growing pains

i am ready for winter to be over. if we're not going to get any more snow, then i am ready for sunshine and the shedding of coats. already the trees are budding, and crocuses are blooming. did the warm week we had a few weeks ago fool them? or is it really time for blooms? i learned: april showers bring may flowers, when i was a girl in school, but maybe that's not true in the northwest? also, since when did easter fall the weekend after st. patrick's day?? there was always one holiday a month (in school) and march was always a frenzy of green and four leaf clovers. now we're trying to cram in easter as well? when did that happen? and we also completely missed daylight savings, i had no clue, which meant we completely missed church. so, we had a very lazy sunday, which was nice: coffee, staying in pajamas all afternoon, vegging on the couch watching sunday matinee tv movies and reruns...we haven't had a lazy, do nothing day, in a really long time.

our fishes have survived the week, and our frog too, which means, somehow, when i'm not looking, he actually does find food. he still doesn't look keen on his new neighbors, and stays under his rock almost all the time. i'm not sure that's healthy, but not sure what to do on that front.

i am feeling a bit eccentric-hermit-lady lately, because i also bought francis a venus flytrap a little while ago, (and also one of these which i can't pronounce)and have so far succeeded in not killing them, and they have both produced a flower! yay! however, we are still stuck on the feeding-them-bugs part, as we have no bugs flying around in our apartment. (apparently, you don't normally need to feed them anything, because in the wild, bugs naturally get caught. however, we are indoor city folk,) so we'll see, i suppose...



speaking of growing things, my friend lynne has started a little blog-journal about her recent project: growing chicks! from eggs! it is very fascinating, check it out, and start with day 1 and work your way up. i wish we lived nearby to pop in and visit her eggs, and it got me a bit nostalgic, wishing francis could have a baby chick too. i know, i know, where would we put it? but i'm a sucker for cute, cuddly things, and besides, when they grow up, they can give you eggs! i've had random, crazy thoughts before, about owning a chicken or two, just to give francis some sense of responsibility, something to take care of, and also a dose of: "the olden days", if you know what i mean: taking a slower pace to life, and working to achieve a goal, working to eat, etc. i know that sounds a bit lofty or archaic, but, i think the kinda-country-girl in me, is sometimes at odds with our city-living, and the city-boy we have produced, who doesn't climb trees, play in ponds, and hunt for little living creatures in the fields. and that's sad to me.

this got me thinking on things i have wished for francis that i never followed thru on. things that are definitely more natural and easy to do, if you live in the country, but take lots of time and energy if you live in the city, and consequently, often do not get done. like going hiking, or at least exploring in the woods, on a semi-regular basis. learning to swim and liking it. going to camp. whittling things with pocket knives. all that rugged, woodsy, boy stuff. he's 10, so i guess i still have time. but i feel like i've missed alot of time already...

so, in a fit of wanting to actually DO something this spring, i started looking things up. i found this farm, that has a children's animal farm, but got completely sidetracked by this: learning to ride a pony! how fun would that be! and then i was looking up egg-hunts, since easter is just around the corner, but wondered if francis would be too old, until i found this: an evening family flashlight hunt!?? i have never heard of such a thing, but francis i know would got absolutely nuts, he would love it.
boys + night + flashlight + hunting things = delight!!

i really do want to give him more, in the department of: the joys of childhood. joys that don't include videogames or movies, joys that get him outside and excited about nature, animals, excercise. he really does enjoy these things, all it takes is the effort to get him outside, and he is immediately having fun, learning and discovering. and that is a joy to see...