The Leaf Men

Truth: I hardly read a blog (besides my sister’s) before I started one.

I do read blogs now. Some I just hop on and off for an inspiration or how-to, but I find the ones I read regularly offer a different perspective from what I’ve got going on.

I’m hooked on Grown and Flown, a parenting blog by two smart, accomplished moms whose children have left the “nest.” Reading stories from newly crowned “empty nesters” lends meaning to the words of the seemingly lamenting mothers I’ve met while toting around my kids (Enjoy this time…it goes by so fast.) I feel infinitely wiser (also a mix of terrified and devastated about how fast it all is going to go) to benefit from lessons like I Photographed My Children At All the Wrong Times and If I Had to Do It Again (things one author/mom wished she did for her kids, starting in 6th grade, to help them through high school).

In April, I exchanged contact information with a few bloggers at a writer’s conference at The Mark Twain House. One young woman mentioned she blogged about her experience battling cancer. Optimistically (and naively), I imagined her cancer far behind her. I’d later read on her blog that she slipped out of the conference at lunchtime to take her chemo drug. I check in on Eyes Peeled, Always each Tuesday/Friday; hoping for a positive medical update, knowing I will always read something reflective and well-articulated. A few weeks ago, Karin shared a post quite different her usual: Project Nature Face; photos she and her husband took in Acadia of nature faces they made on their hike, using rocks, leaves and other bits of nature.

Coincidentally, my kids and I had just picked up a copy of Lois Ehlert’s Leaf Man.

We’ve been making our own leaf men all week. Noah checks on them and makes needed repairs every day (somehow they are pretty wind and rain resistant), and he keeps picking up treasures on our walks for a new leaf man.

Meet Leaf Man, Leaf Mom, Leaf Dad, Leaf Ryan, Leaf Noah. Also created, but not pictured here, Cathy the Leaf Man (the babysitter).