hump day nuggets: little bits of the season in photos and words about the last week
Everything grows. An idea grows into a brilliant invention, a wink that grows into true love. Seeds grow into food and cells grow into people.
Food feeds winking inventors. Are you following me?
I’m tired tonight. Tuesday night is the night I sit down at my computer, kids in bed. I look back at my last week, sort through hundreds of photos and delete most. My nugget post. I pull the best moments and remember, renotice, rediscover why I felt inclined to pull my camera to my eyeball, frame a moment and push go.
It’s all miraculous. It’s all extraordinary. And there’s lots of humor. Life, love, growth.
There are two ways to live: you can live as if nothing is a miracle; you can live as if everything is a miracle.
-Albert Einstein
nuggets
:: Lots and lots of early morning bed romping. It’s a fabulous way to start the day.
:: When Margot is really focused, her eyelashes appear to be extra sharp. This is probably because she is still instead of whirring by.
:: My beautiful friend birthed a boy Monday night. He’s amazing and perfect and holy cow it is something else seeing someone one day, swollen with a KID inside them sitting on their couch and then seeing them the next day, sitting on the same couch, and that kid is in their arms. Welcome to the world, Solomon.
:: Margot is hilarious nearly all of the time. Like yesterday when I was kissing Andy in the kitchen and she said, hey there, that’s MY papa!, as she clutched his leg. And then, like it was an insult, she said, he’s YOUR husband.
Ten Spoon Vineyard and Winery is a dig sponsor this month. This farm, these people are very close to my heart. I picked tomatoes, pruned grapevines and ate tuna sandwiches with this warm couple through college. Their business is inspiring and their wine is fabulous! And organic with no added sulfites! Try some.
Locals: Ten Spoon Vineyard + Winery Tasting Room is open on Fridays and Saturdays from 5-9pm :: 4175 Rattlesnake Drive, Missoula :: wine flights & wine by the glass
Margot assisting with grape harvest last fall
:: Ruby received an incredible gift from her sister. Margot decided to gift Ruby her maraca. Her special, wouldn’t-put-it-down-for-anything maraca. Margot said, Look! She likes it mama.
:: We went downtown for Missoula’s annual Brew Fest last Saturday. I like beer and, due to scheduling conflicts, I’ve never been. Most everything in my charming, progressive, kind town is family-friendly. But this wasn’t so much, as evidenced by the drunk college students tumbling down the river bank while trying not to drop their joints. It was also Maggotfest.
When walking from my car, a woman in gold lamay spandex pants skipped down the middle of the street, topless, arms waving overhead, yelling WWWWWWWWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! What’s that lady doin’ mama?, Margot asked. Well, bug, she’s having lots of fun, I replied. Oh, Margot said.
It made me love my town even more. Because, although not so much for young kids, I never felt unsafe or anxious. I love Missoula for its weirdness. I love Missoula for its drunk dudes somersaulting down the river bank to find a place to pee (as long as they don’t drive). We met up with friends, went to a park, left Lady Gaga and the frat boys that I am inclined to call kids like I am way older than they are (…but I kinda am) and shared pizza and beer at our home.
:: Bug fell hard on her face last week. It was awful and we went to get chicken food that afternoon, the purple goose egg on her forehead shiny and throbbing. I let her pick a toy animal at the feed store and she picked a colt. That makes me feel better. That makes me so happy, she said. Do you think it is a boy or girl?, I asked. A boy, she said without hesitation. Does he have a name?, I asked. Jimmy, she replied.
:: Margot painting with her pal, Moana. I have learned a lot about how to encourage creativity in kids and I am working on a post about making art with children. I am excited to share what works for my family and I think it’ll be up next week.
:: Sunday Family Walks continue.
:: Margot’s first self portrait. Imagine me yelling, Margot! No! Put mama’s camera down! Margot! and she said, just real quick…
:: Ruby’s just the sweetest little peanut. She loves to just sit with me. And grunt and growl.
:: And, finally, FRESH tasting food. And, the promise of more is pushing its way through the soil.
Tarragon.
Rhubarb.
Peas.
:: Margot is in love with carrying my old Nancy Drew books around. I know it’s because they are yellow. I adore the thought of her staying up late at night with her alien night light illuminating her book that she can’t put down like I did when I was a kid.
:: When love turns into a tickling choke hold. There’s still love in that tickling choke hold.
Don’t go through life, grow through life.
– Eric Butterworth
17 Comments
Hi, sweet niece(s) of mine! As usual, Nici, your words reach out…and grab me…even though I wasn’t planning on reading all of this today…but, you got me!
Aunt Lorie
I just have to say, your blog makes me smile and makes me miss Missoula, which is ok.
It’s the sister pics that get me every time (although brava to Bug for her nascent photographic abilities).
ok … you could have stopped before the whole there’s still love in the tickling choke hold part. because that got the tears flowing.
love the “oh” in response to the topless lady having fun.
must share about cora’s first goose egg … she kept telling me over and over “i dot a doose in dere mama.” god i love that girl. i LOVE all my children … but i seriously think she is my heart.
Margot giving Ruby her beloved maraca…the love, the kindness. Melts my heart.
I always love your photos but this weeks’ are truly extraordinary.
xoxo
favorite part of this post is definitely the bare-breasted woman and the pot-smoking kids. but Margot saying “just real quick” to take a picture was also quite delightful because I can hear Lainey saying that exact same thing. Can’t wait to hear about your creativity-inducing post!
Love to see little Ruby smiling.
loved these nuggets!
does margot love wearing her backpack all the time? avi sure does.
i also can’t wait for the creativity post–avi asked me something about going to a painting class the other day (there are wonderful kid studios close by but the classes are kinda pricey) and now that i’m home for awhile i’d love to freshen up our art supplies . . .
i love how toddlers are so funny about parents being affectionate with each other–with avi it goes both ways–he either wants it to stop or he wants in on it.
xoxo
Is Missoula’s tourist bureau paying you yet? Because they should.
I am proposing it as next year’s girls’ trip location when I’m with Kelli this weekend in *this* year’s destination: Sun Valley.
Love to see your garden waking up!
you make me want to move to missoula!
that close-up of Rubes in the hat – ah, takes my breath away!
and I agree with Katie – nothing sweeter than the gift of maraca to wee one.
happy spring, Cline family!
I noticed Margot’s high chair. When my husband was born (68 years ago), his family was living in Michigan. My MIL’s parents sent them $5.00, a huge amount for poor Montana farmers. They went to a furniture store and bought a high chair with it. Stan, his two sisters, my three sons, and all my grandkids have eaten in that chair. Nice to see you’re using something almost like it-has it been in the family?
Love her backpack! Love the picture of your friend!
Oh, just in time for “Meet Me in Missoula Weekend…” And the rhubarb! If you have more than you can handle I would gladly take some off your hands…! Seriously.
Yes Margot is totally in love with wearing her backpack at all times! So funny.
Finny, how do I get paid for loving Montana? I’m in.
your blog makes me smile
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wow! i was huge! thanks for the shout out to solomon. i love him so! and LOVE those last pics of the girls. how gorgeous are they both? the elk stew was perfect and been enjoying that goat cheese on everything all week. you’re the best.