Valerie's Workshop

My son in the front yard with my dear friend L. Another week has flown right by. What a minute. Another year has flown by. My first born (and only) son turned four years old last week. What feels like a few months ago, I was changing diapers and dealing with midnight feedings.  Now, I have a walking, talking, amazing young boy sitting next to me on the couch who feeds and waters himself (most of the time). who says you can't garden on your birthday!? my grandmother's silver To celebrate Bodie's birthday, we had a family gathering last Thursday evening. My amazing friend L. was in town for the weekend and helped me pull everything together. We spent most of the day rearranging the upstairs, setting two dining tables and prepared all sorts of savory, fall comfort food. The menu included bacon apple tarts, bacon wrapped waterchestnuts , apple pear salad, beef stew and cheddar biscuits. For dessert, a pumpkin spice shape with cream cheese frosting, shaped like a pum

  I went to the top of the world today,  to see what I could find,  and all I saw for miles and miles, were things you left behind. Your spirit was high up in the clouds,  moving carefree through the sky. Your voice whispered through the leaves, saying 'sister, don't you cry.' The river contained your courage,  never knowing when to cease. Even your laughter echoed through a soaring flock of geese. Your strength was in the trees, growing taller every day Your smile was in the sun,  beaming down from far away. In the sparrows you left curiosity,  always seeming to ask us why. And the hills held your ambition,  reaching upwards towards the sky. So even though you are now gone,  your soul will never be,  for I take it everywhere I go, it is wild and  it is free. Written by Valerie Hein, In memory of Benjamin Thomas Hein and Scott Thomas Peterson.