Iowa

Iowa

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Fun

I have problems with my lower back sometimes which is a pain in my butt! so I have to do stretching exercises every morning. So, I am lying on my back, counting the bugs on the floor and looking at the dust on the paddle fan, and I happen to glance out the window. Lo and behold, the oak trees dirty, leaf dropping things that they are are in full green. Leaves are green and beautiful! I am happy.

Now, don't tell anyone, but when I am at the podium at Phipps, I do crossword puzzles and lately have begun to color with markers. I know, but hey, I am bored. And I derive pleasure out of these designs that I draw. Did you color with chalk when you were a child? We did. Colored on the street, on the driveway, on anything. I loved it. So, today, I went out and bought a box of colored chalk. I have been walking in the park on the way to work. I am going to take the box of chalk, put it in plastic and hang it on the fence at the park and invite people to draw with it. Have a contest, if you will. Bean and Monkeyboy decorate their walk, their deck, their street with chalk, so why can't everyone???? The world would be a better place with art on the street. On the sidewalks. On their drives. And if someone doesn't like it...hey, the rain makes it go away.
And what about kites? Did you ever have a favorite kite? I love kites. I love the different shapes and colors. On the road trip I plan to buy kites for the kids and watch them fly it over the ocean.
It's spring, what can I say? I love it. A time of renewal, of fun and play. I have one more week in this floral design and I have posted my newest one. Monkeyboy had a game that was cancelled and Bean had a game that their team won. And go PENS! Tied up the series.
Have a wonderful weekend! IT'S SPRING!

32 comments:

Lori said...

What a wonderful idea. How fun is that? Yes, we used chalk on the street when I was a kid. We drew roads and houses, bus stops and train tracks. It was such fun. And I love kites. Just the old fashioned ones, not the box or fancy ones. I am not very good at crossword puzzles. I have to cheat when I do them, get all the help I can from friends.

Twigs said...

It is supposed to be warm and windy here today, maybe I'll get the kite out and go to the park. Hey, who knows, maybe I'll even stop and get some chalk along the way. I love week seven, Mia. Very pretty.

Elizabeth said...

Gardening is our task this weekend. Cleaning out the old, dead stuff, making room for the new. It will feel good to be in the dirt again after this winter. I love the idea of flying a kite today, Twigs. And drawing on the sidewalks! What fun.

Ben said...

As nice as it was yesterday, it is cold and dreary today! Went for a run and no one was in the park today. But, yes, the trees are all green, and it is supposed to be "normal" temps by Monday. Great idea about the chalk, Mia, maybe it will be in my park!

bean said...

That was a wonderful idea with the chalk, Mia. We use chalk to draw "roads" for our bikes to ride on our deck. You can tell that it is getting warmer when you have sweep an inch of dust off the ceiling fan! I love week seven's flower arrangement-it's my favorite so far!

Jessica said...

Just turn the fan on, Bean, it dusts itself. Just open the windows and let the dust fly. We have a chalkboard to keep track of what everyone is doing. The kids use the chalk in the summer to draw on the sidewalk. It is a great idea, Mia. People will have fun with it. I think I like week five best.

SassySam said...

Well, when I read the blog, Mia, I just had to go out and buy chalk and kites. It sounds like such fun. You will have to let us know if you see anyone using the chalk. I remember drawing on our sidewalk with chalk, and the old lady next door always complained to my parent.

Jen said...

I love #7, very elegant, I think. The kites at the beach sounds like a wonderful idea, Mia. Actually, the beach sounds wonderful! And I hear you about your back, have the same problem here. Getting old sucks!

Bill said...

The Pens play again tonight, hope Fleury can get it together. Our kids play with chalk a lot! On the garage floor, on the drive, on the street. It's fun for them and can keep them occupied for hours, and anything that does that is a good thing.

Nate said...

OK, where is the park? I want chalk! And a kite! What wonderful memories created by your post. I remember getting out on the first windy, sunny day, usually in March, to fly a kite. The joy of seeing it soar into the sky, the disappointment of it crashing to the gound. Great post, Mia.

Kevin said...

When I was in high school, our physics class assignment was to build a kite and explain how it flew. Mine didn't. It slammed to the ground and broke. It was very sad. And my grade reflected it.

Kevin's wife said...

But every spring, we continue to try to build one. We are getting somewhat better, and no one grades Kevin on it anymore.

Tigger said...

Some years ago, Central Park had a display of artists who flew these bright orange "kites" or flags on posts throughout the park. It was quite a sight to see. They were a bit ecentric, as most artists are, and they were delightful as they watched the process of putting everything in place.

Cathy said...

Yes, Tigger, I saw pictures of that! It was by Christo and Jeanne-Claude. It was really spectacular to see. Letterman made fun of it on his show, and it was my understanding that he could see it from his apartment and hated that it obstructed his peaceful view of the park.

Tim said...

Can we draw a picture of a kite on the sidewalk and enjoy it that way? I have to get ready to cheer tonight for those pesky birds in tuxedos.

Shelly said...

I love coloring with chalk, because when you make a mistake you can just dump water on it!

Angela said...

I think my favorite is the last flower decoration. I liked the first one, too.
I love the idea of the chalk! How fun is that? I think I have to go out and buy some.

SocialWorker2 said...

I like week four best, I think. Does mia want us to rate these? Hope so! There is something very relaxing about watching a kite flying. And the chalk is something that everyone seems about which to have good memories.

Mark said...

Wheneve I have bought flowers, I just call the florist, tell them how much I want to spend and hope for the best. I never knew there were actual ways of fixing them. I thought they just plopped them in a vase and sent them. A new appreciation, although I will still do the same thing.

Allie (cat) said...

Cats have fun rolling things on the floor, so chalk would be a great deal of fun for cats. They could even make a picture and probably sell it for millions of dollars as art. I like week 3.

Witty Kitty said...

I still like week #4 the best. Having another flashback with all this talk about chalk. I used to have a wooden box with saw dust in which I kept my chalk as a child. And I do seem to remember the adults were never to happy when the driveway got decorated. Something about it getting tracked into the house. But the smooth driveway was sooo much nicer than trying to color on the bumpy road.

Anonymous said...

Brought to mind a song by Harry Chapin..."Flowers are Red". Encourage color, encourage freedom in art. Let them color, on the sidewalks, on the streets, let them express themselves.

FLOWERS ARE RED (in part)
The little boy went first day of school
He got some crayons and started to draw
He put colors all over the paper
For colors was what he saw
And the teacher said.. What you doin' young man
I'm paintin' flowers he said
She said... It's not the time for art young man
And anyway flowers are green and red
There's a time for everything young man
And a way it should be done
You've got to show concern for everyone else
For you're not the only one

The teacher put him in a corner
She said.. It's for your own good..
And you won't come out 'til you get it right
And are responding like you should
Well finally he got lonely
Frightened thoughts filled his head
And he went up to the teacher
And this is what he said.. and he said

Flowers are red, green leaves are green
There's no need to see flowers any other way
Than the way they always have been seen

JD said...

That's pretty neat, anonymous, I had to look up the lyrics. Sad song, but typical of his music, tells a lesson. I like all of his music.
Love to watch kids at play, something so innocent about it. A lot of joy and fun. Somewhere we lose that. Maybe the chalk at the park and the kite at the beach will bring it all back!

Carrie said...

Wow, all of those flower pictures are beautiful! If we are counting votes, week seven is my favorite. The old fashioned kites, I think, are the best. They fly and don't seem to crash as often.

Sarah said...

Harry Chapin writes some pretty neat songs. You pictures are beautiful, very pretty flowers. Are you a florist?

Anonymous said...

Nice fathead! In fact, nice picture. The flowers are nice, but the fathead is better.

Jackie said...

First time visitor and I love all your flower pictures! I don't know what a fathead is, but I assume it has something to do with the first picture. How nice to be able to arrange flowers in such an artistic way.

ginger said...

Well, I posted a comment but it never showed up so I'll try again. It doesn't pay to come in late.

We used to draw a hopscotch on the street with our chalk and then we played the game. It was a double use of our chalk.

I have seen many unique kites at the beach. All kinds of intersting shapes and sizes.

Flower arrangements are still pretty, Mia. Keep up the good work.

Anonymous said...

Go Pens! Nice fathead picture

Ben said...

Fatheads are large posters (lifesize) of sports figures. They can move from spot to spot and do no damage to your walls. Ginger, I have had trouble with the posting, also. Must be something with the site. Welcome to all the new folks.

Wicked Kitty said...

I made a small donation to charity to get a kiss from Harry Chapin when I saw him at an on grounds college concert as an undergrad. I cried when he died. Love "Cats in a Cradle" too. No surprise there, right Allie?

Michele said...

I love kites! There's nothing quite like flying a kite on the beach at dusk! The wind is great and they go REALLY HIGH UP! The only problem about letting them go that high is that you have to reel them back in :-( but definitely fun! I have had a kite since my senior trip in high school that I bought when I was there (eleven years ago). Here's a link to a great site with spools of yarn that are easier to reel in. I recommend a heavier weight than 30 lbs if you're going to let it go really far! http://www.catchthewind.com/kites/spools.html

Happy Flying!