GardenMama

.: 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! :.

.: Autumn Woods :.

Thank you all for your sweet comments in the last post! I appreciate your friendship and look forward to continued creative and  fun changes in this space that I will share with you soon!

.: Signs of Autumn present themselves along the wooded trails :.

With warm hearts we welcome this rich new Autumn season!  With beauty she makes herself known through warm tones of color and brings about a time of inward reflection. 

.: Beautiful color found on this Autumn day! :.

Today we headed outdoors into the woods. Onward we walked the trails alongside a salt water marsh that met us along the way.  Autumn brings with her a refreshing rhythm, a beautiful celebration of nature to be discovered and brought indoors to grace each table and sill.
   

.: We created bouquets of these beautiful berries found in the forest today! :.

.: Yellow!  A sure sign of this new season! :.

The gift of four distinct seasons bring with them a familiar quantity-- yet when I see new yellow berries forming and tinges of color sharing themselves in the trees, it all feels new once again. I am grateful for such artwork displayed outdoors!
 

.: Watercolor painting left along the trail by the fairies of the forest :.

.: Goldenrod - A beautiful useful plant found in abundance today! :.

Clearly we can see the fairies of the forest are doing their work too.  With leaves as their canvas their watercolor paintings hang to dry among the trees.

.: Sharing in the magic and play with our old friend Milkweed! :.

Happily we met up with our beloved friend Milkweed. We couldn't help stopping for a moment to say "Hello" when Milkweed called out to us to play!
 

.: As soft as silk :.

Such a playful and wise autumn friend, she makes us laugh while she floats her seed babies up in the air and we catch them once again!
 

.: While using our 'Nature Eyes' we spotted these colorful insects :.

The creatures of the forest know this season well. They are busy with their work and are thankful for the gifts it offers to them. 
 

.: Hidden trails scented by the salty air of the ocean! :.

Our little one led the way through a narrow path that brought us an instant scent of salt. Soon the ocean was revealed just down this path in the woods!

.: The color of the day came right to the water's edge :.

.: Noticing crabs along the sand and tiny fish jumping nearby :.

Seaweed float up along the shore, seagulls fish for their lunch, and the clouds billow out and above the glorious sea to bring such wonder to our day!

.: Tiny bouquets were created  :.

As two of my littles and I spent some time collecting a few wildflowers my husband and eldest son were further along the trail and soon let us know they found a grand old tree in the woods.
 

.: The outstretched arms of trees always welcome us to play! :.

I appreciate finding ways to celebrate nature and the seasons in these simple visits outdoors which leave the most warming impressions!

.: Testing :.

 

Hello! This is only a test...

I am creating a few changes in this space, a regular post will soon follow!