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! :.

.: Waldorf Lantern Walk :.

.: These are the lanterns that were created many years ago and are used each year! :.

As a Waldorf-inspired family we look forward to celebrating a lantern walk in honor of the story of Saint Martin who let his inner light shine one cold November day...

Martinmas Day is a time to celebrate our own inner light. It gives many an opportunity to honor that light in preparation for the coming season of winter's darkness. 

.: We created a new style of lantern for this year's lantern walk! :.

Each year on November eleventh my family and I take a lantern walk.  Before our departure with our lanterns into the night we take a few moments to read the story of Saint Martin.  This story is adapted from a version by By Cerdiwen Anya Coit

"One bitterly cold winter evening, the young Martin rode through the gates of Amiens on his fine, proud horse. He was dressed in the regalia of his military unit: gleaming armor, a bright helmet and a beautiful white cloak, lined with lambs wool. It was nearly freezing outside, but his thick cloak kept him warm. He was hardly aware of the cold.

But then, as he approached the gates of the town, he saw a poor man, a beggar, dressed with clothes so ragged that he was practically bare. The man was shaking and blue with cold, but no one reached out to help him. People would pass through the gates, looking straight ahead, so their eyes would not meet with those of the poor, desperate man.

Martin, seeing this, was overcome with compassion. He rode straight to poor man and took off his white cloak. And with one stroke of his sword he tore the lovely mantle in two. He wrapped half of the cloak around the freezing man and the other half around his own shoulders.

The people nearby watched in amazement. To see a fine military officer do such a lowly thing was a ridiculous site to many, but others were touched by the goodness that Martin showed.

That night, as Martin slept, he had a dream. A man appear to him who looked so familiar, and he was wearing the half of the cloak Martin had given to the poor beggar. And then, Martin saw in the eyes of this man, the light of the Divine which we each carry within us."

.: We mixed wheat paste to adhere the tissue paper to the balloons :.

.: The youngest one uses the wheat paste to layer strips of colorful tissue paper :.

We enjoy homemade wheat paste to use for adhering the tissue paper to the balloon.

Wheat Paste Recipe:

Prepare 1 cup of hot water. Make a thin mixture of 3 tablespoons of white flour and cold water (just enough to wet all the flour and make it liquid enough to pour). Pour the cold mixture into the hot water while stirring constantly. Bring to a boil. When it thickens, allow to cool. Use as glue.

.: Warm colors were used to create our lanterns! :.

Tear long strips of colorful tissue paper.  This year we adopted warm colors for our lanterns. 

For the base of each lantern we used white coffee filters and pasted them on the bottom of the balloon until we reached halfway up the balloon.  We let this dry on the clothesline until the next day.

.: We began by pasting white coffee filters to form the base of the lantern :.

You can notice in this photo the dried white base of the lantern.  We then took our colorful strips of tissue paper and pasted them over it.  This gives us a nice sturdy lantern, while the white underneath the color allows the light of the lantern to freely shine through.

.: Beautiful colors illuminated by the sun, soon to be lit by candlelight! :.
 

.: My eldest son enjoyed this time creating his beautiful lantern! :.

Continue wrapping the already dried base with colorful lengths of tissue paper until it is as decorated as you wish for it to be.

 During our lantern walk we spend our time singing 'This Little Light Of Mine'

"This Little Light Of Mine

I'm gonna let it shine.

This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine.

This little liht of mine, I'm gonna let it shine. let it shine, let it shine, let it shine."

 There is a very sweet version available for listening to by Elizabeth Mitchell.

.: Using up the last of the homemade wheat paste. When it dries it leaves behind lovely little flecks on the lanterns:.

.: Almost done! :.

.: Each one of the three children enjoyed creating  lanterns and eagerly anticipate the lantern walk! :.

Once you are done decorating your lanterns, find an undisturbed place to let them dry! We were lucky to enjoy a warm day back in October and let ours dry on the clothesline.

.: When the lanterns were fully dry they fell away from the balloon to the ground to let us know they were done! :.

Enjoy this time of togetherness with your family as you step out into the darkness of the evening with your lanterns and hearts shining so bright! May the spirit of compassion be held close to you while your song of light warms you into the dark winter months ahead.

.: My youngest son holding a finished lantern. The illuminated lanterns are gorgeous! :.

We like to end the evening gathered together at the table for a warm homemade desert and tea!

.: May you shine your light so brightly for all to see! :.