The Monarchs are Back

Good Morning! It is a beautiful crisp fall day here. In the last few days I have noticed lots of these visitors back in the area. There are spots along the coast here where they winter. The trees are covered in them in those areas...they make the trees look orange.

Secret Lives of Parents Panel (9/30/09)

Question

Don't ask me why this has been such a big question over the last couple of weeks- but it has hit me. Do people change?? Or is it just that time goes on and some very superficial things appear to be different, but essentially, people and their issues stay the same? I'm getting old enough now that it seems easier to see a patern with people...And then, if people do get so of "set" in their ways, at what age does that happen? And is it possible for people to really change after that?

NurtureShock: Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman

I'm so into this book right now- it is so incredibly interesting...and debunks so much stuff...parental instincts, praise, sheltering kids, self esteem, on and on...and all of this is based on actual science, not touchy make the parents feel good stuff. It's funny- most of the major mistakes these two point out are from parents making themselves feel better- not the child.

Google Fun

OKay, so try this. Search Google for your name or whatever. Then when you have the results click "show options". Then, on the left click on "wonder wheel". Kind of a fun way to search for things, don't you think? I only recently discovered this.

Halloween and Stuff...

Okay, so these aren't pictures of Halloween at all. Basically this Halloween was in Tristam's words, "the BEST Halloween ever." The thing is that most of the really GREAT photos I have of the 2 days of dress up fun have lots of other kids in them...so, I can't post them...On Friday, Tristam was dressed as Superman and then on Saturday he was a rock star.

These photos are from 2 weeks ago when Fred and I rode our bikes down to Old Port Pier to buy some oysters adn salmon. This young pelican was perched fearlessly on the pier. Very handsome looking young bird. The other photo is of some very loving carrots we harvested from our garden.

Over 10 years and Going Strong

My best friend for over 10 years now-

The Science of Kids Sleep

Those Stupid Plastic Containers Nobody Can Open

I just love this guy...

Fall Weather

The weather changes so quickly here sometimes. Yesterday was positively balmy out and today is pretty chilly with a strong cold wind blowing off of the water.

I'm getting art ready to ship and catching little things that need fixing...

Afterschool I'm heading over to a friends house who is a seamstress. She is going to make some of my not quite right clothes fit better. I'm getting ready for the big pre-Holiday house cleaning where I go through closets and drawers, etc. and get rid of unused things, fix things that need fixing and clean out dust and stuff...it's a nice ritual to get ready for all of the chaotic busyness of the months aheas.

Been Awhile...

Hi! So, I'm sorry. I've been off on my own planet for awhile now and I sound like a flipping broken record about it too...

I was thinking te other day that I should get one of those digital voice recorders and carry it around with me. There are so many times that I am thinking about what I want ot remember for later and then *poof* gone- the moment passes and then a lot of busyness fills in and I forget...so that's on the list- digital voice recorder.

The last days have been the usual super busy sorts of days. I have been waking up early and plugging away at projects...I'm so looking forward to getting this picture book done (I have been work on it FOREVER!!) . I think it looks really great- we will see what the publisher thinks- fingers crossed. Then I finally have the time to revamp the website, finish up personal projects, get new promotional materials out etc...etc...

I'll post later today again. Right now, I'm hopping on my bike, strappingon my rad pink helmet with retro designs on it, and heading to Avila to meet up with my hubby and kid.

Soggy

2 days of rain....and lots of tomatos and tomatillos. I have some windows open to get some fresh air in here. The air outside smells so good- all moist and earthy with a dash of ocean in there....Today I am painting and doing some pasting. I'm hoping not to paint my shirt today, I did that Monday- grrr. Just a few more days and this book will be done and looking good and off to NYC.

The First Rains

I have about 15 minutes before I go pick Tristam up from kindergarten. This morning, his school did an inproptu play of Where the Wild Things Are. New characters were added to accomidate more children. He's got a really cool school.

I have been working in ever spare moment...well, every spare longer moment. I am almost done with this picture book. almost.

Balance is a reoccuring theme on this blog. I asked a very accomplished and amazing illustrator/author and mom not too long ago how she balance family and work. She said : And as for trying to balance work and kids, it is just the hardest thing ever. The most important thing is to always stand up for yourself and for your work. Your kids will, in the short term and in the long run, respect you for it. And love you for it, too. I've been using those lines as my mantra lately.

The rain has been falling all day...perfect weather for focusing on drawings and stories.

Better

Feeling much better today...woke up before 6am without an alarm, did an hour of yoga, had steel cut oatmeal for breakfast with green tea....am ready to sit down and work.

Bad Time to be Ill

I've been sick with something for the last few days. The first day of it was awful...spent most of it in the bathroom...the next day I was just a bit weak and very cold and then further on that night, I had a fever...today I'm still a bit weak, but am eating...in the meantime, there is a project that desperately needs completing sitting here....

Fall

Fall veggies. The fog drifting over the hills. Farm fresh chicken eggs in brown and blue. Work space.

Old School Reading Rainbow Theme

Reading Rainbow , Lavar Burton's Take

Here is Lavar Burton writing about the recently cancelled Reading Rainbow- it's hilarious.