Springtime Pleasures

I have always enjoyed the outdoors and Springtime is particularly pleasant. Dystonia has been hard on me lately. My left foot and hand are curling and cramping quite a bit and I have been feeling a bit frustrated that the Baclofen isn't working as well as I would like. It helps to have the nice weather. I love getting out of the house and walking in the wilderness or just sitting in the yard admiring the flowers. Today we enjoyed a picnic by the stream on campus. My son loves throwing sticks and rocks into the water. He would probably sit by the water throwing things for hours if we let him. His joys remind me to focus on the small pleasures of life and to try not to worry so much about dystonia and the demands of graduate school.

Community Supported Agriculture

We are members of the Core Farms Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program. The season just started and we are enjoying our greens! CSAs provide a wonderful relationship between consumers and local farmers that is economical and good for the environment. Consumers pay a designated amount for their share at the beginning of the season and then receive a basket of produce (typically organic) once a week through the season. This provides support for local farmers and gives us an opportunity to meet others in the community while we receive locally grown fresh organic food. We are proud to be members of the CSA community and we love the delicious produce. We always look forward to driving out to the orchard once a week to pick up our next basket. The photo is one of the first baskets of our share last Spring.

My Wonder Boy

My son is almost 23 months old. He is growing up quickly and amazes me on a daily basis. He reminds me the importance of living in the moment and finding joy in the little things in life. He is fascinated by caterpillars, butterflies, rocks and animals of any sort. He loves giving kisses, being tickled, throwing balls and playing in the mud. He prefers immediate gratification, but is learning the benefits of having patience. Emotions come and go from him like the wind...crying hysterically one second to laughing or smiling the next. I wish I could so easily be pulled out of my own sadness or frustrations. Enthralled by the wonder of nature and freedom of the outdoors, he constantly requests to go outside and play...bringing me his shoes and saying "ott-sigh, Mama, ott-sigh". It really is remarkable how much a child can lighten your spirit and make you easily forget about your suffering. I am so thankful that he has entered my life. It still amazes me that he came from me. It is wonderful to actually be looking forward to each new day just to see what he will learn and share with me.

I really like this picture because it shows how silly he likes to be sometimes. I often have trouble keeping him far enough away from me to get a good picture. He is fascinated by the camera and likes to get as close as possible.