I woke on this Saturday morning with a clear goal to to make a flower bathing cap, like you would have seen in the 50″s, but with real, fresh cherry blossoms. We had spent the week admiring the  blooming double cherry blossoms and I think my annual attraction to playing with them here and here led me effortlessly into this project.

The cherry blossoms were at the end of the cycle, and so this was not an idea that could be put off. Although I now consider this a stepping stone to another project I have planned for next Spring…oh yes…the ideas grow and grow.

The whole process involved some secrecy (me pinching flowers), and the finer details of process itself (I am going to keep to myself)…oh secrets, secrets. You can see some sneak peeks, our dinning room table was a mass of flowers and petals. I was sneezing my head off and when Cam rose from bed I had rubbed my eyes red with pollen allergies. Yes, I am a suffering artist.

Elle and I discussed my idea and she was willing to be my model. I asked her what she would like for modeling payment and she said “A lara bar…no four lara bars, one for everyone”. Our sweet girl so thoughtful to her loved ones. Despite her saying she would help, I was a little on edge that the actual event would go belly up. At any point Elle could have ripped the flowers from her head and  heaven forbid I not even get a photo!

Thankfully Elle was very easy going, her only insistence was to have this huge purple my little pony with her…not at all my plan, but I went with it…because…I had no choice. While I put the flower cap on her head, she took the opportunity to put flower petals down the front my my shirt. I was so caught up in my process, the petals pressed onto my skin at the end of the day was like a sweet love note from her. Residue of our creative Mama and daughter experience together.

The whole thing was really a beautiful mess – in the true sense of expression, my house was covered in flower petals. Petals were stuck everywhere. Working with flowers is such a joy, sweeping them up was a quiet moment for me to reflect on the beauty of creating – each and every step of the way. My first couple of weeks working for Papier Mache Magazine has been very inspiring, it has given me more reason to act on ideas…it has given me more creative purpose and to manifest the things I can see in that wonderful place, the imagination. It is funny though, I really do not need a reason to create, other than, it makes me feel good.

This week I started working with Papier Mache Magazine. Oh my goodness, do not wake me from this dream. If there was a job I could have wished for, and hoped with all my heart it would come true, this would be it. I have been giddy for weeks over it, and now I have started, it has become a wonderful reality. This job was just what I needed in my life to grow, and the timing is wonderful with both my babies…not really babies anymore. My official title is on-line editor. I can work from home, from a cafe, from a library…from anywhere in the world. I am joining a wonderful group of people that I admire greatly, and I am looking forward to gaining new skills on this journey. So excited to share the news. Loving my new job, loving papier mache magazine!

One afternoon last week  Elle and I collected Maya from school and we drove to the Reeves Reed Arboretum. It is in a neighbouring town not too far from our house. Close enough to make it an after school trip. This was the first time we had been there. Much like Van Vleck House, which we often go to, it is a private estate with amazing gardens, now open to the public. Some time last year I saw a photographic exhibition at the Montclair Library, and in the exhibition were some photos of a daffodil garden. When I saw the picture I thought to myself, I must visit this place. I wrote the name down - Reeves Reed Arboretum , and made a mental note that I would seek this garden out next Spring. I am so glad I did. I have not ever seen so many daffodils growing in one place. They take up an entire hill side, which as the name suggests, is like a bowl. A bowl filled with daffodils.

I invited Anneliese and her girls to come along, and it was really nice to get a photo of the four girls together in the daffodils. We went a little early so only half of the daffodils were in full bloom. Still it was gorgeous. Anneliese had a nice tour of the gardens with her girls, whilst I was dealing with some behaviour issues and an accident! Perfect garden outing it was not. Elle became very enraged because Maya whispered something to Bea and then they ran off and Elle could not keep up. Poor little sister – who almost yelled the house down. Oh dear! Then Maya decided she did not want to walk on the garden path out of the daffodil bowl and instead started walking up the hill off the path. I suggested she not do this, and while she was protesting she tripped over and fell down the hill. Like a cartoon character she tumbled head over heels. Getting scratches all over her arms. Poor big sister – who was then in tears. I could be heard saying “well you should have stayed to the path you silly goose”. Thankfully Maya recovers quickly despite my not being a very sympathetic Mother in that moment. I certainly had two daff-o-dils on my hands.

Non the less from all of this, we had a lovely time. I baked a carrot cake and Anneliese made iced tea. We had a picnic in the shade and admired the trees returning to life after a long winter. The girls chased a butterfly, and Anneliese spotted birds and nests. So dearly love my naturalist friend.

My girls felt put out to pose for photos, which I suspected would be the case and so they were given the incentive of cake (Nothing wrong with bribing them with fresh baked carrot cake is there?). I could not miss out on photos like this.

The estate appears to have a lovely rose garden, and a woodland path. We went specifically to see the daffodils, but from what I read on the website there are many beautiful things about this garden at other times of the year also. It was gorgeous to see the garden glowing with golden daffodil heads. Such happy flowers. Spring has sprung my friends, and it was so very worth the wait.

Widely celebrated as one of the world’s leading sculpture parks, Storm King Art Center has welcomed visitors from across the globe for fifty years. It is located only one hour north of New York City, in the lower Hudson Valley, where its pristine 500-acre landscape of fields, hills, and woodlands provides the setting for a collection of more than 100 carefully sited sculptures created by some of the most acclaimed artists of our time. 

Now that Spring has sprung, we are going to plan another trip to Storm King. We went there for the first time in the Fall with Cam’s Dad and his wife Lynne – that is everyone under the sculpture! It was one of the best things we have done since moving to New York City, and I look forward to going there again. Storm King is amazing, just so beautiful. If you like Sculpture, and gardens, and a walk through a park with outstanding views, then you will love Storm King. We found it was a great extended family outing. Enjoyable for both the Grandparents, and the children. Especially great for energetic children, they get to run and run and run, as there are no waiting or lines in sight. They asked that you do not to climb on the sculptures (rocks are ok!) which at times is very tempting – even for grown ups!

We packed some hot tea and snacks and had a quick picnic before we set out walking the 500 acres. There is an open air cafe near the car parking lot that offers some yummy options – you know I like good quality, and I was impressed. We walked and walked and walked, all over the park. The girls were fantastic, literally walking for 4 hours. We made many seated stops to take in the scenery, and there were some pick-me-up moments and with a few shoulder rides here and there. So grateful they are good walkers.

We were treated to a rain storm while there, which had us all run for cover under various sculptures. It was very dramatic with dark grey clouds rolling in, dropping heavy rain and then parting as quickly as they came. It was all so moody and appropriate given the name…we were lucky that it did not cut our day short. The rain clouds lightened up and we continued on or way.

There is an open tour trolly ride available, which we jumped aboard at the end of our day to cover some distance quickly. Despite walking for hours we did not see everything. There are also push bikes for rent, and so you can pack a picnic for your love and the pair of you can bike around Storm King – sounds romantic right? When we were there we saw many hipsters doing just that. It made me want to be young and in love (and a hipster)…all is not lost…the love part I can do, and so this Spring we plan on doing the bike n’picnic combo…but of course we will have the children with us. Anyone else want to come too? Let me know and we can set the date!

It was hard for me to decide what my favorite sculpture was. I adore Andy Goldsworthy and it was a highlight to see “Storm King Wall” by him, but after much thought my favorite piece is “Storm King Wavefield” by Maya Lin. You can read about it in the NY Times. I  grew up between rolling green paddocks and the ocean, these undulating hills feel so right to me. I love how the trodden people path is like the cow paths of my family farm. This work speaks to my soul on so many levels.

Like I said, we went in early Autumn. I have heard it is especially beautiful in late Autumn when the leaves are at their peak colour. Each season brings something unique to the experience. I look forward to visiting one day when the wildflowers are in bloom. Storm King is the perfect outing when you want to get away from the day to day of regular life, and need something restorative rather than stimulating. It is a Zen paradise that recharges the soul.

Hours

Storm King is open Wednesday through Sunday and holiday Mondays from April through November. Opening hours are 10:00 am to 5:30 pm (grounds remain open until 8:00 pm on Saturdays, May 26–September 1, and on Sunday May 27 and Sunday September 2); until 5:00 pm in November. Storm King is open only on weekends after November 11 (November 17–18 and 24–25). The 2012 Storm King season closes on November 25.

Fees

Adults $12
Senior Citizens (65 and older) $10
College Students (with valid id) $8
Students (K-12) $8
Children under 5 Free
Members Free

We had a lovely Easter morning. The girls came in separately to my bedroom with Easter baskets in hand at 3 and 3:15am. Elle was the first to come in and I suspect she woke up Maya. I heard her little feet patter in and with four year old exuberance said “My basket is full of things! The Easter Bunny has been. Look at my basket”. It was dark, and I was asleep, well I had been a moment ago, and so I said “Wonderful sweetie, put your basket back on your bed and go back to sleep until the morning”. While my words were sensible, the reality was that a few minutes later Maya also came into my room with her Easter basket in hand. Not with the same excitement Elle had, a six year old is a little more seasoned, but still she was excited. This time I reached for my phone to check the time. It was just past 3am. I had stayed up late working on their baskets and was feeling like more sleep. “Mummy, can we turn on our lamp and look at our baskets?” Maya asked. I could not see the answer “No” pleasing them, and so I said “Yes”. Their toadstool bedside lamp casts a gentle light and I thought it would be enchanting for them to sit in dim light and explore their surprises. After a short while of listening to them chatter I dragged myself out of bed to tend to them. When I walked into their room the two of them were both snuggled in Elle’s bed. They were laying there cuddling and chatting. Seeing them close, and loving, and sharing like this was heart warming. They are so lucky to have each other, to be sisters. It was one of the best moments of motherhood I have had. I have had many special times like this when I think of it, but something about it being the middle of the night, the gentle light and the air of excitement, made this a moment to cherish above others. I bent over and sprinkled them each with kisses and words of love, switched off the light. Back to sleep they went, side by side until dawn. When they were back in my room to wake me again…at 6am.

This time I rose straight away. It was light enough that I new it was a near reasonable hour in the morning. The sunrises was beautiful, casting a warm pink glow into the girls room. Elle went upstairs to the attic to wake Cam and Maya embarked on the bedroom egg hunt. When the Easter bunny fills the baskets she also hides dyed eggs around the bedroom. Maya filled her basket with dyed eggs as the sun filled the room with morning light. I curbed her enthusiasm briefly, saying that she needed to wait for Elle, then thought better of it. “Find them all, and then you can hide them again for your sister”. I reconciled.

I had put some effort into their Easter basket and they were really excited by what they found. Along with a pair of chocolate bunnies, we gave them some Maileg fabric mice and a tin suitcase and mouse bedbox. I made a bunch of miniature mouse clothes and bedding to put inside the suitcase. I also made them a cardboard mouse house, but kind of ruined it by painting it, so will have to make another one day. I was so disappointed, I went to all this effort with numerous nights work after they were asleep to build this cardboard mouse house and then ruined it when I painted it. Oh well. My husband was not sympathetic, “Why did you paint it? The cardboard looked better”. Well I don’t know why…because I like white…but it was not the best choice. I was using up left over house paint, and it was too heavy. Anyway. They enjoyed the mice and the clothes and Elle made a very cute clothes line from ribbon and pegged all the mouse clothes up with mini wooden pegs that I found when cleaning out Mum’s house last trip to Australia.  Oh I love my creative girls and their precious play.

In addition to the chocolate bunnies and fabric mouse, they each got a pair of baby doll PJ’s for Summer. I bought these for less than half price from I Love Gorgeous last August, and have managed to save them hidden away all this time. This is part of my goal to not just buy them things any old time, but save things for special occasions – and when I do buy them things, buy things they adore. My friend Faith has inspired the art of selecting really lovely things. The old saying...have quality not quantity. They are the sweetest pajamas, cotton voile set with lace insertions and pin tucks. They are so cute they could wear them out to lunch – which is great because Maya and Elle like to stay in their pajamas all day! What else…a box of flowering bulbs to plant in the garden, and a bamboo and cotton fan – that was actually from my Mum and came with parasols she sent them. Now there is a funny story attached to these parasols, they almost tipped me over the edge the week before last, they had me in tears and my Mum talking about suicide. Yikes, I will spare you the eccentric blah blah blah details. They fell into my “Totally un-necessary…Don’t buy us things” rant that happens when my consumer conscious is rearing it’s ugly head. That aside, they are bamboo, and cotton and the girls really liked them. I have mentioned before wanting to join the (totally crazy) Brooklyn Parasol Society at Sakuara Matsuri, and so maybe now we will! The girls loved all the pretty little things. I felt like we gave them a lot, and I vowed that next year it will be less. It is a gradual process to be weaning them to less, but not make them feel like they are getting less or missing out. I wish I had been smarter and kept it simple a years ago.

Our neighbor’s twin girls who go to Maya’s school came over for an Easter egg hunt in our back yard. It was a perfect gentle Easter egg hunt – which is about all we could handle after the early morning excitement. I had fond memories of our Easter Party last year, but enjoyed keeping it simple this year given the Bathroom Renovation events.  The girls found all the eggs and then re-hid them for the Dads to find. It was very cute watching the girls giggle and skip as Cam and Ken walked with Easter baskets in hand around our yard. Dads are so much fun and such good sports. By the time that was over, Elle was over tired and sensitive. We bid farewell to our neighbours and I sent everyone to bed to watch cartoons. Easter morning over, with a warm feeling of satisfaction welling in my heart.