What Are Your Cousins Doing This Summer?

Strawberries are plentiful around here. I found a few yesterday in my bedraggled garden. I have had them on yogurt, over ice-cream, an in smoothies. I'm not tired of that sun-kissed taste.

I found our cousins in Germany, having the same wonderful harvest.

Fill the whole container?

Oh, my aching back!

What do you mean, where are the strawberries? Look how many I picked.

Three in a bush is better than seven in a tree?

I found the best one!!

Oh.oh, did you say pick strawberries?

One last strawberry on the edge.

In Germany our cousins are picking strawberries. What are you doing this summer?

A Cascade of Cousins

Summertime is a season to visit family. Reunions are planned and great effort is expended to bring old and young together. It is a grand time to have cousins. I did not have many cousins and the ones I had were not close to my age. That is the problem with being a child born late in the life of my parents. I developed an interest in my cousins when I became an adult and when I realized that they knew many valuable things about my family.

A Burgess Bunch

My grandchildren are now exploring their cousins and I find it fascinating how their perspectives are always in flux depending on their ages. We bring these children together and tell them that this group is different from other children. This group is special because they are related to you.

Kolditz Klan

This group of children will be your friends forever even if you don't like them today.Their parents are your aunts and uncles who like you because they like your parents, mostly.

Some Titze Tots

So, when I plan an event with children from more than one family I put aside the extra work and commotion and try to concentrate on the anticipation that these encounters will provide lasting memories. That knowing about these people will help define who they are.

Under the Titze Tent

Happy Fourth of July and happy family reunions everyone.

Moving On In My First Piano Adventures

My First Piano Adventures Students are moving into Book B. There is a huge lesson to learn in Book B which still applies to all levels. The lesson gives principles for sight-reading. Sightreading means to play through a piece for the first time.We can use the word CLAP to help remember the principles.
1. Count- count and clap the rhythm. Never having heard the song this counting gives the sense of time to a sight-reading piece.
2. Look- at the first note. Is it on a line or space? Find it on the piano. This principle sounds obvious but many students launch in without looking.
3. Attention- on what's next. Do the notes go up or down or stay the same? Looking slightly ahead of where you are actually playing requires attention.
4. Play- To begin set a steady beat by saying "1-2-3 Go." Playing very slowly allows the brain to process the information and send the signal to the fingers.

So what does CLAP stand for?
Count, Look, Attention, Play
As a parent you can help your child remember this skill just by allowing her to tell you what it means when we clap our hands in piano lessons.


The First Adventures Students are looking at how notes move on the staff.

We sometimes use the i-pad piano to play at the table while we read notes.

Are these notes going up or down?

N. gives his full attention to the moving notes.

Zoo Part Two

To get the most from my zoo membership I went back to the zoo with the other Grandkids. This time the animals were even more active due to the cool weather. 

The elephant was playing in the water with her trunk. She would go from sand to water and back. A trunk is a most interesting animal body part.

The tigers who roam in their large habitat are usually too hidden to see but on this day one was in the monkey cage. He was not interested in us at all.
We spent more time in the petting zoo. The goats were being groomed and the children were invited to help.

Amazing Grace had a gentle touch and she was rewarded with a still and peaceful goat. I found the few moments with the goats to bring us back to center and calm. Until...we got to the playground. Why do my grandkids love the playground the best?

The Spider Boy tumbles around on every toy. Nothing is too high to climb except the slide. He let his cousin A. enjoy that alone.

Whee................

Around the bend

Down so soon.

See Anemones?

And then just before we go home we have to ride the Carousel.

Paintings of the Month for Spring

There have been some lovely paintings hanging above the fireplace this spring. We are doing "paintings of the month" with two local artists, Karen Dale and Ted Kutscher. The painting we are borrowing from Ted is a scene from Maine with Lobster boats in Early Morning.

Lobster Boats in Maine at Sunrise

His paintings are varied and full of life.

I haven't seen these three myself but they give a feel for his subjects.

Summer Fruit Stand in Front of Hardware Store

The one above is especially fitting right now, as the fruit stand is open this summer.

Italy

Ted has vibrant colors which appeal to me very much.

Our Karen Dale paintings have featured her new work and some older works she pulled out of hiding.

Chartreuse Tablecloth

Brass Teapot

This new work was a favorite to live with. I like that it has books by the side.I see all of my senses invited to attend. Beautiful words to read, beautiful taste to savor, lovely smell of citrus and tea, and the feel of the sun through the window.
That is what still life brings to me. A charming moment in an uncharming day.
Here is an older post with more "paintings of the month"

I'm Going to the Zoo,zoo,zoo

So Grandma finally cleared up some time to take a group of Grandkids to the zoo. I bought a membership last year but this was only the second time I've used it. The day was another summer day, unlike most of our days this week. It was perfect weather.

A., Miss Maggie and the other A. went along.

We took a ride on the horses. They were ready to go but they only trotted in one direction. 

The ride was smooth, though.

Miss M. tried out a new house. The accommodations were pretty small.

There were poop exhibits this time. What can you learn about animals from their doo doo? Alex had "to go", too. We enjoyed the display that let us push buttons to hear the word poo in 10 languages.Ca-Ca caused the most giggles. That is Spanish and I am sure I'll hear it over and over again.

We were almost swallowed alive by a giant shark. Luckily we jumped out in time.

Miss M. did like imitating the lazy elephant behind her. The elephants are the most fun when the keepers bring them their food. Then you see some action. Stay tuned for round two in a few days; more Grandkids, more zoo time.

A Image to Accompany Breathing

    Part of my yoga practice is breathing and bringing my attention to my breath. I do this for two reasons; one, to give my mind a task so that it will be steady and stay in the moment, and two, to quiet my nervous system to prepare it for movement.

Breathing....You should try it!

A comment by Mary Catherine Bateson, an anthropologist and yoga lover, got me thinking about how the body and mind can move together and have the result intensify. She drew from the New Testament the words of Paul about Faith, Hope, and Charity. With every inhale breathe in Faith. Faith is a gift from God, we can't make ourselves, so let us imagine breathing it in, generously, for the faith God has no limit.

   With every breath, I take in remembrance of Christ's covenant with his Father to bring me home.
As I release my breath I imagine breathing out hope. My hope is that with my open heart I am enough.

As I breathe I visualize hope filling a bubble that can surround me and eventually engulf my whole being.

With this new cleansing breath I feel my spirit start to move towards.....what? Towards others. My husband, my children, my friends, my neighbors, and on.

Charity is the vehicle with which I can move my faith and hope forward.
In and out, on my yoga mat, I can practice this life giving breath so that off the mat I will remember my faith, my hope and will act in charity.
Namaste
(The Spirit In Me Recognizes The Spirit In You)