When my daughter saw that I was watercolor painting, she asked me to paint something for my youngest grandson, her son Silas, whose name means “man of the forest,” bringing to mind all my favorite woodland critters. Before he was born in December 2024, I made him a quilt featuring forest animals (as I have for all of the other grandchildren for their nurseries); it was his baby shower theme, his nursery theme, and will hopefully stay with him in a love of nature and animals throughout his life.
When I saw the book of woodland critters to paint, I snapped it up and started working through the pages. There were several similarly-themed books to consider, but the fox had to be cute. Every other critter can be ho-hum, but if you’ve got a cute fox, you’ve got the right watercolor book. And I think I found it. I love this little fox, looking like he is sitting in the breeze just chilling and enjoying life. This is what I wish for all of my grandchildren ~ that they will know how to appreciate each moment, love the outdoors, and be respectful of the environment for all creatures great and small.
For My Grandson
a fox for Silas
little man of the forest
clever and charming
(…..and sometime this weekend, I’ll be shopping for a new quilt theme for the newest grandson, our eighth grandchild, who is due July 4).
I sit in a rustic green rocker on a porch facing the Rough River in Falls of Rough, Kentucky this morning with a cup of coffee. A thousand birds are worshiping their maker in glorious song, competing with the heater that sits adjacent to the front porch. Here is my list of choir members so far:
American Robin
Belted Kingisher
Northern Cardinal
European Starling
White Throated Sparrow
Yellow-rumped Warbler (butterbutt)
Song Sparrow
House Sparrow
Tufted Titmouse
Mourning Dove
Carolina Wren
Red-tailed Hawk
House Finch
Blue Jay
American Crow
Ring-billed Gull
Canada Goose
It’s the robins who are leading in worship here this morning. They all are competing for the title of soloist extraordinare. In the distance, I hear a woodpecker, but he is beating the drum and not singing, so I cannot tell what kind he is.
The river is still, smooth as glass and muddy. and of the ten or so cabins in this remote area, only one other is occupied. There isn’t another soul outside, so I hold the only ticket to this private concert-for-one.
At least for now. The boys will be up shortly.
OOh, ooh – and just now, the woodpecker flew across the river to a hole in a tree, and I can see that it is one of the smaller varieties. And then it attempts its own clownish note, and Merlin declares it is a Northern Flicker.
The sky is a steel gray with morning clouds supposed to burn off by mid-morning. We came in after dark last night and can hear the falls rushing under the bridge we drove across, but that will take a walk or ride to see them.
for just this moment
the rest of the world stands still
I bask in birdsong
Then, all at once, every bird ceases to sing, as if their concert has ended with one Amen in unison, and they have other things to do, other places to be. I am left alone in the silence of this porch, where three small noses are sniffing under the front door to take in the world here outside and to remind me that they, too, have their own offerings to give. That’s my beckoning to get up and help Briar walk them on their leashes down to the water’s edge and hold on tight, at least where Fitz-the-brave-hunter-of-anything-that-moves is concerned.
I can see how Ada Limon, the U.S. Poet Laureate who lives in Lexington, Kentucky, finds her writing groove here in this state. There is magic in the air for those who take the time to notice.
Later today, at 2:00 Kentucky time, I’ll attend my grandson’s first birthday party. He’ll be one tomorrow, and what a joy he is! In the flurry of activity and excitement, I will think back to this porch and all its lack of demands and be thankful that God gives us children when we are young, so that in our golden years we can fully appreciate the power of the front porch.
My oldest grandson and me, celebrating his 15th birthday
We drove down to Thomaston, Georgia to have a late birthday dinner with our oldest grandson for his 15th tour around the sun during my slice of time from 6:52-7:23. Much to our surprise, he bypassed Longhorn Steakhouse in favor of pizza on the town square and went for the buffalo chicken calzone. I’m proud to say that for his birthday, he asked for a new copy of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. That’s my grandson!
In Georgia, you can take a driver’s test and get a Learner’s Permit for a year before you turn 16, so we also celebrated his passing the learner’s permit test and becoming a new driver. They just grow up waaaaay too fast. He’s taller than I am now. For years, we’d greet each other by taking off our shoes and standing back to back, heel to heel, to see if he had overtaken me in height. It happened a couple of years ago – first by just a hair, and now by a half foot. I kind of miss our shoes-off greeting.
Today is my son’s birthday, too – – the middle child of my gas pump year octane children: 87, 89. and 93. Birthdays keep coming, and that’s a blessing. But I stand here in 2025 looking back across the years and it only seems like yesterday that I was swaddling him………and his nephew……..and 7 grandchildren later, I wonder where the time has gone……..
Our second grandson was born on this day nine years ago, and what a blessing he is in our lives! Each time he finishes a Harry Potter book, he is allowed to watch the movie. His parents are teaching him the timeless truth that the book is almost always better than the movie! Today, he’ll spend his birthday in Harry Potter World, and he has no idea that this is part of the surprise.
His mother and I were texting last night, and she said he thought he was going to a state park to hike and explore, and was so excited about that, and it seemed almost at first as if he was a little disappointed, since he is an outdoor-loving adventure kind of kid. Then, once they got into the park, he said it was the best birthday ever, despite the throngs of people. She reminded me that they are not used to crowds at all beyond their family and the grocery store, so this is a cultural awakening for them. “We are not in any way, shape, or form ‘crowd people,’ ” she texted.
“Tomorrow is going to be different. He won’t be able to contain himself with all the happiness of Harry Potter World,” she added.
We can’t wait to hear all about his birthday with his family in Harry Potter World.
Today, the baby of the family, our grandson Beckham, turns 2. It’s the last birthday he’ll celebrate as “the baby of the family” before his newest sibling arrives in July. We celebrate our Beckham today, and all the joy he brings to us!
Beckham sharing his ice cream with his dad
Beckham Cash Meyer
Baby Beckham,
Everyone's joy!
Carefree days
Kayaking with Dad
Huddling up with Poppy
Appreciating these fleeting
Moments, savoring all the love
Careening on bare feet
Always listening for a blender:
Smoothies! (His favorite)
Here he comes to claim his own (or yours)!
Making his footprint on the world
Ever the sweet little boy, another
Year older and still,
Every day,
Reminding us how blessed we are to be family.
In a tender moment at Christmas, Beckham chose Poppy as his person to snuggle up to in peace and warmth. The magic of his eyes and twinkle-cheeked smiles before he settles in to get sleepy were moments etched in time!
Glenda Funk of Idaho is our host today for the first day of #VerseLove at http://www.ethicalela.com. You can read her full post here. She inspires us to write Haibun poems, which combine prose and Haiku poetry. This one was inspired by my trip to South Carolina yesterday to bring my grandson on a fishing adventure today.
Haibun
Rescue
On a birthday fishing trip with my grandson, we were booking it to get to water when we spotted a turtle in the passenger side tire path of my lane not booking it to water at his dawdling speed, so we swerved to avoid hitting it, BRAKED HARD, pulled onto the shoulder, and put it in reverse there on the roadside to rescue this traveler caught between the land and the water world ~ like us
Haiku
we brake for turtles caught in the crossroads: roadside reptile rescuers!
Since we were up early this morning, I asked him to write about the experience too – and here is what he wrote. He said, “I even gave it a title, Nana.” I love his title – – and his last line gives the emotional sigh of high-five satisfaction for terrific turtle teamwork.
He’s a character, this grandson of mine. I knew it when he was born, but knew it for sure when I saw him zipping around on a Hoverboard at 2, his blond locks flowing in the breeze. We are so grateful for all of our grandchildren, and on this day we give thanks especially for River Dawson Meyer! What a blessing he is in our lives!
River Dawson Meyer
Remote control cars zip around:
Infectious laughter,
Vivacious smiles,
Eyes that talk ~
River Dawson Meyer
Don't hand him your phone - - (he's an
Amazon secret orderer)
Water lover
Swimmer
Oh- and do
NOT underestimate him near dolphin tanks!
My grandson
Ever so cleverly jumped in ~
Youngster gave new memories to the family picture -
Everyone Smile! They did. Click. Then he dove.
Real chaser of dreams, this one!
Common Threads 