Blowing Winds... Cracking Limbs... New Toys

This evening I am sitting on my deck listening to the soft chirps of robins and finches in our willow tree.  Within the hour, they will settle down for the evening.  The scene was quite different just a few days ago when the willow branches were whipping in the wind as a fierce storm moved through our area causing damage & frustration from to power outages and uprooted trees.

Having two young sons, when I see the downed branches, I see opportunity for imaginative play, creative building, and toy making.  Our home is strewn with bits of wood, some for our nature table, others make great swords, and others wait for a rubber band to turn into a hero's slingshot.

My in-laws live in upper rural Connecticut on forested property.  We often come back from a visit filling our car with wood limbs, rocks or little items for the nature table.  After our last visit, we came home with a pile of birch limbs with which little Shane made a shelf.  We also came home with one of our favorite homemade wood toys made by my father in-law: Walking Stilts.  

To build stilts, all you need are round branch cuts and two six foot cuts of  rope.
We cut a birch trunk 3 inches tall & 4 inches in diameter to make the stilts.

-Drill holes 3 inches apart with a small drill bit.
-Using a larger drill bit over the small hole, drill in the bottom of the
stilt 1/4 inch so the knots of the rope do not stick out at the bottom.
-String the ends of the rope through each hole and tie them off.

There you are.  A fun new toy.
 Have your child put the ropes over their shoulders. 
(Tie them off at the top if the ropes are too long.)
Put their feet between the ropes on the stilts, hold the ropes, and take a walk.

Back Again

As I look over old posts, I realize just how long I have been out of the blogging world.  It was not entirely purposeful, I simply did not have the energy to post.  So many emotions have come my way over the past two months that I am quite exhausted.  Emotions ranging from profound grief at deep loss to unbridled joy at renewed love.  From sadness watching a loved one suffer to gratitude at seeing healing. It is true what the Proverb (13:12) says: "Hope deferred makes the heart grow weary, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life."


Some time ago I posted about Embracing Life.  Oh, how that is hard to do in the depths of suffering. During these times, I turned inward finding solace in the depth of my relationship with God, my husband, and family.  I am on the other side now and renewed.  (A fun-filled two week vacation certainly helped!)


To start off my return I will share our most recent addition to our summer nature table. A pile of Spanish Moss my sons found on our recent trip to Florida and Savannah.

The flower peg people took off their hats and, thanks to the help of
a certain three year old, frolicked in the Spanish Moss right away.

Transit of Venus

If you have young ones interested in space, don't miss the transit of Venus tomorrow evening.  Here on the east cost, Venus will cross the path of the sun beginning shortly after 6 pm.  Although it will appear as a tiny dot, it is a great time to explain to children how the planets move and how very far away they are.

Several museums are featuring the transit including The American Philosophical Society and Independence National Historical Park.

Needless to say, don't let your little ones look directly at the sun.  You can take a pair of binoculars, let the light of the sun pass through them onto a sidewalk.  if you look at the sunshine on the sidewalk, you will see a spot move across it - that would be the shadow of Venus.  :)

After heavy rains last night, our May Day has turned out to be fresh and sunny with a gentle breeze making the trees dance.  The birds are singing and the flowers lift their heads to the sun.  May your May Day be as lovely.

Earth Day Psalms

I have been away from the blog for some time and have come back changed. Not drastically, but in hidden, internal ways. I will write of it. Later.


I am pleased to come back and share how the sun rose in our little part of the world on Earth Day.  I do like the idea of Earth Day; I am a tree hugger at heart.  Thoughts of nature weave in and out of my mind constantly during my waking moments - be it at work as a National Park Ranger - where we are charged with preserving and protecting historical and natural resources, and specifically in my division, to inspire and educate the public to do the same - or at home with my children on leisurely walks gathering an abundance of sticks, rocks and acorns for our nature table, or traveling down the road where there is beauty at every turn.  


I think God intends us to observe nature.  Nature is referred to throughout the Bible whether as a metaphor or an active part of God's expression to people. The Pslams have many beautiful reference to God and nature:

The heavens proclaim his righteousness, and all the peoples see his glory.
(Psalm 97:5)

Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains.
(Psalm 36:6)

...where morning dawns and evening fades you call forth songs of joy.
(Psalm 65:8b)

You care for the land... you enrich it abundantly.
(Psalm 65: 9)

...let your glory be over all the earth.
(Psalm 57:5b)

Earth Day is our opportunity to recognize that the strength and fragility of our world speak of a Creator and a reminder to tread lightly.

Transforming Works of Art

"Life is a great big canvas; throw all the paint you can at it" - Danny Kaye

Have your chldren been painting a lot this past winter? It is such a fun and creative way to add color to cold dreary days. I look forward to using Painting witht Children, to enhance our experience of painting throughout the spring.

I delight in watching the boys as they paint with wotercolors, wondering what they are thinking/feeling as the colors blend together, as well as the paintings themselves. We hang them on the walls and they brighten our days, but we only need so many paintings throughout the house, so as they accumulate, I transform them into gifts and decorations.

In a couple of weeks, my sons will receive a watercolor card set in their Easter baskets. The 6 year old will receive number cards and they 3 year old will receive letter cards. They are bright and cheery and fun to make from solod color paintings.


Start with several sheets of watercolor painted pages, using 140 lb watercolor paper, painted front and back.



Cut the paper in 3"x4" cards. Then using colored pencil write capital letters on one side and lower case on the other. These are great for younger children learning to spell. (You can make 12 cards per page.)

I also used the cards to make math cards, drawing plants or animals to correspond to the number.

The numbers include:
1 sun
2 mushrooms
3 trees
4 fish
5 trees
6 dragonflies
7 shamrocks
8 birds
9 stars

Another fun way to use watercolor paintings is to make a birthday countdown chain. It works especially well with paintings using several colors.

To make it, cut ten 1"x9" strips and a 4"x3" card.

Loop the strips through eachother to make a chain, looping the top chain through the card.




Beginning 10 days before the birthday, cut a strip each day until the big day comes :)


Other ideas for transforming works of art include:

Tree of Thanksgiving
name place cards for dinner parties
love notes scattered around the house for family to find
bookmarks
birthday / thankyou cards

The Simple Pleasure of a Swing

A swing, indoors or out, is a delightful thing and sets the imagination aflight.

The Swing

How do you like to go up in a swing,
Up in the air so blue?
Oh, I do think it the pleasantest thing
Ever a child can do!

Up in the air and over the wall,
Till I can see so wide,
River and trees and cattle and all
Over the countryside--

Till I look down on the garden green,
Down on the roof so brown--
Up in the air I go flying again,
Up in the air and down!

-Robert Louis Stevenson-