Author Archives: petra

Chalking it up on the front porch

A sunny day came along and we just couldn’t stay couped up inside. The girls wanted to “doll up” our dreary front porch, also known as the sidewalk on Second Ave between James and Yesler.    Naomi and Simone decide to … Continue reading

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He said, “Nobody gets out of here alive.”

Was there a moment in your life that calibrated you for everything after it? This was one of mine. The summer after high school, I enrolled in a choreography workshop at Harvard University. Bill T Jones, Arnie Zane, and Lucinda … Continue reading

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Crazy hair day at Evergreen

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Naomi’s party

We made lanterns at Naomi’s birthday party. Pirate Naomi attacked the bull pinata with everything she had. And Annabel swung on the tire horse. Until Eli finally broke the pinata open and let the toys out. The party guests hanging … Continue reading

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“You never lose by loving. You always lose by holding back.” or How many times have you been married …to the same person?

“You never lose by loving. You always lose by holding back.” -Barbara De Angelis —————- Don’t you think re-reading vows and being part of a raucous party makes sense.   Proposing again?   Better skip that part.  Chances are, at … Continue reading

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A Furry Hammer met us on the sidewalk. Hello Nick Cave!

It seemed like a long time since we’d enjoyed the First Thursday art walk in our Pioneer Square neighborhood.   So, off we went to Occidental Square, where we checked in on Davidson Gallery and then over to the Lawrimore … Continue reading

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Did your school teach insatiable desire, focus and the art of persuasion? Sir Ken Robinson & Seth Godin pipe in on what we should and should not be teaching.

  Sir Ken Robinson believes that “we are educating people out of their creative capacities” and creating dysfunctional humans. The RSA animators are incredible! Thanks to Maggie Neilson, who posted the story on Facebook. Seth Godin believes that high schools … Continue reading

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Naomi’s birthday is just around the corner.

Naomi will be four years old on May 16th. I couldn’t love her more. What a wonderful being she is! Enjoy.

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Selling pigs off a bike

These roasted pigs are barely tied on. There is no hopping curbs or taking the steep short cut for this cyclist. The bike itself is the vendor stand at the market. If the pig doesn’t sell outright (usually they do) … Continue reading

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Simone’s book club

The first graders at Evergreen decided to launch a book club.  Boys and girls gathered to talk about Kate DiCamillo’s Because of Winn Dixie. Everyone loved this book. Next we read two books from Jim Benton’s “Franny K Stein” series, … Continue reading

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The importance of vulnerability

Rob Harmon sent me a link to Brene Brown‘s TED speech and I laughed so hard.  It was one of those cathartic crazy laughing things.  Brene Brown takes us on her personal research journey and then pulls everything together to show … Continue reading

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Easter 2011

We started the day coloring eggs. We heard there was a bunny parade and ran over to Occidental to see.  Naomi left directions for the Easter bunny. Hopefully he will come by again. The parade arrived bringing a WOLF, two … Continue reading

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The Artist Toolbox – NOW for Season Two!

With each week, we become more popular!  The Artist Toolbox is now running 2 to 4 times a week in 227 PBS markets.  We were the LA Times “Pick of the Week” again (fifth time) as well as covered in … Continue reading

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Why they were saying among themselves that it cannot be done, it was done.

“No pessimist ever discovered the secrets of the stars, sailed to an uncharted land, or opened a new heaven to the human spirit.” – Helen Keller Simone is working on a report about Anne Sullivan and Helen Keller. Though Helen … Continue reading

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The Artist Toolbox

I am having so much fun! I’m working on the television series, “The Artist Toolbox.” To find out when it is playing in your area, put your zip code in here:

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Carrying the world on your shoulders?

I love this image.  Books.  Have you ever fallen into a book?  I sometimes carry pieces of them around in my head so woven into the brain that I have a hard time distinguishing what is actual and what was … Continue reading

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IndieFlix

My friend Scilla Andreen is on The Film School board with me.  She runs a company she started with Carlo Scandiuzzi called IndieFlixs.  You can find great independent films on her website as well as a party game where everyone … Continue reading

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The floating bakery

We’ve been talking about creating a floating bakery on Lake Union. “Maybe we can build it on top of two canoes,” Simone suggests. “We’d like to it move about Lake Union and Lake Washington, ” the girls explain, “and we’ll need a place … Continue reading

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Which moments do you remember?

My neighbors and good friends, the Strains, were written up in the Seattle Times today. Jeff believes that living downtown proffers more family moments..those revelations, discoveries and “good times” that you stumble upon together during a neighborhood romp.  He says, these … Continue reading

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Naomi tells the story of Rosa Parks

Naomi’s PreSchool class is working on a play about Rosa Parks.  Naomi tells me about what they were learning here. Three year old Naomi tells the story of Rosa Parks

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