Ender's mind buzzes like a beehive.  His thoughts are those winged insects that melittologists can't explain their ability to fly.  Like bees, his questions and curiosity zip out of his head and into the big open world in search of something satisfying.  He unceasingly gleans the day's nectar,
tirelessly bringing it home where more work is done in turning it into sweet golden knowledge.

He is so willing to share the honey.  Just ask him anything and he'll  pour a cup into your hands.

The wheels in his head turn.  And between the wheels and the bees I'm exhausted and dizzy.

Ender will spin around and around in our kitchen yelling "Mama!  Are you dizzy yet?  Do you see the room spin?"
I love you Ender, you'll kill school.    

Today, Cora learned she could escape our prison backyard.  She climbs with one hand and a fist full of raisins on the woodpile Zander has stacked against the wall.   So dangerous.  But I got the cure.  I'm going to time the arrival of the terrible monstrous loathe some garbage truck and Cora's summit of the woodpile.  Her worst nightmare rumbles right by it every Thursday morning.  Sounds dramatic, but I need to pack some force behind keeping this girl safe.  She's a climber.  She'll take advantage of anything that steps her a little higher towards the top of the table, counter, stove, fence and so on.  Often, she quick digs her big toe in my eye socket or pulls on my hair like rope.  I cringe and yelp on the outside, but inside, my heart swells with pride.  My future tree climber!

 

Cora follows this guy anywhere.  Enjoying our backwater swamp during the monsoons.  I wish I could say ender is pretending to snipe a barracuda with a blow dart, but he could be trying to suck up the "water".  

my gal pal, my garden slug

 since the beginning.

 i carry your heart with me(i carry it in
my heart)i am never without it(anywhere
i go you go, my dear;and whatever is done
by only me is your doing,my darling)
                                                        i fear
no fate(for you are my fate,my sweet)i want
no world(for beautiful you are my world,my true)
and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;which grows
higher than soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart with me(i carry it in my heart)

i cant thank ashley enough for secretly capturing my darling toadie and I on film.  I treasure this.  In every moment I find myself kissing her.  When she's funny, happy, silly, annoying, and even when she tries to scratch my eyes out.  Her personality begs to be kissed.

She left us no choice.  It was either leash her or lose her down the stream.  Mark my words, though.  Next time I'm bringing a blow up raft for her and I to laze away in the swimming hole.  I always forget the blow up raft!

Zander's Shadow.

One blissful Saturday

• 

Road to Junipine

Could I fill my lungs up until they became lighter than the air I breathe?  I would rise into those clouds thick with the tension of a tempest.  Or could my little body grow relative to the panoramic landscape I viewed?  I'd be a giant loping fast over those hills with my roly poly cora tucked under my arm. I'd leave Zander and Ender eating their McDonalds in the parking lot.
Which actually happened, the Mcdonalds thing.  I think its becoming a sick joke with Zander and I; taking our kids to McDonalds on road trips.  Im not judging anyone!  But you should see us wolf down fast food.  Its sad.   Cora loves to suck on those famous Mickey D fries.  Bless her.