A Cozy Sunday

What a joy it was, when I first put forth my idea for this photo project, to have Melody respond with enthusiasm and an eagerness to particpate. At the time, she and her boys were on an unschooling cruise where she was a featured speaker. I sat there so impressed with her willingness and how, new to this area, she leapt right in to her East Coast life, finding her way around in the various groups and classes and the community that this area has to offer. She herself was raised in three different countries and carries with her that sense of adventure. Until now, her boys have grown and been nurtured in the warmth of LA so it was a real pleasure for me to visit them on a cozy Sunday early in December, the day after our first snow (a small snowfall but, still, SNOW!). We laughed that I, who have grown up the East coast, have never been skiing but that she and her boys are quite familiar with the joys of it. I thought Mason’s skiing goggles were so cute and I want a pair for myself! So, please meet Melody and her three boys.



When I arrived at their house, the relaxed atmosphere of their household spoke for itself. The warmth invited me right in and Melody, in her slippers, made me the best cup of coffee ever. Her middle child, Mason, promptly fetched a bunch of artwork. It's obvious that he spends hours with his pencils and crayons, drawing inspiration from Pokemon, Star Wars, Avatar, mythology, and ancient animals. I paged through his notebooks and reveled in his pride of achievement and the pleasure he took in sharing it with me. In fact, we spent much of the day touching the surface of his various interests, his enthusiasm bubbling.



The eldest, Gabriel, dealt so patiently and generously with his youngest brother, sharing his snack and Nintendo. In his quiet way he invited me to see his room and, wow, what a great room! I observed him in his own space as he flipped through his bionicle/lego pamphelts and as he sat at his computer. He was showing me a piece of himself and the young, self-assured man he is to be.





The youngest, Ryker, peeked at me from time to time as he snuggled with his mama, played trains, or investigated and eventually went off for a nap. I love how his mama fell asleep with him while the boys and I spent some time in the snow.



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