Fall

This week Ross started grade 3..it has been a good week for him. He seems to like his new teacher and is busy making new friends. Ella started Junior Kindergarten and today was her first full day. I am so accustomed to always having her there that it actually made me feel quite miserable to not hear her laughter, or her walking or skipping around the house, or her talking to herself. I went grocery shopping, then I watered the garden and put some laundry away. I put her ballet clothes away for her so that I'll know where to find them for her ballet class. I hope she'll still be interested in ballet this year because she really is quite graceful.

Lately Ella has been liking the sound that the crunchy leaves make under her feet. Normally I dread fall because it is making way for winter, but today she made the sound of fall leaves sound like music.

I wish i could sign up my very talented son for drama lessons. He loved the theatre camp this summer and I thought he would enjoy a similar outlet this fall. But he seems exhausted and it wouldn't be right to push him.

Fall

I am in my garden looking at the great bunches of red impatients all around me. By the swing, on both sides, they have swollen into 2 gorgeous mounds. And under the Juniper tree as well, a great red slope of flowers. The leaves have started to fall. The flowers on the hostas are no longer
fragrant and my lilies of the valley have dried up. My roses however, are still busy making blooms on their thin red branches. The white ones smell like the Italian body talc that my mother used to powder me with after a bath. The sunset tinged ones smell of jasmine.

I am watching Ross in his playfort. He decided he wanted a tree fort so he pruned back our cedar tree, and it's cut branches now adorn the wood spindles of his fort. Ella is spending time talking to her imaginary daughter. She has 4, and this one by far, is her favourite. She hasnt' said that she is her favourite, but her actions speak louder than her words. At this moment she is pretending to buckle her into her silver toy car. Apparently it is Urella's birthday today so she gave her a present, and now apparently her daughter is sharing her toys with her little mommy. So as I write, Ella is now walking around the car with a purple haired doll in her hands talking animatedly.

Ross is looking like an English gentleman with his navy shirt tucked under his wool vest. He even sports a tie most days. I wish I could send him to a private school because he'd love the whole uniform thing. But we don't have the money to send him to that kind of school

Ella looks like a little fairy, with longish wavy hair, a pale yellow dress, big blue eyes on a small face. Her rainboots kind of detract from this picture, but she put on the first things she could find to go outside.

Ross just found a sleepy worm by our garden box, so he moved it into the back garden so it won't be stepped on. He seems to love insects of any kind. He found a large creepy looking bug on the bike path the other day, and he picked it up lovingly to examine it. Then he tried to find a safe place for it under the trees. Bees, and hornets don't frighten him. It looks as is he was bitten on his face but hasn't said anything about it.

He loves bumblebees like the rest of us. Their quiet, unassuming ways.

I want to remember this moment. I wish all moments were like this. With children, in shorts, watching fall's first blush on leaves and seedum. I dislike the winter..wearing heavy coats and layers, boots, hats. Having to face cold, icy, snowy days.

Dad, in my garden

I was sitting in my family room with my children, when I looked out my window to check to make sure the wind hadn't knocked down a blanket i had hung up to dry. Next to it, I thought I saw my Dad standing there in his pale blue shirt. Am I falling asleep.. Am I awake? Was it really him standing next to the blanket that had once covered him when he slept? In his warm burgandy and white fleecy blanket which now I cuddle into when I sleep.

I admit to feeling tired tonight. Tomorrow my son and I will be attending the Gordon Lightfoot event and most exciting af all, my brother will be unveiling his bust of Mr. Lightfoot.

My daughter who isn't feeling well, is pretending she will be going to the Ball tonight. And my son is watching The Temple of Doom. My husband is listening to a lecture. I should be writing an article tonight.