But That Was My Tantrum

There's language in the subtitles of this, which I apologize for, I don't know how to change that.  I can't help but show it though, because I SO AGREE!

People Eat Blood Sausage

I often find myself throwing up my hands in despair and claiming, "The world is stupid!" M for Mazing says nice things like "You're just not meant for this world" to comfort me but the fact of the matter is Here Is Where I Am.  

The world is stupid. I can't believe how often we choose to make life harder for ourselves. Instead of applying all our determination to finding a way to get dads home with their families, we push for equal rights so now we can all never see each other. We plan obsolescence - cell phones that get 'old' and must be traded for new ones (not to mention the whole concept of cell phones rather than something like a portable ham radio!); cars that run ten years and require a computer engineering degree to repair (why don't we install a manual back-up for every 'automatic' item, ie roll down windows?); computers that are 'old school' two minutes out the door; proprietary ink cartridges (need I say more?)   And the one that galls me the most?  Spending thirty years of our life to pay for a home to live in. Everything else in the world finds theirs for free, but no, we, the intelligent species, have found a better way.

I've been dabbling in  genealogy during my sofa-confinement, and my Ukrainian ancestors built these types of homes for temporary shelters on the Canadian prairies   

and then eventually "moved up" to these larger homes when able - both very light and lovely and reasonable.

 I google searched "homes under $5,000" and discovered the Simon Dale family.  Now that's what I'm talking about!  Check out his link to similar homes, it will make you happy.  So lovely to find kindred spirits, isn't the internet wonderful?  So, I guess not the whole world is stupid.

“Most of the luxuries and many of the so-called comforts of life are not only not indispensable, but positive hindrances to the elevation of mankind.”

— Thoreau

Images thanks to campaugusta, blueskies, town of rossburn,  travel webshots, tiny house design; and boston.com

Playscape It Again, Sam

Just discovered an awesome blog devoted exclusively to the concept of creative, natural play areas. Check it out - she says everything I wanted to say. I wish every child in the world - especially those living in "the projects" - could have thoughtful, lovely playgrounds like these.
I believe children grow up more peaceful, happy, self-aware, and emotionally sound by interacting with a beautiful piece of the world.

They Paved Paradise and Put Up a Parking Lot

“…children are disappearing from the outdoors at a rate that would make the top of any conservationist’s list of endangered species if they were any other member of the animal kingdom.”

Ecologist, Gill (2005)

 I have been quite sick the last bit, but the silver lining of this is I have been able to read and study things that have been gathering dust on a shelf in the back of my brain for years. I have felt free to contemplate everything from how to build clear geodesic earthquake pedestrian shelters in Seattle to what is the best chocolate chip cookie recipe? My most recent scrutiny: Outdoor Play Structures.

I have never liked the rigid, static, limited use of most school playgrounds. My early childhood experiences tainted me. My first grade school had - honestly - not one blade of grass.  They had paved the entire grounds.  We skinned our knees, played marbles, skipped rope, and got in a lot of fights.  When the weather was bad they'd bring us in the gymn and have us sit on our coats around the perimeter so as not to damage the newly finished wood floors. (!) No talking was allowed. I got in trouble once because I rolled up my coat and pretended it was a baby and encouraged the girl next to me to do the same. The teacher blew the whistle and made me come stand by her.  Playing was much too radical a concept for recess.

Last year everyday on my way to work I watched them build a new elementary school where a dense forest had been. I couldn't help thinking about how much fun the children could have exploring the pine cones, caterpillars, rocks, branches and sounds of the woods. I secretly hoped they were forward thinking enough that they would fence a part of the woods off for the play ground, but of course they didn't.

When our kids were toddlers we had an old woodshed on our property that was simply a covered shanty with a dirt floor and a pile of wood scraps in one corner.  They spent hours in there.  I could watch them from the kitchen window and that place became whatever they wanted it to be. They made mud pies, forts, pirate ships, cannons, cars, castles.... the list was limitless - which is the whole point, isn't it?! One day they were so into it their play that I literally had to pry their freezing little hands off the wood and get them to come in.  Now that's the creative flow all artist's hope to achieve!

So... my advice?  Don't spend  a small fortune on cookie-cutter swing-sets-cum-forts that hold childrens' attention for forty five minutes max. Read some of the studies by child development scientists like Moore and Wong and find out what my husband's parents knew all along:  A couple of big cardboard boxes and some cold cereal for a snack  will entertain a child far longer than any set of metal monkey bars. 
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