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The New City Hall
For the last year or so (maybe more?) when I drove Bug to her Dad’s at the beach we passed this monstrosity of a construction project. It used to be open land, possibly even a bird sanctuary but lately it’s been an ever increasingly interesting tribute to modern architecture. I won’t even touch the politics that have been flying around over the cost of this project and the local’s tax dollars but I will say it’s really really cool looking.
Finally last week we stopped and took a look. All these photos are iphone photos so I seriously need to go back with my real camera because it was pretty impressive. We walked and walked along a packed dirt path that lead us through some purple bridge tunnels along rolling hills of drought resistant shrubbery and then had a little picnic lunch at the top.
There’s a dog park (though it wasn’t open at the time we were there) and some really interesting bunny sculptures but no real playground for kids. That’s okay because nature is enough of a playground for us but I had to ponder why the giant bunnies weren’t more accessible to play on. You could climb on the big one but the little ones had no path and the landscaping looked like it was about to erode if little people made too many paths through it. Maybe its some kind of elaborate art installation but come on, they are screaming to be climbed on! Bunnies and kids? Now that I read this article I think they were intended to be climbed on but I’m not so sure.
Anyway, if you are in the area you might want to stop and take a stroll around. It’s a really nice space just waiting to be enjoyed. Also, it’s right next to the library. Make a day of it!
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Round-up at the Kelp Rodeo
No, I didn’t actually wrangle any dolphins with my kelp lasso. That would be cool though, wouldn’t it? I was actually just at the beach with Jennui, (a blogger friend from way back). She is visiting from Canada and when she and her husband made some squeamish faces to each other when I stepped on a few kelp pods I couldn’t resist. What’s gross about stepping on kelp? It’s not gross! It’s cool. It pops like bubble wrap and it’s fun to play with.
Kelp is amazing. You can play jump rope with it and swing it around your head like an idiot. I love kelp. It doesn’t seem smelly or slimey to me. It smells and feels like the ocean, like a fresh wave of ocean water. Don’t even roll your eyes at me. They sell hair products with less alluring descriptions.
Anyway, I also wanted to use these images as sort of a “round-up” of what is going on with me these days. I really need to get back to blogging every day because now I feel incredibly behind and if I post anything it’s going to take paragraphs and paragraphs of explaining because there’s so much back story! And I have no time for backstorying!
So whatever. Onwards and upwards.
The biggest news these days is that I’m teaching a water color class for Craft Cabinet on April 12th. I’m terrified. I’m not a teacher. There is a reason I don’t homeschool. But teaching is what I’m going to be doing and to make matters worse they’ve written me a grand-sounding introduction that intimidates even me. I am not an expert at water-coloring!
Eeek!
My plan is to rely heavily on my “perfection is not important” mantra and really show the class how to make some water color messes. Then we’ll let it dry (while I push glasses of wine on any critics) and add some pen and ink on top. We’ll pretty-it-up and call it art. I hope I can do it. I’d say rush over and buy some tickets so that you can cheer me on or make fun of me but I’ve heard they are nearly sold out. Can you believe it?!! So much for my plan to pack the house with my friends. So pray for me! Pray that I am the best water color teacher ever and that I can manage to keep the shakiness out of my voice.
Other news!
Last week Bug and I went to Bethany’s. We had a “Messy Art Day” sponsored by The Honest Company so I could write this post. It was such a blast. We played Twister with paint and then did face-painting. We tested out some crazy ideas for an art party that Annalie might be having for her ninth birthday party coming up next month. I can’t wait!!
Then we did some crafts for theshiksa.com for Passover. One of the crafts won’t make it on the blog this year but it will probably show its face next year. So check out our painted sedar plate and finger puppets if you are celebrating passover…or you happpen to be a sunday school teacher/homeschooler/crafty parent and you are going over the ten plagues. (Though the Jewish translation says the 4th plague is wild animals. I did illustrate swarms of flies if anyone would prefer some puppets with that translation.)
And that’s it, I think.
Three cheers for kelp!
