Søren Turns 18!
“It is not that we have a short time to live, but that we waste a lot of it... Life is long if you know how to use it.”
–Seneca
We celebrated Søren’s 18th birthday with a trip to Delaware for bike rides and oysters. I am so thrilled that Søren will begin to live a whole new life so soon, but I will miss our art days and dinners and talks. I will miss our bike rides and walks and adventures. We will have to learn to talk on the phone (which sounds strangely fun!) I always look forward to change, but this is a tough one.
It is easy to feel like you haven’t done enough but looking through the abundance of photographs and journal pages, our lives actually feel quite full and wonderful!
On Homeschooling
We always wanted to homeschool, but in 3rd or 4th grade Søren got in trouble for drawing in class. In response, he wrote: “I will draw in class!” on the Peg and Awl reclaimed old school chalkboard. We used it to share our new journals, pouches, and chalk tablets, and took him out of school shortly after, where he drew and drew, happily ever after.
Our Brightest Sendaks – ’Tis the season!
Last week, we launched a small batch of three new Sendak colors – Egg Yolk, Persimmon, and Cochineal. Thank you for your warm reception of these Easter Brights.
Art Days with Søren
Art Day Partner
My Heart
From our visit to SCAD where Søren is headed in September!
Søren came into this world 5.5 weeks early to Gogol Bordello. Last week saw them in Philadelphia!
Above: Icecland in 2008 when and where Walter and I were married.
On Keeping a Journal
I love looking back at the journals I kept for Søren and Silas when they were so little. I put things they said or did or misunderstood in them. They scribbled on the pages. Here are some favourite funny moments from Søren when he was two and three, that had me laughing til tears this morning.
On Music
“Don't sing mama! When we both sing, I can't hear my noise.”
...
“Do you know what this song is? It sounds like a skeleton singing!”
On Travel
“I love when we do trips.”
On Directions
Søren, 5, was taking a sculpture class. “It’s there.” You pointed to the turn I missed. “If you ever think you know the way,” I said, “Tell me. You are usually right.” “Okay, but it's okay. It's just because you lost your memory.”
On Love
“Take your time loving me, mama.”
On Illness
“Coughing. “It’s the hurty kind, mama. The kind with corners in it.”
On Tasting Wine
“The hotness is still in my throat. I don't care for it.”
My Most Popular Instagram post ever was this portrait of Søren and the chess set he made when he was 10!
The Next Littles of Peg and Awl
Ashley makes the videos and helps me with newsletters every week. This is from last Saturday – always last minute chattering and pulling it together with her four kids in and out. We've started getting together at her new old farmhouse some Mondays bringing new energy to our work!
Ashley here. Many hours spent reading aloud to these littles, as did Margaux to the boys when they were the littles. Talking about our favourite picture books (see Margaux's book list below!) I was reminded – we adults must make way for imagination and the paths of childlike discovery, and leave our “well, actually’s” outside. Read The Little Prince! It’s not a hat, it’s an elephant inside of a boa constrictor.
Ex. Well actually, you can’t fly.
Substack + YouTube
Everywhere, Astonishments
I have a hard time looking back. When I do, it is the hurty kind, with corners. I managed to look through books we read when Søren and Silas were little and pull out some favourites to share.
Each one of these books (and oh so many more) prompt so many memories and adventures — the corners softened!
The Dark | Lemony Snicket and Jon Klassen
The Wonderful Fluffy Little Squishy | Beatrice Alemagna
When the Sky is Like Lace | Barbara Cooney
The Maggie B. | Irene Haas
Frederick | Leo Lionni
The Little Prince | Antoine DeSaint—Exupery
Grandad’s Island | Benji Davies
Outside Over There | Maurice Sendak
Pinocchio Retelling | Roberto Innocenti
The Listz | Kyo Maclear and Julia Sarda
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