Many years ago (back in graduate school) one of my favorite rituals was going to the campus bookstore and getting a calendar for the new year. I never lost hope that this was the year I would suddenly get organized---hasn't happened yet.
One of my favorite calendars used to be the Nature Conservancy. The pictures were really stunning---more than the Audubon calendars, which had more animals and birds and other distractions. One year in particular, I wanted to save the whole calendar, but instead cut out 3 pictures that I really liked: a picture of a cloud over a rock, some brightly colored leaves on a green background, and a purple flower on a background of grey. I put the pictures in a see-through frame (2 sheets of glass held together by light wood) and never even managed to put them up.
So now, more than 10 years later, my kids are going through the pictures we didn't put up on the "picture wall". Luke found the picture of the rock and the cloud, and he kept going back to the cabinet where they were stored to look at it. Amanda liked the picture that showed on the back, the picture of leaves on green. Ok, I thought, why not hang them up? I got what was needed to put those two up in Amanda's and Luke's rooms, respectively. I was a bit concerned about Eleanor's room, since I didn't remember the picture of the purple flower, but when I took out the other two, there was another picture in-between that was perfect for Eleanor.
My question is, how did I know? My kids didn't disagree about who should get which picture, they were each drawn to only one. Why should I have saved those pictures? How did each picture call out to the appropriate child? Anyhow, it was pretty neat. After more than 10 years on the shelf, the pictures are finally being enjoyed.
I hung each up where the child specified, for Amanda and Luke this means at eye level. I haven't asked Eleanor and Amanda whether they enjoy the pictures, but Luke keeps telling me about his every time we walk past. I think he likes it. The cover of this book is Luke's picture, of course I don't have any idea where the other pictures might be.
One of my favorite calendars used to be the Nature Conservancy. The pictures were really stunning---more than the Audubon calendars, which had more animals and birds and other distractions. One year in particular, I wanted to save the whole calendar, but instead cut out 3 pictures that I really liked: a picture of a cloud over a rock, some brightly colored leaves on a green background, and a purple flower on a background of grey. I put the pictures in a see-through frame (2 sheets of glass held together by light wood) and never even managed to put them up.
So now, more than 10 years later, my kids are going through the pictures we didn't put up on the "picture wall". Luke found the picture of the rock and the cloud, and he kept going back to the cabinet where they were stored to look at it. Amanda liked the picture that showed on the back, the picture of leaves on green. Ok, I thought, why not hang them up? I got what was needed to put those two up in Amanda's and Luke's rooms, respectively. I was a bit concerned about Eleanor's room, since I didn't remember the picture of the purple flower, but when I took out the other two, there was another picture in-between that was perfect for Eleanor.
My question is, how did I know? My kids didn't disagree about who should get which picture, they were each drawn to only one. Why should I have saved those pictures? How did each picture call out to the appropriate child? Anyhow, it was pretty neat. After more than 10 years on the shelf, the pictures are finally being enjoyed.
I hung each up where the child specified, for Amanda and Luke this means at eye level. I haven't asked Eleanor and Amanda whether they enjoy the pictures, but Luke keeps telling me about his every time we walk past. I think he likes it. The cover of this book is Luke's picture, of course I don't have any idea where the other pictures might be.
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