Petals and Moss

Our Hay Bale Garden

2011-09-19T10:28:00.001-07:00

Here we are way back in May at the beginning of our growing season

There's plenty of garden space at our new place
... mostly all in the shade.

So instead of using beds or pots, we planted our starts into soaked hay bales and plopped them right down onto the sunniest parts.

We bought four bales.
Two for the patio and two along the side of the house

Things began to grow for sure! A wide exotic variety of mushrooms popped up between our green bean plants. We decided NOT to harvest them.

Then the green beans took off!

So did our tomatoes broccoli and basil.

Now at the end of the growing season, when the sunflowers have already bloomed,
and my baby is in his full plumpness, we appreciate another garden that fed us and taught us a bit more about how our food grows.

The Jesus Thing

2011-06-17T21:50:00.000-07:00

Her: "Mama, do you think my caterpillars are dead?"
Me: "Honey I have no idea what's going on in there. It's a miracle. Let's wait and see."
(In my mind, I think they are total goners. The chrysalises are turning from brown to black and the prospect of beautiful painted lady butterflies looks bleak.)

Peeking caterpillar and friend already in chrysalis

We've been watching them for a week, watching these caterpillars grow exponentially everyday. All of them will soon hang from the top of the jar and change into chrysalises

That's the way, but doesn't that one on the bottom look like it's in trouble?

Then there was yesterday, we sat on the couch and witnessed the last butterfly emerge from her chrysalis. This is a butterfly kit from the local drugstore from this site.

The amazing thing about watching something like metamorphosis take place before my very eyes, was how I lost all hope. Even though, we all know and have all been taught how it works, I thought, "This time it won't work. We messed it up somehow. Our caterpillars are broken." However that little voice inside me said, "But you know this is what happens, they look dead and then after a while butterflies, emerge." The non-believer voice said, "Yeah well not this time, sorry." My husband reminded me, it's the Jesus thing.

Vernal Equinox Tea Party and Other Springtime Rituals

2011-03-24T16:08:00.000-07:00

Little Ita received an invitation in the mail to our second annual First Day of Spring Tea Party in the backyard. Happy Vernal Equinox!

Guests:

Baby
Mama
Little Ita
Two friends

On the Menu:

Nettles tea
Sliced banana
Amaranth graham crackers
Chickpeas in olive oil with salt

One of the guests was at perfect sniffing level.

The day after that appointed first day of Spring, the sun came out to make it official.

I was then able to use that which marks the change of season to me, my beloved clothesline. We've been apart for nearly five months and look at her, strung up with diapers. How glad I am to have part of the family chores be outside, folding clothes that smell like outside, nothing compares.

Next on the agenda for Springtime rituals, filling the bird feeder.

But what is one to do when the birds don't know it's there?

Why send out a written invitation of course!

Urban Rivers

2011-03-15T20:24:00.000-07:00

After yesterday's thunder and lightening hail and torrential down pour,

we needed a boat for this river.

Let's use some bamboo!
Fold over one third of the leaf. Peel two slits into that fold

(tearing through only about 1/4 inch length.)

Insert one side into the other leaving the middle part flat.

Repeat the entire process on the other side

One little bamboo boat.

Go boat go!

I remember the days when I was fascinated by

gutters and drains coursing with freshly fallen rain,

and soon he will be too.

Making Mud

2011-03-09T12:35:00.000-08:00

It Must be Spring.

Little Ita is outside "making mud."
The rain comes down harder than ever.
The sun blasts out for a bit too.
It's 6 p.m. It's still light.
I'm more than delighted.

How do you know it's Spring?

A Down Comforter in the Sky

2011-01-28T16:35:00.000-08:00

As we were driving east to the mountains on a dark January day, I was mesmerized by the cloud layer. It was like looking at a down comforter in the sky. The patterns created by the clouds were quilted and puffy going on for miles and miles. And that's exactly what it has felt like living in Seattle these last few weeks, like living under thick covers. So in order to beat the blues, we tried something new
bundled up the entire family for an afternoon on the slopes at the Summit
and gathered family for an indoor adventure at the REI Pinnacle.

Rock on Sister!

Then Mama promptly requested a potted spring bulb from the store and pulled the amaryllis out of hiding. Little Ita decided she would take matters into her own hands and dig up a bulb from the backyard. Atleast now, while we continue to live under the cozy clouds of winter, I have spring on my table... and so we wait.

Asa Toshi

2010-12-12T02:19:00.000-08:00

arrived as a surprise Christmas gift 4 weeks early

born at 3:57 a.m.
his name means "morning excellence"

and boy does he shine a new light in our lives!
Look at that Big Sis Glow

End of Summer Bump

2010-09-26T19:54:00.000-07:00

There's lots of fabulous change in our lives! I'm growing more and more and the challenges of keeping up my posts on this blog are as well. Petals and Moss will be on break for a bit...

Summer Favorites

2010-08-06T15:29:00.000-07:00

Surprise! August is already here.
I'd like to list some summer favorites before it's over.

Flowers from our little patch of wildflowers and poppies fill our house

One seed packet planted last year has grown into a lot of blooms.

When it's up to Little Bean, she removes all the petals.

Perfect for making ice cubes!

Here is a complete table of edible flowers
so you know exactly what's safe for eating.

One of my favorites, nasturtium mac n cheese.

This pic of candied edible flowers from
5 Orange Potatoes looks like sweet floral fun.

For the upcoming heat this week:
make Molly's delicious popsicles and
freeze your kids toys in ice,
then give them various tools to excavate them
(we use toy hammers, screw drivers, spoons, forks and spray bottles.)

Enjoy the abundant sun.

A Chance to Do It

2010-07-27T11:31:00.000-07:00

The salmon are running!
Especially if this is your first time to Seattle, have a look around.

This way!

We've waited for months, to see them

Finally, the fish ladder viewing windows are full.

... and now they're back.

Oh, how we love our salmon.

How they remind me of the challenges on this parenting journey.
Sometimes it does feel like I'm swimming against all odds upstream,
but it's a calling from inside

... and I just want the chance to do it.

Crow Planet

2010-06-26T21:38:00.001-07:00

How, exactly, are we connected to the earth, the more-than-human world, in our lives and in our actions?
And in the light of this connection, how are we to carry out our lives on a changing earth?

These are the questions we are called to answer in this kairos, this graced moment of opportune crisis. I have come to believe that opening ourselves to such inquiry and participating daily in the process of discovery it implies is our most urgent work as humans in the new millennium. And not because engaging these questions will make us happier, or smarter, or make more of our moments feel enchanted, though it will certainly do all of these things. It is urgent because an intimate awareness of the continuity between our lives and the rest of life is the only thing that will truly conserve the earth - this wonderful earth that we rightly love.
excerpt from Crow Planet: essential wisdom from the urban wilderness by Lyanda Lynn Haupt

This book written by a West Seattle Mom and director of educational programs for Seattle Audubon, made me realize a few things:

Calling myself a naturalist is a much grander title than I had ever thought, I correctly shall now be called a nature enthusiast.
I see crows in an entirely new light. What their numbers say about our ecosystem and their relationship to humans is enlightening.
Finding fascinating behavior among the most mundane of urban animals is important work for us and our children

Somewhat of a Fruit Leather Miracle

2010-06-26T21:32:00.000-07:00

One sunny day this June, we made strawberry apple fruit leather.

Now getting from here:

to there,

was somewhat of a miracle.

Here's my photo tutorial.
I followed the recipe from Vintage Chica.

First, rinse

Next, chop
Then, place in a sauce pan and cook down with water
(I added apples to extend the recipe.)
Blend!
Spread and bake for 5 hours at 170 degrees
(or your oven's lowest temp.)
Roll it up. Now at this point, the despair set in.
Although it was delicious, our fruit would not separate from the wax paper I had used (instead of plastic wrap.) We were eating more paper then fruit and I thought it was undercooked and mushy in the center. The edges were hard and cracked. Next time, I would cook it less than my 6 hours. I now know more mushy like thick jam is fine and less hard edges are better.At this point, I put it in a glass jar in little ita's snack drawer and thought, "Oh well, we've got a yummy activity that takes a lot of time and patience."

Then, with much surprise, we opened it the next day to find the fruit had moistened enough in the jar to pull away from the wax paper and it was perfect, east to peal real fruit leather!So now I say, making fruit leather is flexible (as it should be) and even if it doesn't bake or dry evenly, it all works out great in the end. Enjoy the fruit season!

Eating In the Garden

2010-06-02T21:35:00.000-07:00

A little garden tour is in order right about now. What once was a small slab of grass in my neighbor's side yard, has now after three years, become a true community garden. Read more about how I dug up my neighbor's yard at Gardening Together and Facing the Sun. This year, only half of what is growing here is ours. I love that I started this tradition and now it is being carried on by other folks in my building . . . making friends with our neighbor and growing food in her sunny plot.
As we approached the garden yesterday morning, I went straight to the tool shed and I hear "Awwww... look Mama," (as if she has seen a kitten) "the carrots are starting to come up. They look so cute." My smile is wide. How incredible it is that carrot seedlings elicit such a response.My intention with today's post is to show you how we have been eating IN the garden. As my daughter said the other day, "No greens in my smoothie! I only eat my greens in the garden now." Both of us are having a hard time getting our greens. She just has the will of being three and I'm green in the gills with first trimester nausea.
So one day we were having lunch outside, the fresh air helping my appetite and we started dipping pea vines and leaves in some leftover sauce. We both loved it and ate a LOT of greens this way. The peas may produce less this year, but mmmm.... fresh pea vines are delicious.So we moved onto the sunflowers that needed thinning yesterdayCombine a handful of sunflower sprouts with some leftover soy sauce and tofu. ... and gobble it down! I'm hoping the dipping sauce idea works for chard, kale and lettuce too!Chocolate Peppermint and SteviaNow onto dessert, these two herbs are a treat. Little Ita walks by and snips off a leaf or two just for pure taste. The choc mint tastes just like it sounds and the stevia is used as a sugar substitute and just that sweet. I may soon have to limit her to one little nibble a day until the plant is bigger. Look for the "culinary" label when shopping for delicious herbs. Wishing you and your little ones, creative ways of eating plants!

Infective Zest

2010-05-18T21:06:00.000-07:00

Today's post features my nephew.
He is a nature enthusiast.
Contrary to the quote that I've posted before:

"... our young people are more aware of threats to the global
environment than they are of the natural world in their own backyards."

- David Elkind author of the NY Times article Playtime is Over

...my nephew knows exactly what lives in his backyard.
If there is an organism to be found, he will find it.

And when he finds it, his excitement is contagious to the entire family.

On this day, he found a snake and we all gathered to see it. Once, I found my Dad online trying to identify a mysterious 3 inch long insect found flying from a nest in the ground by their driveway (a cicada hunter wasp.) When my Mom washes and saves specific plastic containers, they're not for recycling but for future bug homes.

My sister is raising a child that spends hours
building the perfect home for a snake.

I love being around this little guy and his infective zest for all living things.
He inspires me to turn over more rocks, just see what's under them.

Outdoor Challenge ~ Day 13

2010-04-30T14:41:00.000-07:00

Today is our last day participating in the outdoor challenge.
Here's wishing you many days of outdoor wonder and amazement this year!

Outdoor Challenge ~ Day 12

2010-04-29T13:40:00.000-07:00

Sometimes being out means looking up and just saying "Wow!"

Outdoor Challenge ~ Day 11

2010-04-28T12:53:00.000-07:00

My favorite thing about spring is happening:She's eating leafy greens again. In a way she would never eat them in the house,
she picks and eats pea vines voraciously. One of the main reasons I grow a little food each year is so my little one will eat something fresh and green everyday.

Outdoor Challenge ~ Day 10

2010-04-27T23:00:00.000-07:00

After a long day of mostly being inside
I remembered we were doing the "challenge."
These 20 minutes
were full of the most solace and peace all day

It doesn't take much,
one little tree provides so much learning

and fun!
Now, onto work that involves gloves
The great search for a worm
Papa?

"Look at the worm I found Papa!"
as the bus driver pulls away with a big smile.

Outdoor Challenge ~ Day 9

2010-04-26T21:23:00.000-07:00

Piggy Wags
Just another day at playschool.

Outdoor Challenge ~ Day 8

2010-04-25T20:59:00.000-07:00

A nettles foraging adventure in the North Cascades:

A hood full

the kids ran free
a magical cabin in the woods

Our meals tasted better outside

We were grateful to be fed so well

bleeding hearts decorate the table
One more jump in the mud
before we say goodbye!

Outdoor Challenge ~ Day 7

2010-04-24T19:59:00.000-07:00

New arrivals at little Ita's school

One free range pet piggy to hang out with free range kids, chickens and bunny

We parents spent the afternoon at a work party
making sure to keep the critters out of the organic garden

I'm very proud of my little fence.

Outdoor Challenge ~ Day 6

2010-04-23T21:46:00.000-07:00

The wind whispers secrets about a nearby pond

Families gather for the special event

The guest of honor arrives with a procession of smiles
The young ones watch with wonder and curiosity
A baby green darner dragonfly has been born!

Outdoor Challenge ~ Day 5

2010-04-22T20:11:00.000-07:00

The sun returned
shirts off
"I need some Vitamin D!" he says
me too says she

Outdoor Challenge ~ Day 4

2010-04-21T18:07:00.000-07:00

It rained during her outing with Papa
When I met up with them she was asleep on his back
I attempted to support her head with the attachment hood
To no avail
She's grown too big for it
But never to big to sleep soundly,
amidst the noise of the world on Papa's back

Outdoor Challenge ~ Day 3

2010-04-20T18:16:00.001-07:00

She was delighted to bring in our salad again tonight.

(and I was ecstatic that she actually ate salad last night)

more kale flowers direct from the stroller to kitchen... and there's always the search for dog droppings too.

Outdoor Challenge ~ Day 2

2010-04-19T19:34:00.000-07:00

She asked if she could pick from the garden with me and I said, "Sure!"

Proud of a stroller full of fennel

Hmmm... what to do with all that fennel?

Why cut it up into small pieces of course, while Mama makes edible flower salad.Take a picture of your child outside everyday this month
(what's left of it) and join the challenge at 5 Orange Potatoes!

Love Your Yard, Outdoor Challenge Day ~ 1

2010-04-18T17:37:00.000-07:00

... our young people are more aware of threats to the global
environment than they are of the natural world in their own backyards.

- David Elkind author of the NY Times article Playtime is Over,
in reference to Richard Louv’s book Last Child in the Woods

This door leads directly outside. Now this may seem like a simple idea, but we live in a condo and there are three doors we must pass through to get out to ground and grass. This simple pleasure has been our way of life for the last two weeks while we house-sat. In honor of April being Children and Nature Awareness Month, a few reasons why I adore having a door that leads directly outside:

Little Ita can walk the dog all by herself. She has never in her life been able to just walk out the door with the dog on leash, whenever she wants. A delightful independent pleasure indeed. Even if it's 6:30 at night and she wants to sit quietly for a while and watch the sun set behind the trees... while I do dishes at the sink. (I now fully understand the genius behind communities that design kitchen sink windows to look out at childrens' play areas.)
Once outside, there is a yard. Not just any old yard, but a safe, fenced in, beautiful, large yard with room to play and run. If you have one, please give it some extra love from us today. Yards are good for children and we are loving this one all up for a few more days.
Whenever the feeling arises, Little Ita can put her bare feet in the grass.
There's even a cob pizza oven for the grown-ups to play with!

Take a picture of your child outside everyday this month (what's left of it) and join the challenge at 5 Orange Potatoes!

Kubota Garden

2010-03-17T19:02:00.000-07:00

These sun-filled spring days are reminding me of some of my favorite places to wander with my child. If you haven't been here yet, I can't recommend it enough for a beautiful walk, Kubota Garden. There are a number of little bridges and secret stepping stone pathways that are sized just right for tiny feet. Prepare to have some magical moments in this fairyland of color, texture and shape.

It is located in South Seattle at Renton Avenue S. and 55th Avenue South in the Rainier Beach neighborhood. Click here for directions

My Holly Hobby Moment

2010-03-03T12:03:00.000-08:00

Anyone remember the Holly Hobby Easy Bake Oven circa 1975? Did you have other Holly Hobby gagets? I've been having some strange holly hobby moments lately. Specifically, I remember making super-sugary concoctions in this little oven when I was a little girl and loving it. Then, of course, needing to re-create the moment for my daughter. (It's so strange what pops up out of my subconscious from my own childhood now that I'm a Mom.)

Although it's not the same as the Holly Hobby oven, I put our toaster oven on the table, put all the ingredients out and let her make her muffins. This last part being the tricky one. Let her make her muffins.

I love her Holly Hobby fashion sense

stir

wait

test

cool

yum

Okay, my Holly Hobby need has been satisfied.

We made our favorite gluten-free mini muffin recipe from my friend Lara and the Seattle Waldorf School.

Mini Muffin Mix ~gluten free
Makes about 12 small muffins

Tips:

These muffins are a great way to get more protein (replace the brown rice flour with garbanzo bean flour or coconut flour) and healthy stuff (adds nuts, sunflower seeds or shredded beats) into your kids.
Only turns out well in small muffin tins, or small amounts in regular muffin tin.
I have been using milk and butter, and like it better, but water and oil are fine too, and cheaper. Frozen blueberries and mashed old banana are recent fave additions. Shredded carrot/apple is good too.
I always double it.

DRY: 1 cup brown rice flour, ¼ c tapioca flour, ¾ teasp xanthum gum, ¾ tsp baking soda, ¼ tsp salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.
WET: ½ c milk or water, 1/3 c olive or coconut oil or butter melted, 1/3 c maple syrup, shredded apple or other additions.

Very important: 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, *****add apple cider vinegar just before spooning into small muffin tin. Stir to blend in vinegar.

Mix dry. Blend in wet. Stir all together. Bake in preheated 375 oven for 10-15 minutes.

Enjoy!

I must admit, Spring is Here!

2010-02-27T09:34:00.000-08:00

Our nature shelf/cabinet is full of flowers. We picked most of them (the tulips were a gift from Papa.) It must be spring!

Culture

2010-02-23T18:16:00.000-08:00

There's a bit of kraut-making happening around here, which I was elated to see illustrated in my favorite local artist's yearly calender, Nikki McClure of Olympia, WA. If you're not familiar with her, please check out her fabulous prints and other works.

Now back to the fermenting cabbage. I've been reading about the amazing probiotics and digestive enzymes available in cultured vegetables. With the plethora of cabbage from our CSA last year, I tried homemade sauerkraut. It took a few tries, we had a lot cabbage to spare! Finally, the bitter flavor I kept getting went away and now it's pure salty sour deliciousness. My daughter gobbles it up and I watch in amazment, since I know this is not just food, but medicine.

I invite you to let these college kids inspire you!

I feel so progressive and handy in the kitchen when I crack open one of these jars. Which has not always been the case! Especially my summer time attempt at pickling: cucumbers + brine in jars left inside the cooler for a few days (who knows why) = very moldy pickles. For successful sauerkraut, I follow the directions from this site. She explains lacto-fermentation and how to use the whey from store bought yogurt. The process is about patience. Just let the ingredients sit on the counter for a week and watch as it bubbles, froths and overflows. Fermentation is happening! I make my sauerkraut in quart jars placed on a plate. Be sure to keep all the pieces of cabbage submerged in the brine by filling a tall glass with water to weight it all down. Once a day, check the sides of the jar for loose pieces of cabbage and push them back down to be submerged (cabbage that is partly out of the water will mold.) This is one of those things that I NEVER thought would work. Letting something ferment on my counter was really a process in me letting go. If I can do it, you can do it.

Scrumptious recipes for kimchi and more...

Nourishing Traditions: the cookbook that challenges politically correct nutrition and diet the dictocrats by Sally Fallon with Mary G. Enig

They definately look like dryer lint

2010-02-10T20:32:00.000-08:00

Lately, our art projects have been of the paper and markers variety. In order to bring some more interesting crafting into our lives, but limit the mess. I decided to do one in the bath tub and I really love felting. I love the feeling of the roving in my hands. The roving I used for this project was like silky blue hair with pink highlights. I thought it was so pretty...

Our project was inspired by these fabulous felted pebbles. As well as this detailed tutorial.

So we collected some pebbles and got to work. with soap and water

We rubbed and rubbed the wool as it felted around the pebbles.
Then I prepared them for their washing machine and dryer treatment, using a produce bag and some hair ties.

I thought they were going to be so cool and modern and fun for some home decor until...
I realized they look just like glorified lint balls. They definitely need another layer of color added. More attention is needed indeed. However, my initial goal of spending time crafting with little ita was met and I loved that. If you're interested in exploring your own lint ball extraordinaire the materials are available locally and online!

Back to the trail

2010-01-30T08:52:00.000-08:00

"Here is this vast, savage, howling mother of ours, Nature, lying all around, with such beauty, and such affection for her children, as the leopard; and yet we are so early weaned from her breast to society, to that culture which is exclusively an interaction of man on man."
~Henry D. Thoreau

I've been waiting for this for a long time

for the time when we can drive a little ways out of the city (without any car seat screaming)just her and I

for a nice long walk in the woods

surrounded by animals and plants and very few people.Ever since I read that Thoreau quote, I have felt the intensity of the man on man experience living in a city. I wonder if my daughter will know what it means to be surrounded by this "howling mother of ours, Nature." I have wanted so dearly to get back to some meditative hiking and that kind of quiet that calms my ever-so-chatty mind. So I gave it a try. Wondering how much walking she would do or how much carrying her (and the backpack) I would be doing, we ventured into the unknown.

Our choice destination for our mother/daughter hiking date was Tiger Mountain. We did the 1.5 mile loop around Tradition Lake which took us about 1.5 hrs. The great surprise to me, she walked most of it! So we did it again the next week. So far, she really looks forward to "going hiking" and I'm loving the return to an activity that rejuvenates me.

Directions:
The drive is about 20 minutes out I-90 at Exit 20, High Point Rd. Turn right on the frontage road to the gate. Continue on the dirt road .4 mile to the parking area. The Tradition Lake trail head is to the right of the bathrooms on a gravel wheelchair accessible trail. Follow this until you get to the sign posting Around the Lake Trail and follow the view of the lake on this dirt and rock trail. At the second overlook, the trail goes uphill for a short ways, until it gets to an old road that goes straight to the parking lot.

Have fun getting into whatever Nature you can~

Holiday Thank You Cards

2010-01-20T22:58:00.000-08:00

A simple and sweet way to show off my little one's artwork. She is really into painting and this was very satisfying for me too. I always want to use her abstract color studies for something. Now I'm honored to share these with family and friends.

You Need:
White cardstock
Colorful scrap paper
Glue stick
Paint
Painting tools: fork, comb, dull pencils

1. Let your child have it with paint on the colorful scrap paper. I limit it to one color at a time. Allow her to use tools to scrape off paint to show the paper color.

2. After the pieces have dried, cut them into rectangles that fit your cardstock.

3. Glue the paintings to the cardstock.

4. Press them in between wax paper. Place inside thick books stacked on top of each other overnight.

5. Mail to your loved ones!

It's Winter

2010-01-17T23:01:00.000-08:00

This was taken on a day when I couldn't take it anymore. The string of gray days had been long and I was feeling the weight of the clouds being so . . . everywhere and the rain coming from above so . . . constantly. Strangely, after I shot that picture, it felt better. I had captured it and it was sort of . . . beautiful. (Maybe I am becoming a true Seattlite after-all.) I just want to say that during the long dark days of parenting, sometimes just a little quest to express yourself makes all the difference.

Waiting Around

2009-12-27T22:40:00.000-08:00

One way to pass the time while waiting near a sunny wall at dusk. I highly recommend it.

Our Nature Table

2009-10-20T22:06:00.000-07:00

There's a fun little practice that I learned about through Waldorf education and The Creative Family: keeping a seasonal nature table specifically for young children. It makes me more aware of the changing cycle of the year and allows my daughter to participate in those cycles by having a place to display her treasures.

Our fall-time nature shelves are pack with goodies. I think my favorite moments this autumn have been when she finds a pretty leaf and says, "This goes on my nature shelf!" Part of the change happening outside then comes inside and becomes a part of us.

Nature Table pool on Flickr has some incredible photos & crafts.

This book has fun ideas:

The Nature Corner: Celebrating the Year's Cycle with Seasonal Tableaux

by: M. Leeuwen, J. Moeskops

Following the sun's warmth on a chilly autumn morning

2009-10-08T21:29:00.000-07:00

We did it~
Five camping trips in one summer~
They were well worth the work of packing and unpacking, but I'm feeling like it's time to hibernate. It feels like time to be done. I'm ready for this to be the last one of the season and I want to take advantage of these sunny autumn days. We didn't go far, under an hour away to Lake Easton. (Although it took 3 hours because we thought we were going somewhere else which was closed for the season.) When we finally arrived, we happily pulled into an empty campground with a site (and playground) overlooking the lake. We had a bit of sunlight left, until we enjoyed a warm dinner by the campfire. As the sun came up, so did the cool mist from the lake. It was chilly! The tent was barely warm enough and Alita and I went down to the lake to welcome the rising sun on our skin. I so love this practice, only found while camping: following the sun's warmth on a chilly autumn morning.

Upon return to the site, Papa had warm oatmeal ready. Then, we explored our surroundings.

It was just fabulous what was lying out in the open on the evergreen needles.

We spent one more night in the tent, and then early in the morning Mama declared triumphantly, "I'm so *%#@! cold. Let's pack up the tent quick and go out to breakfast. We're done camping!" So the time came to say goodbye to our season of camping and my daughters first memories of sleeping outside to the sound of wind in the trees.
Bye-bye ... until next spring.

Piles O Pumpkins

2009-10-01T19:49:00.000-07:00

Our weekly pick-ups at the farm are coming to an end. The final harvest is glorious and the pigs anticipate the last of the summer fruit. We have loved and learned and look forward to next spring! Now, my learning begins about new pumpkin varieties with which to make pie. So far, the Cinderella was delicious. ~ There's an entire greenhouse of squash for me to explore. ~

Our Mini Mammoths

2009-09-08T14:37:00.000-07:00

So whatever happened with the urban sunflower house I was planning on creating in this April post? A few things:

Russian Mammoth Sunflowers need ground to grow, not pots. In our neighborhood, the ones that were planted in direct soil were seriously MAMMOTH... as big as both of my arms encircled.
We thinned ours so there were three per pot, but that's no "house."
They also need 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day. We spread them out around the garden to provide just that. No house this summer, but I'm hopeful for next.

What did I adore about growing these? A few more things:

They grew so tall that there's just something magical about being dwarfed by a flower in your garden. (I don't know, but is it similarly magical when you are dwarfed by your grown child? Sunflowers only take a number of weeks from seed to maturity vs. 18 years.)
In the autumn, when they bend over and their seedy faces are arching into the tomatoes, there is such a human quality to their fallen stalks. Summer is really over. I feel just as droopy.
The dinner plate size blooms that burst with seeds are a very tactile, seasonal project for little ones and adults alike. Tearing them apart and breaking into the seed cache was really impressive. Each bloom provided us with hundreds of seeds to plant next year and feed to the birds, or eat them too!
When I took these to camp, I felt like a Mama squirrel collecting for winter as I handled my stash under a forest of golden leaves with my curious little squirrels by my side.
Late September has never felt so right as it did among the sunflowers on our city street.

Tidepooling

2009-08-23T08:54:00.000-07:00

Sea stars, sea anenomes, sea cucumbers, oh my!

I'd like to share with you some tidepool glory from our summer visit to the beaches near Kalaloch on the Olympic Peninsula. I was in a state of awe the entire time we explored this rocky coast.

I had
never seen such vast colonies of sea anenomes... and that was what was visible above the water line. Their magnificent bright blue-green color really surprised me. I recently learned that some anenomes this size (larger than both of my hands together) are more than 60 yrs. old. Live on Grandmom anenomes! Then there's the starfish . . . their hues of bright orange and deep pink and the way they snuggle together.

I stood watching the turbulent waves rushing in, trying not to step on anything.

This is what I hoped we would find when I put my 3 year old in the car for a five hour drive out to the Olympic Peninsula ... a natural phenomena that would blow my mind, and it did.

Camping with kittens across a swing bridge

2009-08-22T21:50:00.000-07:00

Morning crossing

That's the same look I had on my face
being awoken at 8 a.m. by a pile driver.
One traditional type of pile driver uses a heavy weight
when released from its highest point it
smashes on to the pile in order to drive it into the ground
(The construction on the nearby levy to increase salmon habitat -!!!- will be done soon.)

off to breakfast by the river
and what do we find

but her first chance to hold a kitten

"Can you get me a little white kitten?" she asks.Back to the site for some important dental hygiene rituals.

Mama likes feeling the movements of our family as we are
suspended
and
supported
over that clear clear river water.
and finally in that water
a little r&r is in order
for everyone.Papa makes sure we'll have plenty of fuel for our fireside chat.

THUD.

We talk until it feels really really really late
...you know, like 10:30 pm
Hauling it all back to the car.

This place was definitely a great spot to camp with little ones. The walk-in aspect makes for less noise and people, but it's also more of a work out.
I loved:

that it was only 40 minutes from home
the river was clear cool and gorgeous
swing bridge
hundreds of bats catching mosquitoes for us at night over the river
not to mention kittens.

Green Smoothies

2009-08-08T21:07:00.001-07:00

What is a Mama to do with this much chard and kale in her garden?
As well as all the greens from the CSA membership?

First, put one little urban farmer to work,

carefully harvesting kale.

then send it to the super-munching machine, along with
blueberries and lots of good fats for those skinny little ribs.
Alita controls all the buttons on the blender and adds all the
greens and fruit into the small opening of the rubber lid.

and wa la!

Green Smoothie Recipe
Ingredients:

5 leaves of greens (purple kale is sweetest, trim stems from all kale and chard, use only leaves. Spinach and chard are mild tasting and easy on your blender. Most lettuces end up tasting bitter, just add more sweetener)
1 cup yogurt, cream and/or milk
banana
1 cup frozen or fresh berries, apple or other fruit
1/4 cup maple syrup or honey
1 Tablespoon molasses

Blend yogurt, milk and banana, sweeteners and molasses. Have your child add the greens and fruit. This is our basic morning recipe, but avocado, flax seed, nuts, leftover cooked oatmeal or quinoa also make it into our smoothies. I love adding molasses, the flavor takes the edge off the bitter greens and adds a little iron boost. I also add good fats (avocado, coconut oil, summer butter or your favorite dairy) so we can more easily absorb the nutrients from the greens.

We also like to use these glass straws that are extra wide (new to me, they have a fabulous Lifetime Guarantee Against Breakage for a glass drinking straw, awesome.
We will be using that!) They are not only beautiful,
which helps Alita joyfully sip her drink, but physically necessary. Cheers to you and many more mornings of adorable miracle vegetable intake.

The Farm

2009-07-31T21:08:00.000-07:00

Over yonder, about 40 minutes east from our Seattle home, there's the land that grows our food. For 20 weeks we pick up our veggies from the farm. We see, feel and breathe the soil and labor that nourishes us. Our CSA membership is at Jubilee Biodynamic Farm in Carnation, WA.

Now, introducing the piglets. They are a major hit with all of us. Especially this week when it was a freak +104 degrees! We were alone with the pigs one morning and Farmer Erick hollered from his tractor, "Do the pigs need to be watered? There's a hose right there if you want to turn it on!" Oh and did we turn it on. I thought, Now never having actually watered pigs, do I actually spray the pigs or just fill the water trough?"
I couldn't resist, I lifted the hose arching water into the air until it just lightly squirted the side of some pink piggy skin. They were already running toward us. Oh my! Have you ever seen a pig dance Wilbur style from Charlotte's Web? I'm talking squealing, vigorous-snout-in-the-mud-action, bounding-through-the-air, mud-puddle-flopping, craziness... Alita and I took turns with the hose until the pigs got bored and avoided us completely on the other side of the pen. After a while, my husband returned from U-picking in the fields. I said to Alita, Let's show Papa how we water the pigs. I acted all non-chalant, Honey watch her water them, it's cute. He sits down on a nearby bench thinking she'll just fill up their mud puddle. Not a few moments later are they charging towards the turned on hose. Alita, the pigs and I are squealing in delight and I hear Taho running from the bench, Let me try it! Oh the delight on his face, hose in hand as he sprayed those pigs. Pure hilarity for the humans and euphoria for the swine.

As you can see, this is the kind of thing that connects families with the nature of growing food.

Gardening Together

2009-07-13T00:03:00.000-07:00

We live in a condo with almost no green space for gardening. But that doesn't stop me, I use every bit of land I can find. Last year, I dug up the lawn in my next door neighbor's yard and planted a garden (read more in facing the sun.) I planted beets, chard, kale, tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers and basil. My neighbor has added zucchini and butternut squash to the edges. We use three raised beds along the entry way to the condo building for salad mix, flowers, and Alita's carrots.

The number one thing I love about gardening with my daughter is she actually eats vegetables, but only in the garden. She can go all day turning her nose up to the same exact veggies I offer and as soon as we water the garden, she's happily picking and eating sugar snap peas, chard, and carrots. Eating a lot of them too! Insert a welcome sigh of relief from Mama, she is eating plants. To encourage this behavior, we planted some of her favorites.
Being that this is the second year with the garden, I have to say, it really is as easy and satisfying as it's cracked up to be. I ventured into the world of flowers this year. I planted a few wildflower and poppy mixes knowing nothing about what would result. Ahh, now this amazing. I get really excited about coming home to newly popping poppies and our own little field of urban wildflowers.

New for this year, let the public know this is food we are growing.

Roots, shoots, buckets & boots : gardening together with children by Sharon Lovejoy...a lovely book with inspiring ideas and illustrations.

Camping Trip Numero Dos

2009-07-11T22:56:00.000-07:00

When we told Alita we were going camping again she said, "We already did that!" with a bit of disgust in her tone of voice. I assured her there would be no mosquitoes and it would be a different place. Deception Pass was a fabulous trip for our little one (and us) for the following reasons:

Only 1.5 hrs. from home.
A swimming lake, beaches and forest right next to one another

Three kinds of ripe berries in the campground area for the pickins'.
Middle of the week campground availability, when the weekends are fully booked.
Shelters for that PNW rain
Amazing tide pools (future post about that soon!)
A statue honoring women that put food on the table for their families. Not really, but I love this statue and that's pretty much how I feel every night when I get dinner on the table.

First Camping Trip of the Summer

2009-06-24T21:03:00.000-07:00

We just returned from two nights at a friend's property in Randle, WA. Highlights:

Cruising on a few miles of dirt roads with the wind in her hair at 15 mph.
Rising to the morning grunts of an elk herd in the nearby meadow... hrrrr UUMF! Pretty cute (in an enormous animal kind of way.)
Relaxing over luxuriously long meals with panoramic views
Witnessing a pigmey owlet on a branch crying for food as its mother swooped in to feed it. Naturally, I yell, "What kind of animal is THAT?" and scare it away (naturalist Jennifer at her best.)
Getting up the nerve to jump into the chilly river and Taho's advice being, "Just charge in until you fall!" It worked perfectly.
Seeing such exuberance in my hooting and hollering husband's face as he ran out of the river in his birthday suit.
Experiencing pure laughter and joy by the riverside with our daughter.
Fulfilling her obsession with horses by reaching over a fence to pet and be nose-nuzzled by the softest sweetest prettiest horse ever.
After a gradual three month process, using this trip away from our routine as our last nursing day. Sweet and sad, but I was ready.
Deciding to come home a day early; therefore, having time to have a spontaneous picnic brunch on our drive home through Mt. Rainier Nat. Park .

Lowlights:

Realizing we accidentely left a bag of food behind hidden in the kitchen helper
Upon arrival our geriatric dog jumped down a cliff to get a drink and started floating away in the swift moving river. I'm screaming and Papa considers jumping in to save her. She swam back to shore, but I worried about that cliff and my little beings for the a while.
Mosquitoes that eat grown-ups and not naked children. Papa and I were clothed from head to toe and Little Ita was insistent on being naked. They swarmed all around her perfectly available skin, but rarely landed.
Having an allergy attack so intense, from the horse, mosquitoes and meadow grasses that I had to take refuge in the tent for hours.

However, we are ready for more! We just need to find our camping groove...

What I learned about camping with kids:

Read this really helpful blog post and the comments

From the above post I learned about the three essentials - Food, Fuel, Warmth -
I would add First Aid Kit. If you have those things, you'll have a great time, don't worry about the rest.
Don't make our mistake. Before you drive away, ask yourself and your partner if you have packed and check that you actually have packed the 4 essentials - which includes: water, food from the refrigerator/cooler, other random food bags, tent, sleeping bags/pads, fuel/ stove, extra warmth clothes, hats, rain gear, socks, shoes, campfire wood, matches.

Click on this site for an extensive master camping list of all other luxuries (including a great First Aid Kit List.)
Camp near water. Rivers, lakes, creeks and beaches are our favorite places to camp because there is so much for all of us to do. Be sure the access is a safe distant away and not high risk.

What are your suggestions? I'd love to hear more.

Never Ever Step Inside a Fairy Ring

2009-06-12T21:22:00.000-07:00

Out in the meadow today, we found an actual fairy ring.
It was huge, composed of about eight large mushrooms just like the ones we found last year that were already picked. They were spread out in a circle about ten feet around. Just like this.

Hmm.. I wonder what would have happened to a group of 12 parents and tots if we had stepped inside that fairy ring? Find out more here.
I expected to see a little winged nymph sitting atop one of those toadstools. It felt so magical to me as we danced around showing our little ones the mushrooms. I hope to see more fairy rings this summer, perfect for fairy tales and lore.

Watch Out! Wonderful Nettles.

2009-06-06T08:33:00.000-07:00

Ita and I have been loving our stinging nettles infusion each morning (the ones that inevitably sting a toddler once in while and a harrowing cry ensues). It's a nourishing herbal infusion that "goes to work right away giving you the vitamins and minerals we need." Susan Weed of the Wise Woman Tradition and author of two very accessible and informative books on herbs. She says, "Stinging nettle is the energy of the earth... many people who drink it say they fall asleep more easily and sleep more deeply. It rebuilds core energy, the adrenals, which are responsible for how much energy we have. "

I drink it for my allergies, asthma and for an easy way to get readily absorpable food-based minerals like calcium, 250 mg. per cup! Susan Weed believes many of the edible plants that grow near us, heal us. I must say I do feel better. She notes that within 7-10 days you will see the effects.

As an expectorant, it's recommended for asthma, mucus conditions of the lungs, and chronic coughs. Nettle tincture is also used for flu, colds, bronchitis and pneumonia. Nettle infusion is a safe, gentle diuretic—considered a restorative for the kidneys and bladder.

Makes 1 Quart Stinging Nettles Nourishing Infusion:

1 oz. dried nettles (available locally at PCC)

1 qt. boiling water

For kids add: 1 tablespoon of maple syrup or honey (if you prefer sweetener) and a splash of lemon to taste

Mix the nettles in the boiling water, add more water to decrease air and close with a tight lid. Allow to steep overnight or atleast 4 hours. Strain and drink throughout the day. Click on this link to watch Susun Weed make a batch with her grandaughter. "Once again the nourishing herbal infusions are a wonderful way to bring the plants into our lives on a daily basis. I often say to parents, if you go to a cupboard everyday and you take out a jar of pills and you say to your child, take this pill it will keep you healthy, then we shouldn't be surprised if as a teenager they go looking for happiness in a pill because we have trained them to look there. Where as if we go outside and say this is dandelion we eat it to be healthy, then when our children are teenagers and in the experimental stage they are going to be more likely to go looking for interesting plants rather than drugs." An interview with Susun Weed from the Raw Mom Summit The Evolution of Motherhood has Arrived.

The following books by Susun S. Weed are helpful in learning more about safe herbs for the whole family.

Healing Wise

Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year

Where are we and what time is it?

2009-05-30T11:36:00.000-07:00

Now that Little Ita is asking so many questions about when? and where?, I have decided to introduce the four cardinal directions. Big concept, but fun to play around with, at least as new vocabulary.

"Mama, where's that train going?" she asks.
"That train is going North." I reply.

"When does Papa come home?"
"When the sun is in the West towards the mountains going to sleep." I tell her.

"Where are all the trucks driving?" she wonders.
"They're all driving East." I say.

It's good work for me to constantly orient myself and have an answer for her curious mind. I've always been proud of my good sense of direction (usually). I hope I can pass that helpful life skill along to her.

Chick a dee dee dee

2009-05-14T22:09:00.001-07:00

"Caw, caw, caw," calls the crow.
"Conk la ree a." sings the red winged blackbird.
"Me me, pretty pretty me." says the white crowned sparrow.

That is the extent of the bird calls that I know. . . until I came across this book at the local library: The Songs of Wild Birds by Lang Elliott. It comes with a CD so you can listen to the bird songs while looking at the gorgeous photos. My daughter loved having this book open on the table and I loved having bird songs playing in our home. The strangest thing about the different bird calls, is how ubiquitous the sounds are. They transport you. A track would play and quickly, I'd be in a very specific part of my childhood. I realized, I know that sound in my cells.

So we hung the bird feeder (in our neighbor's yard) and we listen with close attention to the birds.

A New Friend

2009-05-14T22:07:00.000-07:00

"I'm riding the tree!"
"I'm like a bird, Mama."
"I'm a squirrel."
"This is a maple."
"Look! I'm hugging my tree."
"The tree is my friend."

I was impressed by the incredible stream of consciousness that resulted from setting my young child into a tree for a few moments.

Earth Day Felting

2009-04-29T20:27:00.000-07:00

In honor of our gently spinning planet, we made some felted Earth balls at camp last week. It is a wet, soapy, activity and the toddlers were enthralled by it.

You will need:

aluminum foil
wool roving in white, green and blue (available at yarn stores that specialize in weaving supplies like our local weaving works in the U Dist.)
liquid dish soap
water

Begin by pulling out a 12"x12" sheet of aluminum foil and allow your child to crumple it into a ball. Be sure the ball is nice and tight. It should be about the size of a golf ball.
Next, pull out some white roving and wrap the aluminum foil with two layers of wool so most of the foil is covered.
Apply some soap and water and gently rub the ball. This soothing rubbing can go on for as long as it feels like the wool is starting to stick to itself. Your child can take a turn too. The goal is to have wool uniformly around the foil in an even thickness.
Add a layer of green or blue and continue to rub with soap and water to even out the thickness of your ball. Once you have white, green and blue roving around your ball and they are all sticking together well, rinse it with water. Roll it and squeeze it out.
At this point you can leave it to dry in a sunny window and be finished. However, if you want it to be even more thickly felted, put it in the washing machine and dryer with a load of laundry. Happy felting!

Facing the Sun

2009-04-28T15:27:00.000-07:00

I've seen a lot of this lately: Someone with their face pointed directly at the sun, eyes closed, soaking it up. Aah, yes, the sun has arrived in Seattle. There have been days full of beaming rays of warmth. For us, we head out of the condo and into our neighbor's yard. Last year, she kindly allowed me to dig up part of her lawn and plant a garden. We spend a lot of time on her porch, in her grass and on her deck. It's been really sweet of her to share it. She loves eating from the garden and we love the green space. This year, I'm planting a sunflower house for little Ita. I'm using 3 large pots since it will be in an unused driveway near the garden. We've gotten this far:

We soaked the seeds.

We admired the seeds.

We planted the seeds.Updates coming all summer. Directions on making a sunflower house
. . . and two beautiful books on the subject.

To be like the sun by Susan Marie Swanson, illustrated by Margaret Chodos-Irvine (a Seattle-based illustrator)

Sunflower house by Eve Bunting

Little Ita is getting really into her sunflowers. She watches them very carefully.

Today we thinned them by eating some of the super nutritious sprouts.

Hmmm......

2009-04-01T20:48:00.000-07:00

It was a warm night with light rain, almost a mist. My husband had been telling me about all the snails he sees on the sidewalks at night. I, of course, asked him to bring one home. In the morning, we awoke to find a snail had escaped it's jar and was crawling over our kitchen counter. We watched it's fascinating beauty. I was a little surprised. My favorite part was watching the eye stalks emerge. In just the right light, I could see a thin clear membrane first, then the inner dark eye slowly creep out. So elegant. We all hummed to "snailie" a lot too (it helps bring the eye stalks out.)

and this is a pretty cute:

about a snail that has been living with a blogger for over a year and the outfits that she makes for it!

A visit to our P-Patch

2009-03-26T17:27:00.000-07:00

On a very gray day, the rain had paused so we decided to see what was happening at our local P-Patch (Seattle's Community Gardens.)

The gardens are still very sleepy, but Little Ita was delighted to wander the secret passageways.

Isn't that so perfect for Seattle? Gardens asleep under coffee bean covers. Ah yes, the apiary, my absolute favorite area. Give Bees a Chance.

Explore with your child the nature of growing food. Visit a p-patch regularly and watch the process unfold. Here's directions to your local patch and the magnificent Picardo Farm, 98,000 sq. ft., is worth a leisurely wander. "As the original Seattle community garden, it has the longest term gardeners; dedicated people who have worked for years at tilling the soil and cultivating the program. It is also unique in having the longest quack grass roots in the city, the greatest number of comfrey plants per acre, and the most numerous slugs in the universe."

We ended our day with a nice fat juicy worm and our two favorite books about the hard-working little pink earthy marvels. Bob and Otto by Robert O. Bruel. Wiggle and Waggle by Caroline Arnold.

Chicken Wish

2009-03-17T23:29:00.001-07:00

When was the last time you broke a wish bone? When was the last time you made a wish? Little Ita and I had a bit of a magical moment with the remains of our chicken dinner. This was an interesting moment for us. An introduction to the bones inside living things. . . and a moment to reflect on my choice to eat meat. Although brief, we were connecting with our food source, always a good thing.
"Animal food should be considered precious and valuable; after all, a life has been sacrificed to sustain yours." Cynthia Lair author of Feeding the Whole Family.

Bring Buds In

2009-03-09T21:20:00.000-07:00

One great thing about Seattle is that spring starts early and it goes on and on (until the fourth of July really.) So we've got many flowers blooming right now. Introduce the wonder of buds. Bring branches inside from the neighborhood. Especially from trees and bushes that can be seen by your child from a window, even the car. These trees were bare a few weeks ago and Look! Camillias are large and can withstand a lot of toddler handling. Azaleas are abundant, so bring in enough to explore. Allow him to peel them open and crush them. Give him an unbreakable vase with water for his flower. Save some that you witness open in the next few days. If you bring in a branch of cherry or plum blossoms, explain the cycle of bud, blossom, fruit, (or just sing a silly song with those words.) Pussy willows are a favorite at this time too. My daughter spends time picking the fuzzy orbs off of her branches and collecting them in a bowl.

What a wonder!

What's this?

Update: Alita decided to make "soup" with her petals.

Build a Moss Garden

2009-03-09T16:46:00.000-07:00

Here in Seattle, we've got an abundance of moss everywhere. From the cracks in the sidewalks to the rooftops, this is a moss appreciation activity that is great for toddlers.

You will need: moss, soil, shallow dish, strainer, small rocks, shells, pieces of wood and a spray bottle
1. Collect a piece of moss from a variety of places so you don't deplete one area and you have an assortment.
2. Sift soil into the bottom of your dish
3. Arrange moss and other elements into a special garden design

4. Use a spray bottle often to keep it moist

5. Marvel at the delicate diversity.