Earth

I don't want our son to be one of those kids who thinks earth is "dirty."

For all that our modern society does to discourage, distract, and even prevent us from maintaining our connection to our planet, I want to be part of what pulls him into "right relation" with the Earth.

Today on the way home, we stopped at a farm stand that is run on the honor system. Trays full of summer squash, pint-size containers of cherry tomatoes and jalapeno peppers, luscious eggplants and ear after ear of corn were such a treat for our eyes! After many long moments of comparative weighing (people around me smiled as D asked, "How much is does a pound weigh?"... I hoisted him into the air and said, "This big vegetable boy weighs 47 pounds!"), we selected this acorn squash as our prize. Then we talked a little bit about the gardens this good food had come from, and the trust that is required to run a stand without a cashier. Wanting to see if he understood, I picked up the acorn squash (pictured above at home on our hand-crafted cherry dining room table, thank you Hal Bigelow!).

Squash in one hand, money in the other, I looked at D and said, "I could just leave, and take the squash AND my money with me." He looked appropriately horrified. "Well, why not?" I said. "What's stopping me?"

"Because they trust you?" he said, eyeing me sternly.

He gets it! I let him put the three dollars in the cash box.

Last night we read the story of Anansi the spider and the moon for the zillionth time, and I remarked that I found it especially satisfying to read that story on a night when the moon was full.

Tonight, when asked if he wanted us to read that story again, D said, "No, I think I want to save that and just read it when the moon is really full."

"That sounds like a great idea!" I said, "But you know, the moon is only full once a month." (I haven't explained blue moons to him yet.)

"How long is a month again?"

"About four weeks, sweetie."

"That's okay, Mommy. I can wait," he said, still pleased with his good idea.

Now I'm thinking about maybe doing moon books every full moon! Owl Moon in the winter, Anansi in the fall... what else? Our boy's going to be connected to the Earth and her shadow!