tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-69761597629791954652024-03-16T11:52:51.306-07:00passengers on a little spaceshipdionnehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09497484383187301021noreply@blogger.comBlogger503125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6976159762979195465.post-86166523933935830952014-01-07T10:59:00.000-08:002014-11-28T15:49:17.903-08:00keeping quiet<u><b><br /></b></u>
Now we will count to twelve<br />
and we will all keep still.<br />
<br />
For once on the face of the earth,<br />
let’s not speak in any language;<br />
let’s stop for a second,<br />
and not move our arms too much.<br />
<br />
It would be an exotic moment<br />
without rush, without engines;<br />
we would all be together<br />
in a sudden strangeness.<br />
<br />
Fisherman in the cold sea<br />
would not harm the whales<br />
and the man gathering salt<br />
would not hurt his hands.<br />
<br />
Those who prepare green wars,<br />
wars with gas, wars with fire,<br />
victories with no survivors,<br />
would put on clean clothes<br />
and walk about with their brothers<br />
in the shade, doing nothing.<br />
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What I want should not be confused<br />
with total inactivity.<br />
<br />
Life is what it is about…<br />
<br />
If we were not so single-minded<br />
about keeping our lives moving,<br />
and for once could do nothing,<br />
perhaps a huge silence<br />
might interrupt this sadness<br />
of never understanding ourselves<br />
and of threatening ourselves with death.<br />
Perhaps the earth can teach us<br />
as when everything seems to be dead<br />
in winter and later proves to be alive.<br />
<br />
Now I’ll count to twelve<br />
and you keep quiet and I will go.<br />
<br />
~ Pablo Nerudadionnehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09497484383187301021noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6976159762979195465.post-55616240066582262002013-12-02T22:20:00.000-08:002013-12-16T22:37:27.526-08:00little wooden houses as waldorf classmate christmas giftsEvery year as we snuggle down during Advent and try to spend the long winter nights together with stories and baking and wholesome good work, we attempt to come up with a simple craft that we can create together for little classmate gifts for Christmas. <br />
<i>(Spoiler alert, dear Waldorf friends, we've got a basket of these little houses coming your way on the day before winter break!)</i><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4ExErkd11_I/Uq_SjmgflaI/AAAAAAAAFpE/lcwP08Knxys/s1600/waldorf+classmate+christmas+gift.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4ExErkd11_I/Uq_SjmgflaI/AAAAAAAAFpE/lcwP08Knxys/s640/waldorf+classmate+christmas+gift.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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This year, since we're still house hunting and living at my mum and dad's, we had access to some good tools and even better helpers. Opa and his table saw started us off in our production by sawing a pointy edge from a regular ol' 2x4. (Cost: about $3)<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Owf06ZFjU1s/UqFr7G7gqCI/AAAAAAAAFmw/4jF0kQ6Ypcg/s1600/simple+wooden+houses.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Owf06ZFjU1s/UqFr7G7gqCI/AAAAAAAAFmw/4jF0kQ6Ypcg/s640/simple+wooden+houses.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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He then chopped it up into smaller pieces.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-an71Kg-ByJM/UqFr_YWkxHI/AAAAAAAAFm8/vkzIurXW0Mc/s1600/easy+wooden+ornament.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-an71Kg-ByJM/UqFr_YWkxHI/AAAAAAAAFm8/vkzIurXW0Mc/s640/easy+wooden+ornament.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Then Naiya, Oma and I sanded down the rough edges.<br />
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Sanding can be messy business so we stood out in the 30-something degree weather smoothing down those splintery corners.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SjoHz0KLFVk/UqFsJJQme-I/AAAAAAAAFnM/LX4zgSZORYE/s1600/wooden+crafts+children.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SjoHz0KLFVk/UqFsJJQme-I/AAAAAAAAFnM/LX4zgSZORYE/s640/wooden+crafts+children.JPG" width="640" /></a> Back inside we mixed up a platter of rainbow goodness and set to work with our acrylics.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kpUeW-V_gH8/UqFsLpBSBuI/AAAAAAAAFnU/I8vdRRFUN5k/s1600/painted+wooden+toy+house.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kpUeW-V_gH8/UqFsLpBSBuI/AAAAAAAAFnU/I8vdRRFUN5k/s640/painted+wooden+toy+house.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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They sat on the table for a couple of days and got more and more elaborate with glitter, fancy paper and lots of painted embellishments.<br />
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We finished them off with a screw eye and bit of ribbon for simple ornaments we hope the kids will enjoy.<br />
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<br />dionnehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09497484383187301021noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6976159762979195465.post-25997915189035510422013-11-30T22:35:00.000-08:002013-12-16T22:14:14.143-08:00the glory of the earth at rest<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cOSLB5-FqYI/UqFwCtcY1aI/AAAAAAAAFoc/WNgIg1-lBtw/s1600/autumn+winter+maple+and+hosta.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cOSLB5-FqYI/UqFwCtcY1aI/AAAAAAAAFoc/WNgIg1-lBtw/s640/autumn+winter+maple+and+hosta.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--zjwx6CFHMs/UqFwmG67ZTI/AAAAAAAAFoo/g6ZJXs8alvg/s1600/autumn+maple+leaves.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--zjwx6CFHMs/UqFwmG67ZTI/AAAAAAAAFoo/g6ZJXs8alvg/s640/autumn+maple+leaves.JPG" width="424" /> </a></div>
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I wish I had taken a picture of the tree when all the leaves were still clinging to the branches. Blanketing the ground, though, they're just as glorious.</div>
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We give thanks to the Earth and to Opa: Master Gardener Extraordinaire.</div>
<br />dionnehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09497484383187301021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6976159762979195465.post-28683517892668422002013-11-12T21:58:00.000-08:002013-12-16T22:41:24.025-08:00where the columbia meets the pacificLast weekend we took a little family day and headed out to Astoria on the Oregon Coast. We'd never really explored this town before. As usual, we had some <a href="http://www.atlasquest.com/results.html?gTypeId=1;sort=5;status=9;subFlags=184;title=Astoria%2C+OR+%2815+mi%29;coord=46.1897947954,-123.833941219;rad=15;location=astoria%2C+or" target="_blank">letterbox clues</a> to guide us to some fantastic locales.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-stiOoYzojpM/UoRkiU2FBFI/AAAAAAAAFks/WS3eIBHoJSY/s1600/coxcomb+hill+astoria+column.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-stiOoYzojpM/UoRkiU2FBFI/AAAAAAAAFks/WS3eIBHoJSY/s640/coxcomb+hill+astoria+column.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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At 600 feet above sea level, Coxcomb Hill is Astoria's highest point. It has some really amazing views and is home to the Astoria Column.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CycfjQCFekY/UoRk2ehsB4I/AAAAAAAAFk8/OeeDrILFCvc/s1600/astoria+column.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CycfjQCFekY/UoRk2ehsB4I/AAAAAAAAFk8/OeeDrILFCvc/s640/astoria+column.JPG" width="424" /></a></div>
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"The story behind the Column,
its deterioration and rescue by the Friends of Astoria Column, rivals
the history it depicts." (from <a href="http://astoriacolumn.org/">AstoriaColumn.org</a>)<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y1KGJj763Pw/UoRmEZ0FFDI/AAAAAAAAFlw/ZVeWl9dG9lk/s1600/view+from+astoria+column.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y1KGJj763Pw/UoRmEZ0FFDI/AAAAAAAAFlw/ZVeWl9dG9lk/s640/view+from+astoria+column.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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In addition to the history lessons and the awe inspiring views available here, one can purchase these fun balsa wood gliders for $1 at the gift shop and throw them off the top of the tower or down the grassy hill.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tbKMh9C4PwE/UoRkwzQ8DXI/AAAAAAAAFk0/CVxwHPZpR94/s1600/gliders+from+coxcomb+hill.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tbKMh9C4PwE/UoRkwzQ8DXI/AAAAAAAAFk0/CVxwHPZpR94/s640/gliders+from+coxcomb+hill.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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The woman at the shop said this now commonplace tourist activity began as a fundraiser and also as a way to keep people from throwing other things off of the tower... like bowling balls. (Apparently, before the renovations and prior to the ground around the tower being cemented, the locals used to do this to see how far the balls would imbed themselves into the earth.)<br />
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We had a blast with just our little gliders for a couple of hours. <br />
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After a beautiful morning at the tower we crossed the Columbia from Oregon to Washington on the Astoria-Megler Bridge (the longest continuous-truss bridge in North America). After driving up Hwy 101 we spent the rest of our afternoon at Cape Disappointment State Park.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--MdxphgPCWg/UoRlICvunYI/AAAAAAAAFlM/QRSXUHbesEA/s1600/cape+disappointment.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--MdxphgPCWg/UoRlICvunYI/AAAAAAAAFlM/QRSXUHbesEA/s640/cape+disappointment.JPG" width="424" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0Zt4h84YVGk/UoRlSY-ZKHI/AAAAAAAAFlU/X4fpTMFjr2U/s1600/cape+disappointment+lighthouse.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0Zt4h84YVGk/UoRlSY-ZKHI/AAAAAAAAFlU/X4fpTMFjr2U/s640/cape+disappointment+lighthouse.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NbFhZa4RDPc/UoRlSn2OVOI/AAAAAAAAFlY/DOPnD5FkBPU/s1600/dead+mans+cove+cape+disappointment.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NbFhZa4RDPc/UoRlSn2OVOI/AAAAAAAAFlY/DOPnD5FkBPU/s640/dead+mans+cove+cape+disappointment.JPG" width="424" /></a></div>
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The coast of Washington might just rival that of our home state.<br />
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It was an on-again, off-again, overcast, glorious day.<br />
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<br />dionnehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09497484383187301021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6976159762979195465.post-29600817518770000492013-11-07T22:17:00.000-08:002013-12-16T21:44:41.624-08:00autumn garlandAs in year's past, we've been collecting all the gorgeous colors of Autumn on our occasional nature walks. We dipped our leaves in our crock pot of bees wax and, this time around, strung them together to display all their glory.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CVJeZ5qub5s/UoRqxPvkhiI/AAAAAAAAFmY/hIqWa9eVtmo/s1600/IMGP2041.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CVJeZ5qub5s/UoRqxPvkhiI/AAAAAAAAFmY/hIqWa9eVtmo/s640/IMGP2041.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Oma and Opa's mantel was the perfect exhibition ground.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-T5ipTatv13E/UoRqxXzgHBI/AAAAAAAAFmk/wG50RUiLc0o/s1600/IMGP2044.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-T5ipTatv13E/UoRqxXzgHBI/AAAAAAAAFmk/wG50RUiLc0o/s640/IMGP2044.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />dionnehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09497484383187301021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6976159762979195465.post-6179568568344228452013-10-31T22:07:00.000-07:002013-12-16T21:41:15.587-08:00hallowe'en"Mommy, why do they call it a tutu?...<br />
Why don't they just call it a four?"<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6bRFrQRsr4U/UoRoEezMQ3I/AAAAAAAAFmA/LCUxHhawJJo/s1600/13-1030-6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="442" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6bRFrQRsr4U/UoRoEezMQ3I/AAAAAAAAFmA/LCUxHhawJJo/s640/13-1030-6.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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(And she hasn't even learned multiplication yet.)<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OUmjWHfgT-M/UoRpXUyEFYI/AAAAAAAAFmM/G8v8KWW4kQw/s1600/IMGP1990.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OUmjWHfgT-M/UoRpXUyEFYI/AAAAAAAAFmM/G8v8KWW4kQw/s640/IMGP1990.JPG" width="424" /></a></div>
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Happy Hallowe'en!</div>
dionnehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09497484383187301021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6976159762979195465.post-76978642296826287452013-10-13T00:26:00.000-07:002013-10-13T00:26:30.538-07:00our old beloved house<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<span style="color: black;">For over ten years I have loved this old house. We've made many changes over time, replacing most of the windows, adding skylights and a new roof, an entire bathroom (including claw foot tub) and the grand front porch. We've stripped the beautiful moulding, re-finished wooden floors, re-tiled the fireplace and re-painted every white wall that was here the day we moved in. In return, she's been quite good to us, considering she's over a hundred years old. </span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">We had talked about selling her for years. She's too big for us really. We're a family of three with one renter in the basement. We'd like less house and more yard; more room for Naiya to play and RUN. We'd like to be in a more neighborhood-y neighborhood. A quiet street maybe or, in our wilder dreams, on a tiny farm. So, we decided to take the plunge. We put her up for sale. </span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">She was snatched up in three days.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">At the moment, we're not sure where we'll end up. And so the adventure begins...</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">Farewell, old house. We're going to miss you...</span></div>
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Our basement apartment has helped us to afford our mortgage over the past decade and held close some dear friends.<br />
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Our back yard went through a number of incarnations over the years. It began as a rectangle of cement, weeds and chain link fence. Bits at a time we added raised beds, a play house, espaliar apple and pear trees, blueberry bushes, a pond (that came and went) and for three years hosted a small flock of hens. In the end, it was a delightful lush getaway with a crazy volunteer squash taking over a big chunk of lawn and all of a small raised bed...<br />
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Bye, bye garden. So long dear house. May you last one hundred more...<br />
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dionnehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09497484383187301021noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6976159762979195465.post-85906085458024565542013-10-12T21:38:00.000-07:002013-12-16T21:33:54.972-08:00harvest festivalYet another year of our lovely Harvest Festival. A story in pictures...<br />
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The Harvest Feast (brought indoors for fear of rain).<br />
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Come said the wind to the leaves one day</div>
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Come o'er the meadows and we will play</div>
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Put on your dresses of scarlet and gold</div>
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For summer is gone and the days grow cold </div>
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Blessings on your pumpkins dear friends. May Autumn find you all well.<br />
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<br />dionnehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09497484383187301021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6976159762979195465.post-10963325674973093032013-10-07T21:31:00.000-07:002013-12-16T22:43:19.348-08:00treasure yarnMy favorite of all the gifts Naiya received for her birthday was this beautiful wool treasure yarn.<br />
As it is unwound, tiny, magical gifts are revealed... <br />
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This one came from her dear friends and held shells, beads and little clay and glass figures. The tiniest beads were held inside on mini safety pins. <br />
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Being pretty excited myself, I let her unravel the entire thing.<br />
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At the heart of the ball was a sweet little heart.<br />
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The perfect, simple, useful gift to inspire hours of focused handwork, play and creativity.dionnehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09497484383187301021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6976159762979195465.post-6197200158258452952013-06-22T14:46:00.000-07:002013-06-25T15:50:52.881-07:00solstice celebrationYou know, the thing about having a strong rhythm in one's life is that, when it comes to blogging, one keeps rhythmically blogging about the same things each year, each season and each day. Forgive the constant repetition friends. We've just, you know, got this rhythm going...<br />
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Once again we gathered for a small Summer Solstice celebration with some of our dear Waldorf friends. The day was overcast but still festive and, as always, a gentle and enriching commemoration for this seasonal quarter turn.<br />
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Mostly these festivals are about the getting together and, for the children, the play! We adults hold the inner meaning in our hearts and plan a few games and crafty crafts for the kiddos but they just enjoy the fun of it all. So, we set the stage for joy and frolicking and also put out some <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Fimo-Assortment-blocks-assorted-colors/dp/B004BNGIF8" target="_blank">Fimo</a> oven fire clay. (I know... it looks like cheese. All the kids thought so too.) The children crafted little clay suns (and various other objects) that we later turned into refrigerator magnets for them to take home and display.<br />
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Then they were out in the grass, jumping on the trampouline and fishing for shells in the pool with their toes.<br />
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While they were distracted, Green Man crept into the yard...<br />
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He spoke his now traditional verse:</div>
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<i>"I am the Sun -</i></div>
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<i>And I bear with my might</i></div>
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<i>The earth by day, the earth by night.</i></div>
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<i>I hold her fast, and my gifts I bestow</i></div>
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<i>To everything on her, so that it may grow;</i></div>
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<i>Man and stone, flower and bee</i></div>
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<i>All receive their light from me.</i></div>
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<i>Open thy heart, dear child, to me,</i></div>
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<i>That we together one light may be."</i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> (by Ch Morgenstern from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Summer-Collection-Stories-Children-Kindergarten/dp/0946206473/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1340344465&sr=1-2&keywords=wynstones+press" target="_blank"><u>Summer</u></a> by Wynstones Press)</span></i></div>
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<i>"With these crowns and gifts of the earth, I knight you all princes and princesses of
the Summer. Together we'll hold the sun in our hearts to light the
world all year long..."</i><br />
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The little ones loved their shells and gorgeously warm and sunny stone orbs.<br />
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Some wore their crowns and a few sat with we grown-ups to weave some flowers into the ivy wreaths.<br />
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Of course there was a fire and a delicious pot luck feast.<br />
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And, as the season turned, we embraced the new summer rhythm of long days and warm nights, free time and unscheduled outings. <br />
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Welcome all (at least in the northern hemisphere) to afternoons lazing in the shade and enjoying bare feet on the grass. May the goodness and fullness of Summer fill your days.dionnehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09497484383187301021noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6976159762979195465.post-10778745076627967492013-06-20T16:44:00.000-07:002013-06-21T04:45:08.763-07:00the last of the spring showers?We spent most of the day inside making treats for the fairies and watching the dark, dark clouds dance a little dance overhead. Somehow Summer preparations in 60<b>°</b> weather don't feel quite right. We did make some sweet and tasty cookies and cakes though and, this time around, Naiya even delighted in fashioning that dough into a few fruity pies!<br />
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She set them out in the garden just so.<br />
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And with so many to offer, placed a few in their covered gazebo.<br />
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She made a couple of Ojo de Dios as a gift for the Queen.<br />
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And cried when Pippin sampled her beautiful display. <br />
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I told her I thought the fairies would likely not mind sharing with all the good living things who venture into our back yard so we went inside to tidy...<br />
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And then the sky opened up and the rain began to fall. <br />
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Such is Mother Nature with her own sort of magic.<br />
We covered the treats tables with "skylight umbrellas" and all was well. We shall see what tomorrow brings...dionnehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09497484383187301021noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6976159762979195465.post-44166774284399715822013-06-20T10:03:00.000-07:002013-06-20T10:03:53.900-07:00midsummer's eve preparationsThere's a lot of Solstice preparation going on over here today. We woke and made the dough for mini cookies and cakes that we'll bake and decorate later to offer to the fairies who live in our back yard. We did this <a href="http://passengersonalittlespaceship.blogspot.com/2012/06/midsummers-eve.html" target="_blank">last year</a> and they seemed to really love it. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5PucEF9cS8w/UcMse0UNDXI/AAAAAAAAFYM/YMH_mS0jXsA/s1600/solstice-offering-to-elemental-fairies+.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5PucEF9cS8w/UcMse0UNDXI/AAAAAAAAFYM/YMH_mS0jXsA/s640/solstice-offering-to-elemental-fairies+.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(this is <a href="http://passengersonalittlespaceship.blogspot.com/2012/06/midsummers-eve.html" target="_blank">last year's</a> offering)</td></tr>
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Of course Naiya loved it too. <br />
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The recipe is very simple and for frosting I think we just used powdered sugar and food coloring:<br />
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<u>Simple Sugar Cookies</u><br />
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1 1/2 cups butter</div>
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2 cups sugar</div>
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4 eggs</div>
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1 tsp vanilla</div>
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5 cups flour</div>
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2 tsp baking powder</div>
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1 tsp salt</div>
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Cream the butter and sugar then add the eggs one at a time and mix. Stir in the vanilla. Combine the dry ingredients then add them to the sugar mixture. Mix until well blended. Cover and refrigerate the dough for at least an hour (or overnight). Roll the dough out quite thinly (perhaps 1/4"). Cut by hand or with <a href="http://www.joann.com/wilton-mini-metal-cookie-cutters-6pk-geometic-crinkle/zprd_05200977a/" target="_blank">these nifty mini cookie cutters</a>. Depending on thickness, bake at 400<b>°</b> for 5 - 8 minutes. Decorate, stack, fill and nibble as you please...</div>
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We've also just finished our newest fairie house. This one is actually for a <a href="http://passengersonalittlespaceship.blogspot.com/p/letterbox-clues.html" target="_blank">letterboxing</a> gathering we're attending but leaving out treats and gifts for local fairies is a fun way to celebrate the change of season with children I think. This house is a temporary letterboxing "box" (that will only be up for the day) and the stamp will sit inside. We didn't originally plan it this way, but when the logbook wouldn't fit in the tiny door, we made the book the welcome mat! (This tiny wooden house was purchased at Joann Crafts and with a glue gun, watercolor and natural goodness found in our backyard, we transformed it into its fancier camouflaged state in no time at all.)</div>
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Finally, since Green Man was such a hit at <a href="http://passengersonalittlespaceship.blogspot.com/2012/06/summer-solstice.html" target="_blank">last year's Summer Solstice celebration</a>, we're hoping for a visit from him again this year. It's amazing what one can do with silk leaves and a glue gun...<br />
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Man, I love me a good glue gun. <br />
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We're still running around frantic with sausages to pick up, camping supplies to sort through and some secret mama work to do... It seems that Green Man could use some assistance in fashioning ivy crowns for the wee ones for tomorrow afternoon.<br />
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I hope all of your seasonal festivities are bringing joy and wonder for <i>you</i> and <i>your</i> wee'ns. We're hoping Father Sun will actually make an appearance to help us celebrate the first glorious day of Summer. Perhaps you can dance us a little dance or sing a little song to help us encourage him to visit...<br />
<br />dionnehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09497484383187301021noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6976159762979195465.post-6922227970940981012013-06-12T18:13:00.003-07:002013-06-12T18:15:16.692-07:00monster mouthAfter <a href="http://passengersonalittlespaceship.blogspot.com/2013/06/number-three.html" target="_blank">that third one</a> lost its place she woke up, looked in the mirror and came running gleefully into the bathroom where I was slowly coming to life as I splashed water on my face.<br />
"I look like a MONSTER!!" she joyfully exclaimed.<br />
She couldn't be happier.<br />
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The one remaining front tooth seems to have crept over to the middle (perhaps searching out its recently departed twin). Today it's just hanging by a thread. Not for long methinks...<br />
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Not for long.dionnehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09497484383187301021noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6976159762979195465.post-54788516250394231382013-06-10T09:14:00.000-07:002013-06-10T09:14:48.165-07:00number three<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JemahL03H94/UbX5fSbdLtI/AAAAAAAAFXY/dpUNXgNRf7E/s1600/IMGP1281.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JemahL03H94/UbX5fSbdLtI/AAAAAAAAFXY/dpUNXgNRf7E/s640/IMGP1281.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Ever seen a kid look so crazy happy with a bloody mouth? This shot was taken about a minute after that tooth was yanked free with the help of a little corn on the cob last night. She couldn't wait for school today to tell her classmates and teacher. It's like there's some kind of competition going on in her kindergarten class. I have more than once walked in and seen them with their fingers in a friends mouth trying to help them along. One child tells me, "ALL my teeth are wiggly!" (In reality I think none of them are and he can't bear the thought of that.) This one of Naiya's has been loose since the beginning of the school year. It only took 9 months to finally find its way to freedom. Oh, the ecstasy! dionnehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09497484383187301021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6976159762979195465.post-22093729469591787242013-06-09T11:01:00.000-07:002013-06-09T12:14:58.305-07:00in the gardenIn the Spring and Summer we spend a lot of time with Naiya in the back yard. A lot of our afternoons are spent playing with the <a href="http://passengersonalittlespaceship.blogspot.com/search/label/fairy%20fairies" target="_blank">fairies</a>, in the <a href="http://passengersonalittlespaceship.blogspot.com/2012/05/holy-smoke-why-havent-we-had-one-all.html" target="_blank">sandbox</a>, barbecuing, enjoying meals or gardening as a family. Naiya has her own little corners of the yard though that she has planted and maintains all by herself.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-W9q6pTH_OxQ/UbS87xGPHBI/AAAAAAAAFWY/1TnSE61NIoQ/s1600/children%27s+garden.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-W9q6pTH_OxQ/UbS87xGPHBI/AAAAAAAAFWY/1TnSE61NIoQ/s640/children%27s+garden.JPG" width="424" /></a></div>
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This area around her play house is filled with flowers and veggies she chose on her own. It's a mish mash display and with all the eating of the fennel leaves and picking of the most beautiful blossoms, I'm not sure how this area will fare through the season. (Which is, of course, totally alright, since her pleasure was its purpose from the outset.)<br />
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A pot on our table that Naiya calls her "special garden" has been dormant for months. She told me she had planted seeds there and when they started to poke out of the soil I wasn't sure that weeds hadn't simply found a foothold in her little patch of wonder. When they grew taller, they looked a little less weedy (but were still mysterious) and just this morning these poppies opened up.<br />
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Sometimes daddy brings plants home from work for her, because they're a little weird or especially fancy.<br />
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Inside the house we often find flies in the windowsills. Other crawly critters meet their demise out of doors for any number of reasons and our daughter often discovers these bodies in both locales. We have tried to instill a reverence for all life (even the most pesky) in Naiya so when she asked what to do with these bodies I told her returning them to the earth might be nice. She's had this area for years but only recently asked me to write out some markers for the tiny beings resting there.<br />
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<br />dionnehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09497484383187301021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6976159762979195465.post-80276291130680197652013-05-05T11:08:00.000-07:002013-05-05T23:28:16.086-07:00may faireI've written a few times (<a href="http://passengersonalittlespaceship.blogspot.com/2011/05/may-faire.html" target="_blank">here</a>, <a href="http://passengersonalittlespaceship.blogspot.com/2012/05/may-faire.html" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="http://passengersonalittlespaceship.blogspot.com/2010/05/may-faire.html" target="_blank">here</a>) about the May Faire at Naiya's Waldorf school. It's my favorite of the seasonal celebrations held there and was a special treat this time around because of the amazingly warm weather that seemed to bring record numbers of community members out to join in the festivities.<br />
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The Queen and her court shared Spring's bounty of flowers with the children before their procession to the May Pole. <br />
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As always, the day was filled with music, dance, delicious food and wholesome activities for the whole family.<br />
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I didn't photograph most of them but this year the classes hosted a number of fun booths including paper boat making and races down the creek, the fashioning of fairie rings, garland braiding, a paper butterfly craft, a cake walk, a "Better Gnomes and Gardens" ring toss, fishing for stones with feet in the wading pool, bean bag tossing and pole fishing for all manner of undersea prizes. <br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pywX1tCCUTM/UYdI0gWxUaI/AAAAAAAAFTo/hTJLbsCgcOs/s1600/garlanded+hair+at+may+faire+festival.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pywX1tCCUTM/UYdI0gWxUaI/AAAAAAAAFTo/hTJLbsCgcOs/s640/garlanded+hair+at+may+faire+festival.JPG" width="424" /></a></div>
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By day's end we were worn out and, with what seems a precursor to some illness, Naiya's voice was nowhere to be found. She was tuckered and fell asleep early and easily. <br />
<br />
Yet another Spring welcomed in good company on a glorious day.<br />
dionnehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09497484383187301021noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6976159762979195465.post-10835831600526764122013-05-04T09:51:00.000-07:002013-05-05T22:07:10.075-07:00may day hair garlandEach year for May Day and for the May Faire at Naiya's school we have been putting together hair garlands to lend a bit of natural decor to our festival garb and liven up our merry making. I've even posted a garland tutorial. (Click <a href="http://passengersonalittlespaceship.blogspot.com/2011/05/fresh-flower-garlands.html" target="_blank">here</a> if you're interested in checking it out.)<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EcRaBy0-WpA/UYc51sDw7iI/AAAAAAAAFSc/abfym6KJi0g/s1600/may+day+hair+garland+tutorial+how-to.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EcRaBy0-WpA/UYc51sDw7iI/AAAAAAAAFSc/abfym6KJi0g/s400/may+day+hair+garland+tutorial+how-to.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Often, however, these coronets stay in place for a picture or two and then end up on our gathering blanket to wilt in the afternoon sun. They're lovely and Naiya and I both enjoy putting them together but, she complains, they can be a bit cumbersome and, especially for active children, not really that practical.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-O_WYmeuIHpk/UYc07qxRUPI/AAAAAAAAFSA/UbQGOHLmzMQ/s1600/flowers+in+childs+hair+for+may+day+faire.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-O_WYmeuIHpk/UYc07qxRUPI/AAAAAAAAFSA/UbQGOHLmzMQ/s640/flowers+in+childs+hair+for+may+day+faire.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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That's why this year we decided to try something new. What you see in the photo above looks like a garland but is, in fact, just a series of hair clips holding little bunches of flowers onto her hair in a circle round her head!<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-I9p3SRqO5VE/UYc1jPpoI_I/AAAAAAAAFSI/saU5FmecNvo/s1600/may+day+fair+flower+garland+for+child+girl+hair.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-I9p3SRqO5VE/UYc1jPpoI_I/AAAAAAAAFSI/saU5FmecNvo/s640/may+day+fair+flower+garland+for+child+girl+hair.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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To make it, I pulled a little hair back from the front of Naiya's head, made a braid on each side and bound the the two plaits in the back. I then gathered very small flowers into two-ended bunches and clipped them onto the braid in the middle. She has five clusters round her crown with the largest in the back covering the band where the braids meet.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pbYL7pOT-Xk/UYc1xqd294I/AAAAAAAAFSQ/zMFiDi6pWM0/s1600/may+day+hair+garland+alternative.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pbYL7pOT-Xk/UYc1xqd294I/AAAAAAAAFSQ/zMFiDi6pWM0/s640/may+day+hair+garland+alternative.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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She loved her "garland" this time around and it stayed in place until her night-time bath. No wires. No floral tape. No complaining. And put together in about 4 minutes. I don't know that we'll ever make a proper garland again!dionnehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09497484383187301021noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6976159762979195465.post-26561922740933303902013-05-03T21:06:00.000-07:002013-05-05T21:06:27.330-07:00screen-free week: gardening<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HLqNmNMbXJ4/UYcq0qofKCI/AAAAAAAAFRo/YraHUh4-rf8/s1600/gardening+with+children.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HLqNmNMbXJ4/UYcq0qofKCI/AAAAAAAAFRo/YraHUh4-rf8/s640/gardening+with+children.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Planting a garden is yet another wonderful way to encourage children and families to unplug during screen-free week. Working out doors with living things in an herb or veggie garden allows children to see how some of their food grows and feel a connection between the earth and themselves. (It can also cut down on grocery bills!) A flower garden or butterfly garden likewise create connections between our families and the earth as we experience budding, growth, blossoming and decay through the seasons.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>In my garden there is a seed,</i></div>
<i>
</i><div style="text-align: center;">
<i>
I am the one who put it there.</i></div>
<i>
</i><div style="text-align: center;">
<i>
Who will help it now to grow?</i></div>
<i>
</i><div style="text-align: center;">
<i>
Earth and sun and rain and air.</i></div>
<i>
</i><div style="text-align: center;">
<i>
In my garden there is a flower,</i></div>
<i>
</i><div style="text-align: center;">
<i>
From a seed it came to birth.</i></div>
<i>
</i><div style="text-align: center;">
<i>
Who then helped it to grow so tall?</i></div>
<i>
</i><div style="text-align: center;">
<i>
Air and rain and sun and earth.</i></div>
dionnehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09497484383187301021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6976159762979195465.post-41866318837312593782013-05-02T18:51:00.000-07:002013-05-05T23:53:29.788-07:00screen-free week: play dough<div style="text-align: center;">
Painting, drawing, sculpting and crafts of all kinds are great ways to give children</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
a creative but focused outlet for their imaginations. </div>
<br />
Many parents find that meal preparation times are an especially difficult hour to keep kids occupied and free of screens. When having children help with cooking is not an option, dough modeling can be a fun way to engage a child’s hands, heart and mind while parents are busy.<br />
<br />
Every child loves to shape malleable materials and children can parallel adult kitchen activities by pretending to bake and cook or they can use whatever inspires them to sculpt shapes, figures and even tell stories through the medium of dough.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
I can make it </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
You will see </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I roll and squeeze </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Then one, two, three </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
From my hands </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Something will grow </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
What it will be </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I don’t yet know...<br />
a castle... </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
an elephant...<br />
a spider... </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
a vase... </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
a flower...<br />
a snake... </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
a cave... </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
a tree...<br />
what will it be? </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
what will it be?</div>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i> “Children love to practice rolling out with a
rolling pin and cutting shapes with cookie cutters. I have a collection
of small animal- shaped cookie cutters, and after they have rolled and
cut a few, I then encourage the children to play with them at the table.
They can roll a little more play dough to make fences, or a barn, or
nests. This encourages them to use their hand- dexterity in service of
their imaginative skills. Great training for life!”</i><br />
<i> - from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Heaven-Earth-Handbook-Parents-Children/dp/0880105666" target="_blank"><u>Heaven on Earth</u></a> by Sharifa Oppenheimer</i></blockquote>
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<br />
<br />
To make your own play dough, try this easy recipe:<br />
<br />
<b><u>Play Dough</u></b><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
1 cup flour<br />
1 cup water<br />
1/3 cup salt<br />
2 Tblsp. cream of tartar<br />
1 Tblsp. vegetable oil <br />
food coloring </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-RKtfZiUuDQs/TX7BitfhACI/AAAAAAAAA1w/d1PM8ZmwRAc/s1600/how-to-make-play-dough-1.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-RKtfZiUuDQs/TX7BitfhACI/AAAAAAAAA1w/d1PM8ZmwRAc/s200/how-to-make-play-dough-1.JPG" width="200" /></a>In a medium sized pot mix flour, salt and cream of tartar. Add water and oil. Stir over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes.<br />
<br />
Once the dough forms a ball, remove from heat and allow it to cool. Once cool, knead the dough on a floured surface. <br />
That's it! You've got play dough! If you'd like to add some color...<br />
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Ud-UKQ-BtUE/TX7BlvN2hbI/AAAAAAAAA10/vdEbLEznB9Y/s1600/how-to-make-play-dough-2.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="131" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Ud-UKQ-BtUE/TX7BlvN2hbI/AAAAAAAAA10/vdEbLEznB9Y/s200/how-to-make-play-dough-2.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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Separate into various balls (depending on how much of each color you
would like). Indent each ball and drop food coloring into indentation.
(For the colors seen here I used 10 drops.)<br />
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Knead until the color is distributed evenly throughout the dough. Once the
coloring is mixed into the dough it will, oddly, not stain hands or
surfaces. (During the initial kneading, however, watch those clothes, countertops and hands!) <br />
<br />
Store in an airtight container or sealed plastic bag.
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<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>“Artistic expression is an essential element of a balanced “diet”
of experience for our young children. In artistic work, we accomplish
two essential tasks of childhood: the training of the hand and the
training of the heart. Together these lay a firm foundation for the
training of the mind.”</i><br />
<i> - from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Heaven-Earth-Handbook-Parents-Children/dp/0880105666" target="_blank">Heaven on Earth</a> by Sharifa Oppenheimer</i></blockquote>
dionnehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09497484383187301021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6976159762979195465.post-24261041693310014912013-05-01T21:37:00.000-07:002013-05-01T21:37:00.862-07:00may dayThey're back! Just as in <a href="http://passengersonalittlespaceship.blogspot.com/search/label/may%20day" target="_blank">years past</a>, the fairies have chosen today to return in full force and our back yard Queen left Naiya a beautiful bouquet and a sweet gift on the step.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_khY00K6BsU/UYHrqM6kEeI/AAAAAAAAFQY/LZKYJD0beP8/s1600/back+step+gift+from+fairy+fairie+queen.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_khY00K6BsU/UYHrqM6kEeI/AAAAAAAAFQY/LZKYJD0beP8/s640/back+step+gift+from+fairy+fairie+queen.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span>Let us take our baskets early<br />
To the meadows green,<br />
While the wild-flowers still are pearly<br />
With the dewdrops' sheen. </span><br />
<span>Fill them full of blossoms rosy,<br />
Violets sweet and gay<br />
Cowslips, every pretty posy<br />
Welcoming the May. </span><br />
<span>Then our lovely loads we'll carry<br />
Down the village street,<br />
On each door, with laughter merry,<br />
Hang a basket sweet. </span><br />
<span>Hey-a-day-day! It is spring now,<br />
Lazy folks, awake!<br />
See the pretty things we bring now<br />
For the May-day's sake!</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> <i><span style="font-size: xx-small;">-Evaleen Stein </span></i></span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-F9hAVEdL-8Y/UYHsisjClAI/AAAAAAAAFQo/HFNUV89PDsU/s1600/new+fairy+fairie+may+pole.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-F9hAVEdL-8Y/UYHsisjClAI/AAAAAAAAFQo/HFNUV89PDsU/s640/new+fairy+fairie+may+pole.JPG" width="424" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A most merry May Day to all!</span></span></span><i><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></i></span></div>
dionnehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09497484383187301021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6976159762979195465.post-69904428188203387562013-05-01T20:59:00.000-07:002013-05-05T21:08:02.119-07:00screen-free week: storytelling“Story-telling is almost the oldest art in the world - the first conscious form of literacy communication.” <span style="font-size: x-small;"> - Marie L. Shedlock, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Art-Story-Teller-Marie-L-Shedlock/dp/0486206351" target="_blank"><u>The Art of the Story-Teller</u></a> </span><br />
<br />
For today's Screen-Free Week hand-out we provided copies of a sweet tale called "The Bubble Story" from the Wynstones Press book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Summer-Collection-Stories-Children-Kindergarten/dp/0946206473" target="_blank"><u>Summer</u></a> as our take home activity. Along with the story was this short list of great storytelling resource materials for very young children:<br />
(We're providing these materials primarily for children of pre-school and kindergarten age.) <br />
<ul>
<li>From Wynstones Press, a series of six books containing poems, songs and stories for young children: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Spring-Collection-Stories-Children-Kindergarten/dp/0946206465" target="_blank"><u>Spring</u></a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Summer-Collection-Stories-Children-Kindergarten/dp/0946206473" target="_blank"><u>Summer</u></a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Autumn-Collection-Stories-Children-Kindergarten/dp/0946206481" target="_blank"><u>Autumn</u></a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Winter-Collection-Stories-Children-Kindergarten/dp/094620649X" target="_blank"><u>Winter</u></a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Spindrift-Jennifer-Aulie/dp/0946206503" target="_blank"><u>Spindrift</u></a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Gateways-Birthdays-Fairytales-Collection-Kindergarten/dp/0946206511" target="_blank"><u>Gateways</u></a> </li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Complete-Grimms-Fairy-Tales/dp/1440458316" target="_blank"><u>The Complete Grimmʼs Fairy Tales</u></a> various collections available </li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/English-Fairy-Tales-Joseph-Jacobs/dp/1448676053" target="_blank"><u>English Fairy Tales</u></a> by Joseph Jacobs</li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Seven-Year-Old-Wonder-Book-Isabel-Wyatt/dp/0863155278" target="_blank"><u>Seven-Year-Old-Wonder Book</u></a> by Isabel Wyatt </li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tales-Tiptoes-Lightly-Reg-Down/dp/1453806342" target="_blank"><u>The Tales of Tiptoes Lightly</u></a> by Reg Down </li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Donsy-Gnomes-Gentle-Gnome-Stories/dp/1616232439" target="_blank"><u>A Donsy of Gnomes, 7 Gentle Gnome Stories</u></a> by Sieglinde De Francesca Healing </li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Healing-Stories-Challenging-Behaviour-Perrow/dp/1903458781" target="_blank"><u>Stories for Challenging Behaviour</u></a> by Susan Perrow<u> </u></li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Storytelling-Children-Nancy-Mellon/dp/1903458080" target="_blank"><u>Storytelling with Children</u></a> by Nancy Mellon </li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Storytelling-Art-Imagination-Nancy-Mellon/dp/0938756664" target="_blank"><u>Storytelling & the Art of Imagination</u></a> by Nancy Mellon </li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Wisdom-Fairy-Tales-Rudolf-Meyer/dp/0863152082/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1367465761&sr=1-1&keywords=wisdom+of+fairytales" target="_blank"><u>The Wisdom of Fairytales</u></a> by Rudolf Meyer</li>
</ul>
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What better way to fill our screen-free time than with the endlessly imaginative world of stories? As entertainment goes, listening to and reading stories are probably the most parallel replacements of television shows and movies that weʼll find. Not only do stories serve as fanciful diversions, they likewise help children develop concentration, memory, creativity, literacy, morality and verbal communication skills. They also aid developing people of all ages in understanding both their inner and the outer world.<br />
<br />
One very important element of Waldorf Education in the early childhood years is the fostering of a childʼs creativity and imagination. It does this, not through providing fantastic stories that excite children, but rather through creating an environment which allows and encourages a child to exercise the parts of his or her being needed for life-long creativity and original thought. To do this, the child must be inwardly active. This is accomplished when the child must, out of her own inner picturing, create what the “castle” or “princess” or “dragon” is.<br />
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When images are supplied for children, we rob them of the opportunity of creating them themselves. Even illustrations in books take away from the childʼs exercising of her image- forming capacities. But with illustrations at least the child must bring those pictures into movement using her imagination. In video form, the pictures that move by themselves can actually hamper a childʼs development.<br />
<br />
Stories, of course, come in all shapes and sizes ranging from simple incident narratives to exceedingly complex, interweaving machinations. Of course, stories will be different for each of the changing stages of a childʼs development, but there are endless supplies of books, anthologies and real life experiences that can be the source of tales told as we sit enjoying quality time together.<br />
We can read stories from books, perform them as simple puppet shows or even act them out. Remember that our own lives, personal history and imagination are some of the greatest story resources we have. <br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></blockquote>
<blockquote>
<br />
“One of our most human capacities is the ability, as well as the need, to create stories. It is through the medium of story that we make meanings of our life. We each have our own personal story, which dynamically changes as our understanding and integration expand. Bruno Bettelheim tells us that the young child achieves “understanding, and with it the ability to cope, not through rational comprehension... but by becoming familiar with (life) through spinning out daydreams - ruminating, rearranging, and fantasizing about suitable story elements in response to... [life] pressures.”<br />
Through the use of story, we can give our children powerful tools necessary to make sense of their lives. Stories offer our children examples of solutions for the difficulties they will encounter as they grow and develop. They also image for our children various qualities of character that will aid them in these difficulties. These images can lay a foundation of strength that will serve them for a lifetime...<br />
Not only does the realm of story help growing children make sense of their inner experience, it can help them understand the way the outer world works, as well...””<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> - from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Heaven-Earth-Handbook-Parents-Children/dp/0880105666" target="_blank"><u>Heaven on Earth, A Handbook for Parents of Young Children</u></a> by Sharifa Oppenheimer </span><br />
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“In his book A is for Ox, Professor Barry Sanders develops the thesis that true literacy, and the ability to reflect upon oneʼs self and oneʼs actions, which it encourages, can only be based upon a firm foundation of oral language. His book provides a fascinating and cogent argument why, as he states, “The teaching of literacy has to be founded on a curriculum of song, dance, play, and joking, coupled with improvisation and recitation. Students need to hear stories either made up or read aloud. They need to make them up themselves or try to retell them in their own words... He also shows that this continuing emphasis on the spoken word in schools needs to be built upon the oral foundation provided by the parents in the home, through conversation, singing, nursery rhymes and stories...”<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> - from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/You-Your-Childs-First-Teacher/dp/0890879672/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1367465699&sr=1-2&keywords=you+are+your+child%27s+first+teacher" target="_blank"><u>You Are Your Childʼs First Teacher</u></a> by Rahima Baldwin Dancy</span></blockquote>
dionnehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09497484383187301021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6976159762979195465.post-27538777285469671802013-04-30T20:07:00.000-07:002013-05-05T21:07:47.885-07:00screen free week: letterboxing<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RN6iRlllhno/UX8xfwbx7BI/AAAAAAAAFPY/OX0nqkfDJjI/s1600/SFW-logo-with-2013-date.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="153" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RN6iRlllhno/UX8xfwbx7BI/AAAAAAAAFPY/OX0nqkfDJjI/s320/SFW-logo-with-2013-date.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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As I mentioned yesterday, we're celebrating Screen-Free Week at Naiya's Waldorf school. It's a bit odd actually since one of the tenets of early childhood Waldorf education is to maintain an almost completely screen-free environment for all the children. Like us, many families have exposed their kids to little or no tv, movies, computer screens, video games, ipads or cell phones and likely won't until they're 9 or 10. <br />
Yup, we're those people. <br />
Feel free to run screaming from our nuttiness at any time you choose.<br />
There are folks at our school for whom being screen-free isn't a regular practice however. A lot of them are new to Waldorf education or just struggle with (or oppose) the concept for various reasons. Since we've not had screens in out daughter's life from the beginning and we're not big screen folks ourselves (other than internet usage and blogging :), having a young child who doesn't watch movies, tv or use a smart phone for anything is pretty easy for us. (I think it's a lot harder if screens have previously been in your life and then you try to give them up. Kuddos to all those struggling with that transition!) We don't really miss screens and spend a lot of time making crafts, telling stories, gardening, doing chores and exploring nature. Others struggle though to reduce screen-time or to understand why they should. It can be hard to wrap your head around. That's why we're sharing information and ideas by celebrating this campaign, and today we're hosting a play date to help inspire families to enjoy the out of doors (a fantastic way to replace screen time) in new and interesting ways. <br />
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About two years ago our family discovered <b>Letterboxing</b> and that has become a big part of <i>our</i> outdoor family time. <br />
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But what <i>IS</i> Letterboxing you ask?</div>
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For those unfamiliar with this fun and interesting pastime, Letterboxing
is an intriguing outdoor hobby combining elements of art, puzzle
solving, orienteering and exploring and is great fun for children and
adults alike. It originated in the 1850's in England but has morphed
over the centuries into a worldwide, more modern sort of game wherein
seekers follow clues (found on various websites, through local clubs or
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Each box contains a logbook and rubber stamp and explorers likewise carry a stamp and logbook when out on a quest. When a letterbox is discovered, finders make an imprint of the letterbox's stamp in their book and leave their personal impression, the date and perhaps a small note in the letterbox's visitor's book. The rubber stamps are most often hand carved and can be amazingly intricate and beautiful. The clues range from very straightforward directions telling one exactly where to go to complicated puzzles or riddles that offer only vague inferences to a box’s locale.<br />
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It’s like a treasure hunt where the treasure is both taken and left behind! (It’s also a little like geocaching if you’ve heard of that but with more artistic flair and no plastic trinkets.) It’s also a great way to find beautiful places when on a road trip or visiting out-of-town relatives or friends.<br />
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For our Screen-Free Week play date, we planted three letterboxes in a local park and handed out logbooks, stamps (store bought) and clues to those who came to join us for the day. We'll not post those clues here since we pulled them after the event but for those interested in trying out letterboxing in your local community we'd suggest checking out the <a href="http://www.atlasquest.com/" target="_blank">Atlasquest</a> or <a href="http://www.letterboxing.org/" target="_blank">Letterboxing North America</a> websites. Both are filled with tutorials, tips and thousands of clues to boxes hidden all over the world. There's probably a letterbox near you! (If not, maybe you can plant one!) Why not join the letterbox community and enjoy some great screen-free fun?dionnehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09497484383187301021noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6976159762979195465.post-65267852185674637312013-04-29T12:22:00.001-07:002013-05-06T15:32:13.689-07:00screen free week: clothespin airplanes craftToday marks the first day of <a href="http://www.commercialfreechildhood.org/screenfreeweek" target="_blank">Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood's SCREEN-FREE WEEK</a>.<br />
"On April 29 - May 5, people around the country (and world!) will turn OFF
TV, video and mobile games, and other screens they use for
entertainment, and turn ON the world around them!"<br />
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At Naiya's Waldorf school (where many families are already screen-free all year) I'm once again helping to organize some little activities and offerings in the Early Childhood classes to coincide with this national week of recognition. I thought I'd share our goings on here each day as we offer up crafts, storytelling suggestions, play ideas and more.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(this is last year's hallway display but this year's is basically the same :)</td></tr>
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Today in the hall under our display we're offering little kits to make<b>...</b><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span><u><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Clothespin Airplanes</b></span></u><br />
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<u><span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4FVEK1vx03A/UYgvLFggwoI/AAAAAAAAFUQ/hNa3b3v6qfY/s1600/simple+clothespin+airplane+craft.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4FVEK1vx03A/UYgvLFggwoI/AAAAAAAAFUQ/hNa3b3v6qfY/s320/simple+clothespin+airplane+craft.JPG" width="320" /></a></b></span></u></div>
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<i> We will build a plane and soar </i></div>
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<i> Over woodland, sea and shore </i></div>
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<i> Over woodland, sea and shore</i></div>
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<i> And fly back to you once more</i><br />
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Simple crafts are a great alternative to screen time and offer a wonderful opportunity for parents and children to learn something new and create something together.<br />
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This super simple clothespin and popsicle stick airplane can be made by parents or children and then decorated in myriad colors and patterns with crayons, paint, colored pencils, pens or even strips of tape. Try personalizing each plane with a child’s name or attaching a magnet to the bottom and use it as a handy refrigerator magnet clip!<br />
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In addition to a clothespin, two large and one small popsicle stick, you will need some kind of glue. Craft glue, white glue or even hot glue all work fine.<br />
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There’s not much to it really. About a half an inch behind the nose (the clipping end of the clothespin) glue one of the larger popsicle sticks to the top of the pin then glue the other directly underneath it on the opposite side.<br />
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Glue the tail piece about a quarter inch from the tail end of the clip and you’ve got yourself an airplane!<br />
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After your plane has dried, decorate or embellish in any way you choose.<br />
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For lots of other craft ideas for you and your children check out the many ideas under the "<a href="http://passengersonalittlespaceship.blogspot.com/search/label/crafty%20craft" target="_blank">crafty craft</a>" label. Enjoy! dionnehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09497484383187301021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6976159762979195465.post-20537634135986750792013-04-21T22:34:00.000-07:002013-04-28T22:41:10.496-07:00annual tulip festEvery year at just this time we glory in the bright, fresh colors of spring at home.<br />
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Then our display is sadly eclipsed when we take our annual trip to the ever extravagant <a href="http://www.woodenshoe.com/" target="_blank">Tulip Fest</a> at Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm in Woodburn, Oregon.<br />
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Right?<br />
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This year was a tad overcast so we didn't get those glorious shots with the beautiful blue sky but the fields were, as always, amazing.<br />
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It just puts our little patch of sunshine at home to shame.<br />
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Naiya also enjoyed some of the activities available for kids including a bouncy house, trampoline bungee jumping, water pump duck races and a bit of carving of some ol' wooden shoes.<br />
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Somehow we missed her favorite Cow Train this time around but did sneak in a serving of cotton candy and enjoyed a fine Oregon Spring day.<br />
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The Festival is on until May 5th. If you're a local, you've still got time!dionnehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09497484383187301021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6976159762979195465.post-19785604293362850782013-04-04T22:02:00.000-07:002013-04-29T21:51:39.821-07:00felted wool wall hangingMuch like <a href="http://passengersonalittlespaceship.blogspot.com/2012/03/waldorf-felted-wall-hanging.html">last year</a>, this year Naiya's kindergarten class, teachers and parents created another beautiful felted wool wall hanging to donate to the school auction. The children helped make the flowers and also enjoyed a lot of the wet felting.<br />
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This time around one of the parents (thanks Jennifer!) added some
gorgeous touches of embroidery with both machine and hand stitching...<br />
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dionnehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09497484383187301021noreply@blogger.com0