Flexibility

I was following along with a yoga video this morning, and the instructor said something that stood out to me. She said that the body and mind and interrelated, and that mental health corresponds with physical health. I had heard this before, but she put it in terms of flexibility by saying something like this:

“A flexible body creates a flexible mind. A strong physical body creates strong mental health.”

This month has been full of stressors: positive stress with fun visits from family and events with friends, but a lot of negative stress with Grandma Judy’s poor health and death last week. The day she passed away was a ill-gotten confluence of both stressors, since her health declined rapidly at the Enchanted Forest, while the kids and I were there with my sister L and my local aunt, uncle, and cousins. We were in the best of places experiencing the worst of times. Lucy and I said goodbye to Grandma via FaceTime, while we were standing in line for the bobsled ride and cheery synthesizer music blared out of speakers nearby.

I’ve been anticipating a lot of upcoming stressors, too, especially as we travel for the funeral during the Covid pandemic. I got a massage yesterday (as part of Carrie’s birthday celebration) and I could feel a lot of physical tension in my body that needed to release. A lot of it did release, which really helped me to feel better. But I want to have a flexible and calm mind too, especially on this trip. I think I’ll do stretches and some yoga each day, especially while traveling, to try and work on my mental flexibility and health.

To Age Gracefully and Willingly

I've been thinking a lot about age over the past few days. One of my best friends, Rachael, turned forty last week, which has prompted lots of reflection and celebration. Rachael, Carrie, and I went to the MarQueen Hotel to celebrate, as we have all been fully vaccinated - it was the first time I had been in a hotel in over fifteen months due to the pandemic! We took a lot of pictures, although I couldn't help but reflect on how we looked old in the pictures. Not just young moms, but like seasoned moms on a middle-aged "girls" night. Which, in truth, that is what we are: seasoned moms who have been raising our kids together for the past 10+ years.

I'm not even forty yet, but Rachael's birthday (and Carrie's impending 40th birthday) have made be reflective. There is so much that one can accomplish in the first forty years of life, and it also make one wonder what is left in store. And it just so happens that this week other articles about Millenials turning forty came out, stating that it is the "old age of youth" (the term "geriatric Millenials" has gone viral over the past week or so) and that better things happen when one is in their fifties. I guess we'll see how the next decade pans out for me and my friends!

These things about aging were in the back of my mind yesterday, as I was listening to C. S. Lewis's "The Last Battle" on audiobook (read by Patrick Stewart, who did a fantastic performance). I was struck by this quote about Susan Pevensie, who at this time must be in her late teens or twenties:

“Grown-up, indeed,” said the Lady Polly, “I wish [Susan] would grow up. She wasted all her school time wanting to be the age she is now, and she’ll waste all the rest of her life trying to stay that way. Her whole idea is to race on to the silliest time of one’s life as quick as she can and then stop there as long as she can.”

This quote has made me think about what period in my life do I want to enjoy the most, and I hope that my answer will continually be "the present." I'd rather not spend time wishing that I was trying to stay at a time in my life that has already passed me by. Of course, I want to keep my body as healthy as possible, but I think that's different from trying to stop myself from aging or wish that I was a different age. I hope that I can be a person who is content about their stage in life and the things that happen to one's body with age. If I'm going to be a seasoned mom of older kids right now, then so be it.

My May Day Marathon!

Last weekend I ran a marathon! This was a goal that I've wanted to achieve for a long time, but I didn't think it was possible. I always excused myself by saying things like, "My knees can't handle it." But I decided to legitimately train for it and try, and I was able to run it! I didn't do an organized race; I plotted the 26.2 mile route myself and ran it on my own.

Being the great friends that they are, Carrie and Rachael offered to run the race with me. And while I also liked that idea, I realized that it would better for me, mentally, to do the run on my own. They are much faster runners than me, and I knew that I wouldn't enjoy myself as much if I knew that I was slowing them down. By running on my own, I could go at my own pace and also listen to books/music without thinking about whether I was sufficiently socializing along the way.

But Carrie and Rachael still were so supportive and found a lot of ways to make this run special for me. They made countless signs and showed up the night beforehand with a "swag bag" that included a t-shirt, energy bars and snacks, pasta (for carb loading), an inspirational letter, a marathon number tag, and even a 26.2 sticker. They decorated my yard with signs for me to see in the morning, and then stopped five times along the route to cheer me on. They are such great friends, and they really made this day so special for me.

I didn't run a fast marathon: the first third of the run I had a ten minute mile, the second third of the run was an eleven minute mile, and then the last six miles were rough - I was running about a twelve minute mile. But I did it! The time that I felt best on my run was about 14 miles into the run. I was running along the bank of Lake Washington, along a sidewalk that was covered with pink cherry blossom petals. Some of the powerhouse singers that I was listening to at this point in the run were:

• "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" by Aretha Franklin
• "Listen" by Beyoncé (from the "Dreamgirls" film soundtrack)
• "Rise Up" by Andra Day
• "I Have Nothing" by Whitney Houston

J and the kids met me about halfway through my run with signs. And then, not long after I ran the Seward Park loop, I got a call from E that she had her baby that same morning! So at Mile 18 I got a boost by learning that there was a Baby Oliver to love! I knew it was a possibility that E might have her baby that morning, and I had even left her a message earlier in my run, saying that I was running to the beat of the "Oliver" song (from the musical) in my head. It was so exciting to get a call and find that he actually had arrived!

I actually had to end my call with E after several minutes, because I was surprised to run into Carrie and Rachael on the trail - it was their first stop along the route to cheer me on. It was really encouraging to run into them during those last miles, and I was really touched that they waited along the route as I (slowly) progressed.

As I was nearing the last bit of the route, I realized that I was probably going to reach my goal earlier than I thought. I think I must have picked up a little over half a mile by crossing streets and running in a slightly less-linear route sometimes to maintain social distancing. So I ended up calling J and asking him to pick me up at Coulon, because I didn't want to have to run that last leg if I'd already met my goal! Carrie and Rachael also met us at the park, and they kept running with the finish line ahead of me, until I finally hit the 26.2 mark!

Then I immediately got in the car and J drove me home, where the Dinner Group families were waiting to welcome me. They had even made a finish line for me in sidewalk chalk. Even in just sitting in the car for the drive home though, my legs started to cramp up. So when J pulled up to the house and I got out to run across this last finish line, my legs really protested! But I did it!

Carrie had an "MM" medal made for me, which I cherish more than the Inca Virtual Marathon medal that I also earned through "The Conqueror" app (even though the Inca medal is really cool). But I felt so much love on this day, and it was a great kickstart to my birthday celebrations. Rachael even made a chocolate mousse cake, which tasted so good!

And now, I'm recovering from the race. I had to use handrails for the day or two following the race, whcih was expected. I also have had some lower back pain, too. In fact, my lower back was giving me some grief during my taper before the race (I think it was used to the long runs and felt strange when I cut back on mileage). I didn't have any back pain during the race or the following day or two after, but the dull ache came back earlier this week after the race. Yoga and barre exercises have helped a bit. I've gone out on two short runs (1.5 to 2 miles), but my right knee feels a bit achy and my right hip keeps making a clicking pop with each step. So I can tell that I'm not back to normal yet.  I've read that some people say it takes two weeks to recover, whereas others say that the recovery should last as long as the miles of the race (i.e. 26 days).

Now that things are over though, I do feel a little bit unmoored and bereft. Training for this run has been really great for me during this pandemic, because my weeks had structure through the training schedule. And I've felt like I was progressing toward a goal, which was good for me mentally. I don't know what my next goal will be. I don't think I'm going to be a continuous marathon runner; I think half marathons might be more my jam, because the running is still enjoyable for me at that length. Once I get closer to 20 miles, I feel like the experience of running is more about mental endurance than enjoyment of the experience. I'm not sure what kind of training or physical fitness goals are in my future, but I'm sure I'll find something. I know that I'm forward to doing more Zumba, barre and yoga, though, since those were put aside while I did all of my runs. And I look forward to summer bike rides, especially so I can finish earning my Camino de Santiago virtual challenge!

Running during Covid

I have been thinking a lot about why I have been running so much during this pandemic. On one hand, logically, being outside is a way to combat cabin fever. But running is so much more than that, I’m realizing. During the day when I am at home, I am often frazzled as I try to work. I am constantly, constantly interrupted and hardly get a chance focus on a single task for ten minutes at a time. As soon as I start to do something, Violet barks and wants to be let out, or Lucy needs my help with something. Or Sam wants to ask about what we are having for dinner. Or one of the kids needs to practice the piano or listen to a video for school. For most of the day, I can’t do anything in a straight, linear fashion from beginning to end.

 

But I can do exactly that when I am running. I can choose a long (linear) road and follow it until my desired goal. I don’t have to stop unless I decide that I want to. I am not interrupted, and I can think about whatever I want to think about. I always am in a better mental space when I finish running, and when I return home I feel more prepared to deal with the multitasking and being pulled in many directions at once.

I know that for many people, it is comforting and relaxing to run because their body moves in a constant, rhythmic pattern. I think that is the case for me too, but I think my mental health really responds to being able to accomplish a goal in a direct, linear, and controlled way.

Addendum:

2/17/21: I was thinking about this post today, as I went on a run along the west end of the Snoqualmie River Trail (starting at Rachael's house). The trail was wide, flat, and very straight; it went ahead as far as the eye could see. And I really loved how the trail was laid out in this very direct way, so that my goal and end point seemed viable.

This is such a lovely and peaceful trail! This is part of Rachel's regular running route (it is about 6.5 miles to run there and then back to her house). I'm glad she gets to enjoy this beauty on a regular basis.

This is just after the Mt. Si Golf Course

I loved seeing the tall trees that lined the path

The end of the trail

I was struck by so many different colors and types of water along this trail. Some sections were frozen, but here the water was a pretty green color

It was invigorating to smell the dried hay in this field as I was making my way back to the beginning of the route

A More Balanced Routine and Virtual Distance Challenges

Things have been more manageable for me, work-wise, since the quarter started and I submitted my CAA video presentation. I've been able to relax more in the evenings, and I'm so grateful for the work that I did during December that has enabled me to shift my focus elsewhere this quarter.

I still don't feel like I have a perfect balance in managing my time, but things are better. I usually wake up in time to eat breakfast and get the Lucy ready for school (Sam gets himself ready just fine, but I usually do have to come down and get him started.) If I don't teach that day, then I stay in pajamas and grade/prep for the two hours that Lucy is in class. I change into exercise clothes when the kids finish their morning classes, and we try take Violet for a walk during the lunch break. In the afternoon, I help Lucy with her schoolwork and play with her for a bit, and I work in some time to exercise. I'm usually showering at 3:00 or 4:00 in the afternoon, but it doesn't really matter since we aren't going anywhere beyond the our neighborhood streets, the grocery store or to pick up our library books at the "holds" table at the library's front door.

Since I'm not overwhelmed with work for the first time in several months, I've had more chances to read books and I've also set my sights on some other goals. I discovered The Conqueror virtual distance challenges, and these have been a good way for me to fight cabin fever (through exercise) and feel like I'm getting to "travel" despite the pandemic. I've been using these challenges to set goals for exercising and running. The challenges cover routes around the world, and you can use Google Street View in the app to see what it looks like on the route. I completed the Giza Pyramids challenge last month (46 miles in about 10 days), and right now I'm going the Hadrian's Wall challenge (I'll do 90 miles of running for the month of February) and the English Channel challenge (21 miles in about three months, using the rowing machine to cover 1-2 miles per week). I may to the 480 miles of the Camino de Santiago by biking.

The Giza Pyramids challenge was fun to complete and I liked "visiting" the Djoser necropolis as well as the one at Giza. I learned some new things from the virtual postcards, too! My Giza Pyramids medal came in the mail, and I was delighted to find that the winged scarab opens up to reveal a small scarab pendant inside. I translated the back of the pendant and discovered that it says, "Well done." I love that they made the pendant meaningful and that there is something small I can wear on a regular basis. On the back is a relief of the crocodile god Sobek, which is copied from a relief at Kom Ombo.

I hope to be able to complete the 26.2 mile Inca Trail challenge later this spring, and run my own personal marathon. I hope my legs and knees will be up for the challenge! I've been building up my mileage each week, and I've really loved the runs along Lake Washington. Yesterday, it was so beautiful at Coulon that I kept stopping to take pictures. The textures of the water varied from glassy smooth to frenzied ripples. There were lots of varied colors too, since the sun went behind the gray clouds just far enough to have everything outlined in light. It felt wonderfully motivating to run - feeling my physical body at its most "alive" state with my heart pumping - with such a view. I like I was an active participant in nature, and felt in harmony with the beauty that I saw around me.

2020 Reflection and 2021 Goals

 I realized this afternoon that I never made a true goal or resolution for 2020, beyond the goal to use up the hoard of NuSkin facial products that I amassed when I used to work there. I guess the lack of a real goal is for the best, because the pandemic through our lives into survival mode. I am proud of the things that I did accomplish, though, including:

• I taught eight classes during 2020, not to mention helping to teach my kids at home from March until the end of the year. All of the university courses I taught had some type of distance learning or online component. The one class that actually was in a physical classroom (ART 103 in Winter quarter) still was taught as a hybrid.
• In the Winter 2020 quarter I created and taught a course on American art (while simultaneously learning the material one step ahead of my students, since I never took a class on American art when I was an undergrad). I also had to learn how to teach in a Distance Learning format, in which I was in a classroom in Sammamish but my lecture was broadcast to a classroom in Ellensburg. There were some challenges getting students to engage in this format, but it helped to prep me for synchronous Zoom teaching in the Spring quarter.
• I created and taught a course on Gender, Sexuality, and Identity in Renaissance and Baroque Art during Spring 2020. I had a basic idea of the things that I wanted to cover, but I still was learning and developing the course one step ahead of my students), as well as converting to the course into an online format. I learned a lot while teaching this class, especially from my LGBTQ students, and I was grateful for the opportunities to think more about inclusion, equality, and equity. 
• I feel like I am learning more about how to be a better professor, not only in connecting my course material to topics that are relevant, but also in how to give empathy when needed. George Floyd was killed near the end of the quarter, which ended up impacting me directly because one of my students at the time was related to Floyd and needed to travel home. The subsequent protests generated dialogue with my students that helped me reflect on how to best teach and meet the needs of my students.
• Hiking the Snoqualmie 7 Summits with Carrie and Rachael was the other great highlight of this year for me. I'm grateful for friends who want to go on hiking adventures and readily take on challenges that require effort.

In thinking about 2021, it's difficult to even think about what goals might be realistic. I've been writing a paper on William Morris (to present at CAA later this winter) and I'm so impressed with all of the things that William Morris was able accomplish in his life. I want to make better use of my time, so that I can have more time to be outdoors, as well as read and write things that are meaningful and inspirational to me. So here is how I will create more time to do those things:

• When I am home (which is pretty much all the time), I'll keep my phone upstairs on my nightstand unless I am expecting a call/text
• Check social media only once or twice per week
• Check the news only once per day (and as the pandemic dies down, I might be able to switch to 2-3 times per week)
• Read a book if I wake up early and don't want to get out of bed
• Write on this blog at least once per month
• Write on AW at least once per month

2019 Resolution: Work Less!

I have been thinking over the past few days for what I'd like to have as a resolution this year. Lately I've been feeling a little bit of frustration that I rarely have personal time to recharge. Ever since I started to teach when Sam was a toddler, I've had to work in the evenings during the school year to either prep or grade. And in the past few years, it's started to take a toll on me and I'm starting to feel pretty low.

I've been frustrated and resentful that J never has to work in the evenings: he always get to watch TV or play games on his phone, whereas I always have things that I need to be doing. It's not his fault: he just doesn't have to juggle multiple volunteer and work responsibilities and split his work time throughout the day in order to take care of the kids. These are responsibilities that I want to have. Unfortunately, though, the same thing happens during the weekends: he plays with the kids or takes a nap while I feel pressure to clean the house or madly play catchup with the things that didn't get done during the week. I'm reminded of studies for how working moms put in 98 hours per week and how typically there is an unequal distribution of household tasks between men and women, even if both of them are working.

Sometimes I do get help from my family, and willingly so if I ask. And J does consistently help with doing dishes and folding laundry. But generally I end up taking care of daily tasks, household maintenance and yard work because they are a priority for me: it is hard for me to relax if things are messy or chores need to be done. I wonder sometimes if I am like the anxious figure Martha from the Bible, who is "careful and troubled about many things," and J is like Mary who "chose the good portion."

So how can I relax? I've resolved this year to do something which is quite scary for me: I'm resolving to not work at night. After the kids go down, I'm going to focus on writing (like what I'm doing now), reading, or watching something I enjoy. I might end up doing some personal research or going over my choir music, but it won't be work. No grading. No prep. No emails. I'm not quite sure how I am going to manage getting my work done, but I'm going to figure it out on a day-by-day basis. One thing that I'm going to do is reinstitute a consistent chore chart for the kids - it will take more work for me to manage it each day, but I hope it will also save me time on the weekends. I probably will need to wake up earlier, too, so my evenings are more free. I also will have to give up time on social media. But I think that overall, this will help me feel more like myself: at least the "good portion" of myself that I want to be. I made good progress this past year in helping Lucy to gain more independence (my goal from last year), but I think that I will continue to improve in becoming less frustrated with her if I'm less frustrated with myself.

Goal for 2018: Lucy's Independence

Lately Lucy has really been getting on my nerves, and then I get further peeved with myself for getting so annoyed with her. It is a vicious cycle of annoyance and today was particularly hard. It seemed like the majority of Lucy's waking hours were spent whining, complaining, or crying. Her loud whines irritate me quickly, especially if she only cries and refuses to "use her words" to explain what she is thinking or feeling. I know that she is old enough to express herself, so I get really irritated when she incessantly wails like a siren and won't respond to my questions or comments. To deal with the noise, I find myself coping by either stuffing my face with sugary treats or raising my voice. Today I ate four Rice Krispie treats in a row while she had a screamy fit on the kitchen floor.

Perhaps today was so hard because I started to do my New Year's resolution, which is to teach Lucy how to have Quiet Time. On a whole, she doesn't like to be independent and do things on her own. She likes to have me help her with everything, and she likes me to be with her ALL. THE. TIME. Ever since she stopped napping last summer, I haven't been able to get much done in the afternoons because she refuses to quietly entertain herself. At her age, Sam would quietly look at picture books in his room for at least 20-30 minutes, but Lucy won't do that. If she and I are the only ones at home, the only time she'll give me space is if she is watching a show on the TV.

But I want her to learn how to entertain herself and I enforced this new Quiet Time period today. She screamed for about 45 minutes that she didn't want to have Quiet Time (see picture above), but she finally, finally settled on playing with Fashion Plates at the kitchen table. Where she sat right next to me. And needed my help every few minutes. Sigh. At least I wrote a few emails and got a couple of bills paid in the interval. But I wouldn't call today's Quiet Time a success.

So my goal this year is to teach Lucy to be more independent. Somehow my presence serves as a crutch for her to not do things on her own, and I want to get rid of that crutch. I want her to learn how to have Quiet Time, how to go to the bathroom without insisting on my presence (she's fully capable on her own), and also to stay in her own bed for the whole night. About 90% of the time, Lucy ends up coming into our bed in the middle of the night and commandeering most of the mattress. I'm going to reclaim by bed space this year!

And, perhaps just as importantly, I want to find better ways to deal with Lucy when she gets on my nerves. Ideally, I won't get annoyed at all. I realize it may take me a while to reach that point, but I want to start by figuring out how to respond to her without raising by voice or having an irritated tone. Maybe I'll start by just pausing and counting to ten in my mind before I respond to her.

"We Can't Change That"

After a conversation with J last week, I have been working on generally being a less stressed and fretful person. I'm trying the idea of writing out the things that concern me at night, to see if that helps me to feel some type of mastery or relief of the issues that beset my mind during my waking moments. Then, I'm hoping that I can focus my mind and conversations to more pleasant thoughts. To be honest, this week (especially yesterday and today) it has been really hard. Last night I was up working until 3:00 am. I got a lot of work done that helped to alleviate my stress levels today somewhat, but this morning was full of unplanned activities that threw me for a loop. As we drove in the car, Lucy looked at my reflection in the rear-view mirror and we had this conversation:

Lucy: Mom, your eyebrows are down.
Me: Are they?
Lucy: Are you fwustwated [frustrated]?
Me: Oh, I guess that I am.
Lucy: Why?
Me: Well, I have a lot to do today.
Lucy: I'm sorry, Mom.
Me: And I didn't get a lot of sleep last night.
Lucy: Well, we can't change that.

I chuckled at that last remark. It's true! I need to stop dwelling on things that I can't change and try and embrace the things that I can change. I'm glad that I had a flexible schedule today so that I could take Lucy to the doctor for an earache, and then immediately segue into helping my family members and a friend in need. And I'm grateful for my three-year old girl who is starting to have more mature conversations with me and share her perceptive observations.

Celebrities Project: Bing Crosby

It has been fun thinking about Bing Crosby and listening to Bing Crosby music over the past several weeks, especially since I associate him so closely with the holiday season. I also liked learning about how he was from Spokane and I hope to visit the Crosby home the next time I drive out that way. This childhood home has a very different look and aesthetic to the mid-century home that Bing owned in the Coachella Valley area of California!

Today is also an interesting day to start writing this post, since January 4th marks the 74th anniversary of when the Bing Crosby home at Toluca Lake caught fire, due to a dry Christmas tree. I'm glad that I packed my Christmas decorations away yesterday!

In order to understand Bing's life and career beginnings better, I decided to read Bing Crosby: Pocket Full of Dreams, 1903-1940 by Gary Giddins. Like so many of the autobiographies that I have read this year, this one also meandered to discuss the lives of the people who interacted with Bing. Luckily, though, these tangents were a lot less lengthy than the ones that I've encountered in other biographies. This book helped me to understand more about the importance of technology in Bing Crosby's life: he really was born at the the right time for a mellow baritone voice to become famous, due to the invention of the radio (airwaves favors lower, resonant voices), the microphone, and the rise of sound recording technology. If Bing Crosby were born at a different time, without these inventions, he and his voice might not have made a great impact on popular culture.

Bing had a very prolific career, so I chose to focus on a few key points of his career in music, radio, and film. It was fun to listen to his voice, because his low tones and bright, controlled whistling remind me of my Grandpa T. One song that I particularly enjoyed discovering was "Whistling in the Wildwood." The subject matter reminds me of J's Grandpa P, and I learned from my mother-in-law that Grandpa P also was a whistler too. So it's fun to listen to this song and think of two different grandpas at the same time:



I also had my kids listen (and dance!) to Bing Crosby's Jingle Bells duet with the Andrews Sisters. I showed Lucy a clip of Sam dancing to this music when he was her age, and she was inspired to dance around too. I was surprised to learn that Bing never really formed a friendship with the Andrews Sisters. They had a strictly professional relationship and wouldn't really communicate outside of the studio. This is surprising to me, since their duets are some of the most well known and commercial recordings from Bing's career!

One of the ways in which Bing became extremely popular was through his work as the radio host for the Kraft Music Hall show. These radio shows were written out verbatim, but Bing's delivery is very natural and casual. I decided to listen to one excerpt of the show, in which eighteen-year-old Donald O'Connor is the guest (especially after learning that Bing worked with Donald O'Connor when he was twelve years old, during the 1938 film Sing You Sinners).



Over the past few several I've seen a few films with Bing Crosby (High Society, The Country Girl, and Robin and the Seven Hoods), simply due to the other actors that I've been studying.  There still were many films to choose from, though, so this month I watched these Bing Crosby films:

• Going My Way (1944): I've seen his movie before, but I could remember much about it. I decided to rewatch it, though, because Bing won an Oscar for Best Actor. To be honest, though, I felt like the film was slow-going (and Barry Fitzgerald's jittery character wore on my nerves).
• Holiday Inn (1942): This is a fun film that also has some great comedic moments between Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire. It's fun to see Bing Crosby sing "White Christmas" in this holiday film, too. I think I enjoyed this film the most, next to Road to Morocco.
• Road to Hollywood: This documentary is a "bonus feature" on one of the DVDs that I own, but I never watched it before. The 1947 film purports to discuss the rise of Bing Crosby to fame in Hollywood, using a string of short subject films that Bing created in 1931. This compilation seems rather haphazard, though. It's rather boring, and the audio is very poor in the early films. I don't think I'll watch this again!
• Road to Morocco (1942): I had a hard time deciding which "Road" movie to choose, but this blog post ranked the series and said that they thought Road to Morocco was the best. I've seen it before, but it had been a long time. It was quite funny and enjoyable, and I loved tons ee Bing's comedic timing. (The biography I read emphasized that people who personally knew Bing felt like the "Road" series best captured his true persona.)  J even watched this film with me and laughed several times. My favorite line is when Bing and Bob Hope are walking through the desert, and Bop Hope ad libs, "This must be the place where the empty all of the old hour glasses."

I also have been really saddened by the recent news of Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher's deaths, so I specifically sought out video clips of Say One For Me (1959), in which Bing Crosby and Debbie Reynolds perform together:

This song The Secret of Christmas is a little hokey with Debbie Reynolds singing next to the television screen projecting Bing's image, but it is still cute to see them singing "together":

I also was able to learn a little bit about Bing Crosby's connection to art history, which I covered on my art history blog, not only with his art collecting but also his Stagecoach portrait by Norman Rockwell. I feel more connected with him, knowing that he was interested not only in art, but also in reading. He was well spoken and intelligent. I also admire that he was a hard worker: he liked to fill his daily schedule and make sure that he was on time (if not early!) to his appointments. I can relate to having or desiring those traits!

Because I got behind on this project, I wasn't able to learn about Billie Holiday or Frank Sinatra before 2016 ended. I hope to learn about them sometime this year, but I don't think that I'll undertake a similar project for 2017. I'm ready to stop readying biographies and enjoy some fiction! My only goal for 2017 this far is to finish up my celebrities project at some point. I'm drowning in books that I've put aside for this project, and it will be nice to read some of them this coming year.

Old-Timey Celebrities Project

Last year my friend JB had a project to listen to music from fifty-two different calendar years, starting with the year 1963. Essentially, each week of 2015 was dedicated to music from a different calendar year. A few weeks ago I decided that I was going to do a similar thing this year. I'm not going to exclusively listen to music, nor explore things at the impressive rate that JB did. Instead, I thought that I would dedicate each month to learning more about some old-timey celebrity or musician. I hope to read a biography and/or autobiography each month for these people, as well as watch/listen to several of their films/music:

• Audrey Hepburn
• Fred Astaire
• Elvis
• Buddy Holly/James Dean 
• Louis Armstrong
• Billie Holiday
• Frank Sinatra
• Grace Kelley
• Bing Crosby
• Sammy Davis Jr.
• Marilyn Monroe
• Leonard Bernstein

J helped me come up with this list, based on the types of movies and music that he could handle being played in our house all year long. I asked him if he wanted to have Fred Astaire or Gene Kelly on the list, and he said, "You choose just one. I can only handle one 'dancey guy' next year." Ha! 

This month is Audrey Hepburn month. J and I watched Breakfast at Tiffany's last weekend to kick things off. I'd seen that film before, but J hadn't. We'll see if I get him to watch My Fair Lady before the month is through...

Goals for the Summer

Write OSP object tour

Write complete one-hour OSP tour (six objects?)

Complete all three SAM tour assignments

Read new Amy Buono articles before school starts

Read four Open University books:  
- Viewing Renaissance Art
- Locating Renaissance Art
- Art & Visual Culture: Academy to Avant-Garde
- Art & Visual Culture: Modernity and Globalization

Books to finish:
Noah Charney book on art forgery
The Girl Who Fell Beneath Fairyland the Led the Revels There
Annotations for the Phantom Tollbooth
Tin Woodman of Oz with Sam

Spring Cleaning

Since Lucy has been born, I have been trying to find a good balance of caring for her and keeping up with household tasks. There is so much baby stuff in our house right now, that for a while I felt like all I could do was keep the clutter at bay. (And sometimes I could only get the clutter and mess cleaned at the end of the day, after the kids were asleep.)  Part of me has realized that I need to "let go" a little bit when the clutter accumulates (something that I considered would be a possibility when I was pregnant). But I also want to make sure that my house is clean, because it's the only way that I can truly feel relaxed when I'm at home.

Between caring for Lucy and work, it was difficult for me to do more intensive or time-consuming household cleaning tasks, even something like vacuuming. And I have longed to do Spring Cleaning this year, since I wasn't able do to much last year when I was pregnant. And now, thanks to a recommendation from my friend Joanna, I think I have found a way to better stay on top of household tasks.

I have been following @cleanmama on Instagram for the past few weeks. She has a weekly cleaning routine with a different task every day, which she posts each morning. And, for just this month, she has been posting a Spring Cleaning task each day as well (for her "Spring Clean in 30 Challenge"). It's been really nice to wake up and have someone tell me which tasks to perform - she has great ideas for cleaning areas that I don't normally consider, but get grimy, dusty, or full of cobwebs (like light switch plates or the corners of ceilings). Although some of her tasks don't always fit with what I need to clean, her program has been a good general guide.

Since I'm such a goal-oriented person, I've been doing well under this program. The house is cleaner and I feel more on top of things. Now I just have about a week left of the Spring Clean Challenge! If anyone is interested in starting up the challenge, you can follow her on Instagram or check out her website.

The other thing that we have implemented is a Responsibility Chart for Sam. Sam has had a smattering of responsibilities around the house for the past couple of years, but we haven't had a consistent pattern or list of all of the things that he is expected to do. We got the Magnetic Chore Chart by Melissa and Doug to hang on our fridge, and I think it has been helpful for Sam to see (and get to mark off) the tasks that he is expected to do. I think he'll use this chart for a few years, until Lucy is old enough to take over. (Some of the options for tasks and responsibilities are more appropriate for a smaller child, but we have found enough that fit with what Sam is expected to do.)

What do you do to stay on top of household cleaning chores as a family? Once I finish this Spring Clean Challenge, I hope to move my energy outdoors so I can truly tackle the weeds in the garden...

Snowshoeing and a Resolution

As J and I ate dinner during our anniversary, we recapped the ways that we have celebrated our anniversary over the past nine years:

• 1st (2006): Stayed in cottage at RB, ate Greek food in Bellevue
• 2nd (2007): Went shopping at outlets in Park City (I was pregnant with Sam)
• 3rd (2008): Spend this one apart; it was right after my mom was diagnosed
• 4th (2009): Stayed at home and J gave me four poems and gifts for each year of our marriage; this anniversary was right after my mom passed away
• 5th (2010): Went to Victoria and stayed at the Fairmont Empress hotel
• 6th (2011): Signed papers to purchase our new home! (We didn't go out that night, since we had just spent all of our savings that morning, but we stayed home and celebrated with Sam.)
• 7th (2012): Went to a fancy French restaurant, a performance by the symphony, and stayed at the Fairmont Olympic hotel (see post HERE).
• 8th (2013): We went to an Italian restaurant with Sam at Crossroads Mall. I was pregnant with Lucy. (J has to keep reminding me what we did this year; my food wasn't that great and it wasn't as memorable as other years. Plus, I was just getting over my stint of morning sickness in my pregnancy.)
• 9th (2014): We went snowshoeing as a family! And J and I had takeout food from the Bombay House in Bellevue, which makes delicious vegetarian and vegan Indian food.

Snowshoeing was a lot of fun. We had several mishaps in finding the right parking lot and place that we intended to go at Stevens Pass (only to find out that the Nordic Trail area was too icy and steep for Sam's little legs), so we ended up going to the Smith Brook road. We accessed the trail/road by turning westbound on the Highway 2 from the Nordic Trail Center parking lot, and then going just a mile or so up the highway. The parking was on the right side of the road. It was fairly level and not too steep for Sam.

 

Sam loved dressing up in all of his winter gear. He also loved using the little poles as he trekked through the snow.

We bundled Lucy up nice and warm - she fell asleep in the Baby Bjorn for about half the time that we were out

 

We had this little frozen waterfall be our ending point. Sam was getting a little bit tired, and we wanted to make sure that we stopped before he got too complainy. Since this was Sam's first time snowshoeing, I wanted to make sure that it was a positive experience.

I'm looking forward to this new year. I'm not trying to do too many resolutions, but I do have one resolution that I think will be practical and (hopefully) easy to keep. Since Lucy has been born, I have noticed that it is a little bit more difficult to have one-on-one time with Sam. Recently, when Sam and I have played together or read together, I often have been trying to care for Lucy or do some type of household task at the same time. My resolution this year is to have one hour of focused "Mom and Sam time" each day, when I can concentrate purely on Sam and do whatever he wants to do.

This time will need to happen when Lucy is napping or with J, but I think it will be good. Just in the past few days that we have started this new special time together, I have noticed that Sam has wanted to show me things or confide in me in ways that he hasn't before. The other day, when we got to go to a movie together, Sam mentioned out-of-the-blue that every night he checks to make sure there isn't a vampire under his bed. I had no idea that Sam had this fear, but we talked about it and I think he ended up feeling like he was conquering that fear through our conversation.

Here's to a new year!

Wildflower Bed is Currently an "Annual Bed"

Well, I think that I have fulfilled my little goal for the wildflower garden bed as much as possible for now. I decided to fill in the garden with some annuals to last for the rest of the summer. I may plant bulbs in the fall, or I may just plan on scattering more seeds next year that will bloom later in the summer.

Although I would like to completely clear out the California poppy plants that have stopped blooming, I still need to wait for several of the seed pods to dry out and burst, particularly for the plants closest to the front of the house. I think I the pods will finish bursting in another week or so. I shouldn't have to wait much longer: As I worked in the hot garden this afternoon, I heard several dry pods burst and scatter seeds. It was actually really cool to hear that happen several times. The snapping of the pod and the sprinkling of the seeds made my feel like my garden was alive, in a very audible way.

I was able to work in the part of the garden that is closer to the back of the house, though. This morning I discovered Minter's Earlington Greenhouse, which currently is holding a 50% off sale on their annual flowers and vegetables. I'm really excited about this greenhouse and hope to be a regular customer. They have a great selection. Anyhow, in my excitement I think that I might have bought some flowers which are not ideal for this bed. They may need a little more watering and care than I originally hoped. But, we will see. This is what I bought and planted:

• Nicotiana: "Perfume Deep Purple" and white
• Zinnias: "Profusion White"
• Salvia: Coral Nymph, Blue Bedder, Forest Fire
• Ageratum: "Blue Horizon" (I love the color for these flowers, but I think they will need more watering than I had originally planned for this bed.)
• Gaillardia (These flowers in the sunflower family are drought-tolerant, so I hope they will do well without constant watering)
• Reseda Odorata (also known as Garden Mignonette) (These are described as having a "spicy fragrance. I also think these plants will need more watering and I worry they might not do well. The gardener at the greenhouse said that these sometimes reseed, so it would be nice if they thrive.)
• Asters

Also, about two weeks ago we got a Lucifer Crocosmia to go in the area where the allium failed to thrive. (Boo!) This plant has been doing well and even attracted a hummingbird while I was gardening this afternoon. You can see the bird if you look closely in this picture. The dahlia to the left is the largest dahlia we have in the garden. Many of the dark purple dahlias have bloomed, but the yellow ones haven't opened yet.

I feel like it was a really successful gardening day. I usually only have time to really work in the garden on the weekends, so today's work felt special and rewarding. Plus, I had a few unique discoveries. I found a bright-turquoise-blue bee (!) which had died by getting entangled in a sticky flower. I also found an abandoned bird's nest that was nestled on the ground between some of the tall, dead flowers in the back garden. I'm glad to know that the garden has been hosting and inviting all kinds of life this season.

Update: Wildflower Bed

 In the next two weeks, by July 13th, I want to give this wildflower bed a facelift. Hopefully by posting this goal on here, I will be able to hold myself accountable. I'm still undecided as to what I want to do: 1) try to plan things so that different wildflowers will bloom in the later summer weeks each year, 2) just fill the bed with some annuals to tide things over or 3) decide to plant some other type of bulb which will bloom for next year.

You can see that some of the California poppies are still hanging on (we have been enjoying them for two months!), but a lot of the poppies in the back are starting to fade. There are also a whole bunch of weeds and tall grasses that are filling the bed. I'm anxious to clean everything up now, but I also want to wait for the poppy seed pods to burst and scatter seeds for next year. Wildflowers are a little bit tricky to maintain, at least when you are trying to maintain a garden that is constantly in bloom!

Even though I can't take out the poppies yet, today I decided to throw in five Polaris Red Penstemon plants to add at least a little bit of color. These are perennials, so I'm planning on having at least a little bit of red in this garden bed next June. Hopefully this will be a nice added color, provided that the pink flowers will scatter seeds a bit more next year. Right now there are only a handful that are concentrated in the back corner of the bed:

Hopefully I can figure something out with this garden. I don't want to plant something that constantly needs to be watered, since the garden is so close to the foundation of the house.