-
-
I get a kick out of finding faces in nature, where a face isn't necessarily required. In a cloud, the moon, a tree's bark where branches have left scars. I happened upon this apple face in our orchard this week, the very week our growing future grandbaby is the size of an apple (and we escorted the parents out of the Big Apple for Michigan). I find all this very propitious. The other apple face, below, I found on my university campus a couple of years ago. You might know that the coming of this baby has been the coming of a joy that is beyond anything I've ever felt. It's as if all my cells were balloons, waiting to be filled up, and now someone is breathing into them one by one. In January, when the baby arrives, I might just float away. To keep myself grounded this all has to go somewhere, and I have a thousand and one ideas in my head for expressing it. (These expressions are not only words. See a hint at the bottom of the post.) This little lullaby is the first of probably more lullabies to come.
Apple baby
Apple cherub, laugh with me,
while I bounce you on my tree.
Plum and pear might grow a lot
but they are not an apple tot:
You can watch the fireflies
while robin twitters lullabies.
Close your eyes now as she sings.
Fall asleep and swing, swing, swing.
One morning soon we’ll hear a sound,
and then we’ll know — you’ve hit the ground!
to this tune
Hint of joyful expression unfolding:
-
-
73 comments:
Such a sweet post.
Once you start seeing faces like this in nature, you see them everywhere. These are wonderful.
Your post leaves me feeling all smiley face and everything!
Such sweet faces. Happy, happy!
Your joy is well-founded. Another generation to celebrate. Grandchildren are such a blessing partly because, though we love them boundlessly, we do not have final responsibility. It is all play and not so much work. Your apple baby photos are wonderful, Ruth!
Just lovely, Ruth. This has made me smile and I will stop here as I have a busy day ahead of me... actually the whole weekend... LOL.. the whole rest of the month, I think... Your grandchild will be one lucky baby.
They say that winter babies are the smartest of the bunch, but I don't know if this is true. I cannot wait to hear the lyrics to the lullabies that you will come up with for your little apple cheeked dumpling.
you are so very sweet ruth! i can't wait to read and see the floating away of you when the little weeble wobbles his or her way into the world. steven
Ruth, your joy is delightful to experience through your writing! So happy for you.
How lucky this little one will be, to have homemade apple lullabies sung to her (him?) That apple looks like it's whistling a tune!
I loved this. Must be your first grandbaby. And yes, they are wonderful.
How lovely that lullaby is. And the apple face is sooooo cute. I usually see faces in trees and stones, I've never seen an apple face before until now.
How happy that apple face is!! I can see this photo framed on apple baby's nursery wall. How lucky your apple baby will be to have you:)
I can't wait to see what you will be doing with that fabric:)
Now I'll have to look closely at the things I grow to see if I can spot a face. I love those apple faces :)
Do I detect just a tiny glimmer of excitement at your forthcoming grandbaby? ;)
Look at the kisser on that one. Swing low, sweet apple ... Lovely.
I can see that li'l apple rolling as soon as it hits the ground....
Delightful, utterly delightful.
Apple Baby will love hearing that lullaby.
Those ar ethe cutest little faces too.
Congratulations Gramma....
Lucky baby, to have such an apple grandma! Congratulations, Ruth!
I laughed and then smiled throughout the whole post. Apple tots are better than Tater tots, I think.
Oh congratulations to you Ruth, on such an expectant joy. No wonder you're showing it through your writing, bursting with warm and loving rhymes. What a happy little lullaby... I'm sure you'll be a wonderful grandma! I wonder if you've heard of the recent film from director Terrence Malick called The Tree of Life? You know, your posts and your thoughts are so aligned with the graceful mother in that film. I have said this before, but allow me to reiterate... your blog here is a joyful respite. Also... love those fruity faces. :)
Coincidence, I just learned the name for this (seeing faces in inanimate objects such as boxes, apples, trees) -- forget the word for it now! It starts with a "p" I think. Drats!
Great post, I see faces/meanings everywhere, too.
What sweet little apple dumples. Imagine having a lullaby written for you simply over the joy of your little apple-sized existence.
Are you creating a birth mandala? Ohhh...
Thanks a lot, Maureen. I'm glad you are a face seer too.
Glad to bring a smile, Broad!
Happy is good, Annell!
Thanks, Barb. I've been a little worried that I will overstep and think this is my baby. No doubt the first time I get to that moment of not knowing what to do with her/him, I'll happily send her/him home with Mom and Dad.
Hi, Margaret! If you are still in Petoskey, no doubt you are busy with sparkling waters and white sand. I envy you! I hope all is well, I'll come check your blog in a minute . . .
Patricia, I hadn't heard about winter babies being smart. Now I'm going to start paying attention . . .
Thanks for liking my lullaby and listening for more. I hear this one to the tune of the little 'anti-lullaby' Mary Poppins sings to the children, "Don't go to sleep . . . "
Thanks, Steven! Oh, and memories: Weebles wobble but they don't fall down. And I have just written a lullaby about this one falling from the tree!
You must be getting ready for your big bike ride soon . . . .
Thanks, Reena. I'm glad you can feel it here.
Mark, thanks for listening to my lullaby. I hope Poppy Seed likes it too. Yes, those lips are really puckering!
Ellen, pretty obvious, right? :-)
Thanks, Jan. I imagine that now you might see apple faces yourself too.
Oliag, I want to thank you for that wonderful idea to frame one of these apple faces for Poppy Seed's room. Or maybe both double matted in one frame, one for her/him and one for gramma.
I will share the fabric later this year . . . :-)
Babs, I'm more excited than a thousand apple faces!
Brendan, yes low, for an easy drop. Thanks.
Nelson, I hope s/he won't roll too soon! :-)
Thanks, Sue, I'll sing it to the Mary Poppins tune 'Stay Awake'.
Thanks so much, J.G., I hope s/he thinks so. :-)
Hedge, now you've taken me in a whole new direction! A hungry one . . . (why do they sound so good right now? the tater ones, I mean)
Arti, you are very kind.
I haven't seen the new Malick film yet (after only recently seeing "Days of Heaven" thanks to you) but I plan to soon. Now I especially look forward to experiencing the grace of Mrs. O'Brien, and feeling the alignment you speak of. What a lovely thing to be compared this way. Thank you.
Terresa, apophenia? (Could be apple-phenia!) Like seeing Mary or Jesus in a piece of toast . . .
Thanks, Amy, I like that, 'apple dumples' . . . combining dumplings and dimples!
A birth mandala? Not yet! But I would love to, after Dutchbaby's nudge. But I agree with you that the flowers in the fabric here remind me of mandalas. Maybe an inspiration for another expression . . .
you bring me back to the sweet time when my children were little, drawn on my knee, kernelled to my chest. and you draw me forward as well, to a time when they might have children. how my fingers itch to draw the little ones near, whispering hints of the awesomeness of life falling all around us.
you swell, you know. you swell and i am happy for you.
xo
erin
Lovely little lullaby. Maybe you should compile a children's book. The apple faces and the fabric are beautiful, too. You are going to have so much fun!
Beautiful post... if i saw a face apple i wouldn't be able to eat it
Precious lullaby, Ruth! Oh how I loved singing nursery rhymes to my little ones.
I'm excited to learn about your book!
No, the word I'm looking for is pareidolia. :)
What a blessed child this is -- and what a blessing you are in the little apple tot's life -- a blessing to the world as well!
Your lullaby is beautiful. Listening to Julie Andrews I felt the urge to watch my daughters' and my all time favourite -- The Sound of Music.
Lovely!
Love the picture - it made me chuckle before I even read anything.
Congrats on the coming "grand!"
And your lullaby is pitch perfect - look at me, my eyes are closing!
Such fun, all this. Thanks for sharing!
I'd just like to mention too, as I reply litlove's comment on my "Tree of Life" post, that one of the themes Malick brings out is the contrast between religion and grace. (I still remember your post where you openly shared your disappointment with religion) Many people nowadays are turned off by organized religion, but I believe they are open and receptive to grace, if only they can see it manifested in our present day. In the film, the character of Mrs. O'Brien has done a good job in revealing what it's like.
I am NOT in Petoskey any longer. Only a week this time and I will NEVER fly there again. Arrived in Chicago on the most rainfall recorded ever. Missed my connecting flight... had 4 kids with me... had to stay in a hotel. etc.. BUT we finally got there are we so enjoyed it. I will be posting photos all week as I am swamped with "to do" lists. AND we bought a horse in Harbor Springs, MI ... my husband will never tell me to "go shopping" without being more specific ever again. :)
Oh, you are going to be the "grandest" Gramma of all time. Must confess I like the second apple picture best--and you should frame it. At the very least include it in your book of lullabies & poems...
"Mary Poppins" was my very first movie ever, at a very young age & my patient parents waited w/antsy me through at least one whole showing before we were able to see it ourselves...how blessed this baby is to be entering such a patient, creative, loving family!
Your joy is infectious--thank you for sharing it.
this whole post just sings! love the apple face - it looks like it's pondering its life from that branch! you will absolutely love grandmotherhood - and you will float away but to such a wonderful place!
Singing "Apple Baby" to that tune is like adding frosting to the anticipated celebration cake, Ruth. I can just imagine the joy you're feeling, day in and day out. Create away, dear Sister.
erin, having a chance again, to see a new life take shape, to be a part of it, holding them close, seeing their eyes open, learning from each other, it's beyond anything.
Thanks, I love how you mother.
Thanks, Shari. I've got a hundred books in my head for this sweet child. I want to document everything.
Thanks, Poetic Soul. Me too.
Thanks, Dutchbaby. I've been realizing that if I write them, I have to also memorize them. :|
Can't wait to talk more with you about the book!
Terresa, oh! Another new one for me.
Thank you, Louise, The Sound of Music is one I can almost always watch too, much to Don's chagrin, though he fell in love with Julie Andrews in the front row watching "Mary Poppins".
Thanks, Oh! What an immensely joyous world I have to share with Poppy Seed.
Oh lovely, Arti. Thanks for that extra mention. Maybe Inge and I can see the film this week or next.
Margaret, the trip sounds miserable. But a new horse!
ds, you and Don saw this as your first movie. He fell in love with Julie Andrews from the front row. (Didn't we all?)
I will print the second photo and have it framed, I love this idea (which Oliag also suggested). Thank you for thinking I will be a good gramma. I hope you are right. I have a feeling I will be a very gaga gramma.
Thank you, Pauline. I so look forward to that floating away.
Thanks, Boots. I haven't even told you yet about our weekend with Lesley & Brian in Chicago, for Peter's concert . . . We all had so much fun.
Ruth--wonderful post..blessings to you and yours on the pending arrival of your first grandchild--you will be a wonderful gramma;-)
c
Just lovely post, Ruth!
The nature is always a nice surprise.
Congratulations to the arrival of your first grandchild! Grandchildren is a blessing.
Have a pleasant week ahead.
i know that apple! she sat behind me in third grade and passed me notes.
how wonderful for you to feel love, such love-before ever meeting the reason.
may it grow and flower and become a beautiful tree
rick
C.M., thank you so much for that. :-)
Rick, I bet you're happy to see this apple again! She told me to tell you "hi" in good third grade fashion.
Thank you for your kind wishes for our little apple. I wonder what her/his third grade will be like . . .
Your lovely lullaby almost makes me wish for another new grandbaby to hold and sing it to. I guess I'll just have to borrow one. :)
OK, my dear -- in a long overdue visit (sorry to be so MIA -- that's for our get together, which I hope will be sometime soon!), I'm learning a great deal about your world -- an apple coming soon, no longer just a seed! How fun! Lesley's move. And did you go to Chi-town to see Lord Huron and Peter? Oh, my -- much to catch up on. Your book sounds exciting and I'm so glad you shared the poems. Back in business. Finally!
Post a Comment