mutter mutter splash

I am still rebounding from last week. I knew today would be simple: Go to school, help kids peer edit things, come home and stay home. Simple. And it was just what I needed it to be. I am even going to bed early tonight. (whew)

The beavers were out when I was walking this morning. They've built a dam around the nearest bend in the river, but the river flooded over it, so they were building and repairing. Actually, they didn't seem to be in the best of moods. Chaucer barely got in there to drink and one of them was slapping his tail against the water to warn us off... or at least I think that's why he was doing it. He kept right on going with it for as long as I could see him... maybe he was frustrated. Whump... Slap... Smack... Sploosh right out of sight. I could just about hear him complaining about being under-appreciated and taken for granted. "I build this god damn dam and the freaking thing floods over and does anyone help... no and god knows if I don't fix it then nobody will.... SPLASH....

I just missed the sunrise this morning. I tried to hurry, I think it was pretty good: The clouds ahead of me, on the far side of the sun, were lighting up pink. But by the time I wound my way out of the woods it had passed.

The trees are turning. The animals shifting to winter mode. I don't see rabbits anymore and the song birds have given way to chickadees and titmouses. The mornings are cold... not cold enough for gloves just yet, but definitely a good barn jacket. The flies are gone, and the weeds are thinning. Things are starting to open up. I love the fall. Its Henry's favorite season, and for all the right reasons. He spontaneously spouted off about it a week or so ago.." I love the fall, because of all the food, and the cold, and halloween!" He wants to be a jellyfish this year. I guess I will have to chronicle that adventure on here when the time comes. I am already ordering pieces of the costume on amazon... clear dome shaped umbrella... check.

I love the fall too. The air smells good. Everything is breathing its last big breaths before the winter hits.
I've heard it might be a big winter this year.
Breathe deep...

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C. C. Lowell

Worcester has some pretty great places. They are hidden in "the rest" of Worcester of course. I know I am biased here... I am really not a city person at all. But sometimes I show my head up out of the woods long enough to find some truly cool things. C. C. Lowell, the art store on Park Ave is one of those places. It isn't like "Michaels" or anything like that at all. Its not full of styrofoam things and fake flowers. It is completely hard core... just walking in makes me want to go on some sort of creating fury.

I drove past today and a few artists were in the middle of creating this huge piece. So cool.... I asked him if I could take a picture for my blog (the first time that I have actually done that) and he asked me what my blog's name was. I felt so official! I can't wait to see what this looks like when they are done with it!

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breathe

I called this blog "Where the air is clear... and I did it for a purpose. I need this clarity. I need to find health and peace. I need it this week especially.

There is this one giant tree at the entrance that I use to Rutland State Park. Its old and huge and I call it the welcoming tree. I decided that I should go and lay my hand on it everytime I begin hiking through the park. This morning I leaned up against it and these were growing out of an especially large hollow in the trunk.

Clarity.... Peace.... Life.....

Growth seems like such a violent process, just throws me all over the place and I adapt. I need to find the... slow. The green. The life that reaches slowly into us and methodically finds its place.

the cast

OK... so this week blew up on me. I feel like I was ready for the fight, and then took the first good shot to the head and went off reeling. I haven't been home before 8:00 all week. Today is a perfect example of how my week was:
1. get to school, prepare.
2. leave school, shoot home to get Henry and Nora off of their bus (Jenny is working today)
3. Immediatly load said children into the car and shoot off for the highschool
4. Get there at 4:30 to find that there are no scripts, stage Manager isn't there, need to cast the play but
     am lacking ways to do that.
5. panic
6. leave the students with Johanna (completely capable) to drop Henry off at a play date at 5:30
7. Fly back to the highschool completely guilt ridden to find Johanna completely in control of the
    situation.
8. Continue with call backs and castings till 7:30
9. Get home with Johanna in tow to discuss roles and cast
10. Cook Nora spaghetti with butter....oddly Nora isn't dissapointed
11. Johanna leaves, Fly back to pick up Henry and bring him home
12. Everybody's home... everything's ok.
13. Kids to be
14. cry myself to sleep (just kidding, but man... this week was hard.)

All that being said, we seem to have a heck of a cast this year. If only my scripts would come in so I could tell them what they will be playing.

Well, its begun. Today was the first auditions. I have to say that I am really happy with the turn out. So many kids, all nervous, all anxious to have a go at it. It is an honor to be a part of this show. It felt strangely like home to go back to that stage. I think the last time I was here, it was such a major event, and a massive amount of stress, that it has seered it into my mind. I remember being back stage, right before the first show, and feeling my heart beat so fast that I thought I was having some sort of panic attack. (I might have been having some sort of lefgitimate panic attack) I had never directed a play before. The most I had done was to direct tiny things inside my classroom. I litterally had to look online to find out what "blocking" was. I feel better this time around. I feel like I can make a good run of it.
It felt good to be there.

fire in the sky

I woke this morning... really early, and went out to see the sunrise. I am very glad that I did.

son of Bron

Bronson. Its kind of a kick ass name. At least when its used as a last name. (lets all try and forget about Bronson Pinchot for a second). It's funny how names can sometimes frame who we are. I like my first name... David... It means "beloved." That's nice. But 9 out of 10 people my age are named David. No super big distinction there. But Bronson... hmm.... Charles Bronson....Big action star of yesteryear.  Type in bronson into a goolge image search, I dare you. I bet you are going to see a whole bunch of guys that look like that they might want kill you. First image that pops up... this guy -->

I don't know why this makes me so happy. I am certainly not the "go find someone to beat up" type of guy. But, I still lean back on this a tiny bit. Like, I am happy that Henry is a Bronson. yeah..... Bronson.....

Well enough of that, I am off to work. btw, the image above doesn't actually say Bronson, but it sure looks like it could.