnormal heat wave, I traveled with a group of colleagues to Mankato State University for a site visit today and our university van decided to forgo its AC unit on the ride home.  That's right, three hours in a van with dress clothes, the windows down, and hot air blowing through the vents.  Oh, and the gas station we stopped at for a cup or five of ice just happened to not have a fountain pop machine.  

Brutal.  

I wanted to share a few more snapshots from our Friday trip to Hoover's Greenhouse.  If you live in Iowa and have never made the trek to the ribbon of greenhouses that exist in the Ionia, Charles City, Orchard area, I highly recommend it.  Inexpensive, lots of variety, and very healthy plants, and it's more of an adventure than simply buying your plants at Wal-Mart.  
 

Especially when you have a helper like this...

We have plans to plant tomorrow.  Looking forward to slightly cooler temperatures, a pile of new dirt, and a few made rites if we're lucky ;)... 

   

This Mother's Day weekend...

...started with our annual tradition of greenhouse hunting in farm country.  Cruz and I picked up Mom early Friday morning and spent the day searching for pretty flowers and hearty vegetables for the garden.  This was the third year Mr. Cruz came along and every year he brings a new version of his growing self.  This year, he completely absorbed his surroundings, pushing the cart of flowers down the narrow aisles, greeting the chickens, goats, and cows, and attempting to drink water from the fountain!  He looked like a farm boy and did a wonderful job entertaining himself and the rest of the shoppers.  Afterwards, we scored some drive-thru food and had a little picnic by the river under the weeping willow trees.  Oh, and Captain Cruz had a run in with a gigantic garter snake.  As Cruz put it, "he tried to eat my stick!"

 

 

 

 

  
...Beau and I scored a date night, complete with martinis and sushi at Soho, a purse full of hot tamales and milk duds, and our first official summer bucket list item, The Great Gatsby on the big screen.  The movie was just as I expected - a lively, colorful Luhrman-inspired adaptation with Jay-Z music, amazing visual effects, and of course, Leonardo DiCaprio.  Although I was slightly disappointed with Tobey Maquire's version of Nick Carraway, Carey Mulligan's version of Daisy made up for it.  I got a little tipsy, used the word splendid more than all my years put together, and begged Beau to take me to New York City before we're too old to enjoy it. 

...we made pancakes with bananas and blueberries and ate breakfast with the sun seeping through the kitchen.

 

 

...Cruz pooped in the bathtub.  While Beau built this mama just one more garden bed to complete our own produce farm, I nestled in the bathroom for a Saturday morning of suds and Johnson' bath wash with my boy.  And what I thought was definitely the better end of the deal, I soon wished I was Beau digging dirt instead of me digging poo out of the bathtub.  And for those of you who can relate to this disgusting situation know that quite the process unfolds following this unfortunate incident.  First - remove all contaminated contents (toys, cups, children, etc.) from the tub; Second - Think happy thoughts and remove source of contamination; Third - Bleach everything but baby; Fourth - rinse and remove bleach; and lastly - begin all over again.  I managed to laugh my way through most of this, especially after seeing my obliviously content child playing racecars butt-naked in his room awaiting round two.  

...I rocked Cruz to sleep, finished my book, and laid next to him for two and a half hours on Saturday while he slept.  I smelled the top of his head, counted his eyelashes, and studied his nose as he slept next to me in our unmade bed.  While I had originally promised myself a Target run during nap time, I abandoned my plans and did nothing but finish a book and watch my baby sleep all afternoon.  It was a perfect opportunity to reflect on what it means to be his mama.

  

...We had a little fiesta in the kitchen.  I did score my trip to Target and came home with all the fixings for margaritas, tacos, and fresh guacamole.  We made a batch of my favorite margaritas, ate way too many chips and guac, and let Cruz join in on the fun with his very own wine glass of apple juice and a lime wedge.  We did lots of cheersin' and even some dancin' and had a fun little impromptu celebration of summer and moms and of course, tacos. 

...Beau surprised me with eggs and bacon for breakfast, tickets to see The Lumineers in Minneapolis at the end of the month, and a gurgle pot of tulips on the table when we returned home from church.  I kept asking Cruz if it was Mom's Day and he kept replying with, "No, it's BOY'S day."  He's been very into this "I'm a boy" thing lately, but did butter me up a few times, once touching my hair while I changed his diaper saying, "your hair's really nice" (in his best Borat voice), and another time yanking my brown maxi skirt and saying, "ooh, it's pretty."  I have a feeling I know where his charm comes from...:)

...We discovered the Katoski Greenbelt and the BLUEBELLS!  Never have I seen anything like this place.  The secluded trails, the quiet current of the creek beside us, and the endless fields of purple flowers were like something out of a Thoreau book.  This place and our afternoon deserves its own post, but for now, a few pictures from our bear hunt.

...We ended the day at Seerley Park with my family, followed by pizza around a big table at Tony's on the parkade.  My family around a big square table, sharing pizza and stories and babies, was the perfect way to end our weekend.

Hoping everyone had a wonderful weekend and experienced more fields of bluebells than bathtubs of poo.