Feb 11, 2016

Winter piano recital, age 9

Calvin started playing piano when he was three. At that age he was geeked to be making intelligible sounds come out of that thing that his dad was so graceful with. Over the years he has gone through phases of insane, insensent practicing, and phases when it took pulling teeth to get him to eek out a half hour or so. Lately he's started to come into his own with the instrument. He has clear opinions about what he enjoys playing (recognizable pieces), and even clearer opinions about what he hates playing (scales), and he's started adding his own flavor to everything he plays. His specialty is elongated, drawn out, improvised endings to the most mundane songs.

He played his own endings to two of the pieces in his recital this weekend.

February 5, 2016

Yes, I have been really, really slow to get things going on the blog this year—late to post, with minimal writing and sparse photography—but that's how life has gotten going this year. Forget a picture a day, Calvin and I had a goal of four pictures per week, then I blinked, and January was gone. For week one in February I have a thrilling shot of fruit face, some folded clothes (yes, we're still doing laundry), and a birthday timepiece. But there was also a family game night at the local tasting room and a fun mock up of the Ottoman Turks camping outside the Austrian Empire. Plus, what are we reading this week? Rudyard Kipling.

January 30, 2016

Iris loves to follow the sunshine wherever it goes in the house 

Calvin takes his light with him

A bit of spring in the radishes

A favorite person

The North American International Auto Show

Thirty-nine

I am only a day older than I was yesterday, although all the paperwork the world has to offer will tell you I've aged a whole year in that day. According to tradition I have now reached the age of permanence—I can be 39 for the rest of my life. It would certainly make remembering my age much easier, but actually I plan on turning 40 next year; my sister-in-law has promised me a grand over-the-hill celebration. 

This year, though, a tip-of-the-hill celebration with my goofy family. Delicious and delightful.