Category: Motherhood

Mom Writes, Movies, Soul Candy, Thoughtful

Such a Golden, Ruffled Dreamworld; Such a Blue, Blue Sea!

It was a Poet-Philosopher’s Dream – to watch Life of Pi tonight with my family. To watch the beautiful interpretation of delving into oneself to learn about the great unknowns, the enormous out there, the big questions, the tiger, the vegetarian, the sea and the sky and the storm and the quiet. Oh, such a tremendous movie. Such a story. Such an achievement. A poet … Continue reading Such a Golden, Ruffled Dreamworld; Such a Blue, Blue Sea!

Liesl Garner8 Comments
Life on the Farm, Movies, Thoughtful

“Your Life is an Occasion: Rise to It!”

Suddenly, I’m not tired anymore. My last day at my job was a week and a half ago and I’ve been sick, and voiceless ever since my first day home. That was not the entrance into this new life of working from home that I was expecting. But it was a transition period. I needed some sleep. Tonight, we watched, Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium, with … Continue reading “Your Life is an Occasion: Rise to It!”

Liesl Garner4 Comments
Art, Motherhood, Thoughtful

Sitting and Staring, and Starry Starry Night

For starters, this was supposed to be finished yesterday, when it was still Vincent Van Gogh’s birthday. It is a whole lot of thoughts mulling around about being an artist, and what it means to feed that. The other morning, on my first morning of not getting ready for work in an office, I found myself sitting and staring out the window at the front … Continue reading Sitting and Staring, and Starry Starry Night

Liesl Garner2 Comments
Conversations, Favorites, Motherhood, Thoughtful

Bird’s Eye View, Crop Circles and What Aliens Must Think of Us

  Whatever you may believe about the formations of crop circles, whether they are made by pranksters or by some other means; to put any time into studying them, proves they are not easy to dismiss as silliness. In the book, Sacred Geometry, by Stephen Skinner, the author shares that most crop circles are based entirely on Euclidean geometry. A quick Google search of the phrase crop … Continue reading Bird’s Eye View, Crop Circles and What Aliens Must Think of Us

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Conversations, Motherhood

Here’s to Hilarious Late Night Snacking

We were out later last night than ever before, I’m pretty sure. Somehow after our afternoon chores, we ended up going out to our Goat Mentor’s place – way over in Applegate. It is always a several hour adventure to get there, up the crazy bumpy driveway, deal with the pack of dogs, get to the barn, pick up supplies, hug Sue a few times, … Continue reading Here’s to Hilarious Late Night Snacking

Liesl Garner6 Comments
Family, Motherhood, Thoughtful

Pot. Kettle. Black.

Yesterday, I tuned into the radio just in time to hear the announcer say the title of the previous song, “Pot. Kettle. Black,” and it stuck with me the rest of the day. The old saying wound itself through my thoughts all afternoon. The point it kept making in my head was that there is never afforded us a better avenue of self-reflection and growth … Continue reading Pot. Kettle. Black.

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Current Events

The NRA and Guns and Schools: A Balancing Act Not Completely Thought Through

On Monday morning of this week, after the horrific shooting in Connecticut, I woke up wanting the NRA to pay for armed security in our schools. And now, it seems, that is exactly what they are proposing to do amid a frenzied national outrage. I feel like a heel. In the moment, it seemed like a great idea. One of the most pointed responses was … Continue reading The NRA and Guns and Schools: A Balancing Act Not Completely Thought Through

Liesl Garner2 Comments
Current Events, Motherhood

Jingle Bells: The Third-Grade Christmas Sing and Shuffle

There they stood, in all their Christmas Cheer. The girls, that is. Many of the girls wore fancy dresses. Even a couple of boys were dressed in suits and ties. Most of the boys were dressed like my son, in sweatshirts and jeans. Ben sported a Harley Davidson t-shirt, and his ever-present baseball hat. They started out strong with Jingle Bells and plowed through the … Continue reading Jingle Bells: The Third-Grade Christmas Sing and Shuffle

Liesl Garner1 Comment
Current Events, Mom Writes

Tiny and Fragile and Precious and Dear

If there is anything we have learned from the last week, it is that life can be tiny and fragile and precious and dear. There is no guarantee that we will get our Someday. Perhaps the greatest monument we can build to the lives that have been senselessly lost, is to live our best and biggest dreams now. Let’s not wait for the Someday around … Continue reading Tiny and Fragile and Precious and Dear

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Current Events

What if the NRA put their Money where we Hurt the Most?

The first thought in my head this morning was, “What if we didn’t have to be afraid?” It’s Monday morning. Already, back East, parents are sending their children to school, putting them on buses, or walking with them across crosswalks, holding hands. Today, across America, we will be literally sending our children into harms way. It feels that way. We don’t want to think of … Continue reading What if the NRA put their Money where we Hurt the Most?

Liesl Garner5 Comments
Current Events, History & Geography

Icebergs & Invercargill – What we did Friday Night

It was the worst night in recent history. It was the night the world reeled to learn that 20 first-graders and 6 adults at an Elementary School had been gunned down. It had been a day of tears and outrage, along with confusion and sorrow. It was also the day we had been given the news that we need to have my 8-year old go … Continue reading Icebergs & Invercargill – What we did Friday Night

Liesl Garner1 Comment
Current Events, Favorites

Robert Parker, dad of Sandy Hook Victim, Emily Parker, on Compassion

Scott and I watched the CBS Special on the Sandy Hook Massacre on television last night after the kids went to bed. We have not talked to the boys yet. We didn’t have the facts. We are still wrestling with what to say and to whom. Some of the advice I have heard is that for children five years old and younger, we should simply … Continue reading Robert Parker, dad of Sandy Hook Victim, Emily Parker, on Compassion

Liesl Garner6 Comments
Current Events

Bittersweet: The Thud of Pulsing Grief in My Mommy Heart

In my own way, I revered the children lost today by holding my children tonight and laughing together at dinner. At some point during the weekend, I will have to introduce them to the idea of the tragedy that happened today in Connecticut, just not yet. Not yet. For tonight, they are sleeping soundly without sadness. Before Ben returns to school on Monday, we will have … Continue reading Bittersweet: The Thud of Pulsing Grief in My Mommy Heart

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Conversations, History & Geography, Motherhood

The Red, Black & White I was not Expecting This Season

Over dinner tonight, I was informed that the boys had been watching The History Channel‘s show, American Pickers, and were introduced to a flag with a Swastika on it. Sharp intake of breath. My husband explained that he paused the show and had a teachable moment with my 5- and 8-year old to explain (again) the idea of planting seeds of hate vs. planting seeds … Continue reading The Red, Black & White I was not Expecting This Season

Liesl Garner3 Comments
Cardboard Creations, Mom Writes, Movies, Science

Would we have been Friends if we’d Met when we were Kids?

In a radio interview with movie director Robert Zemeckis, I learned about the origin of the movie, Back to the Future. Robert and his writing buddy were talking about their fathers, and their relationships with their fathers, and wondering if they had met their dads when they were kids, if they would have been friends. That was the seed, he said, from which sprouted the idea … Continue reading Would we have been Friends if we’d Met when we were Kids?

Liesl Garner1 Comment
Motherhood

Illusionist at our Office Party – Mind Officially Blown!

First thing I did when Hart came up to me with a deck of cards in his hand, was try to get out of having to see him do a trick. Honestly, that was my initial reaction. Perhaps I’ve been jaded. I don’t remember ever seeing a smarmy magician do cheesy tricks. Maybe I did and then proceeded to block it out. I was sure … Continue reading Illusionist at our Office Party – Mind Officially Blown!

Liesl Garner7 Comments
Motherhood

Driving Past Trucks on Curves in the Mountains in the Rain

Super fun and scary, and my right shoulder tenses up incredibly to shield myself from the big scary monster of a truck on my right. The whole drive, I am remembering words from a lecture I heard by Tara Rodden Robinson, whose voice alone is enough to calm me. She speaks about the mind, and stress, and how the mind scientifically, physically, according to lots … Continue reading Driving Past Trucks on Curves in the Mountains in the Rain

Liesl Garner6 Comments
Family, Motherhood

Bendy, Breaky, Twitchy, Torn – Please Circle the Wagons

It’s a lovely image, there, of twigs, used perhaps to form some sort of art, a wreath, maybe? If I were in the mood to dissect that sentence, I would say there are an awful lot of commas. I am split. I have thoughts going in many different directions, trying to stay calm. My eight-year old has developed a twitch, inexplicably, over Thanksgiving. He has … Continue reading Bendy, Breaky, Twitchy, Torn – Please Circle the Wagons

Liesl Garner2 Comments
Family, Mom Writes, Motherhood, Papercraft

It Could be a Disaster, or It Could be Kind of Funny!

Today, I am not only the invalid, I am also the one in charge of this joint. It turns out that only one hand is still needing to be swaddled in gauze. The other hand had surface burns, but healed really quickly. Today Scott goes to work. Both boys are home. I have to attempt a one-handed shower, and the boys have said they will … Continue reading It Could be a Disaster, or It Could be Kind of Funny!

Liesl Garner8 Comments
Motherhood

Typing with Thumbs – Maybe Won’t Blog for a Bit!

Last night, I was filling the tea kettle that sits on top of the wood-burning stove. Had hot pads, but it was bone dry and steam shot up at me. Emergency room doc said that is hotter than boiling water. So they gave me a shot of pain killer, slathered the blisters with a thick frosting of antibiotics and wrapped me like a mummy. I … Continue reading Typing with Thumbs – Maybe Won’t Blog for a Bit!

Liesl Garner5 Comments
Language & Literature, Motherhood

Overwhelmed with Joy and Craving

Yesterday I held fresh books in my hands. Fresh, meaning, not dust covered, or tried and true. Hot off the press, right there on the shelf at the book store, and now in my hand. No children running amok in the store. I could actually focus all my attention on the books all around me. Well, that’s an overstatement. I couldn’t focus. I was almost … Continue reading Overwhelmed with Joy and Craving

Liesl Garner2 Comments
Motherhood

The Long, Dark Teatime of the Soul

Okay – that line is actually borrowed from Douglas Adams, who wrote a book with that title. In reading through some of my favorite blogs this morning, I came across the line:  We’ve stood beside each other when one of us has gone through the long, dark night of the soul, as we all have done from time to time. And I realized, that is … Continue reading The Long, Dark Teatime of the Soul

Liesl Garner2 Comments
Family, Movies

Day after Wild Things – The Effects

  Ben is extra sweet and sensitive today. I am extra sweet and sensitive today. Bean is always sweet and sensitive. He is such a show-off. The rest of us are often all up in our own heads. We can be very poetic about how much we love one another and still get snappy the second we don’t get our way. Last night, we lived … Continue reading Day after Wild Things – The Effects

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Family, Movies

Movie Review: Where the Wild Things Are

“I’ll eat you up, I love you so!” Where the Wild Things Are, based on the classic children’s story by Maurice Sendak, was a treat for both children and adults in our house. For me, the mom, seeing into a world that was created by Max, was deeply moving and sad. He wanted to be able to solve all the problems of the world, by … Continue reading Movie Review: Where the Wild Things Are

Liesl Garner2 Comments
Movies

First Ever “Family Friendly Movie Review” – Linky

This is Super Exciting to be Hosting the First Ever Family Friendly Movie Reviews. I hope you’ll add your link and then put a comment in the comment section to let us know you are participating: Mister Linky’s Magical Widgets — Auto-Linky widget will appear right here! This preview will disappear when the widget is displayed on your site. Share your Family Movie Night Reviews … Continue reading First Ever “Family Friendly Movie Review” – Linky

Liesl Garner11 Comments