Color Walk :: Lavender

Our Easter trip to Georgia was washed in the loveliest shade of lavender, impossible to ignore and begging to be photographed!

New Traditions: Easter Nests

We have returned, safely and soundly, from our annual Easter trip to Georgia. We usually arrive as the wisteria carpets the ground beneath us and the dogwoods and redbuds have long since bloomed, but this year, due to the calendar and the unseasonably chilly winter, we arrived at the perfect time to witness nature's southern masterpiece.Big B and little b experienced the wonders of nature, big and small. They helped Grandma plant her summer garden, poking little fingers into rich, fertile soil.They went exploring and hunting for treasure, using vivid imagination to make games from pinecones, sticks and clay rocks.
They helped Papa make a minnow trap and paid attention to the sounds and cycles of the pond.We tried our hands at creating different kinds of eggs...
...and of course, hunted them, with great excitement and reward.
But the wonder of nature that impressed upon us most deeply was the discovery of this goose nest, hidden among the reeds on a pond dam not far from Grandma's house. We diligently checked "our" nest every day. We all marveled at how large the eggs were, and how carefully they were laid upon a soft, downy featherbed.
This technique stuck with Big B. As of the night before Easter, we had seen five deer, two fox squirrels and three bunny rabbits. I suggested that since the bunnies obviously liked to hop in pine straw beds, perhaps we should line our baskets with the brown needles. Big B took it one step further, and carefully made a downy grass bed, goose style, upon which the Easter bunny could leave his gifts.
We set the baskets out to wait just before sunset and set off for one last ride through the woods. As luck would have it, we saw two Easter bunnies on that ride, awaiting nightfall to work their magic. Big B was mesmerized.
On Easter morning, Big B and little b woke us to tell us the geese were visiting. They noticed the majestic birds before even noticing their baskets full of treasure. Such is the power and the wonder of nature. For all of the pomp and circumstance of the holidays, nothing holds more magic for a child than watching the world unfold before his eyes.April is Children and Nature Awareness Month. Play along by posting a photograph of your children outdoors every day this month.

Tie-Dying Yarn

Yesterday, during little b's nap, Big B and I hand dyed yarn. We are hoping to make yarn eggs during our Easter trip to Georgia, much like these. We loosely followed this tutorial to turn a partial skein of plain ol' white worsted into a lovely custom blend.

First, we unwound our skein and tied it into one foot sections. Then, while we prepared the dye from a tie-dye kit, we soaked the yarn in vinegar and cold water.Big B waited patiently to begin the fun part.......and he was a natural. He squirted colors in a dazzling pattern while I made sure each strand was coated.
We then used plastic wrap to encase the yarn, sausage style.After steaming the yarn for thirty minutes, we soaked it again in warm water and vinegar.
And here it is, basking in the spring sun to dry. The colors aren't as vibrant as I'd hoped, but the pastel hues are perfect for making our own variety of hand-dyed Easter eggs!

New Traditions: Strawberry Picking

Ah, yesterday. Yesterday apologized for a rainy, soggy Monday with bright sunshine and warm breezes. As soon as we saw the skies, we loaded up our baskets and headed northeast to our local u-pick strawberry farm. The same accomplices joined us last year, and I sense this becoming a tradition my boys will remember for years to come. This time, little b was old enough to carry his own basket, into which he pilfered many of his older brothers red, shiny jewels.
Pick a few......eat a few.Our bounty was a plentiful repeat of last year's: thirteen pounds of plump, ripe strawberries. This year, we picked later in the season, just two days before our annual departure to Georgia for Easter. To preserve our treasures and make gifts for our family, we decided to embark on our first jam session.I had been warned by several about the precise timing of making jam. Those words of caution also came with the suggestion to wait until little b retired for the evening to begin. This turned out to be critically necessary advice. Even with my full attention on the process, there are no photographs of the stirring and pouring, because it took all three of us (Papa, Mama and Big B) in a harried and hot assembly line to finish the job. But when we did finish, our hard work was rewarded within minutes by the pop-pop-pop of the jars sealing. What a gratifying sound!Now we have a dozen beauties in their basket, ready to travel north and brighten the bread of our family. The ability to pick strawberries in the morning and can them the same night infused instant gratitude through my hands and into my heart.

Goodwill Score: Kismet

This morning was just one of those mornings. And I mean that in the best possible way. Tomorrow begins a ten day Spring Break for Big B, so today feels very much like a Friday. Little b and I decided to get our usual Friday chores done today, and that included picking up Papa's drycleaning, which--oh, darn--happens to be adjacent to the very best Goodwill in all the land.

I haven't been shopping at Goodwill since before the holidays, and was amazed at how beautifully the shelves have restocked in those three short months. I scored two adorable pillowcases to add to my growing stack, ready to be converted to aprons:
...this simple vintage box o' party games, complete with pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey:
...a bright and cheerful piece of fabric with a bold linear print, perfect for the tablecloth I've been dreaming of making for spring:
...a gallon ziploc bag full of miniature baskets, just in time for a sweet Easter project:...and call it fate, call it serendipity, call it kismet, but when I woke up this morning, I was internally scheduling my day, and visualized setting out large wooden beads and pipe cleaners as an after-school activity for the boys. On my way out of Goodwill, I found a gallon ziploc bag full of large wooden beads and pipe cleaners. I love days like this.

2009 : Our Year in Review

january : ringing it in

february : strawberries









march : welcome, spring









april : treasure hunt









may : color walking









june : soaking in the sun









july : fiery fresh









august : the space between









september : finding beauty









october : serendipity









november : mudpies









december : sweetest gifts