yarn along: halloween edition

Happy Halloween!

Knitting: I made a couple of these sweet little pumpkins for some young friends with October birthdays--they're the perfect size for a little hand to hold onto. And I finally finished a hat for the babe. I'm not entirely happy with it, and I think he will outgrow it soon, which is ok, because I really want to make one of these now.

Reading: Still working on Virginia Woolf's To the Lighthouse, and various kid craft and activity books, trying to come up with things to keep the little ones occupied on these rainy days. Our rain is just the normal run-of-the-mill fall weather, and we're keeping all of you on the opposite coast in our thoughts, sending continued wishes for safety.

Joining with Ginny for yarn along...

rainy day fun: build a rocketship...

Or a robot costume...

Or an abstract cardboard sculpture...

The final product really doesn't matter, it's all about raiding the recycling bin, getting messy with paint, busy with scissors, sticky with tape, and using one's imagination. When Dan saw the sculpture, he asked, "Oh, is that a robot?" and my daughter replied, "It can be anything you want it to be, Dad!"
Now that's the spirit. 

For more inspiration, MaryAnn F. Kohl has a series of wonderful books on doing art with kids.
And we like Little Nye's Rocket to the Moon.

I thought it would be fun to turn this post from last week into a little series on creative indoor activities for the rainy season. Keep an eye out for more ideas ahead!
What inspires your rainy days?

Wishing safety to all of you on the opposite side of the country affected by Hurricane Sandy.

this moment

Joining in with  Soulemama today...

In her words: "{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember."

rainy day fun: fall sensory bin

The rain has come. It is fall in the Pacific Northwest, and with a new baby in our family, the time we can spend out in the cold and wet, stomping in puddles, is rather limited. So we've been brainstorming creative activities to keep us all (especially the curious preschooler) engaged and content indoors. I've been inspired lately by this post (and the whole No Time for Flashcards blog) and also by all the great projects shared by Jean at the Artful Parent.

The photo above shows an improvised sensory bin I threw together with things we had around the house. I'm new to the concept of sensory tables/bins, so it was a lot of fun to go hunting around for supplies. I used some rice, cracked wheat, and kidney beans that had been forgotten at the back of the pantry, and added acorns, chestnuts, dried leaves, a piece of driftwood, some smooth stones, and a little ceramic cat for good measure. My three and a half year old loved using the tongs and scoops to explore the contents of the bin, and to feel the various textures. She really liked discovering the "buried treasure" kitty.

Tonight I removed the nuts and leaves and added several large wooden beads for her to find, sort and then thread onto a lace. I've found that a little prep in the evening after the kiddos are sleeping makes the mornings more peaceful. That way I have something up my sleeve for those "mommy, PLAY with me" moments, while my hands are filled with a baby, or I'm tied to a couch nursing, etc.

What's inspiring your rainy days this fall?

just a little bit of knitting

 

It's amazing how my knitting time has shrunk to nearly nothing in the last few months. I suppose that's not unusual with a new baby in the house. But this new baby needs a warm hat ASAP, so I've been trying to work a few stitches here and there over the last few days. I'm using a strand of luxurious Debbie Bliss Andes (silk/alpaca) for softness, and a strand of Brown Sheep Lanaloft for sturdiness, held together in a simple improvised pattern that I hope will roughly match his head circumference. In the mean time he gets to wear his big sister's hand-me-down pink striped hat, which I suppose isn't so bad--I don't think he minds too much!

Reading time hasn't disappeared as completely as the knitting--still able to read a few pages after the preschooler has gone to bed, while the little one is nursing, or while walking him to sleep. I recently finished Kristin Lavransdatter with a combination of relief and grief over it's ending. Normally I would have been intimidated by its 1000+ pages, but the mountainous Norwegian setting, the quality of the writing, and the meaty drama (melodrama even?) kept me engrossed. It really is a beautiful and expansive book, if a bit dark and distressing at times. The author gets at the heart of universal human experience, or maybe more specifically the experience of women--birthing a child, nursing an infant, loving a father, a husband, a son, keeping vigil over a dying person.

I'm now on to a very different kind of book, (though interestingly, also written in the 1920's)--To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf. My husband gave me this book several years ago and I gave up on it after the first few pages. This time around I am still struggling, but determined to finish it. The subtlety, the sentences that last a whole page, the stream of consciousness writing are all rather difficult for my sleep-deprived, oft distracted brain. It's good mental exercise, though, right?

p.s.--

That pebble vest is working out just right for our little fella. He wears it nearly every day to keep warm in our drafty house. It fits over his head without any fuss, and the lack of buttons eases my anxiety over choking hazards, so I think I'll stick with this "in the round" version if I knit it again (and I'm sure I will!).

Joining Ginny for yarn along

calming autumn tea

As the darkness and rain sets in this fall, it has been comforting to have a little bit of warmth and light preserved in the form of early summer herbs. I've found that this tea, enjoyed so well fresh, also makes a nice dried blend for the colder months.  The herbs are all rather profuse and easy to grow in our area--lavender, chamomile, lemon balm and calendula. They are all traditionally thought to be calming to the nervous and digestive systems, and they taste and smell lovely. To make, I steep 1-2 tablespoons dried herbs per pot (or about a teaspoon for a cup) for 5 minutes or so. I like it plain, but it would also be delicious with a little honey.

hello, Autumn

The time available to me for blogging pursuits is so limited these days, but wanted to share a little of the beauty that Autumn has brought to these parts. We are grateful.