Noah made microwave popcorn and in a span of about two seconds, max, it smelled like moth balls and staleness and West Virginia, my Great Grandma Riddle's mobile home, cluttered with ceramic owls and rust-colored sofas and a murky fish tank.Tonight we lay in the grass and I took pictures in the dark and the boys ran around like crazy people. Gray carried his little bug cage with a lightning bug in it, his hands smelling like a lightning bug (they have a smell).
Smells like my childhood summers.
Once, when I was a little girl I left my crayons in a pencil box in the sun on the picnic table. I burned my fingers in the colors... they melted and ran together. Made new colors. They were beautiful and naughty.
This is the kind of post you write to a soundtrack.
This is the kind of post I try to lasso time. This fleeting time. Time that slipped through a crack in the door long ago.
Gray wants to bring his bug cage into the house and I say why not. I had pickle jars with jagged holes poked with a steak knife in the lids, grass and sticks swishing and clinking against the glass, resting next to my bed. I wished for them to light up as I drifted off to sleep.
In the morning they would be "sleeping" or had disappeared.
Kinda like time.
A lot like time.
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maybe my favorite post by you, ever.
ReplyDeleteand your pictures are beautiful, and timeless, like your words.
I love how your posts always start out with a Phish or Tori lyric...sigh...you've truly captured so many things here...my heart is bursting. Very emotional. Probably because we spent many of those summers together! Love ya!
ReplyDeleteGosh, who can't relate to this? Just beautiful.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful. And profoundly true..
ReplyDeleteI need to start saying "why not?" a little more.
ReplyDeleteLovely post.
beautiful, the way you caught time!! Good job enjoying your time with your family! Well written! Thanks for sharing
ReplyDeleteBeautiful, moving words.
ReplyDeleteYou have a gift. You are able to put your feelings into words, really beautiful words. Thanks for sharing. Great post!
ReplyDeleteSuch a beautiful snippet of time! It flies by so fast and if we can only capture a few moments it is well worth having the rest stored to only our memory.
ReplyDeletePS. I am from West Virginia! I just about passed out when i saw you mention the name as most people this West Virginia is the "Western" part of Virginia lol.
So true, so very true.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful post, thank you!
This is a terrific post. Beautiful words that color it perfectly.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE this. I love it.
ReplyDeleteA lot of your posts sound like they came out of my brain, dude. It makes me fuzzy.
ReplyDeleteThe stories of life and parenting that you offer take my breath away.
ReplyDeleteYou are such an artist steph!
Yes yes yes yes yes.
ReplyDeleteAnd, yes.
It's all about time, we chase it when all the while it's staring us square in the face. Good post.
ReplyDeleteSteph, I loved this post so much. I laughed so hard at your description of Noah's microwave popcorn. I was going to say, sorry that I put you thru all those trips to W.Va., but I don't want to have regrets cause look how things turned out. I love the background with the light streaks. It's great that you are enjoying summertime with your kids and aren't sweating the small stuff. That's one big regret I do have.
ReplyDeleteOh, what an awesome post!! Absolutely loved it. You have a way with words. And gratefulness.
ReplyDeleteFound your post through the Newsweek article... great post !!
ReplyDeleteVery vivid ... and beautiful pictures! Thanks for that walk down memory lane!
ReplyDeleteSo well-expressed, so lovely, so bittersweet.
ReplyDeleteThat was great...true, bittersweet, and wonderful. I think I'd be a bertter mom if I could learn to say 'why not' instead of my usual responses. Hopefully, this beautiful reminder will help me do just that.
ReplyDeleteI marvel at your writing. You are such a great storyteller...
ReplyDeletesuch a beautiful post. something about fireflies that always makes me think of my childhood. time certainly does fly on by...
ReplyDeleteHow beautiful!! Time does just slip right by us, doesn't it?
ReplyDeleteLove this post. What every mother thinks and wants to say, none have said it better.
ReplyDeleteI love how much you love your kids....you are the only person that has made me want to have THREE!
ReplyDeleteYou just made summer come to life in a whole new way - beautiful words - vivid memories. I love that you are creating the same memories for your children that are so clear in your heart.
ReplyDeleteThose shots are awesome. Lovely post.
ReplyDeleteKids discovering lightening bugs...possibly my favorite thing ever.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful!
ReplyDeleteYou write it, I read it, it's beautiful. I love your words so much Steph. Can't wait to tell you in person next week...
ReplyDeleteper usual...love these words.
ReplyDeleteand, "why not?"....my very favorite parenting question to ask myself.
Beautiful post! Time goes by so fast and I enjoy hearing when people take the time to enjoy it. Isn't it fun to say YES sometimes and just enjoy life. You are such a great mom!!
ReplyDeletethis is such a beautiful post. love. :) can't wait to meet you in a cpl more days!
ReplyDelete*sigh*
ReplyDeleteI love this blog.
ReplyDeleteAnd you.
I completely think we would be friends in real life<3
sarasophia
That was perfect, it reeked of summertime and childhood. I loved every word.
ReplyDelete