August

Last night my girl had her first ‘official’ sleepover at our house. It was thrilling for her and her dear little friend. I don’t know what I was expecting but it was very easy and they had a blast. There was pizza involved and nail painting (of course!), a movie in bed with popcorn and some late night chatter which was so sweet to hear. I could sense they were feeling proud as they have made a small step toward growing up. This morning as they played and graciously included a little brother (who was dying to be welcomed into the fold) I sat and colored at the table. There was so much I needed to do (laundry, laundry, oh did I mention laundry?) but this month I am choosing to slow way down.

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July was a very busy, fun month. We went on a camping trip with three other families. It was so much fun! One family are seasoned campers. They really know what they are doing. I learn a lot from them whenever we go camping. Their camping kitchen is so impressive, it could be in a magazine. Another family makes the best coffee, and this year I got to sit at their campsite in my pj’s (until noon, folks!!!) knitting and drinking their wonderful coffee and chatting with them. I always go out and buy the same coffee when I get home but sadly it never tastes as good as when I am sitting at their campfire. The third family was new to camping but after seeing their tent site, you would never know. It was so nice to get to know them more. We all shared meals together at night, swam in the Saco river, rode bikes and relaxed. It was fabulous!

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Our very best family photo

Campfire knitting–working on a Honey Cowl

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July ended with an unexpected call from a very dear friend, an important mother figure to me. She called to offer us her house on Martha’s Vineyard for five days. Without hesitation we said “Yes!”. It was so lovely and perfect. My husband was able to work from home for a couple of days (on the Vineyard) and we went and completely relaxed. Did I mention that there was a small private beach? Oooh yes. This woman, my friend, has had a very strong influence on me. She came into my life at a time when I really needed a mom. She was there when my own mother passed away and has always gently guided me toward the right things. Never judgmental and always kind, I have watched her (and her husband) raise four children who are now all adults. Her children have grown into kind, creative and loving people. I only wish for the same for my children and hope that we are raising them to be that way. She is a photographer and artist that paints, makes jewelry and handmade books and her house that we went to was like a calm haven where I drew lots of inspiration. I have come home feeling blessed, clear and full of fresh creative ideas. If you would like to check out her beautiful art, you can find her here: http://barbarazparker.com.