GardenMama

Flower Fairies in the garden

When the sun is bright, the grass is green and the flowers are showing their colorful display my children and I know it is time to make flower crowns. We make these many times throughout the Summer, whether it be for playing, or for a festival, a picnic, or a visit with a friend, these are all occasions for making flower crowns!
 

For some crowns, I will braid together long lean leaves from Tiger Lilys. I add the brightest flowers I can find to the front or evenly space them around the crown, with matching braided bracelets. Other times a free-flowing crown is in order, full of every flower I can fit together to form a radiant halo.

I love to make them for my children, and for their friends who come for a visit, I love to hang them on our door, and on other's doors. I hope you will try your hand at making a flower crown, or maybe you already have! Feel the magic these crowns bring to your everyday!

Tips for your flower crown:

*A good start for your crown base is to gather two very long sturdy stemmed flowers or even a delicate flowering branch.

*Hold a branch or stem in each hand.

*Now overlap the flowers and tie them off in the center of the two flowers with a very thin piece of floral wire. Yarn also works but I find the thin wire is less bulky.

*At this point you will hold this around your child's head to measure for the size before you put in all of your work and find out it is too small or too large.

*Tie the end pieces together to form a closed circle.

*Once you have a solid base, you can layer flowers throughout the crown in the same way you made the base. You will be able to tuck flowers into the crown where you see fit.

*They keep very well in the refrigerator for many more days of play! 

A Tribute to Tasha Tudor: "1 Is One"

                  1 is One bird's sweet little nest
 

[My eldest son spotted this sweet bit of nature in the grass today. At our house, we call that having "Nature eyes"]

         2 is Two Waldorf friends looking their best

[Our Waldorf friends having a Spring picnic with my 'middlest' daughter] These much loved and completely adored dolls were made by Grace at Uncommongrace

 
         3 is Three heart shaped flowers facing west
 

["Bleeding hearts" Dicentra formosa floating pretty in the gardens] My youngest son is forever picking just the hearts "Look Mama a heart for you" I float them in a dish to his delight!

This post was written with love, in honor of Tasha Tudor
a loose tribute of sorts to her children's story "One is one."

Treasures along the way

My husband and I had so much fun together today, just the two of us! The sun was out warming us to our core, making us smile within! We headed off for the beach, we took the scenic route today of course! Playing our favorite tunes, windows down our first trip of the season to the Ocean. Here are some pictures to enjoy of some of the side trips we took along the way! We could not resist visiting one of our favorite stops, a place we visit only once a year a pilgrimage of sorts! Picture this... we arrive to our first destination on the way to the beach. We step out of the car and are greeted by an artistically hand painted sign greeting us upon our journey! Sea shell laden narrow walkways, the air smelling of the salty ocean, paths winding around weathered low fences with vines and gorgeous plants weaving in and around

As we walk the path the excitement grows little treasures and sculptures tucked around each bend up to the shops.

As we approached the first shop we listened to the bamboo wind chimes catching the breeze, we made sure to drink in this day noticing every detail set before us! Big old glass window panes little sections of stained glass on this first little shack, ornaments and artwork catching the light, drawing us in. Beautiful bright colors of hand dyed clothing dancing in the wind like prayer flags, sending out their well wishes.

We continued on the path sea shells crunching underfoot to the mature gardens, so many magical varieties of vines trees and wildflowers it was glorious meandering along the garden circle Next up was another shop, tunes of Bob Marley greeted us upon arrival.

We took Joy in finding more hand painted signs along the paths.

Chickens, Emu, Guinea hens, and Koi in their pond also live at this magical place! Last stop the greenhouses, this Gardenmama was one happy girl! Brilliant colors, gorgeous plantings, bright ceramic pots, and the sweet smell of water and the earth mixing as these blooms were given a drink. All of these sights sounds and experiences along the way made us very hungry, back in the car to continue on our journey. Next stop, LUNCH! Vegan burgers were thoroughly enjoyed by us both! Grilled tempeh, purple sticky rice, sweet potato, roasted sunflower seeds, and rosemary-pumpkin pesto combined and grilled into a tomato tortilla… served with sweet potato fries and homemade ketchup! And fresh smoothies for our drinks! oh yum!

Oh, and yes! We did make it to the beach! Pretty fun ending to a pretty fun day!