Childhood

Childhood

Childhood is a time for learning about the essentials

about the heavenly world and the earthly,

about goodness, beauty and truth.

Childhood is a time to be loved and to love

to express fear and to learn trust

to be allowed to be serious and calm

and to celebrate with laughter and Joy.

Children have a right to dream,

and they need time to grow at their own pace.

They have the right to make mistakes

and the right to be forgiven.

Children need help to develop self-mastery,

to transform themselves and bring forth their highest capacities.

Children have a right to be spared violence and hunger,

to have a home and protection.

They need help to grow up healthy,with good habits and sound nutrition.

Children need people to respect,

adults whose example and loving authority they follow.

They need a range of experience,

tenderness and kindness, boldness and courage,

and even mischief and misbehavior.

Children need time for receiving and giving,

for belonging and participating.

be part of a community, and they need to be individuals.

They need privacy and sociability.

They need time to rest and time to play,

time to do nothing and time to work.

They need moments for devotion and room for curiosity.

They need protective boundaries and freedom for creativity.

They need to be introduced to a life of principles,

and given the freedom to discover their own.

They need a relationship to the earth

to animals and to nature:

and they need to unfold as human beings within the community.

The spirit of childhood is to be protected and nurtured.

It is an essential part of every human being

and needs to be kept alive.

~Thanks to the Alliance for Childhood

So, I came across this on one of my favorite sites, www.waldorfhomeschoolers.com and thought I would share it with you. I hope you find it as meaningful as I do. I believe children are our one greatest investment and that we should do everything in our power to let children remain children for as long as possible. No easy feat, but definitely worth trying for...

Farmer's Markets!

Thanks to everyone for making the DuBois Farmer's Market such a success yesterday! I sold out of everything and wasn't able to sell at the All Natural Farm Market.....instead, I was able to spend the day with my beautiful children, which I needed so badly! They do such a great job of being patient and understanding while their mama bakes and bakes and bakes all week, it was nice to be able to fill them up!

Today at Coolspring Farmer's Market, I have lots and lots of Honey Wheat bread along with pumpkin bread and large loaves of Cinnamon-Raisin bread. There are also oatmeal raisin and chocolate, peanut butter chip cookies and naturally sweet strawberry jam available! Zeb and Lucinda both have loads of delicious, colorful, healthy veggies and fruits to offer....all organic or certified naturally grown! Rush on over and stock up on groceries! Lucinda also has eggs for sale and fresh herb cuttings along with potted plants! Oh, you can also stock up on recycled fabric market bags while you're there.

Enjoy the sunshine!!! Play outside! Walk in the woods, ride a bike, toss a frisbee, talk to a child...make a difference in the world! Grab a cup of fair trade, organic coffee or herbal tea, or....organic red wine and catch up with friends and talk about solutions for global warming!!! Hey, I know of a great place to do just that.....you know it too! Coolspring market....see you there.

Last night, Andy and I took the children to a live earth gathering at friend Lucinda's organic farm (Paradise Farm and Garden) to listen to the broadcast of LIVE EARTH and to discuss our own impact and possible solutions to the issues of climate change and global warming, among other things. During the gathering, we brainstormed ways to act locally, regionally, at the state level, nationally and internationally. It was nice to chat with informed, like-minded people who knew what they thought and could articulate it in positive ways. We decided that we would try to organize an open forum discussion in our local area, inviting citizens, experts and legislators/local politicians to come and discuss these very same issues. We all merged our contacts and learned that together we can do some pretty serious networking. It was a nice evening and the kids did fairly well, considering there weren't any other children there and the focus wasn't really on their level....they did very well (even though the goats were let out and they ended up covered in sand by the end of the evening....)

If you would like to learn more about Live Earth and what you can do, please visit:
http://www.liveearth.org/news.php
for tools and info.

Organize your own local discussion....together we can make a difference and help change happen!
Stop by the Coolspring Farmer's Market in Sykesville and brainstorm with us. We'd love to chat with you over herbal tea and yummy samples!

Pray for Peace!

(I tried to post this on the third, but for some reason, blogger was not cooperating with me...so, here it is..still valid, still possible....give it a go!)

Wherever you are on mother earth...you are invited to join in!
Morning of 4th of July-GATHER LOCALLY in silence and prayer until HIGH NOON breaking the silence first with Auming and possible heartsong Rap-up of the circle.
Gather on the nearest town square or plaza-bring candles and signs that say SILENCE in prayer for World Peace and Healing- on the evening of the 3rd, join in circle for Peace Prayer, a sharing of each individual with music, poetry, prayer, affirmations and heartsongs around YOUR LOCAL circle.

Pass the word!

See you at the Eastern Regional Rainbow Gathering early August......

Mother Teresa...

What an amazing woman....I've often been touched by the things she's done. I rented her dvd-autobiography once and watched it with Teah who then decided that when she was old enough she wanted to give all her posessions away and move to the streets of Calcutta! I'm so proud of this amazing young girl I've been blessed to hold and know. When did I get so lucky? Anyway, I've had this posted on my door for some time now and I read it daily before walking out the door. I try to live my life this way, but really....I am human and it is difficult. Dalai Mama is focusing on doing the best she can at every moment.....so, I guess I'll give it more effort!!

Consider this:
People are often unreasonable, irrational and self-centered.
Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives.
Be kind anyway.

If you are successfu, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies.
Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you.
Be honest and sincere anyway.

What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight.
Create anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous.
Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, will often be forgotten.
Do good anyway.

Give the best you have, and it will never be enough.
Give your best anyway.

In the final analysis, it is between you and God. (Insert your preference here...Creator, Goddess, etc.)
It was never between you and them anyway.
~Mother Teresa

Hootenanny!

So, I went to this Hootenanny at the CampHill Community in Kimberton (near philly) with my friend Zeb. I wasn't really sure what to expect but I'd been interested in CampHill as an intentional community for some years now. I had also met Zeb's friend Thomas who runs the dairy at Camphill, earlier in the winter at the PASA conference and had talked with him about life at Camphill and the process of applying to live and work there. I decided to go while the children were with their dad and I'm so glad I did. I actually almost cancelled on Zeb the night before because I was so stressed with my work and to do list and my relationship, and everything and thought it would be hard to justify hootenannying when so much was on my plate. Zeb, in his very chill, Zeb way, looked at me and said,"Terah, stress is a reason to go, not to stay...you need to get away." And you know what? He was right. I haven't done anything for myself in I don't know how long. I'm always serving other people and working in some way. I did need to go.

We had a great time! The music was exceptional and I bought two cd's that I really love, but more than the music being great, the people were amazing! It was everything I knew communal life could be and it reaffirmed my desire to really explore it and contemplate how to make it happen in my life.

It brought tears of joy to my eyes to see the way the residents exhibited such strength of character and positive self-esteem! They knew their world was about them, and they thrived in such freedom! The coworkers too, were truly in love with their work and with the folks that they lived and worked with. They danced and sang together and played games and chatted like family, no differentiation between those who were "normal" and those who were differently abled. Everyone lived, played and worked together as housemates and friends. You know what else rocked my world? The entire community is based on Rudolph Steiner and Anthroposophy! Anyone who knows me knows that Waldorf is very high on my list! It is the basis of my thoughts on child-rearing and education.

SO, this community has a farm, gardens, woodworking shop, thrift shop, bakery, cafe, knittery and so much more. The buildings were all built of natural materials and the wood was so beautiful....they were decorated with residents artwork...many gorgeous watercolor paintings hung in the buildings in huge frames! It really added to the peaceful vibe of the living spaces. I found out that there are short-term coworkers who work and live there for a year and then long-term coworkers who stay for around two years or so and then there are the lifers who plan to stay as long as they can. Everyone is assigned an area to work in based on their experiences, interests,etc. I also found out that in addition to room/board and a small monthly stipend, coworkers receive paid vacations and those with children benefit from the fact that their children get to attend the local waldorf school! (for me that would be $45,000 in yearly tuition for three children)... the place is beautiful...It's everything I've ever wanted for my children.

We enjoyed the evening of folk music and dancing and then got invited to an afterparty in the barn that was a blast! Lots of free-spirited, yet hard-working hippies letting loose and playing music, chatting, sharing recipes, dancing and fun in the barn all night. I was amazed at what a socialite Zeb was...a whole hidden side of him that I never knew of....I really enjoyed watching people play with the poi balls...if my shoulder were healed up, I would've tried it...I think I'll order some. Then the next day, we woke up and went to breakfast and then spent the day working and helping clean up from the Hootenanny. It was hard, disgusting work, but so enjoyable at the same time. Everyone has such diverse backgrounds and stories that brought them here....what a great time of sharing. I missed Andy which was nice because I wondered if I would given the tough week we had....I kept thinking about how much he would've enjoyed the scene.... I could see him dancing in the crowd and playing with fire. And of course I missed my kids..they would've loved the hootenanny, though the barn party would've been out for me if they had been there...I also was sad when I thought of Dennis...sad that we didn't work out and reflective of how often I'd discussed intentional community with him and how he had never really been into it at all...he's such a private person. I also kept thinking of him because I kept thinking how great it would be personally and professionally if he would move to Philly. Then I would really pursue coming to Camphill so the kids could be close to their dad and we could all still work and interact together. Just like I've thought so many times about how because we've separated, he's been able to exerience so many wonderful places and opportunities and now I was getting that same opportunity....whereas if we were still together, we never would've been open to that.....we would never have left our family scene to experience personal growth or interests.....that's a whole different topic. Anyway, I though of Tawoda many times over the weekend...especially when I spotted the hawks circling the farm! I know we'll always fly together in some way or another.

SO, I was talking with Zeb's friend Arden who lives there but is leaving to join the peace corps at the end of the summer and she was asking me about my life, what I do, what I'm into, etc. And I asked her about her experiences at camphill. She paused for a second and then said, "why don't you come and run our bakery/cafe at the end of summer? The people who are doing it now are leaving and frankly, their bread isn't very good!" I was in shock! This is just what I've wanted. I spoke to several coworkers and residents during my two long days at Camphill and learned about the process of applying, etc. I called Dennis and told him about it, thinking he'd have no problem with relocating closer to Philly, since he commutes there regularly during the school year for his work. Then the children would have their mom and dad in close proximity and would benefit from both life in a waldorf community/farm and resources a metro area like Philly could offer them. I mean, nothing is keeping either of us in DuBOis, now that his contract with the school is up. He commutes all over the state for his work and much of it is near Philly. He said that it sounded like a great opportunity and that I should look into it, but then called me back and said he really wasn't okay with it because he couldn't financially justify moving to PHilly anytime soon and it would kill him to be that far apart from the children. I understand that and of course want them to have a close relationship with their dad, it just seems like the answer to a long time prayer of mine and such a good opportunity. So, for now, I guess I'll put it on the back burner and hope that the opportunity will present itself again soon...but I'll never give up on it. My dream come true...living in community with like-minded people and other children who are growing up like mine...a waldorf education...making a living serving the people and offering my bread to the community and the greater community because they sell their bread to healthfood stores in town, too.....farm living with home-grown veggies, the opportunity to grow up free and healthy on a far, creative arts encompassing everyday life....media-free living......ahhhh.....

Welcome to the world!

Mama C, Ayden and the Dreg had their baby! A beautiful baby girl named Elaine Grace Cherico-Martin arrived on June 21st, the summer solstice! 9 pounds , 4 ounces, delivered by c-section after a very long, hard labor for Sadie. We love you guys! Congrats on a job well done!

So much to celebrate! It felt so wonderful to hold this tiny bundle and feel her vibration. She has much to say and I'm sure she'll demand that we all take note! I miss having a tiny baby, the way they cuddle up and suckle non-stop, how they fall asleep on your chest. The way they melt their daddy's hearts! Having my children were the best years of my life and I'll never forget it. Enjoy this time guys, it does go by so fast. LUVIN YOU!