Let Evening Come

by Jane Kenyon

Let the light of late afternoon
shine through chinks in the barn, moving
up the bales as the sun moves down.

Let the cricket take up chafing
as a woman takes up her needles
and her yarn. Let evening come.

Let dew collect on the hoe abandoned
in long grass. Let the stars appear
and the moon disclose her silver horn.

Let the fox go back to its sandy den.
Let the wind die down. Let the shed
go black inside. Let evening come.

To the bottle in the ditch, to the scoop
in the oats, to air in the lung
let evening come.

Let it come, as it will, and don't
be afraid. God does not leave us
comfortless, so let evening come. 




____
I think I would like to illustrate this into a children's goodnight book. Must get out the paints. ~Ally

Info: household plants that are poisonous to children

direct excerpt from this article at planningfamily.com

Plants and Flowers

Did you know that many common house and garden plants could be poisonous to your little one if they are ingested? Since your infant is at an age when he is apt to put anything and everything in his mouth, you may want to consider removing certain plants from your home entirely, or at the very least, placing them far out of reach from your exploring baby. If you hang plants up high to be out of reach, be sure that no leaves or flowers can fall into an area that your baby could reach. If you do keep poisonous plants in your home, be sure to label them clearly. Even if you know all the names of your plants, chances are most of your babysitters won't and if your child accidentally ingests a leaf or two, labeling the plant will help expedite communication with their doctor or poison control.

Some poisonous plants include:

• Iris
• Lily of the Valley
• English Ivy
• Hyacinth bulbs
• Azalea
• Daffodil bulbs
• Rhododendron
• Rhubarb leaves
• Tomato plant leaves
• Holly and Mistletoe

Though you may have heard that the Poinsettia is poisonous, Holly and Mistletoe are the real culprits. Poinsettias are not poisonous, but they can be irritating, so you should still be cautious and keep this plant out of baby's reach.

St. Nicholas' Day is just around the corner! Now where did I put those wooden shoes?

My Mom always celebrated St. Nicholas' Day for us, and it has become a very sweet and special holiday for me, and I want to pass it down to Lucy and my family. It falls on December 6, and you can read about it here. Also, this is a link to another special bit of info, which talks about the children in Milwaukee celebrating the day, which must be part of Mom's roots...

Happy St. Nick's Day! Hang out your wish lists, and I hope you get a little treat (to be shared), not a lump of coal in your wooden shoe or stocking or under your bed (where our gifts always show up).

I wonder what St. Nicholas will place under Lucy's cradle...

~Ally

Little girls singing

There is a little girl who lives in the house behind our condos. Often when I am sitting outside on our patio, I can see her through the trees. She is dancing or bouncing on the trampoline. And she is singing at the top of her lungs. Today she is singing and clapping while pacing back and forth.

She reminds me of me, around age 8 or 9. I used to spend hours in our backyard growing up in Chicago, swinging on the old rusty yellow swingset, pumping fast and flying as high as I could. I would sing through all the songs I knew, especially the ones I learned in music class at school.

When we learned the patriotic songs like "America the Beautiful" or "The Star Spangled Banner," I loved singing those at the top of my lungs. That was probably my most patriotic time and I felt proud of my country. I knew in my heart that the neighbors must enjoy my singing. :)

I also really loved to sing this little Simon & Garfunkel ditty:

Hello Lampost,

whatcha knowin'?

I've come to watch your flowers growin'.

Ain't you got no rhymes for me?

Do-it-n-do-do, feelin' groovy!

I got no deeds to do,

no promises to keep.

I'm dappled and drowsy and ready to sleep -

let your morning time drop

all its petals on me.

Do-it-n-do-do, feelin' groovy!

Da da da da--da--da--da, feelin' groovy.

~Ally

from www.photosearch.com