Yarn Along

Well, here we are at another Yarn Along (joining the fabulous Ginny) and I'm sitting here with the same old projects. The scarf and socks are both relatively close to being finished, but I need to just get them DONE already so I can move on to another, hopefully more inspiring, project. I did make a quicky little bookmark out of the red sock yarn, which I finished in a couple of short hours, but when I looked for it to take a picture, *poof* it was gone. I have my suspicious (ahem, Elizabeth) of who might have swiped it so maybe I'll get a picture of it soon.

I just wrapped up reading a few different books, including Come to the Edge, which was better than I expected, but I've returned them to the library so I don't have a photo. Finn and I just finished reading The Children of Noisy Village and we plan to start The Wind In The Willows today. I can't recommend either of those books highly enough. We love them and they have been read numerous times in our home. The Wind In The Willows edition we have is illustrated by Inga Moore, who draws the mostly lovely, ethereal and heart-warming illustrations. I prefer her illustrations in many of our favorite books.


I also have 2 projects waiting in the wings that don't have a good pattern yet. Maybe you can help? The blue worsted Malabrigo is going to be a hat for Elizabeth, but I just haven't found an inspiring hat pattern yet. I'm also looking for a boy-ish hat pattern for the green. They are both soft and gorgeous yarns, and I want to make a hat that really shows off the lovely color and texture of each yarn.

Until next week...

her perspective

Of all of our children, Elizabeth is probably the most aware of composition, balance, and perspective. She attends an art-based elementary school and has dabbled in many mediums, although her least experience is probably in photography. In an effort to give her a little bit of exposure to photography, we are occasionally handing her the camera and sending her outside to find 10-20 interesting shots. "Interesting", of course, being up to interpretation by her.

I plan to expand past our backyard and take her on hikes and other places for the express purpose of seeing the scenery through her lens. She certainly has a perspective that we want to encourage and develop.

Her next question, of course, is when does she get her own camera?!

weekending

enjoying the beautiful autumn

~weather~

and ~color~

together.

{this moment} - helping hands

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. See Soulemama to play along.

pumpkin week

We decided to make this week of homeschooling our pumpkin week. In addition to reading all about the life cycle of pumpkins, and plenty of fun pumpkin picture books too, we've examined a pumpkin patch, cooked a pumpkin, counted pumpkin seeds, and done plenty of pumpkin art.

We roasted most of the seeds from our little pie pumpkins, and saved a few for crafts.


We observed the difference in the pumpkin flesh after baking.


We stirred some spices, juice and sugar into our pumpkin mush.


And we watched our pumpkin mush turn into pumpkin butter. We decided to save one jar for our Thanksgiving dinner!

We practiced writing the word pumpkin.

And coloring pumpkins.


We told pumpkin rhymes (that I learned at the Steiner Institute).

In my garden grows a pumpkin

orangy and gold.

Along came a little mouse
so the story goes.

Nibble, nibble went the mouse;

'til the pumpkin was a house:

two small windows

and a door

and lots of feathers on the floor.

There the mouse slept well, I know,

even when the cold winds blow.

Finn needle felted his own pumpkin.


And even though I tried to convince him to put it on our nature table for everyone to enjoy,


he decided to string it and hang it in his bedroom window, "to glow in the sun" as he put it.


Finn also drew the rough outline of a pumpkin on watercolor paper and then painted his pumpkin and the background.


(I love how the pumpkin looks like it's glowing.) And we decided to add some seeds to the pumpkin's tummy.

celebrating Philip

We took some time to celebrate the shyest, most sensitive and sweet member of our clan this evening. Philip turns 9 tomorrow but will be celebrating with his mom so we took this evening as an opportunity to get a head start on the festivities. He's a true autumn boy with a warmth that radiates from his smile and his ever-present hugs.

Elizabeth decided to celebrate him by making a throne to seat him at dinner. I wasn't quite sure he'd be able to stay on the chair aloft those fluffy pillows, but he managed just fine.


Oh, and she dressed him in kingly robes. Doesn't he look celebrated?!


He must be getting old. That's quite a large fire. :)


He chose to have homemade macaroni and cheese and steamed broccoli for his birthday meal.


And following the birthday song, and blowing out the candles, we feasted on the chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwiches that he requested as his birthday dessert.


He definitely enjoyed being the center of attention and love for the evening and he even had a bit of a surprise. Even though he knew it was his year to receive an ipod, he thought it would be for Christmas. A priceless reaction and he's already dreaming of new audiobooks he can't wait to listen to.

Happy birthday to our Philip Henry! We hope *9* is an amazing year for you!