Yes, Another Work Post

There's definitely no leaving work at work. I mean, there's no getting Ryan out of my head.

And I wouldn't have it any other way.

A four and a half year old, "made up of freckles and scrapes," as he said today. A boy with orange curls, orange eyebrows ("I don't know who dyed them that color" he told me in Whole Foods this afternoon as we sat reading Mrs Piggle Wiggle while his mom shopped with the new baby).

Yes, it's challenging trying to take care of him. Yes, somedays I think I'll never have children. Yes, my patience and calm are tested and I repeatedly fail (at least on the inside)...

But then there are moments of such inexplicable sweetness.

Life/work reminding me again and again that everything is impermanence, everything is change.

Moments

This is an inch worm house Ry made. "Now he's got such a brilliant world," he said.

Mulberry picking in the back alley!

In the new treehouse...

Making "grapevine, maple sugar and maple honey leaf soup" (in a tree)!

The Truth

Sometimes

Sometimes you have to take drastic measures. Like when there's a heat wave. And even with your AC cranked for three days, the heat seems to be trapped inside you and all you can think of eating is fruit and vegetables. Cold. Or maybe both together.


Two nights ago I made this cold buttermilk tomato soup. It was pretty good. And definitely cold. But I really loved how the buttermilk looked swirling into the jug...


And no, this is not desert. It was last night's dinner. Zucchini soup and summer squash, cucumber and cantaloupe salad. Really really good.

These Days, Everything's in FLux

Actually, everything's always in flux. My mind pulled two ways. Do I want relative ease--comfort--in Nepal? Or to be close to Holiness in hellish India? Or lots of time in Tibet and facing my fear of altitude sickness?

And sorting through my endless detritus--poems and papers with names of books I want to read and bands to check out and movies to watch and recipes to make. Because in 27 days I'll be homeless for 14 months! Moving from place to place. Baltimore to New York to Massachusetts to Hong Kong to Chengdu to Kham to Kathmandu to Pharping. Pharping to Bangkok to Bangalore to Bodghaya.

I like to have a nest--surrounded by all my clothes and books and papers. But there's too much stuff. Too many toiletries and catalogs and magazines. Too many shoes. Too much everything! So my motto/struggle now is SIMPLIFY. It scares me that I seemed to have an easier time doing this four years ago when K and I basically sold everything we owned and went to Asia for the first time. This time I don't have as much stuff here in Baltimore as I did then in Colorado. But it's still hard paring things down to the essentials. Alloting myself just two big tupperwares of things to bring with me this summer. And then narrowing that down to just one small pack when we leave in Sept.

I know by then I'll feel exhilarated, sort of free and so much less encumbered than I do now...No bills, no cooking or cleaning to do. But today, these days, I feel a little daunted. So many bits and pieces to sift through. So much to let go of.

Upstate Take 2

We camped at the bottom of this little hill.

In the morning the grass was covered in tiny glistening water droplets and spiderwebs and dewey caterpillars.

And...More Things That Make Me Happy

Today is the first day of the Strawberry Moon...(last month was the Flower Moon).
A fitting breakfast of strawberries, coconut water and kefir...

I love second breakfasts!! Chocolate chip coconut banana bread and chai.

Other things:

Bits of red string and cheesecloth and balloons. Kira Kira. Twine and a tiny watercolor set imprinted with cats. Dear Nora. Katy Davidson. Parachutes. William Eggleston (http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKUK_MPByHkg7_4wTWkqnGsivHl_yNcZ4GLiDKvYbDR6KcMj1y_TNILMWG1ysBhpLrKGSYHiLVvVRMRDyIPsp2Tgv0JBwzoQsumJN_VT-aaB5lfVkb1hRsFTTIYp3cF0l-fl-IRrovSsk/s400/arsl04_eggleston.jpeg&imgrefurl=http://photo-muse.blogspot.com/2007/08/william-egglestons-5x7-and-new-american.html&h=277&w=400&sz=37&hl=en&start=6&um=1&tbnid=9nNkoYO4d4pn4M:&tbnh=86&tbnw=124&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dwilliam%2Beggleston%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den)

It's Summer In My Mind

The Farmer's Market makes me so happy....

Especially this man...I have a weakness for old guys anyway....But this one in particular always gets me...He sits on the end of his truck so patiently watching everyone go by. And he has the sweetest smile. After I thanked him for letting me take his picture he said he hoped he didn't break my camera...

Irises that smell like grapes (from the guy above)...

Yay for spring peas and asparagus and strawberries and black-raspberry kefir!