GardenMama

.: Savoring The Peace & Joy Of Christmas :.

.: Hen house complete with the farmers and their flock! :.

We are truly loving every moment of these quiet days after Christmas. I was wishing for a visit from Queen Winter! She certainly did visit and gave us a very snowy Christmas!

Now the landscape around our home is covered in a blanket of fresh white snow and we are enjoying our Christmas tree for just a bit longer, (staying in our slippers and pajamas just a bit longer) and letting the gifts sit happily opened around the tree as we enjoy these peaceful days!

.: Ocean stones rejoin me in a  gorgeous new attire! :.

My very thoughtful friend Maribeth sent me these three gorgeous crochet covered stones. These are absolutely one of my favorite gifts! 

I had collected stones at the ocean near our home to send to Maribeth for her to use for her craft. She generously offered to craft one for me--and to my surprise she sent not one, but three!

These stones were a few I had collected for her. It was truly meaningful to have them come back to me in this most beautiful way. Each stone was collected in meditation and in turn I know Maribeth very mindfully adorned each stone.

.: The colors and sweetness of these gifts brightens my day when I see them in my kitchen! :.

A few other fun gifts (picked out by me during a visit to an antique shop near my mama's house) given on Christmas day from my mama... embroidered antique pillows, the sweetest little clock I ever did see with a 'Hansel and Gretel' scene, gorgeous antique tablecloths (some crocheted, others embroidered)  a sweet little snail planter, and antique kitchen tools that match the colors in my kitchen!

.:Amber is an advocate for animals--I think she would smile knowing my kitten is also enjoying her gift!:.

Amber and I were partners in a seasonal swap.  Amber shared with me very thoughtful gifts of handmade herbal-infused soaps and tealights, foraged wild Columbine seeds, handmade toffee, and a vintage glass insulator she so thoughtfully added to my small collection. 

The most nurturing gift she sent was a handmade pillow made from thrifted flannel. It is filled with sheep wool from a sheep Amber personally knows.  Not only does she know this sheep, she also sheared, washed, and carded its wool to add into this most treasured pillow.  Intoxicating scents of Lavender and Balsam also mingle inside this pillow, giving me the most magical sleep! My little kitten is constantly drawn to the beautiful scents!

.: I enjoyed giving gifts that once lived in the forest that I now made into something new! :.

This year I worked with a medium that was new to me. I cut lengths of branches from a recently fallen Birch tree and fashioned them into candleholders to give as gifts to family and friends. One also joined our Christmas table with evergreen branches sitting beautifully underneath! I created a puppet stand out of this fallen Birch tree for my children's puppets as well as many tree blocks and postcard holders that also were given as gifts.

.: Waldorf book of blessings and a crystal tealight holder for my eldest son sits upon our table! :.

My eldest son is enamored with gems and minerals. I thought this gorgeous crystal tealight holder would be a very well received gift!

This year we also started a new tradition that will include the creating of a new book of table blessings each year to be opened before our Christmas Eve dinner. It was inspired by this handmade version I purchased from our local Waldorf school.  We began this new tradition this Christmas Eve by allowing my eldest son to open this gift and read a blessing from it aloud before our meal.

.: I am enjoying watching, feeding, and photographing the birds! What a gift to have them visit! :.

Our feeders have been filled a few times already during the snow. We are enjoying watching the bird airport right outside our window! While one bird flies in to the feeder, the others wait patiently on the branch hanging overhead--and then back the first bird flies to let in another to the feeders!

.: 'Baby Zuku' our kitten enjoys some time watching the snowfall and birds outside the window :.

As the snow continues to fall, one of my favororite things to do is to wrap up in handmade quilts and read through our ever-growing stack of winter books!

.: I am quite taken by these little walnut and wool felt strawberries made by my eldest son! :.

While receiving thoughtful handmade gifts is lovely, it is giving that my family enjoys most of all! In the days before Christmas we had been so very busy creating. One of the sweetest gifts my eldest son created for his younger sister was this play set of walnut and wool felt strawberries! They are absolutely precious and have already seen so much play!
 

.: These creative books are inspiring us on these snowy days! :.

While reading winter books and enjoying the coziness of the accompanying illustrations, we are also enjoying a great big stack of books that nurture our creative spirits and our homelife together. It has been pure joy to pour through these books with my family! There is much inspiration to bring us right through the new year!

.: Be still my heart... My daughter is knitting!!! :.

One of my most cherished moments of Christmas this year was when my daughter received the one gift she wished for this year--her very own wooden knitting needles and rainbow yarn. 

She has been finger knitting but this was the first time she had asked for her own wooden needles.  I knit her just one row as an example and she said "Ok mama, can I do it now?" and off she went to my amazed yet not surprised eyes!  (To the mamas who have knitting little ones you know how full my heart is right now!)

.: My youngest son getting ready to slide down the hill and over a snow jump! :.

My little ones received sleds this Christmas, and so with the newly fallen snow we have been out sledding each day on the little hill behind our home.

.: There he goes down the hill and over the jump flying through the air!! :.

All three children found themselves today in mid-air while gliding over the jump they had made out of snow!
 

.: Time to go back in to enjoy the coziness of home! :.

And when their little cheeks were rosy like their Waldorf dolls they were ready to come indoors for some hot cocoa and homemade marshmallows. Our fluffy friend also enjoyed the snow for a little bit today while wearing his most gorgeous and full winter coat!

.: We are basking in the glow of these most cozy and relaxing days after Christmas and ever so ready to welcome in the new year with great joy! :.

.: Sun Eggs :.

 

On this day the sun did shine as bright as it could.  The yellow seersucker curtains that shade the bottom of our kitchen windows were illuminated brightly today.  As I walked across the old wood floors three little sets of feet ran up beside me as we opened each window letting the morning air greet us on this new day.

My children asked if they could make fresh handmade orange juice today, as the sun had inspired them as much as it inspired these orange colored "Sun eggs" to grow.

Each child gathered them up and placed them on the kitchen table.  The children know just where the vintage glass hand juicer resides. They enjoy as much as I do the process of juicing fresh fruit.

I appreciate that this work of our hands is met with joy.  I hold dear the memories of juicing fruit with my Nana. I hope this will be a familiar rhythm to my children as they grow each new day.

 

What beauty to behold in the bottom of our cups.  Glowing and bright, this sun juice brings positive energy into our day!

My littlest one and his dimple do agree that there is sweetness and magic to be found in these Sun eggs!

With a smile and a tilt of his head my eldest certainly agrees.

As we drink up each drop each sip tastes even sweeter than the last.  This inspires the children to set out a few more oranges at the table in hopes of delighting again in this sweet drink! 

Mama enjoyed a sweet juice glass full and had a surprise up her sleeve! I gathered up some Chocolate Mint from the raised beds for an herbal twist and poured this sweet nectar back into it's shell to be frozen for later ( when the brightness of the sun warmed our cheeks, turning them pink like our Waldorf dolls.)

May your days be inspired by the sweetness found in nature!

.: Lemon Cups In Spring! :.

 

.: Lemon yellow juice sitting beautifully in our newly thrifted glass juicer :.

Homemade lemonade is lovely any time of year. For our family we start making it in earnest in the spring.  As the yellow buds on the Forsythia bush unfold and the yellow daffodils in the garden nod their hello, yellow lemons also join us at our table to form a beautiful centerpiece that adds zest to our day.

 

.: With a vegetable peeler zest four lemons, adding the zest into the mixture of boiled water :.

For the first part of this recipe you will bring three cups of water to a boil. While your water is heating up you will wash four lemons.  With a vegetable peeler you may start to peel the zest, adding each strip directly into the boiling water.

You may also add 1/2 cup of Superfine sugar or other sweetener of your choice into the water.

.: Yellow and aqua--the colors of the kitchen naturally express themselves here on the table :.

As we cut the lemons in half a simple math lesson ensues.  Two halves equal one whole lemon, eight halves equal four whole lemons.  Out came a newly-thrifted glass juicer that was passed from one pair of hands to the next. Around the table it went, each child taking his and her turns adding their contribution into the final sweet outcome.

.: I appreciate watching my children enjoy this slow and simple process :.

I appreciate the slow process of hand-juicing these lemons.  I enjoy seeing our family experience the energy that is involved with our food.

.: Taking turns in this enjoyable task of squeezing lemons :.

Once the juice from all four lemons sits beautifully in your bowl, take a minute to admire the bright yellow color and appreciate the work you have done! Take a deep in-breath of the invigorating scent of lemon and set it to one side as you begin the next process.

When your water is at full boil turn off the burner and let the mixture of water lemon zest and sweetener cool.  Make sure to set your hollowed out lemon "cups" to the side, to be used later to pour your lemonade into!

.:Freshly gathered herbs to be added to our drinks, sitting in a vintage glass bowl:.

As the mixture recipe cools, we grab a basket and head out to the herb garden.  There we harvest fresh Mint Lemon Balm, and Lemon Verbena which will also be added to the water/zest/sweetener solution.  I roll these leaves together and thinly slice them all the way across to form slivers of aroma and a fresh bite of the garden into our drinks!

I appreciate this next step of gathering these herbs that will be added to our sunny drinks.  Like the process of bread making there are many steps and stops along the way, making this a meditative part of the day.

.: A sweet taste of lemonade in a vintage glass :.

When everything is cooled, strain your water/lemon zest/sweetener and herb mixture into a glass pitcher.  Strain the lemon juice into the pitcher, add in some Violet ice cubes and enjoy this work of your hands!

On this day we enjoyed some of our hand-made lemonade right away in newly thrifted glasses. For a special treat we also enjoy pouring our lemonade directly into the hollowed out lemon 'cups' which brings the process full circle!

.: Handmade lemonade frozen in lemon shells for a picnic treat! :.

We poured the lemonade that we did not drink immediately into these lemon cups and topped them with fresh violets, set them into the freezer and later in the day we had lemon ice picnic style in the yard.

It's a favorite treat for the kids and for mama too after a day of working in the garden!

May the colors of this season inspire your days!