Optimism

Maybe that 6 inches of snow we're expecting tonight won't stick...

Introducing music performance to pre-readers

I have a 4-year-old.
She is very interested in the piano.

I find I don't really have the patience necessary to give her any formalized lessons.

I don't know if it is her age, or the fact that she's my daughter.

I have, however, found a way to teach her some songs.

The elder Hug-a-Bug has a little blue xylophone piano.

I am sure that most of you folks out there have one too.

The keys are rainbow colored from purple at the lower octave up through pink at the higher.

I painted some cards with strokes of color corresponding to the keys on the piano and when she plays them in order she can play a song.
I also added pictures of the titles since she doesn't read much yet.

We haven't gotten into note length or rests.

Her musical instincts take over to some extent.

It is really rewarding for both of us when she successfully plays a song.

She is so proud of herself.

She played Mary Had a Little Lamb!
It's also fun to take out the paints together and make some art.

Sorry the color is so bad, the paint faded darker than I anticipated and here on the screen it looks like all the same notes, but I will take a moment to blame little tykes because they have two very similar greens next to one another and that is difficult to paint.

Sleep well,

Jess.

primavera

In college I sang the song "Primavera" by Celius Dougherty it was one of my favorites, mostly for the fantastic vocabulary used.

Here is what I can remember of the poem by Sara Teasdale

'Spring has arrived.

It is no use your telling me to look at the calendar

and saying that it is 5 good days 'til the 21st of March

Is the year bound to obey the almanac-makers?

O, model of all egregious pedants!

Would you shackle Spring to times and seasons,

or catch her back by her long green skirt 'til the moment you have planned for her?

She has stolen a March this year, for certain!

Today at sunrise I saw a white-breasted nuthatch running up the branch of the oak tree that was so broken by the ice-storm last December.

And in the garden a pheasant was picking grains out of the manure covering the garden beds.

There is a snow-drop up by the porch shot clean through the tulip straw.

And the crows are all agog over the neighbor's pine trees.

It is a game of catch who catch can with that green skirt then.

Even though, in your passion for order,

you bring about a snowstorm tomorrow,

it will not matter to me.

This morning, I saw the Spring!"

Guest photo-journalist

Yesterday we had a treat at the yarn store.

Incaknits and her daughter came over to hang out

I asked E to take pictures of her favorite places in the store and here is a sampling.

The bottom picture is of the Wooly Snowman and Snowbaby by the amazing and talented Marie Mayhew.

Wishing a punctual Daylight Savings Day to you all,

Jess

March from the fifth lamp

S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y Morning!

Love from Wooly

The elder Hug-a-Bug's favorite cat Moopy wanted in on the group photo action.

This was the most fun I have had knitting for small stuffed animals EVER!