climbing. climb on.

 

Mother-daughter picture.   I had to have a standing up pose :) 

Ohhh this picture makes my heart HAPPY.

I used to climb in high school and college.   Even though I only climbed a handful of times afterwards I never got rid of my harness and shoes and for the past few years they’ve sat in my old climbing bag as stinky as ever.

Last fall I purchased some half-price passes online to a climbing gym and found myself REALLY hoping my kids would like it.  Each person has their own interests and it can be tricky finding something all five family members agree on.

Turns out everyone had fun and we are now are trying month-to-month passes.  What I enjoy is that it is something active we can do as a whole family during the winter.   Jeff,  Erik, Claire and Megan (in her cheetah print pants)  climb and I can be right next them watching and feel a part of it.   

January 8th

This winter I have been trying to find beauty, and I found it in the trees outside.  

Now that the leaves have fallen I can see the structure of the plant.  The individual branching patterns of the trees are fascinating.  There is the strong form of the Sycamore that Megan climbs in the summer.  The branches of my Tri-Color Beech curve upward reminding me of a ballerina in First Position.  Then there are my three Prairie Fire Crabapple trees, they are all whack-a-do crazy without any order.

The other day Claire and I sat side by side-by-side looking out the front window.   She had paper and a pencil and was drawing a picture.   I told her that I was sketching the trees too, but with my eyes.  

My high school art teacher once said she would give us five dollars if we could bring her something from nature that was perfectly straight.  No one ever got that money.   Her challenge did make me more aware of the lines and shapes in nature.  

You should have seen the lines on the winter trees Claire and I sketched.  

They looked awesome.