Thursday, April 16, 2009

Gravity

Earth pulls us earth-ward. There is no doubt about this.

A new bicycle was waiting for Hedgehog in Texas--her first without training wheels.

I watched her father, gentle hand on her back, helping her steady. I watched her effort on the tough pedals. I watched her go...

Earth pulled her earth-ward, and she was up again. Earth pulled her earth-ward, and she was up again.

Determined, stoical in her Hedgehog way, we watched, amazed at her lightness, as she conquered the pull and captured an airy balance...

...and pedalled and pedalled...

...and was off...




32 comments:

Mrsupole said...

Yea, you are home and safe again. Hedgie looks like she is having fun learning the freedom and joy a bicyle can bring. Yes gravity can pull us all down, hehe, parts we do not want, but so special when a child first learns to ride a bike.

Thank you for sharing this first time with us.

God bless. May the force be with you. You are loved.

Wings1295 said...

Very nice, thank you for sharing. :)

CocoDivaDog said...

Oh! Another tear-jerker post!
I can't take this any more!
xx00
PS
Thank God you are finally done with your trip to hell (Texas).
Welcome back to the City.

The Mistress said...

Training wheels today.

Training bra tomorrow.

Reyjr said...

my dad taught me how to bike too. and drive a car. :D

Garth said...

sheesh! took me two week to get Heckle & Jeckle (my twin sons) running on two wheels - I lost a bit of weight too.

Brian Miller said...

yay! you should be very proud of her. great moment to celebrate with fam! the overcoming of gravity!

Madame DeFarge said...

Lovely moment. I remember my own so well, with my dad too.

Great bike!

Baino said...

Oooh new shiny bike with pink rims . .God she learned quickly! Mine had training wheels for ages . . now he rides motor bikes and leaps off tall ramps with a single bound "Look Mum - no hands!"

Unknown said...

Good show Hedgehog! Good show! Come by and sign up for my birthday giveaway!

Ronda Laveen said...

Wonderful "spin" on the theme. Wheels and gravity. I loved my first big bike. It was so beautiful until it was stolen and abused. I got her back and loved her anyway. Kudos to HH.

Merely Me said...

What a powerful memory to "start off home to. All the rest is behind you and you have this glory to celebrate.

Karen ^..^ said...

Aww, Hedgie's dad is so tender and sweet with her. Such beautiful pictures.

Thanks for sharing this. A lovely memory.

The Girl from Lokhandwala said...

How wonderful! I love the way you wrote it. She truly conquered the earth!

Rinkly Rimes said...

Being 'pulled earthward' is OK for children! I dread falling!

Mark Sanderson said...

Good clean wholesome moments. Lovely pics.

Suzanne said...

Beautiful post. You know I love you baby. Heggie's adorable. Believe it or not, I got out her "butterfly bush" a few days ago in anticipation of mailing. I have some work to do! Baby, email or tell me here the the best time to mail for planting in the Adirondack. I'm serious. This is not a test. I'll check.

I love you darling. You know that. XO

Suzanne said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Suzanne said...

Sorry baby, that was me. Posted twice because Blogger's a misleading bitch.

Honey, did you knit Wee One's shirt?

Love you,
XO Suzy :)

Leah said...

Hi Candie!Mrsupole--thank goodness, yes. And as for gravity, I know all too well about that, LOL!

Wings--thank you! and thanks for stopping by.

Auntie--I know, I've been so moody lately. I actually shed a couple of tears while writing this...and it's true, I'm starting to think of Texas as hot, hot hell!

MJ--How I longed for a training bra...those innocent, boobless days...

reyjr--I've started teaching Hedgie about steering and rules of the road! You can never learn to drive too early!

Leah said...

Pisces Iscariot--I was so relieved that we didn't have to chase up and down the driveway after her...

Brian--I was proud! It was a great moment.

Mme DeF.--I remember mine too, a second-hand purple banana seat bike! Hedgie's was pink, which ordinarily she protests against, but this time was happy with.

Baino--motor bikes and ramps! Yup, I can see Hedgie heading in that direction. Oy.

Robyn--good show, right? And I most certainly did check out your birthday giveaway! Thanks! xo

Ronda--oh no, stolen and abused? That's tragic. I'm glad you got her back though.

Leah said...

merelyme--I am trying to focus on the positive--and this was one of admittedly just a very few, lol. Yay, home!

Karen--Hedgie's dad is a good man. She's lucky, I wish my relationship with my own hadn't been quite so fraught...

Idle Devil--Thanks dear!

Rinkly Rimes--I totally agree--"earthward" is only poetic when applied to children. I too live in fear of falling!!!

EM--it's true, all the wholesome moments come with Hedgehog. Being with her is sometimes like bathing with a nice new bar of Ivory Soap--a feeling I might not have otherwise, being the old cynic I am.

Suzy!--hello hello! We have not planted upstate in ages, and generally tend my grandparents' plantings and whatever grows wild, so I had to do some research, and am still just a bit confused (I'm really not a gardener, but I could learn!). One thing is clear--the last possible frost time is generally the first week in May, so plantings take place after that. I found a very interesting website for regional planting info, and will check it out again--

xo

Liza B. Gonzalez said...

Congratulations...that a huge milestone to cross. Happy Earth Day.

Suzanne said...

Hey you. Liza...that's a hilarious photo!!! I never thought of that!

When do you and the family start going to the Adirondacks. I guess that's the most important question because that's when I'll time the mailing. What I want to do it get Heggie's butterfly bush to you approx 2 or 3 days before you drive up. You can unwrap it, give it some tender love and care, then transition it to the wilderness! Plants are sensitive, so it's important to welcome it to NY before welcoming it to upstate NY!!! I'll send all the instructions and basically all you have to do is plant it. But you have to water that first week, then if NY is NY, rain will take care of the rest. And no, it won't do much the first year, but the second and third, watch out. Heggie will be in Heaven and so will you. I know it will survive and grow beautifully because it does so in Woodstock.

I'm also going to send Heggie an anenome. I don't know which one. It'll either bloom pink or white next year. I have so many babies I don't know what to do with them. Plant it on the NORTH side of your house. Trust me, you won't regret it!!! Before long you'll have lots and lots. And every fall, when they sing and dance in the wind, think of a blogging friend who loves you very much.

Who knew someone from NY would end up with someone from NY? What a small, beautiful world. Love you darling and welcome home.

XO

savannah said...

are.you.back.in.brooklyn?


xoxoxo

Leah said...

Liza--happy earth day to you too! And I love your blog photos--you're really an awesome photographer.

Suzy--That is lovely! I will keep you apprised of my goings on (isn't that a funny formal word?)

Leah said...

savannah--indeedleedoo I am.

Dakota Bear said...

Thank you for sharing the event. It's wonderful watching a child grasp the art of riding a bike.

Megan said...

I was here before but I didn't comment because I was going to be all down on myself for never teaching the offspring to ride a bike.

Well, I still am down on myself about that.

But whatever! Cheers to the Hedgehog!!!

Dot-Com said...

Good luck to her with the biking! Hope she doesn't fall, but if she does, I'm sure there'll be someone there to get her back on the wheels.

Anonymous said...

Very nice post, Leah. I'm reminded of when I first learned to ride a bike( sans training wheels ). The skinned knees were worth it, tho :)

Leah said...

Dakota Bear--isn't it such an incredible milestone? Just one of those skills one takes for granted later in life...but when you see a kid doing it again, you marvel!

Megan--that's not so bad, my parents didn't teach me to drive and I didn't get my license till I was thirty-three!!!! And now I feel as if I've always been a driver. It's never too late to learn a skill like that...

Dot-Com--she did fall, and fall again, and somehow got back up there all by herself! I was impressed...

Subtorp--those skinned knees are so worth it! : )