GardenMama

.: Inspired By Nature :.

.: There is so much beauty to be found in the changing of the seasons, once flowering and now gone to seed. I appreciate the process that is even yet to come.  The winds change and the seeds are planted anew,  a continual process in nature so effortless and yet at the same time with so many forces pulling together at once. :.

On this brilliant October day I chose to follow my children's lead outdoors. I stay back a bit noticing their play before me, observing as the many universes of their adventuresome play unfold. 

.: There are so many hidden and not so hidden treasures to be found in the natural world-- sometimes it takes the eyes of a child to stop and notice the ordinary turned magical. :.

.: A woodland home just the right size for my littlest to visit in. This hidden hollow sits at child height and is easily found by my children.  This is a favored spot to visit. Many incredible moments of play are to be had in this textured, immersive, and fantastical tree. :.

 One moment finds them in the gardens, another into the strong limbs of the trees and happily running in and through the fields.  As they gathered up the last of the blackberries they noticed how these sun-ripened and warmed berries were now cold with the chill of the crisp night that had come before.  

After tasting these semi-chilled jewels, a few were given to the fairies and later these berries were used in more of their incredible play.   

Their playscapes were ever-changing. They began as three small squirrels collecting acorns, later fashioning a nest of branches. Then they were adventurers, building a palatial lean-to, moving large fallen limbs into place and sending one other out to gather 'supplies' and 'food' along the way.  A piece of emerald green moss 

.: Many days we seem to be drawn to wearing the colors of the forest in the clothing we wear. Greens and browns blend into the landscapes of our play. :.

was set in place for a soft carpet on the floors of their newly-built dwelling and off we went into the woods a bit further. We came upon open glens 

.: Learning and playing among the trees and around and living objects to be found along the way! :.

where sun-dappled oceans of ferns danced with trees that dotted the landscape. In appreciation I enjoyed seeing my children set the sails on their boat and sail it across this newly found ocean. I took every moment in.  They were moving in slow motion in my mind’s eye, a soft gaussian blur of poetry illuminated by the late day autumn sunshine .  I never want to forget this day.  

.: With the warming sun guiding our steps and the forest growing right up around us, we enjoy finding the fairy-sized trees along the paths :.

I was brought into fall by the feeling of the coolness of the stone I sat upon, the incredible colors of leaves at my feet, the sun warming my back and a cool breeze.  The music of my children’s voices, their creativity, all of this impressing upon me just how momentous time is and how it is my heart’s desire  to savor each moment. I am thankful for my children's leading into the woods and into their incredible play.

Our time spent participating in the natural world always inspires.  The colors, scents, sounds and visions into the woods season our days and our creative palettes. As we journeyed home, the spirit of the forest was brought back with us and poured forth onto our papers.                                  :.

.: Upon arrival back at home, we set out many beautifully colored leaves found on the mossy, wooded paths along the forest floor.  A few vintage autumn children's books were placed on the drawing table for added beauty and artistic inspiration. Beeswax block crayons joined us today (which are always held close at hand in the case mama made for them some time ago.)

 

.: Beeswax block crayons are well suited for making leaf impressions. As we place found leaves under our papers and carefully rub the beeswax block over the raised edges, magically a detailed form appears! A vintage Golden Guide book peeking out from this photo gives added inspiration for choosing leaf color as well as learning more about the leaves that came home with us on this day. The Golden Guide collection is ever growing and is set out in baskets in our home for the children to pour through the details of the natural world--its pages mirroring the details of nature we have experienced on this day :.

~ May your day be full with the warmth of the sun, the wonderment of a childs eye and the many gifts to be found in nature! May beauty grace your tables and enter into your every day! ~

.: In Rainbows :.

As we stepped outdoors to begin our walk down the long gravel driveway, The sweet smell of newly fallen leaves scent our day.



The smell of apples falling along our walk makes the air even sweeter and we take a moment to notice the color dotting the ground.


.: Inspired by nature we felted wool to form acorns :.

In the forest surrounding us we hear acorns falling onto the leafy carpet below, composing a special syncopated music to score our day. We stop a minute to listen to the quick footsteps of chipmunks and  squirrels who make themselves known by crunching leaves underfoot. We cannot help but stop once more to collect a few acorns and pinecones to add into our nature basket.

Naturally tye-dyed leaves are added into our baskets to later dry in our (flower press) as a reminder of this day.  My daughter and youngest son drop to the ground spontaneously to make "leaf angels" in a pile of leaves, and roll down the hill gathering leaves in their hair and  sweaters along the way!

The gravel driveway ends and we turn into the forest to begin our walk back home. The children run up ahead pointing out the many mushrooms lining the forest floor that are popping up everywhere! I can't help but take a few photos of these happy mushroom families!

.: A play-scape of mushrooms reflective of our walk in the woods :.

The earth is alive with color made manifest on this October day! The fall sky seems to be eternally a brighter shade of blue, the clouds seem even fluffier and everywhere we look it appears that we are stepping into a masterpiece painting.  Brightly colored trees surround us and the Midas sun highlights everything it touches to gold! Nature is echoing herself in the bright orange tree in our yard, to the bright orange seaweed we found at the Ocean a few days earlier.

As if the day cannot get any more beautiful, as we turn to head home, my youngest son shouts out with excitement as he discovers the first rainbow of his life! We follow his tiny finger upwards to the sky behind us. A miraculous ribbon of color stretches from one end of the yard to the other.

 

.: A stone rainbow I created recently at the ocean :.

.: Almost a full rainbow of color found on this leaf :.

In retrospect I make the realization that my paths have been crossed by many other wonderful rainbows recently.  Whether by leaf or stone or the momentous coalescence of light and tiny water droplets hanging in the sky, we are blessed by the timeless brushstrokes of nature and the awe and happiness they inspire within our hearts.  

.: Kindling Creativity :.

.: As the nights have turned cool we have enjoyed many evening campfires throughout this week. Snuggled together with blankets around our shoulders we sing songs and tell stories.  When the fire settles and turns to a bed of coals, we head inside and also settle into our beds that are layered with warmth and dream of the memories that we have newly made. 

.: On this new day my son wanted to collect a few pieces of charcoal from the fire pit to draw with.  Off he went to the back stone patio with newly-gathered charcoals  in hand and began to draw...

.: A child-crafted stylus for charcoal drawing, made of a twig wrapped in a pipe cleaner, adorned with a flower and clay to hold the charcoal in place.

.: I appreciate the creativity that children bring into this world.  They inspire me to be mindful of what I am putting forth into my every day life. There is a reciprocal exchange of  inspiration and expression that comes when I tune in.   I will encourage them in their pursuit and then give them the space to explore, feel and understand within themselves just what it is they are taking and giving to the experience at hand.

In our home we have many beautiful materials to make art.  Beeswax crayons, beeswax modeling wax, plant-pigmented water color paints, and beautiful papers, to name a few.  We encourage appreciation for whatever medium has been chosen for our children's creative expression.  One of the ways this is encouraged is by sewing cases for their art mediums and storing them together in a handcrafted wooden box made by my grandfather.

.: As I watched my son put forth his creative energy into each drawing,  I was excited to document this new outdoor installation.  We are both looking forward to sewing a case for his newly-discovered drawing materials. Perhaps these photos of his charcoal drawings will help us to remember the crisp autumn nights we have spent snuggled around the campfire, wrapped in blankets together as a family.  

These moments make me feel so alive and thankful for these remembered visions of smiling marshmallow faces illuminated by dancing orange firelight.

.: A stone face, fast asleep with Lily leaves growing for hair.

.: A sweet little turtle basking in the sun.

.:  I hope and trust that whenever we open these charcoal pencils, their energy will kindle anew fires of creativity in their young hands, hearts, and minds.