• Home
  • Laurentide
    • Farm
    • Cool Women
    • Family
    • Interiors
    • Lessons
    • Procrastination
    • Reviews
    • Travel
    • Vintage Finds
  • Videos
  • Resources
    • Message Me
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Twitter
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • Subscribe
  • Search
  • Archive
Menu

The Bubble Joy

Street Address
City, State, Zip
Phone Number
"In folly's cup still laughs the bubble joy." Alexander Pope

Your Custom Text Here

The Bubble Joy

  • Home
  • Laurentide
  • Blog
    • Farm
    • Cool Women
    • Family
    • Interiors
    • Lessons
    • Procrastination
    • Reviews
    • Travel
    • Vintage Finds
  • Videos
  • Resources
  • Contact
    • Message Me
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Twitter
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • Subscribe
  • Search
  • Archive

A Knitted Muse Who Drives

March 17, 2016 mithra ballesteros

Last week, I took a class on Skillshare. I've written about Skillshare before. For $10 a month, I get access to free classes taught on many subjects, some by some very famous people like Seth Godin. In fact, if you are interested in trying it, please email me here and I will forward you an offer for 3 months at  $0.99.  

Anyway, this particular class, led by Andrew Knapp, is titled Photograph Your Muse: One Subject, Endless Possibilities. Andrew's dog, Momo is his muse. That dog might also be an early iteration of the 23rd century's Dalai Lama, as he is the most peaceful, friendly creature and allows himself to be posed in ridiculously adorable compositions. Go here to follow Andrew and Momo. 

This class is part of my ongoing effort to improve my Instagram game. Andrew gives lots of practical advice on lighting, composition, and even lets us watch him edit. Most of the students in the class chose their pets as their muse. I chose my puppets. (You can read more about my finger puppets here.)

So every week or so, I will photograph my puppets doing the things that their real life counterparts are doing. These pics will act as a visual prompt for me to write about humorous aspects of family life -- my favorite blog subject! If you would like to see the pics on Instagram, follow me here. I'll be posting them on the blog too.  

This week's post documents son #4 learning how to drive. Please note that my finger puppet is covering her eyes. Because she has taught four boys to drive but it never gets easier.

Admittedly according to my kids, I am not the preferred parent in the passenger seat. I go from calm to eye-bulging screams in much less time than my better half. Son #3 once complained that I "decided" to be freaked out. Like there was a rational decision involved. Like when he nearly plowed into a street worker, I chose to shriek "Watch that man!" instead of gently suggesting that perhaps it would be in everyone's best interest if at some point he could guide the car away from the nice construction worker WHO IS A LIVING BREATHING HUMAN BEING WITH A FAMILY AND A DESIRE TO LIVE. That decision. 

My better half is not entirely immune. He remembers thinking carefully about the best 'safe place' for son #1's first behind-the-wheel. They drove to the elementary school on a Sunday morning, empty except for a couple of kids on the monkey bars, yards away on the playground. Moments later, our son promptly drove off the concrete onto the grass, heading towards said playground. Either he was unaware that turning the steering wheel actually turned the car or he wanted to play.

My husband came home shaken and pale. I smirked into my cup of tea. 

But with all four drivers we have maintained a facade of optimism that all will work out. And it will. Even son #1 eventually got his driver's license -- third time's the charm! A few weeks after the state of Wisconsin deemed him competent, he sauntered into our bedroom, chuckling, and said, "I've got the funniest story! Remember last week when I backed into that tree? Well I did it again. The exact same tree!" 

You can imagine our rip-roaring laughter. 


If you recognize yourself in my puppets, then we should hang out together! Subscribe below for a Friday morning email. I won't let any of my goofy sons near your email address. 

Subscribe to The Bubble Joy

In Family Tags finger puppets, Skillshare, Andrew Knapp, Photography Your Muse, learning how to drive
← That Adorable Late Bloomer, Julia ChildBereaved →

Mithra B096 copy.jpg

Welcome! I'm Mithra (pronounced Mee-thra). I'm an interior stylist and a writer. I'm also a vintage and antiques lover. I have an online shop, Finder Not Keeper, where I sell my best finds. (That's a white lie. I keep the best finds.) Read more about me and the blog here. 


FIND ME IN YOUR INBOX


CATEGORIES

Cool-Women_png.png
Family_png.png
Interiors_png.png
Procrastinate_png.png
Reviews_png.png
Travel_png.png
Vintage_png.png
Lessons_png.png

Instagram posts

A few days back in the ‘Quon. All of February is the price I’m willing to fork over for one week in September.
A few days back in the ‘Quon. All of February is the price I’m willing to fork over for one week in September.
Latest blog post about our new outdoor shower and the differences of opinion between this guy and his mother (me) on how it should be used. #linkinbio
Latest blog post about our new outdoor shower and the differences of opinion between this guy and his mother (me) on how it should be used. #linkinbio
Brainy, brave, kind, genuine, indefatigable, funny, patriotic, fair, hard working, gentle, strong, iconic.
Brainy, brave, kind, genuine, indefatigable, funny, patriotic, fair, hard working, gentle, strong, iconic.
Those aren’t my hands forming baguettes. But I took the pic. @heat_her_all_a_man has it down  and I’m ready with my salted butter and honey. What do you eat with baguettes?
Those aren’t my hands forming baguettes. But I took the pic. @heat_her_all_a_man has it down and I’m ready with my salted butter and honey. What do you eat with baguettes?
Surveying the herb garden after a good weeding session. Basil took a hit the last couple weeks but everything else is flourishing like summer lasts forever.
Surveying the herb garden after a good weeding session. Basil took a hit the last couple weeks but everything else is flourishing like summer lasts forever.
First restaurant account for @littlelaurentide! Also first time eating out since the snow was flying. Really really fun night. (Not to mention that building’s white with black trim paint color scheme is 💯)
First restaurant account for @littlelaurentide! Also first time eating out since the snow was flying. Really really fun night. (Not to mention that building’s white with black trim paint color scheme is 💯)
Surprise lilies, also known as naked ladies, fit in well here at the farm for reasons we will let you ponder.
Surprise lilies, also known as naked ladies, fit in well here at the farm for reasons we will let you ponder.
This is son #2, the farmer. Walter is working hard to turn this place into a sustainable organic farm. Follow us @littlelaurentide for the latest on how mother and son align, clash, argue, hug.
This is son #2, the farmer. Walter is working hard to turn this place into a sustainable organic farm. Follow us @littlelaurentide for the latest on how mother and son align, clash, argue, hug.
On the blog today, the newest bachelor at Little Laurentide. Will he draw viewers or is he a train wreck along the lines of Juan Pablo Galavis? Read the latest blog post to find out! Link in bio.
On the blog today, the newest bachelor at Little Laurentide. Will he draw viewers or is he a train wreck along the lines of Juan Pablo Galavis? Read the latest blog post to find out! Link in bio.
On the blog today: a tour of the best places on the farm to sit for a spell. And I write a bit about what it’s like to cohabit with a son who used to give me every kind of gray hair. He could teach a polar bear how to be grumpy and I could teac
On the blog today: a tour of the best places on the farm to sit for a spell. And I write a bit about what it’s like to cohabit with a son who used to give me every kind of gray hair. He could teach a polar bear how to be grumpy and I could teach a grizzly bear how to be grumpy. It’s a new world for the two of us, farming together, and can you guess how it’s going??

OLD POSTS

Archive
  • October 2021 1
  • July 2021 1
  • June 2021 1
  • May 2021 2
  • April 2021 3
  • March 2021 1
  • February 2021 2
  • January 2021 2
  • December 2020 2
  • November 2020 1
  • October 2020 2
  • September 2020 1
  • August 2020 5
  • July 2020 7
  • June 2020 6
  • May 2020 9
  • April 2020 8
  • March 2020 4
  • February 2020 3
  • January 2020 5
  • December 2019 1
  • November 2019 4
  • October 2019 3
  • September 2019 3
  • August 2019 4
  • July 2019 7
  • June 2019 5
  • May 2019 8
  • April 2019 8
  • March 2019 8
  • February 2019 7
  • January 2019 7
  • December 2018 8
  • November 2018 9
  • October 2018 8
  • September 2018 7
  • August 2018 9
  • July 2018 6
  • June 2018 7
  • May 2018 7
  • April 2018 5
  • March 2018 4
  • February 2018 4
  • January 2018 4
  • December 2017 1
  • November 2017 3
  • October 2017 3
  • September 2017 4
  • August 2017 4
  • July 2017 4
  • June 2017 5
  • May 2017 3
  • April 2017 5
  • March 2017 3
  • February 2017 2
  • January 2017 4
  • December 2016 5
  • November 2016 4
  • October 2016 3
  • September 2016 5
  • August 2016 4
  • July 2016 5
  • June 2016 4
  • May 2016 4
  • April 2016 4
  • March 2016 5
  • February 2016 8
  • January 2016 8
  • December 2015 6
  • November 2015 9
  • October 2015 9
  • September 2015 8
  • August 2015 8
  • July 2015 5
  • June 2015 4
  • May 2015 5
  • April 2015 4
  • March 2015 4
  • February 2015 4
  • January 2015 5
  • December 2014 4
  • November 2014 4
  • October 2014 6
  • September 2014 2
  • August 2014 3
  • July 2014 5
  • June 2014 3
  • May 2014 3
  • April 2014 4
  • March 2014 6
  • February 2014 5
  • January 2014 4

Powered by Squarespace

Contact: mithra@thebubblejoy.com