Nature Studies

We just got back from our annual trip to Vermont. Just thought I would share a few of our 'Moments in Time' with everyone. We had a wonderful time and the kids are already plotting our adventures for next year. I hope everyone else is having a wonderful summer as well.

I must admit we ate a lot of ice cream (truly a lot of ice cream). It is impossible not to when the Ben and Jerry's factory is just down the road. We tried lots of different flavors... some old time favs like Chunky Monkey, Cherry Garcia and Phish Food and added a few new must haves to our list including Americone Dreams and Peanut Brittle. YUM! I think Peanut Brittle might be my current fav. Out of curiosity what's your favorite B&J?

BTW - You might be asking yourself... do those cows look familiar? Ben and Jerry's factory was indeed the inspiration for Gammy's playroom.

Today I spent an entirely exhausting but wonderfully fulfilling day in the gardens. Michelle's family came over to "Help Gammy". Seven year old Bug learned to prune a small crab apple tree. Five year old Fairy showed her might as she hauled bags of mulch. And three year old Pixie impressed us all as she shoveled pea gravel into the wheelbarrow with "Othy". (Othy... their name for Tim, as in Timothy... Tim Othy... Othy. Cute, right?) Anyway... At one point Fairy came over and asked, "What's that plant called?" Over the winter some of the plant markers got shifted or the growing spring plants covered our painted rocks that bear their names. Together we went through the garden we were working on to make sure all the name rocks were visible and by the correct plant. By each plant, Fairy used her budding reading skills to try to decipher the names. There were lovely names like Foam Flower, Coral Bells, and Porcupine Grass. For the rest of the day, each time she passed a plant, she'd look at the rock and proudly say the plant's name. It reminded of this blog I had written for One Generation to Another May 20, 2008. I hope you enjoy it!  

Tim: (Getting into the car after popping into Kroger to pick up some milk.) Peggy said there are tornado warnings.

Me: (More perplexed by the name Peggy then the impeding doom, I rack my brain trying to figure out who Peggy is. Coming up blank…) Who the heck is Peggy?

Tim: The cashier.

Me: How do you know her?

Tim: I just told you she was the check out clerk.

Me: Do you know her from somewhere else?

Tim: No.

Me: Then how do you know her name?

Tim: It was on her badge.

Me: Then why use her name like it means something to me?

Tim: Because it’s her name.

Me: You’re very odd.

This gives you some kind of understanding of the riveting conversions Tim and I have! Having said that…to me a name is personal…the use of one’s name implies intimacy. To Tim it simply conveys friendliness. Truth be told, people respond surprisingly well to him. I’m the kind of person whose dander flies with the first sign of confrontation. Tim becomes all smiles…and uses people’s names. Actually, this is a tried and true marketing strategy. Next time you get a telemarketing phone call notice how they utilize your name thus suggesting friendship and closeness. It’s much harder to turn down “Bob” when he keeps calling you “Kathy” than a nameless voice calling you ma’am or sir. (Unless, of course, your name isn’t Kathy!)

Anyway, names are powerful and the use of names does provide us with a sense of ownership, intimacy and responsibility. Right now I’m reading a very interesting book titled Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder by Richard Louv. I’m only a quarter of the way into the book but being a true believer that the average American child does not spend nearly enough “exploratory” time outside, I found the phrase Nature-Deficit Disorder to be intriguing. The author shares a conversation with naturalist and educator Elaine Brooks. She believes that people are unlikely to value things they cannot name. “One of my students told me that every time she learns the name of a plant, she feels as if she is meeting someone new. Giving a name to something is a way of knowing it.”

If we want our children to become intimately involved with their environment, the best way to do that is to “properly” introduce them to nature. Start in your backyard. Instead of talking about “the birds” use their names. (If you don’t know them get yourself a backyard bird book like Backyard Birds (Peterson Field Guides for Young Naturalists) by Jonathan Latimer or Birds, Nests & Eggs (Take-Along Guides) by Mel Boring. Start a bird watching journal. What about the trees and plants in your yard? What insects populate your yard? Helping your children discover the diversity in their own yard and learning to identify many of them by name might be the single greatest thing you can do to help your child become ecologically responsible. Names lead to intimacy…intimacy leads to caring…caring leads to action.

The other day we were at The Metro Park. We are so lucky to have this 5,000 acre park just 4 miles from the house. We went to see the egrets nesting and after hiking down to the long expansion bridge on one of the lakes, we pulled out our binoculars and watched the beautiful birds. I was with my daughter and her children. Along with the egrets we saw blue herons, a nesting swan, a northern water snake, a family of snapping turtles sunning on a log, and scores of red winged blackbirds. I enjoyed listening to my 5 year old grandson talk about his surroundings. He kept asking for the name of everything he saw. He already knows most of the local birds by name but his thirst for information is infinite. While listening to him it was apparent that he felt a sense of intimacy with the creatures and plants around him…you might say he’s becoming one with nature. To him nature is not something foreign “out there”. It is something personal, that he is involved with, and knows by name!

Over the years we have often gone one step further and have actually give proper names to things. My daughter named the weeping cherry she gave me one Mother’s Day, Julie. The boys named the matching dogwoods Barkley and Bob. My daughter's children name their squirrels. Now, I’m willing to bet the farm that they aren’t always identifying the same squirrel…but it doesn’t matter! What matters is they feel a connection to the animals in their backyard!

We take the time to get to know the names of a people we deal with regularly. We learn the name of streets we frequent. We remember the names of delicious dishes at favorite restaurants, and we can list by name the television shows we watch every week. Learning names makes is easier to talk about things accurately. It also suggests a level of involvement. So, the next time you’re in the great outdoors with your children, take the time to meet some new friends…friends you can call by name!

It's March... and around here that means it is SUGARING TIME!!! We are in the middle of perfect sugaring weather... freezing at night but a beautiful 45 or so during the day. We took our first trip to the Sugar Bush on Sunday and then we came home (actually went to Gammy's) and made our own Maple Sugar Candy (click here to check out this yummy treat).

Mmmm... there is nothing quite like the smell of a sugar shack. Sweet sap boiling, firewood smoldering, fresh earth exposed (ie lovely March mud). Bug would spend all day peering into the sap pans if he could.

Did you know that it takes about 40 gallons of sap to make one gallon of syrup? You can collect 6-10 gallons of sap per Sugar Maple tree during sugaring season. To learn more about sugaring check out these great books Grandpa's Sugar Bush and Sugaring Time. Grandpa's Sugar Bush is a lovely introduction for the younger crowd and reading Sugaring Time is the next best thing to being able to help out at a Sugar Shack.

The Farm we visit sets up a Native American Sugaring Camp display for the kids... the kids favorite part... squishing through the six inch deep mud. ;)

I don't know about anyone else, but this time of year poses a real problem for me. Every fiber of my being wants to embrace Christmas. I want to listen to Dean Martin singing "Baby, It's Cold Outside" and on that same note, lame as it is, I want to watch Will Ferrell's "Elf". I want to pack away all my Thanksgiving decorations with the Halloween ones, and start sneaking out stars and angels, evergreens and mangers. I want the absolutely joy instilling, peace invoking feeling of the Christmas season!

But, I stop myself. Although the Christmas Season officially opens for me when the last vestiges of our Annual Pumpkin Carving Party are  packed away, I've learned from experience, that if I pull out Christmas too soon, including the music, the Holiday itself can feel anti-climatic. Also, if not EVERYONE in your family has the same obsession with Christmas, they are apt to mutiny, and throw you, and all the Christmas trimmings overboard before Thanksgiving!

So, I've learned to bide my time. One of the ways to combat my impulses, is to throw in at least a couple more Thanksgiving and autumn crafts during the month of November. They can't be anything too big, because I AM crafting for Christmas, but it does help keep me in the moment. To that end, I'd like to share an applique block that I totally and completely love! Our Cattail Applique Block is more detailed than many of our other applique blocks, but it is fun to make and absolutely beautiful when completed. As always, it was made to fit a 6" x 6" block, but can be reduced or enlarged to meet your needs. The pattern for the Cattails Applique Block can be found HERE or with our FREE Applique Patterns. Enjoy... and if Christmas is tugging at your heartstrings, focus on Giving Thanks for the next few weeks!

NOTE: The stitch on the cattail stem is called a whipped stem stitch. It is not in our glossary yet but to make one... embroider a stem stitch first using 6 strands of floss. When you are done, whip stitch over the stem stitch, using 6 strands of floss, without going through the fabric below. Basically, you are wrapping the stem stitch. Michelle will include this stitch in our glossary later!

It's summertime. Time to head outside and find a shady patch of grass to stretch out on. It's also a great time to grab your crafting supplies and "while away the hours" drawing birds and butterflies, clouds and clover. Although I like the roll-up colored pencil holders, I personally am too impatient to take the pencils in and out of their snug little niches. If you look at my own crafting table, pencils and pens, rulers and scissors, are all sticking out of containers making easy access and storage. 

So, I wanted to create a very simple, but organized, take-along craft basket that was sturdy, easy to use, and earthy. I began by finding a cute basket at Joann's. I was looking for a small basket, that was sturdy and deep enough to stop crafting supplies from spilling out if being carried by a wee one. I only buy baskets when they are 50% off, and I got this beauty for $4.00. I was pleased!

To make the pencil holders, I hit my toilet paper roll stash, slathered them with crafting glue, and wrapped twine around them. For a more detailed and pictorial view of wrapping the pencil holders, check out our tutorial HERE. After the toilet paper rolls were dried, I threaded the twine into a yarn needle, and simply tied them to the side of the basket.

Now, load the craft basket up with your favorite supplies, and hit the great out-of-doors. Enjoy!  

To get more information and photos of this project, CLICK HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE.

I created the Treasure Pouch so my grandbabies could take them along on walk-abouts. It's just big enough, 7" x 6", to tuck away several "keepers", without being too heavy or cumbersome!

Materials:
Pattern Pieces
Snail Applique Pattern
Flower Applique Pattern
1/4 - 1/3 yard woven fabric for lining (great project for fabric scraps)
2 9" x 11" piece of wool felt
wool felt scraps for applique
12 strands of 4 ply wool yarn for shoulder strap, approximately 50" long each
embroidery floss and needle
matching thread for sewing machine

Directions:

1) Download and piece the pattern together.

2) Cut out 1 front and 1 back out of felt and 1 front and back out of woven fabric.

3) Chose an applique pattern. Two appliques, a snail and a flower, are available to download or create your own design. Cut applique out of scraps of wool felt. When placing the applique on your flap, make sure it is at least 1" away from all sides and fold line.

4) With right sides together pin back lining to back felt. Sew together using a 1/2" seam allowance. Leave a 2 1/2" opening on side to turn.  

5) Trim curves to 1/4".  

6) Turn and press. Blind stitch opening closed.

7) Repeat steps 4 - 7 for front lining and front felt.
 

8) Place front on top of back so the front's felt side is touching the back's lining fabric side. This how the two pieces will be attached.

9) Begin by using 6 strands of contrasting embroidery thread to blanket stitch across the top (the flat side) of the pouch front.

10) When you reach the end, place the pouch front on top of the back piece as shown in step 8. Without tying off the thread, continue blanket stitching around the sides and bottom of the pouch, going through all layers. Check the back of your work frequently to make sure the blanket stitch is even on the front and the back.

11) When the two pieces have been blanket stitched together, continue blanket stitching around the flap. Tie off.

12) To reinforce the pouch, sew a running stitch in between the blanket stitches using 6 strands of embroidery floss. Do this only to the area where the front and back are attached. DO NOT sew running stitch along flap. Check the back of your work frequently to make sure the running stitch is even on the front and the back.

13) To make a strap, use your favorite braid style and about 12 stands of yarn. The finished length should be aprroximately 36 inches so braid 6 inches longer, then tie a knot at each end and cut to allow a 1 1/2 - 2 inch fringe.

14) Sew the strap in place by securing the knots to the back of the closed bag approximately 1" in and 1" down. Be careful to sew only to the felt and do not go all the way through the bag. The stitches should not be visible from inside the bag.

I just finished Bug's and Fairy's treasure pouches. The kids love them. It was fun creating designs to match their personal tastes and they really were quick to throw together. I will now work on a tutorial and will hopefully get it posted soon!

These will definitely be useful on their next walkabout!