Today we are sharing the last of our August Appliques. It seems only fitting. Yesterday Michelle’s wee ones started back to school, this weekend the pool is coming down, and in general were are kissing another summer goodbye. It was a bittersweet summer. I lost my father but was so aware of the circle of …
Finally… the long awaited tutorial for building your own gnome home! If you are like me, you are doing a little happy dance right now! That’s the good news. The bad news is we are breaking it down into 4 posts because the directions are so long. When I share a tutorial, I like to …
Going on an end of summer week’s vacation before school starts. I’ve been busy bringing together gifts and toys for the wee ones joining us and some surprises for the not so wee. Plus, I have been stocking the cupboards and freezer with tasty treats for our house sitters. Think I’ll be sleeping on the …
BUT NO FLAMINGOS by Kimara Wise We have many varieties of birds in our yard, Woodpeckers and swallows and blue-jays that guard. We have juncos and grackles and plenty of finch, And spotting a hawk is really a cinch. But no flamingos! We have blue-birds and orioles, and a titmouse is common. So is the …
NOTE: The direct links to all the individual photos can be found in this post. The other day someone asked me if I knew of a cute pattern for a knit mouse. Well, as you can well imagine, once I started looking I couldn’t stop! And, if hardly seems fitting to have a cat without …
What does an artist look like? She looks like this and this and this. Pixie sculpted her own bird after seeing my Paper Clay Totem. May we always endeavor to see the artist in all of our children and encourage their creative pursuits. Here is an excerpt from the classic novelette The Little Prince by Antoine de …
Before beginning this project make sure you check out some real turtles. If you are lucky enough to spy one on a nature walk, make sure to get a photo if the wee creature is willing to stand still long enough. If you don’t happen upon a turtle share books about turtles so children can discover …
Better gardeners than I can get hardy hibiscus flowers to grow in Michigan. I have yet to have one successfully winter. Since I adore them, I tend to think of them as annuals and always have one of two plants in the garden. Perhaps I shouldn’t bother but few plants are as showy and beautiful as …
For years I have been promising our readers a tutorial for making our Gnome Home. Last Christmas Tim and I made two, and I’m finally getting around to writing up the directions. It’s not that I’m a slacker it is just that I knew this was going to be a monumental project. Really, making the …
I am a fan of rain. I can honestly say there have only been a handful of days in my life when I felt like rain ruined the day for me. I love the sound of rain. I love the smell of the earth after a rain. I love to be caught in a summer …
When my children were young, actually before I even had my third, my parents owned a condo in Florida and would spend several months there each winter. It was lovely going down there for a week each winter to soak up the sun and play on the beach. After I put the wee ones down …
To me August is the most “summery” month of the year. Traditionally, our temperatures are the highest, we get the least amount of rain, and we always try to get in a couple “long weekends” to fully enjoy the last lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer. By the end of August I’ll be ready for …
