GardenMama

.: In Celebration of Giving Thanks! :.

.: As I look forward to celebrating Thanksgiving Day with my family, I thought it would be fun to take a look back to last year's Thanksgiving Day memories! Warmest wishes to all of you who will celebrate on this day with family and friends! :.

.:Bittersweet vines gathered by my daughter in preparations of weaving a wreath:.

Today we awoke with great anticipation of the celebration that was to come on this Thanksgiving day.  In preparations for our table that would hold the feast that soon would be set before us, our family ventured out into the gardens, fields and woods gathering the beauty all around us in hopes of a bountiful table display set with the beauty and scents of nature and of the gentle glow of candles all around as we express gratitude for each other and for the culinary delights that decorate our plates.

.: I wove this wreath of wild vines boasting warm tones of orange and yellow and growing around the fields. This Bittersweet vine was gathered up by my children and I in preparations of making another small wreath to decorate our favorite oil lamp. :.

There is still so much beauty to be found in the gardens even as it ages on stalk and vine. Vibrant purples, reds, and yellows have turned darker shades of brown, quietly preparing to turn back in to the earth for a long Winter's rest.  My heart still takes joy in their form and also I am reminded again of the gardens that were so recently alive with color and now still stunning as they are eclipsed and in repose.  I appreciate using what we have, crafting from the nature and expressing a true thanksgiving for its gifts that are so freely given.

.: We enjoyed our traditional Clementine's that were eaten up very quickly. They bring a bouquet of citrus sweetness to our palette and the memories of celebrations past. :. 

We adorned Clementine's using Cloves formerly used to stuff dream pillows.  It was lovely to watch each child's designs take form, leaving a memorable sweet and spiced scent on Thanksgiving day to hold close in our memories.

 

The Clementine's are also enjoyed by mama and papa when soaking in our festive drinks!

 

It is in these preparations that we find so much joy in placing care, togetherness and creativity into our day-- making our meal taste all the better.

.: Our Vegetarian feast of fruits, vegetables, and fresh salads! :.

.: Mama-made clove adorned clementine, scenting the air with spicy and sweet! :.

.: Chestnuts to be roasted on the wood stove in celebration of my Grandfather who shared this tradition with me as a young girl and through the years.  :.

Gentle tears well up in my eyes as we take some time in remembrance of my Grandmother and Grandfather.  We celebrate their memory by sharing small traditions of theirs with our children.  As a young girl I remember Thanksgiving and Christmas past when my Grandfather would carefully take out his pocket knife to score an x on each chestnut.  As carefully as they were scored he set them in the same fashion into a cast iron skillet on top of the wood stove.  Soon the buttery smell filled the air. As it slowly cooked the anticipation was great. My Grandfather would hand these warmed treasures out to each child.  I appreciate keeping these memories alive within my family through the stories and tradition shared with me many years ago.

.: My oldest son holding his hand-made lantern up to the sun, illuminating the semi translucent papers that cling to the glass :.

Our after dinner walk was held at golden hour. The sun began its descent into the mountains and we picked up our lanterns. I looked over and noticed my oldest son holding up his lantern over his head to catch the escaping twilight. It cast an orange glow into the translucent colored paper that clung to the glass.

 

 

On the way back we crossed the field,  making a point to stop in the center of the field and set our lanterns down. Once we had settled in, I asked each child what their favorite part of the day was and about what we were each thankful for.

.: As the sun continues to ease our days even earlier into nightfall, may we be guided by the light and give   thanks on this day and on every new day! :.

.: Cozy Autumn :.

.: Woodsmoke spirals out of the chimney on this crisp autumn day :.

Down the road just a wee bit into the woods and down the dirt roads there lives a cozy little sugar shack. Here in the early spring when the trees slowly begin to warm and the sap starts to flow, comes the unforgettable sweet scent of pure maple syrup paired with wood smoke...

.: Beautiful pumpkins, gourds, and squash sit outside the sugar shack adding their beauty to the day! :.

Now the scent of woodsmoke is paired with apples. It fills your nose as you enter the shack and are warmly welcomed in to witness apple cider being pressed.

During the pressing of the cider,  our littlest one cozies up on the rocking chair next to the potbelly stove. He enjoys the warmth that it radiates almost as much as the sun that pours across his red sweater.

.: My littlest one found a very cozy spot on the rocking chair next to the potbelly stove! :.

.: Beautiful farming collections line the walls adding warmth and charm :.

Each little corner holds such treasures. Glass telephone phone insulators and antiquarian farming implements grace every wall.

As the warming autumn light dapples in through the windows and across the room, an artful collection of tractor seats lining the ceiling raftors catches my eyes. 

.: Tractor seats line the rafters making for a wonderful display! :.

.: Crates of apples await the press to transform them into fresh cider :.
 

.: Mini pumpkins and gourds were chosen to grace our kitchen table :.

.: I chose a few gourds of my own as well! :.

The colors and richness of this autumn seaon bring such warmth to these chilly days! We enjoy selecting beautifully textured gourds to join us at our table to remind us of the gifts of this season.

.:A beautiful day for a game of checkers with a gameboard made of burlap and playing pieces are gourds!:.

As the leaves crunch underfoot my heart smiles as I quietly note it is indeed sweater season. The children sit for a while and play a game of checkers on a handmade burlap gamesack with gourds as their playing pieces. At that moment I feel how good and beautiful life truly is.

.: It was beautiful to watch the children navigate their way through the maze :.

The towering corn beckons us on an exciting journey. Here we feel as if we have been turned into tiny field mice travelling through a maze with corn stalks and the crisp blue sky overhead.
 

.: My husband and I enjoyed this maze just as much as the children did! :.

Three little ones sharing this journey together led the way to find 'The Great Pumpkin' among a field of pumpkins.

.: It was lovely to be surrounded by this corn and to see firsthand how strongly it grows :.

Golden corn lines our paths, reminding us of the sweetness of this summer season spent sampling the very same local fresh flavors of this sweet harvest.

.: The orange leaves on the trees up ahead remind us of a campfire! :.

There was dancing, running, skipping, and walking through this great corn maze! We follow the firey glow of color in the autumn trees up ahead!
 

.: Three shining faces enjoying this autumn day! :.

As we walk away from the corn maze, my husband and I sit together in the pumpkin field and gaze out past the old stone walls to towering corn stalks.  The corn field is ringed by trees bursting with autumnal color. At our feet and spread across acres in every direction are hundreds of dots of perfectly orange pumpkins.
  

.: The field of pumpkins was like a dream-- the children enjoyed running through it and played there for quite some time! :.

I consider it a rich gift to enjoy this time with my family on this incredible piece of land. The energy surrounding us is warm and bright, and the atmosphere feels as though we are visiting with old friends at their farm.

.: Tiger Lily Cafe :.

.: I created this apron for my little ones from my own pattern, today it joins them in their play! :.

This new season brings with it a time of nesting and creating. One of the ways I appreciate nurturing my family is through creating beautiful spaces in our home.  I find that when the living and play spaces in the home are newly arranged and redone with creativity a new sense of interest and play emerges.

.: Two chefs busily create a lovely herb salad and soup! :.

.: Happily these chefs share their masterpiece! :.

Now that the gardens are slowing down, we find ourselves inside baking more. The children incorporate this piece of their home life into their new outdoor kitchen space created for them on the front porch.

.: Sitting for a moment on his 'Lunch break' these Tiger Lily stems create a lovely spaghetti! :.

I enjoy these warm autumn days while our windows and front door are still left open and I sit and watch the play unfolding and the precious conversations had by the children.

.: Placing ingredients into the soup! :.

I appreciate watching their play take them to the herb gardens. There the children enjoy taking their baskets to gather fresh herbs for use in the recipes of the day. 

The scents coming from their kitchen are as delicious as the dishes that come from our own kitchen.  The salads they create look beautiful and are reminiscent of the herb-infused salads we also create at home.

.: It's fun to choose vintage aprons from mama's cabinet full! :.

.: Each new dish smells so good when scented with herbs from the garden! :.

It has always been of great importance to let our children's imaginations soar through "Kid - powered'' toys. More times than not those toys are not toys in the typical sense at all.  Stems of dried Tiger Lily's are cut to length creating Spaghetti Chestnuts are added from our findings under a tree. Herbs, clothespins, and buttons even play a role.

 
.: Sunlight illuminates this beautiful time of play! :.

The little play kitchen even has a 'working' sink. With a galvanized tub full with water and a bit of soap the dishes of the day are rinsed clean and put away just like in our indoor kitchen.

.: Enamel-ware bowls, pans, and pitchers washed and dried with vintage cloth napkins :.

.: Playing in the bubbles to clean sparkling dishes that will soon be dried in the sun! :.

Everyone enjoys taking their turn washing dishes and setting them out in the sun to dry while the towels get hung on a line that sits next to this outdoor play space.

.: Yellow, Blue, Red--the cheerful colors of our day! :.

Certainly these memories and fun outdoors are brought back with them as our family sits down to dinner indoors. This play generates enthusiasm for the process of washing the dishes to be dried and put away for tomorow's meal.  

 

.: Wringing out a vintage cloth napkin to be dried on the line :.

.: I wish you and your children a beautiful time of play! :.