magpie bessie

Skull-crafting

2013-10-26T13:24:00.000-04:00

This morning we decorated some papier-mâché skulls:

(insert "Alas, poor Yorick" joke here)

The final happy bunch of grinning noggins, all ready for Halloween:

Looper

2013-07-01T18:34:00.000-04:00

For the first time ever, the boys made potholders.
Rabbit was quite quick to get the hang of it; he worked out a pattern of his own design and did really well at weaving all by himself.

Bear was keen to try it, and did an awesome job of placing the warp loops:

He needed a bit of help with the actual weaving, but he was a very enthusiastic helper and chose all of the colors:

The potholders were quickly requisitioned for use as capes by Rabbit and Teddy Bear.

Charles River Peninsula nature walk

2013-07-01T18:21:00.000-04:00

The intrepid Adventure Brothers!

The Feet of the Intrepid Nature Walk Family!

Wet-day walk

2013-05-27T11:24:00.001-04:00

We went for a damp nature walk at Massachusetts Audubon Habitat Wildlife Sanctuary. It was lovely.

Here, there be Dragons

2013-05-27T11:07:00.001-04:00

We lucked into a great haul of vintage Legos at the thrift store recently, and we are all having fun with Dragon/Viking-based sets from 2005-ish. A couple sets were basically new and un-assembled with original packaging and instructions, but missing minifigs and a couple key pieces here and there. It was a fun challenge to build them anyway. The rest of the lot are gallon baggies full of dragon and viking ship parts; no instructions, but lots of possibilities! It was a great score, especially for a mostly rainy holiday weekend!

Here is one of the semi-complete sets(#7017, Viking Catapult vs. Nidhogg Dragon):

Another semi-complete mini set(#7015, Viking Warrior challenges the Fenris Wolf)

It was quickly discovered we needed TWO dragons to Keep the Peace, so I broke into one of the bags of dragon-bits and cobbled together what looks to be most of the dragon from set #7021. The boys set up a whole story-line involving their favorite superheroes. Rabbit's Batman rides his big blue dragon named Nightwing Firebringer. Bear's Spiderman rides his read dragon named Junior. They chase around The Joker with a Viking named Bob, who drives the battlewagon. It is AWESOME.

Hooray for Dragons and Superheroes!

Rookie Weaver

2013-05-19T13:34:00.001-04:00

I made myself a beaded bracelet on a loom for the first time, and I learned a lot! I used a thrift store loom and beads that I had collected over the years from other wire-beaded projects. I am rather pleased with my rookie attempt; here are the pics to show my progress:

I used beads of different sizes, so the weave is a bit uneven looking. I actually rather like this effect, as it reminds me of quilting. This photo was taken late at night with rather dim lights. The first lesson that I learned is that if I want to use the loom at night-time, I need a better light!

I completed the weaving in the morning; much brighter ambient light!

I had to sort out how to finish the bracelet and set up a fastener; this process took nearly as long as the actual weaving.

The finished bracelet, fastened. I quite pleased with my project and plan to wear my new bracelet at least until I make another one! :)

(edited to add: here is a link to my flickr set that shows my recent jewelry projects: http://www.flickr.com/photos/magpiebessie/sets/72157633597719744/ )

20 teeth each

2013-04-20T11:27:00.000-04:00

Today both boys had dental check-ups. Both boys did really well, all chompers are in fine shape and exhibit exemplary brushing.

Today marked Bear's first ever time in the dentist chair!

Contrary to the photographic evidence, Bear did really well. He let the hygienist do her job, and let her count and polish his teeth:

And he let the Dentist do his job too(more counting)! I was really proud of his bravery.

Easter 2013

2013-03-31T11:02:00.001-04:00

Happy easter egg!

bouncy slide friends

2013-03-29T12:33:00.000-04:00

brief footage from a recent birthday party:

big kid, little car

2013-03-22T18:59:00.000-04:00

He needed a spot of help getting out of his vehicle.

bruvr-ly luv

2013-03-22T18:19:00.003-04:00

Rabbit has been learning about letter-writing and the postal service at school, and he wrote and posted the following letter to Bear:

"You are the best bruvr a boy can evr have. I luv you. Thank you for being my bruvr."

Into the Unknown; book review

2013-02-24T09:58:00.001-05:00

Into the Unknown: How Great Explorers Found Their Way by Land, Sea, and Air
by Stewart Ross and Stephen Biesty

"Into The Unknown" is the sort of book that encourages the reader to leap off into for an immersive journey, investigating the vehicles and technology of historical explorations all over the world throughout time. It is not a wholly comprehensive book of human exploration, but selects significant journeys that typify the technology of a given time period throughout history. The artwork is detailed and amazing to explore, with so many details and "easter eggs" that encourage close inspection. There are many pull-out pages with incredible illustrations and extra information; the cover itself unfolds to reveal a world map depicting the origins, routes, and destinations of the historical explorations within the book!

The book is perhaps a bit advanced reading for my two little guys right now(it would be good for independent readers at grades 4 - 7), but as a family book, it works well; it is a fun book to read/look at with the boys. I think it is the sort of book that the boys will grow into, and the information and illustrations will become great reference material as they get older. We are already great Stephen Biesty fans, and this is a wonderful addition to our family library!

Here are some other Biesty cross-section books that amaze us:

Stephen Biesty's Incredible Explosions
Stephen Biesty's Cross-sections Castle
Stephen Biesty's Cross-sections Man-Of-War

There are so many more too!

You're welcome!

Now we are Six

2013-02-07T11:30:00.000-05:00

When I was One,
I had just begun.
When I was Two,
I was nearly new.
When I was Three
I was hardly me.
When I was Four,
I was not much more.
When I was Five, I was just alive.
But now I am Six, I'm as clever as clever,
So I think I'll be six now for ever and ever.

(by A.A. Milne)

Happiest of 6th birthdays to my sweet Liam, who has been waiting to be Six for his Entire Life.

45

2013-02-03T08:48:00.000-05:00

Today, I am older then I have ever been before.

The grey hairs on my head, the lines on my face have been well-earned and/or bequeathed to me by genetics, and I think they suit me fine.

This body that has carried me through all of my transformations and incarnations, and which carried and birthed two healthy children into this world of wonders is still strong and able. I do not take that for granted. I miss the resilience and forgiveness of youth, but I know well the maps and legends of my own carriage, and I trust it.

One of the surprises of getting older is that I really don't feel all that different from my earlier selves. I forget my own age sometimes; in my mind and heart, I can't possibly be old enough to be 45. But I have been bopping around on this beautiful blue marble for 45 years, and 45 doesn't seem so old to me anymore. I think that there is still a lot of new stuff waiting for me. I feel lucky and blessed and strong. I have a kickass wonderful family and a lifetime of wise and inspiring friends who travel life alongside me. I look forward to what happens next!

Nature Walk

2013-01-22T08:56:00.000-05:00

We went for a nature walk this past weekend at Great Brook Farm , and Rabbit brought along his camera. The resolution is not so great, but it is fun to see the world through his very observant eyes:

This final shot of Rabbit's is a good mimic of the shot that I took(which follows):

The fellas all had a good time. Note Rabbit's camera; we have an old Olympus that is available for the kids to use, but for muddy mucky nature walks, the sturdy kiddie cam is the best choice:

Arlington Snow

2013-01-16T10:50:00.000-05:00

We woke up this morning to a soft, grey, and white town. The salt trucks and plows have been working to clear the roads; schools were not delayed and commuters are getting getting where they need to go, albeit a bit slower then usual. We live in New England. Snow doesn't faze us much.

I took a bit of time after dropping Mac off at Preschool this morning to take some photos in town. I used my current favorite Hipstamatic combinations, which mimic the look and feel of antique tintypes. I like the affect of timelessness that the snow and the very modern iPhone app serve to create in these images.

Spy Pond:

The Robbins Library:

The Old Burying Ground:

A set of three taken in the Winfield Robbins Memorial Gardens: 1)facing towards the Menotomy Indian Hunter sculpture, 2)a closer shot of the Hunter, 3)the Hunter's view of the Gardens:

Heavy snow obscures a cobblestone path in the Winfield Robbins Memorial Gardens:

micro James Dean

2013-01-15T17:10:00.000-05:00

This little pic of Cormac bears an uncanny resemblance to a certain rooster-haired rebel, don't you think?

Thanks to Juhan for the noticing the similarity and finding the photo!

Sunday morning cuddle

2013-01-13T10:28:00.001-05:00

The morning cuddle is usually not a calm and quiet time for our family; it is snuggle-y, chatty and giggle-y way to start the day. The fellas were trying to pose with sleepy faces for the photo, but the silliness always wins out.

Lego day

2013-01-12T17:36:00.004-05:00

What do we do when we have a wet and yucky Saturday, and Daddy has to work at home, so we need to be quiet? We do Legos!

Each boy got a set today(Christmas Lego abundance) Here is Cormac's set: Star Wars Lego set #7956; "Ewok Attack."

This was Cormac's first real set of Legos on which he did a significant amount of work. With guidance, he built the speeder bike and the base of the Ewok tree house. It is a fun set; the tree opens up to reveal a secret house for the Ewoks, and there are several traps and gizmos to snare unwary Separatist Troopers!

Once Mac had his set ready for play, we started on Liam's set: Star Wars Lego set # 7869, "Battle for Geonosis."

This was a really fun set for Liam, featuring a Separatist Proton Cannon(that really shoots!), a BARC speeder, two Battle Droids, one Super Battle Droid, Captain Rex(much beloved by Liam), and the fabulous Jedi Master and General, Luminara Unduli(much beloved by me).

The boys had a great afternoon of playing with the both sets, with many alterations and modifications, which is -of course-what makes Legos even more fun!

Happy Birthday Moose!

2013-01-10T10:10:00.000-05:00

Our big floppy, fluffy, and sweet Maine Coon cat is 8 years old today!

"The Complete Optimist"

2013-01-09T20:47:00.000-05:00

My brother is clearing house in preparation for a move, and sent me one of our grandmother's books that he had been safekeeping: "The Complete Optimist."

Published in 1912 by the E.P. Dutton & Co., New York City, "The Complete Optimist" is a collection of dark and amusing nonsense poems and illustrations. The author and artist of these odd little gems is noted as Childe Harold, which was the nom de plume for one Edward Salisbury Field. "Childe Harold," (and variants of that name) was a common pseudonym for late 19th and early 20th century artists; the original was a fictional character created by Lord Byron in his epic poem "Childe Harold's Pilgrimage." Interestingly, the word "childe" is a medieval term for a young man who is training to become a knight.

The odd little funnies in "The Complete Optimist" are early kin to the wonderfully morbid humor of Edward Gorey; also there is some similarity to the gleefully grim Lovely Lilly comic strips that I wrote about in June 2011. I had no idea that Mom-mom Mildred had such a dark sense of humor!

I present, for your amusement and my own, select images from the book:

And finallly, the end papers, which are just wonderful:

**********************
Additional thoughts, 10 Jan:
My brother and I were chatting about the book last night, about Mom-mom's possible quirky sense of humor, and I posited that maybe she didn't have such a odd-ball sense of humor: perhaps she was just given this book(it is inscribed to her by someone named Wallace) who had this sense of humor. But M pointed out that Mom-mom had kept the book for her entire life, and that a proof of her appreciation lie in the fact that the book is here in our hands today.

I wonder about that; I wonder if she went back to the book for a chuckle when she needed one. I wonder: who was Wallace? I wonder about the other books that she held onto for her entire life, what they meant to her and why she kept them, which of course makes me think about my own groaning shelves of books. One day my boys and/or grandchildren will pack them all up, and either keep them or not. Perhaps they will wonder about their import to me. Books tell a lot about a person, personality quirks and insights that we forget about ourselves. I think that is why old books are such good friends; they remind us of who we are, or at least who we were. And that is why finding and holding an old book that belonged to a lost loved one is a gateway to meeting that person again.

a year gone

2013-01-08T10:36:00.000-05:00

http://magpiebessie.blogspot.com/2012/01/loss.html

requisite enigmatic floral selfie

2013-01-07T20:32:00.001-05:00

Happy Birthday Uncle Michael!

2013-01-03T09:13:00.001-05:00

This cutie has a birthday today.

Happy birthday brother! We all love you so much!

Last Snow of 2012

2012-12-29T21:51:00.002-05:00

The year 2012 is leaving us with a bunch of snow. I took a little walk tonight to enjoy the wonder, the quiet, and the soft fluffy alteration of our little world. The boys will be so excited when they wake up in the morning; I have hot cocoa at the ready!