Martinmas - Lantern Walk

 Watercolor painting to make their lanterns

The children gathered together under the warm California skies with brushes and paint to watercolor

paint their lanterns.

Each children bringing forth their creations

Reds and yellows were used to illuminate their paper so the beautiful candlelight will shine more intensely. Interesting shades emerged as the reds and yellows danced together. The painting was stained with oil and then folded many times.  Oil was washed over these paintings to make it translucent for the candlelight to glow through. Once dried the children folded their paper many times creating different angles. We have had German volunteers working on our farm this season so they taught the children some German lantern songs for the walk.

Soft wire was inserted to the top part of the lantern and then joined in the center to attach a bamboo stick.  The lantern hung gently in front of them as they walked.

The lantern walk

A festive celebration it was!  The parents of Spirit Mountain made delicious healthy soups and the guests brought artisan bread and/or apple cider.

We all joined together to form a large circle as the little school blessed the dinner.  Blankets were laid out on the lawn and meals were enjoyed.  As the sun sank behind the golden hills all the pretty the lanterns were lit. A sweet melody was sung by the children as we walked the farm paths.  We all had a glorious time!

Thank you Lori, and all the children, for this wonderful festival.

Apple Harvest

Looking out our living room window and across the pond, we have a beautiful view of the apples orchard.  Cheeky squirrels scurry up the branches to steal the fruit and hoard it in their holes for their winter meal.

The children all gathered their baskets and set out to harvest some apples.  The farm had been neglected for many years.  Now that we have bought it a bit of love, good care and compost should bring the sweet juiciness back into these little fuji apples.

Many of our apples have been eaten by birds and squirrels but at least they left us some.

Sprightly the children nimbly climbed into the trees to pluck each apple from a branch.  The ladder was used for those high up on skinny branches.

 Chopping the fruit to dry.

Sweet Chloe likes the little apples that fit so perfectly in her delicate hands.

A touch of sweetness.

The children happy with their basketful of apples.

The children at Spirit Mountain School had as much fun as the squirrels during the harvest season.  We all enjoyed apple desserts and juices. They spent an afternoon peeling, slicing and coring the remaining apples and hung them to dry which made delicious treats!

They have been busy crafting little autumn fairies for their Autumn table.  They visited and explored our neighbors ranch to gather pinecones as they have many pine trees lining the pathways to make these sweet little fairies.   Magic Onions has a wonderful autumn fairy tutorial to follow should you wish to make some.

Photos from Michaelmas

Two weeks before Michaelmas, this intimate little group of children from Spirit Mountain School made their new home on our farm. Several children participated in the play including the boys.

Our children have mostly been unschooled, with a Waldorf inspiration.  We did a little lesson here and there but their learning has always been on and around the farm.  With the arrival of the twins I have had little time to guide their learning so decided that a tutor might be needed. While searching around we came across Spirit Mountain school.  They were looking for a new location and we offered the cottage in our home.  They have settled in beautifully.  Their teacher has enjoyed working in a Waldorf teaching environment and provides fun and creative days for the children.  They are loving it and so am I.

The King and Villagers

It was Sasha and Sania's very first play and they performed beautifully.

St. George fights the dragon

Sasha was St. George and so proud of his part as he fights the Dragon.

Bowing at the end of the play

The finale!

Tug of War

Feats and courage of strength were displayed by many of the challenging games we had for the children.  The children were to pass through the dragon swamp by stepping from log to log. We had a monkey swing and a  slack line which crossed over hot lava. Balancing beams and the trampoline were fun.  Tug of war was the most humorous of all feats and many went home with blisters on their hands.

The Dragon bread

We all feasted on their fierce dragon bread and enjoyed a healthful potluck brought by all the families who visited.  It was a lovely day.

A day on the farm in CA

We Prepared 10 Acres of land with the help of volunteers, never using herbicides, they weeded and hoes with their hands. The Malbec grape saplings are finally in.

I couldn't resist walking out into the garden on such an early misty morning.

Taking baby brother out for a pony ride.

"Gitane", pronounced with a j, means gypsy in French, the name we've given to this beautiful long maned Haflinger Pony.


Those little Radio Flyer carts are one of those simple “why is this SO good?”children's play things.

They’re basically a blank canvas with wheels. To an adult it’s just a cart, but to kids it turns into whatever the day needs: a baby stroller for teddy bears, a dump truck for leaves, a moving van for every toy they own, a walker when they’re figuring out balance, and a tiny vehicle when they want to sit in it and get pushed like royalty.

That’s why they get used for years and across siblings. They grow with the kids. At first it’s support and stability where they can hold on, toddling behind it, then it’s pretend play loading/unloading, delivery, construction, then it’s teamwork and roughhousing pushing each other, taking turns, and finally it becomes this little symbol of childhood freedom“I can move my world from here to there.”

And there’s something satisfying about the work of it: filling it, hauling it, dumping it out, doing it again. Kids love real tasks that feel important, especially outdoors leaves, sticks, toys, treasures. It’s not flashy, but it’s endlessly useful, and that’s exactly why it becomes one of the greatest fun items in a family.

First Blanket Doll

Teething dolls for the Twins

A year has gone by since giving birth to my precious little babies and our home has been filled with joy since then.

Twins with their dolls

I pulled out my patterns I bought from Joy's Waldorf dolls a few years back and made them each a little teething blanket doll.

Tasting the flowers

Dylan, my little teddy bear, already exploring nature.

Standing

Little Chloe in the outfit I had when I was a toddler.  Learning to stand.  They are now taking little steps here and there and happily chasing one another around the furniture.

Having fun in the kayaks

We have finally found our new home in Southern California.  There is a large pond in front of the house and the boys are clearing away all the accumulated algae and weeds.

Big brothers prepared the twin's birthday table

This year Sasha and Sania wanted to prepare the twins' birthday table.  They collected flowers from the garden, a few stones, shells and treasures around the house to decorate it.

Forts and Dwellings

Some of you may have seen these photos on my facebook page but I like them so much I could not resist to include them in my boys journal.

Every boy loves the story of Robin Hood.  We recently read it and the boys have been making forts and hideaways!

Leaves to Camoflauge their hideaway

Can you see the puppy inside?

Their fort

He's still in there.  He helped with the digging, trying to catch moles.

Eucalyptus Bark Home

A precious little house project.  The base is cardboard and they stuck bark from the Eucalyptus tree to the walls and the seeds on the roof to create a bit more texture.  They collected some little stones from the driveway to make their paths and embellished the rest with shells and treasures.

Beach House

A little beach house made from bits of wood and lolly sticks.

Wheelbarrow for the garden

How cute is this little wheelbarrow?

Their Throne Room

I wish my home could look as magical as this.

Table and bench

Dining table made from wood and little sculptures to ornament it.

Bed and Side Table

This little bed was made from a small cardboard box, covered with blue felt.

Leather and Felt Sofa

The boys found an old leather bag and made a sofa with the leather and brown felt.  The fringe of the leather bag was used to hang between a doorway. The sofa tutorial can be found here.

Their Farm

Fabien's dad gave us some cases of wine for Christmas and the boys made it into a French country farm house.  They gathered moss from the garden to create pastures for their horses and cows.

House from straw, decorated with rose petals

There is a lot of dry grass around where we are living.  Perfect for making this little straw house.  Scented with rose petals.  Such romantic boys!

After France....California

Four months in France was a nice change for us but we soon felt it was not the place for us to call home.

Morro Bay, California

Golden California was calling us...

We were looking for a drier climate for ourselves and our horses after a sometimes overbearing hot and humid climate of the Dominican Republic.

Canoeing to the Sand Dunes

We are renting a little house on the bay facing Morro Bay and its famous rock.  It is a little cold due to the Pacific influence but it is temporary until we move onto our new farm. After months of searching, we might have finally found it.

Sailing their boat in the Bay

The boys love to sail their boats in the bay.  Sania has a keen interest in making boats, he has made a few which I will post soon.

Dylan Snuggling with Papa

Our morning walks to get the twins sleepy for their nap time.

Sunny Day at Avila Beach

Spring is here and we are enjoying some sunny beach days in a nearby cove called Avila Beach.

Time has gone speedily by and my precious twins are almost 11 months.