Solar Eclipse

The Ring of Fire

This Sunday we will be fortunate here in Northern California to see 92% of a solar eclipse, the last time we had the opportunity was in 1994, our next annular eclipse will be seen on June 1, 2030.  It is a pretty amazing event not to be missed, in order to view it safely one must never look directly at the eclipse with the naked eye, this includes; binoculars, telescopes, sunglasses, camera's etc... Special filters for those items must be used, however viewing is still possible with these tips and tricks, these include but are not limited to; pin hole projector, eclipse shades and # 14 welders glass.  To view this spectacular event my family will be making the simple pin hole projector, to follow the DIY and make one for yourself follow the pin hole projector link , I will post our pics after the event.  Here is some viewing information if you live in this area of Northern Ca... Sacramento: 5:15 pm start, best viewing 6:31pm ,finishing at 7:38 pm with 92% coverage. 


Enjoy!
 -Gypsy Lov'n




Alright, I am back as promised with a visual follow up from yesterdays solar eclipse...

Quincy built our amazing pin hole viewer, thank you so much babe!

He had a bit of help from his little assistant

Being the brilliant man he is, he made it in two sections so it would fit in the car!

Making sure it work...yes, success!

Checking out the sky through the ipad, it is called sky walk and can be found here.

The viewing through the app was a little off but cool none the less...

Checking out all his effort

Fixing last minute glitches and working out positioning

Friends =)

Taking turns

My turn!

We enjoyed an amazing solar eclipse feast compliments of Justin and Stephanie, thank you!

Shadows

I snapped this shot without a filter(not looking through the lens), bad for the camera I was told, oops!

More shadows

Explaining what is happening to the little one

She kept saying "it's the moon!"

Stephanie's pretty solar shadows

The view...

Close up

Everyone had such a fun evening, it was so magical watching the light change...

This lovely lady Selena playing the singing bowl can be found at her blog Three Corners Designs and also on her Etsy...she makes pretty amazing jewelry! 

All in all the evening was such a success, I am grateful to have such amazing friends and family!

                                                                           Peace,

                                                                         -Gypsy Lov'n

Tree Houses

I have always loved the great outdoors, whether it be camping, hiking, biking, backpacking and of course my favorite swimming in the river. Though as I get older I crave the comforts of home in my outdoor space, for example: I will finally be getting a blow up mattress for tent camping this summer!  More then that I am wanting my outdoor home space (also known as my yard) to be a place of comfort and peace, a no bug zone that has shade and a cozy place to lay my head....ah sounds good, right?  It got me thinking, and the answer TREE HOUSE!  A tree house not only provides the aforementioned things but also allows space for creativity, child play, impromptu "camping" and if large enough a place for meals to be eaten as a family.  Again I run into the problem that we do not own this space we currently reside in so I am thinking to the future, nothing wrong with being prepared and maybe I can inspire a home owner or two to get creative in their outdoor space... Enjoy the view, thanks for stopping by, hope you have a wonderful weekend! 

This is a genuine tree house that would require some pretty sturdy pines, if you are lucky enough to have in your yard then get busy building this so I can come and play. ;-)

Almost any sized yard could accomodate this little beauty, I would have a hard time sharing this with the kiddos!

So serene and magical, probably why it is blowing up pinterest...

Sleeping Beauties cottage is what I think of when gazing upon this sweet and beautifully done tree house, I want!

I picture for myself and family something more like a yurt.  Up on a deck platform with a climbing wall attached to the side, a slide to descend down, a swing set under the deck...Yep it paints a pretty picture alright, someday it will be more then a pretty picture it will be a reality, it will also make a nice guest quarters! 


Peace,
-Gypsy Lov'n

Mother

 Happy Mothers Day ladies! 
Mothers come in so many forms, mine in the most traditional of ways, but mother means many things so I struggled in what to say. I am a mother, biologically speaking to a beautiful little girl with another daughter on the way. But I am also a mother of the heart to my amazing step-daughter whom I love as my own, though I did not raise her when she was young I feel a connection to her that transcends biology. I myself have a blended family with a step-mother and step-father, my husband was reared and loved mostly by his father and grandparents with his grandmother taking on the role of mother. This is just the variation of mother existing in my small sphere, yet so many more remain; a sister who raised her siblings, a god-mother, an Auntie, a friend, adoptive mothers, mothers who neglect and abandon, fathers left to embody both roles of father and mother and so on... I wanted to compile a few poems and Quotes based on Mothers and I am sorry for those forms of mother which may be neglected in this post. First I should start with a little bit about what mother means to me or better yet what my mother means to me...


I cherish many things but mostly lullabies on warm summer evenings, waiting for my turn to come as one by one each child was sung to while having their back tickled and rubbed. I remember hikes in the canyon and late night family swims, parades and picnics, kite flying and aerobics around the coffee table. I remember being cheered on at soccer and swim team, football games were a family favorite in which we all cheered together and shared in my parents memories of times before us.  I fondly remember pigs in a blanket and ants on a log and frozen grapes...my mom lovingly had a snack waiting for us everyday when we came home from school and dinners were shared around the table. She was youthful, energetic, playful and fun. A child could not of had a better mother, us four children were simply blessed. 


I am now a mother, my circumstances are different then hers and in a way I am more prepared to be a mother. Sometimes however preparation can lead to over thinking and planing and less living in the moment, my mother was a child herself when she started having children, I was not. I sometimes wish I had that same child like abandon she possessed when we were young. I am grateful however for my own set of circumstances; I am raising full time; a teenage daughter, a toddler and have a child on the way, though I may lack some of my mothers youthful abandon I am being set up for a certain structure in my parenting that will serve me through every stage in their development. I am so in love with motherhood, more and more each day, it has its struggles surely but even the struggles come with their own rewards. I love passing down the nightly ritual of lullabies and back scratching, I love watching my youngest daughter as she learns something new each day, I love watching Dylan blossom into the woman and potentially future mother she will become and I love the thought of what my third daughter will bring to our family.  What a beautiful and challenging journey motherhood is..cheers to those whom I share the trenches with, it may not always be easy but it will always be worth it. Happy mothers day ladies, keep up the good work! 

Me and my wonderful Mother.

My beautiful and talented daughter Dylan

My sweet little girl

My family, all five of us! =)

These last pic's have been added after the post, this was my surprise on Mothers Day, thank you Dylan you are amazing!!! 

How amazing is this surprise, way better then breakfast in bed!

Very Gypsy Lov'n!!!

Rowan thought it was all for her...

Best kids ever, I can't wait till their sister can join in the fun!

Thank you Dylan Mae, you bring so much light and love to my life, I love you...

“Even if i'm setting myself up for failure, I think it's worth trying to be a mother who delights in who her children are, in their knock-knock jokes and earnest questions. A mother who spends less time obsessing about what will happen, or what has happened, and more time reveling in what is. A mother who doesn't fret over failings and slights, who realizes her worries and anxieties are just thoughts, the continuous chattering and judgement of a too busy mind. A mother who doesn't worry so much about being bad or good but just recognizes that she's both, and neither. A mother who does her best, and for whom that is good enough, even if, in the end, her best turns out to be, simply, not bad. ”
-Ayelet Waldman


“In a child's eyes, a mother is a goddess. She can be glorious or terrible, benevolent or filled with wrath, but she commands love either way. I am convinced that this is the greatest power in the universe.”
-N.K. Jemisin


“Being a mother is an attitude, not a biological relation.”
-Robert A. Heinlein


“The great motherhood friendships are the ones in which two women can admit [how difficult mothering is] quietly to each other, over cups of tea at a table sticky with spilled apple juice and littered with markers without tops.”
-Anna Quindlen

“Was it the act of giving birth that made you a mother? Did you lose that label when you relinquished your child? If people were measured by their deeds, on the one hand, I had a woman who had chosen to give me up; on the other, I had a woman who'd sat up with me at night when I was sick as a child, who'd cried with me over boyfriends, who'd clapped fiercely at my law school graduation. Which acts made you more of a mother?

Both, I realized. Being a parent wasn't just about bearing a child. It was about bearing witness to its life.”
-Jodi Picoult


The moment a child is born, the mother is also born. She never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother, never. A mother is something absolutely new. 

 -Rajneesh

Outdoor Lov'n

The garden is planted, finally! It felt like so much work this time around; first off I'm pregnant, secondly I let the weeds get CRAZY out of control and thirdly I have a smaller budget to work with this year. Alas it is done and I feel good about the outcome of this, my second attempt at growing food for my family...  Now my goal is to transform our yard into the family friendly space I envisioned since moving in a year and a half ago.  This being a rental I need to get creative and stop dreaming of permanent structures and start working within my financial and rental parameters. I have been pinning some ideas that I thought I would share that are renter and financially friendly, enjoy!

I love all of this but what I I love the most are the basket lights, maybe a future DIY. I found this on: http://www.villavonkrogh.com/2012/04/romantico.html

This may not work for every rental without permission but my fence has holes in it already and I have an awesome landlord that lets me have allot of free reign. Found on:
http://shannoneileenblog.typepad.com/happiness-is/

Isn't this garden something to swoon over! I see so many pretty gardens on the internet but something about this one just pleases me aesthetically! Found on: http://www.goinghometoroost.com/2012/organic/inspiring-garden-spaces/

I really love this DIY and will hopefully be posting directions and pic's as soon as I complete this project. What I love most about this besides the ambiance and keeping mosquitos at bay is the fact that it is safe for the kiddos. I love my tiki torches but this seems a bit more stable, our fences are really high and out of bonking or little hands reach. Found on: Pinterest with no link

Lastly Peace Poles, aren't these great! I think these would be a really fun family project, I'm thinking of incorporating wood burning into mine. They would also make really cute veggie markers in the garden! Found on:http://www.woodfireandpaint.com/wood-art/peacepoles/


I'm feeling inspired, how about you? Happy gardening and beautifying your space!

Peace and Love,
-Gypsy Lov'n

A new twist...

This non existent blogging of mine, why cant I find the time or enthusiasm to write and post here? Well I finally have the answer! I need to journal here for me, if Dylan wants to add anything great, if not that's fine too! This is now a journal of sorts, for ME and for her when she finds time/desire...I had this epiphany moments after feeling my newest little bug move or rather; pop.pop.pop inside me! I went to grab a pen and journal and realized I dont feel as connected to that form of communication anymore...I mourned the loss and moved on, I can surely print and paste to my journal anything I want from here in the future. Back to my pop.pop.pop!  What a gift that was, lying on my right side in bed hand on newly emerging tummy listening to Quincy talk about his upcoming (and first, yay!) marathon and there it was, a familiar but distant sensation. Could it be? Yes it could and it is!  Tonight is a full moon, I am almost 16 weeks the timing makes sense for a second time mama, but I have been so caught up in fear(will I lose this baby too?) so the pop.pop.pop came as such a surprise and relief! Yay for feeling you my sweet tiny little bug, mama loves you so much...keep on popping and growing!