Nature on the Go ~ Outdoor Challenge Day 11

We had to head into town again today so we had nature 'on the go' :)
Hubby headed down to the wharf to check out the new tug boat so we got to watch all of the fishing vessels, sail boats and tugs come and go in the harbor.

We even had a chance to do a little wildlife viewing *grin*. Well a pigeon isn't exactly exotic but the kids found it amusing to watch them strutting around on the wharf :)

And don't forget about the flowers! Isn't the giant teacup super cute?! I had a hard time talking the kids out of begging for me to take it home *grin*. I must say I was mighty tempted to buy it myself! So even though we spent most of the time in the truck and in stores we still had a chance to sneak in a little nature :)

Do you have photos of your children enjoying the outdoors? Visit The Great Outdoors Challenge to join in the fun and you can also visit other participants and see what sort of nature fun they have been having by clicking on the names below :)

~ Rosina

Fellow Nature Players:lisa, sanders, angelina, phyllis, sarah, christie, jennifer, debbie, dong dong, denise, luisa, joy, stephanie, cori, alex, dawn, kristen, catherine, tricia, becky, christy, ruth, kari, courtney, branflakes, jessica, renee, haiku, brynn, amy, clemencia, sherry, leslie, lise, renee, anet, jenn, marina, amy, ella, marcia, karen, beth, julie, kyndale, kelly, lizzie, eileen, ag, mari-ann, cindy, robin, nicole, debbie, julia, anita, lisa, jenn, montessori, marita, jeannie, hallie, mandy, kangaroo, andrea, joey, carmen, teena, stephinie, gidget, elizabeth, emma, rosina, saminda, melissa, katie, becca, atouria, barbara, ariella, missy, elizabeth, sarah, eileen, lisa, stacy, jennifer, tulsileaf, lisa C, morticia, angela, rana, jamie, lisa c, luz, charley, heather, valerie, kirsten, rachel, annie, kendra, beth s, lindsey, michelle, megan, renee

Project Quilting

I thought you might be wondering what has happened to all of my crafty posts as I seem to be focusing on the nature challenge everyday.

My craft projects are here... somewhere... perhaps behind the mountains of thread and fabric scraps that seem to be surrounding me right now *grin*. My little shop is booming right now and subsequently it has kept my very busy this week! Definitely a good thing but it has cut into my own creative time :)

I did want to share a link to Project Quilting that is happening right now over at Kim's Crafty Apple. Every other Sunday they will be posting a quilt block challenge where you create anything that is small, like a doll quilt, tea cozy, table runner etc. with that block and then share it with all of the other participants that are playing along :) They are currently doing the Shoo-fly block and I had really wanted to play along this round but it is due this Sunday and I just know I won't be able to get it done in time. So now I will have to be on the look out for the next challenge! I wonder what block they will choose next :)

In the meantime I think I've just about caught up on all of the orders and if I'm lucky I'll get a break over the weekend so that I can get some of the neglected housework done *grin*.

~ Rosina

Planting Potatoes ~ Outdoor Challenge Day 10

Well the good weather just keeps on coming :)
It's time to start planting the potatoes and my dad thought that our field would be the best one to plow for planting.

He ran our old 1952 Massey Ferguson with the plow attached to the back and dug a nice channel for planting in and then K went along it after with the shovel and dug in little holes so that they could be filled with manure.

On each little hole of manure L helped Opa cover it with a bit of dirt and then placed one of last years potatoes on top. You can see that they are definitely ready to go into the ground as they are covered in lots of long 'eyes'. Those are the sprouts shooting out of the potatoes :)

Have you ever grown your own potatoes and they have come out scabby when you've dug them up? Well if you used manure to fertilize them and you planted your potato right in the manure this could be the cause. In the past we have done this which resulted in lovely big potatoes but they were always covered in scabs. It won't hurt you but they're not as pretty *grin*. We started covering the manure with a little dusting of dirt before planting the potato on top and we cured the scab problem!

Everyone wanted to help so Opa had a lot of helpers :)
They planted 3 rows and just over 300 potatoes and they're not done yet!! If the weather holds they're going to finish on Saturday and I'll have to get some photos of the tractor in action :)

Do you have photos of your children enjoying the outdoors? Visit The Great Outdoors Challenge to join in the fun and you can also visit other participants and see what sort of nature fun they have been having by clicking on the names below :)

~ Rosina

Fellow Nature Players:lisa, sanders, angelina, phyllis, sarah, christie, jennifer, debbie, dong dong, denise, luisa, joy, stephanie, cori, alex, dawn, kristen, catherine, tricia, becky, christy, ruth, kari, courtney, branflakes, jessica, renee, haiku, brynn, amy, clemencia, sherry, leslie, lise, renee, anet, jenn, marina, amy, ella, marcia, karen, beth, julie, kyndale, kelly, lizzie, eileen, ag, mari-ann, cindy, robin, nicole, debbie, julia, anita, lisa, jenn, montessori, marita, jeannie, hallie, mandy, kangaroo, andrea, joey, carmen, teena, stephinie, gidget, elizabeth, emma, rosina, saminda, melissa, katie, becca, atouria, barbara, ariella, missy, elizabeth, sarah, eileen, lisa, stacy, jennifer, tulsileaf, lisa C, morticia, angela, rana, jamie, lisa c, luz, charley, heather, valerie, kirsten, rachel, annie, kendra, beth s, lindsey, michelle, megan, renee

Robin Egg ~ Outdoor Challenge Day 9

We didn't get much time to spend outdoors today as we hit the road first thing in the morning for a day at the museum :) They had fun learning about air pressure by sucking eggs into bottles, blowing out candles around objects and then heading to the park to shoot off foam rockets launched by an air pump :)

When we arrived back home this evening L found this poor little Robin egg that had fallen out of its nest. It must have happened the other night when the wind was blowing quite hard. We were very fortunate last year to be able to watch a batch of baby Robins grow from egg to first flight when they nested in a hanging basket right outside our kitchen window. Every once in a while I find someone peaking out into the plant hanger in hopes that a Robin will make it her home again *grin*.

Do you have photos of your children enjoying the outdoors? Visit The Great Outdoors Challenge to join in the fun and you can also visit other participants and see what sort of nature fun they have been having by clicking on the names below :)

~ Rosina

Fellow Nature Players:lisa, sanders, angelina, phyllis, sarah, christie, jennifer, debbie, dong dong, denise, luisa, joy, stephanie, cori, alex, dawn, kristen, catherine, tricia, becky, christy, ruth, kari, courtney, branflakes, jessica, renee, haiku, brynn, amy, clemencia, sherry, leslie, lise, renee, anet, jenn, marina, amy, ella, marcia, karen, beth, julie, kyndale, kelly, lizzie, eileen, ag, mari-ann, cindy, robin, nicole, debbie, julia, anita, lisa, jenn, montessori, marita, jeannie, hallie, mandy, kangaroo, andrea, joey, carmen, teena, stephinie, gidget, elizabeth, emma, rosina, saminda, melissa, katie, becca, atouria, barbara, ariella, missy, elizabeth, sarah, eileen, lisa, stacy, jennifer, tulsileaf, lisa C, morticia, angela, rana, jamie, lisa c, luz, charley, heather, valerie, kirsten, rachel, annie, kendra, beth s, lindsey, michelle, megan, renee

Water Color Nature ~ Outdoor Challenge Day 8

Today we thought it would be fun if we took our water color paints outside and painted some of the plum blossoms that are blooming so that we could add them to our nature journals :)

I just love watching the kids paint with water colors. The way that the paint seems to creep across the page as the fibers soak up the color and the wild ways that it creates masterpieces :)

I had drawn a robot and spaceship for M to paint over and L decided that she was going to paint chickens with very large hair *grin*.

We ended up with one completed painting of the blossoms and then spent the rest of the time playing in the sun, eating blueberry scones made with freshly milled grain that I ground and eventually tucking blankets over the youngest two as they crashed in the afternoon for an unexpected nap time :)

Do you have photos of your children enjoying the outdoors? Visit The Great Outdoors Challenge to join in the fun and you can also visit other participants and see what sort of nature fun they have been having by clicking on the names below :)

~ Rosina

Fellow Nature Players:lisa, sanders, angelina, phyllis, sarah, christie, jennifer, debbie, dong dong, denise, luisa, joy, stephanie, cori, alex, dawn, kristen, catherine, tricia, becky, christy, ruth, kari, courtney, branflakes, jessica, renee, haiku, brynn, amy, clemencia, sherry, leslie, lise, renee, anet, jenn, marina, amy, ella, marcia, karen, beth, julie, kyndale, kelly, lizzie, eileen, ag, mari-ann, cindy, robin, nicole, debbie, julia, anita, lisa, jenn, montessori, marita, jeannie, hallie, mandy, kangaroo, andrea, joey, carmen, teena, stephinie, gidget, elizabeth, emma, rosina, saminda, melissa, katie, becca, atouria, barbara, ariella, missy, elizabeth, sarah, eileen, lisa, stacy, jennifer, tulsileaf, lisa C, morticia, angela, rana, jamie, lisa c, luz, charley, heather, valerie, kirsten, rachel, annie, kendra, beth s, lindsey, michelle, megan, renee

Flickr Favorites ~ Spring

1. I'm Really Rosie..., 2. #575 黃鴝傘彩, 3. Spring Blossoms, 4. The Spring corner

I think that we have finally broke through from the dreary days of winter and sprang right into SPRING!! Well at least for now *grin*. It has been so warm and sunny that it has lightened my spirits immensely.

I think that I may have had a touch of SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) with the non stop gray rainy days we had this winter. There wasn't even any snow this year to shine brilliantly during the day to make things brighter :( But the bees are buzzing, the blossoms are opening, the birds are chirping, we're enjoying nature, singing & dancing and feeling 'springy'. *grin*

So today it's all about spring!

Want to join in the fun and share your flickr favorites? Head over to Misty's blog and join in!

~ Rosina

Plum Tree Racing ~ Outdoor Challenge Day 7

Hooray for another gorgeous day!!
As a treat for the kids today I popped them a giant kettle of popcorn to take outside to munch on. I must admit I had some serious doubts that anyone was going to actually get to eat some before it was dumped all over the ground as the kettle was swung from hand to hand, bounced, dropped and even sprinted with *grin*.

The row of Italian prune plum trees that are planted down in our bottom field by the pond are in full bloom right now and they smell amazing! If I could bottle that scent up I would :) Thousands of beautiful white blossoms, the sound of bumble bees buzzing and petals falling in your hair is such a spring thing.



Ever since the kids were really small we would get them to weave in and out of the trees slalom style and they don't need any prompting anymore. Any time they see a row of trees they all start weaving in and out single file like little ants *grin*. What made it extra hilarious today though was watching L with her braids flying out behind her and the kettle of popcorn swinging wildly in her hand. Yup, no one even thought to set the popcorn down before racing off! LOL.

So much fun :)

Do you have photos of your children enjoying the outdoors? Visit The Great Outdoors Challenge to join in the fun and you can also visit other participants and see what sort of nature fun they have been having by clicking on the names below :)

~ Rosina

Fellow Nature Players:lisa, sanders, angelina, phyllis, sarah, christie, jennifer, debbie, dong dong, denise, luisa, joy, stephanie, cori, alex, dawn, kristen, catherine, tricia, becky, christy, ruth, kari, courtney, branflakes, jessica, renee, haiku, brynn, amy, clemencia, sherry, leslie, lise, renee, anet, jenn, marina, amy, ella, marcia, karen, beth, julie, kyndale, kelly, lizzie, eileen, ag, mari-ann, cindy, robin, nicole, debbie, julia, anita, lisa, jenn, montessori, marita, jeannie, hallie, mandy, kangaroo, andrea, joey, carmen, teena, stephinie, gidget, elizabeth, emma, rosina, saminda, melissa, katie, becca, atouria, barbara, ariella, missy, elizabeth, sarah, eileen, lisa, stacy, jennifer, tulsileaf, lisa C, morticia, angela, rana, jamie, lisa c, luz, charley, heather, valerie, kirsten, rachel, annie, kendra, beth s, lindsey, michelle, megan, renee

Tree Fort ~ Outdoor Challenge Day 6

We had a gorgeous day here today! It actually froze overnight and we awoke to frost and frozen puddles but by afternoon the sun had warmed the air so much that we didn't need our winter coats anymore. What a nice change :)

The boys headed outside right after breakfast despite the chilly morning air and played in the tree fort that K built all by himself. He did a fantastic job! It's super sturdy and he even made railings all the way around so that it was safe for little brother to climb up and play on to :)

M loves to be up there and had fun collecting handfuls of the miniature pinecones that had fallen from the Hemlock tree that the fort is built under.

Do you have photos of your children enjoying the outdoors? Visit The Great Outdoors Challenge to join in the fun and you can also visit other participants and see what sort of nature fun they have been having by clicking on the names below :)

~ Rosina

Fellow Nature Players:lisa, sanders, angelina, phyllis, sarah, christie, jennifer, debbie, dong dong, denise, luisa, joy, stephanie, cori, alex, dawn, kristen, catherine, tricia, becky, christy, ruth, kari, courtney, branflakes, jessica, renee, haiku, brynn, amy, clemencia, sherry, leslie, lise, renee, anet, jenn, marina, amy, ella, marcia, karen, beth, julie, kyndale, kelly, lizzie, eileen, ag, mari-ann, cindy, robin, nicole, debbie, julia, anita, lisa, jenn, montessori, marita, jeannie, hallie, mandy, kangaroo, andrea, joey, carmen, teena, stephinie, gidget, elizabeth, emma, rosina, saminda, melissa, katie, becca, atouria, barbara, ariella, missy, elizabeth, sarah, eileen, lisa, stacy, jennifer, tulsileaf, lisa C, morticia, angela, rana, jamie, lisa c, luz, charley, heather, valerie, kirsten, rachel, annie, kendra, beth s, lindsey, michelle, megan, renee

On The Cutting Table ~ Party Favor Bags

It's so hard to work on Sunday when you just feel like lounging around *grin*. I can't rest just yet though. I've got 30 snack bags cut, pinned and ready to finish for orders that need to hit the post office tomorrow :)

One package is a mix of 24 snack bags that will be used as birthday party favor bags instead of the usual plastic ones! This is my 3rd party order and I am thrilled to help families go 'plastic free'.

So I was thinking that perhaps I should try and find some birthday themed fabrics that would be more suitable for party favor bags but I'm at a bit of a loss as to what to pick. There's cupcakes patterns, polka dots, perhaps pirate fabric for boys or just colorful solids....

What do you think?? What would you choose as a birthday party fabric? I would love to hear some suggestions and even links to photos of your favorite birthday type fabrics :) Can't wait to see what you all like!

~ Rosina

Frog Spawn ~ Outdoor Challenge Day 5

We finally had a chance to get down to the pond again today and after a brief search along the banks of the pond we spotted an egg sack or frog spawn (fertilized eggs) within reach! During the breeding period a single frog can lay thousands of eggs. One frog spawn alone can contain hundreds and hundreds of eggs. The freshly laid eggs have many predators. A few of them are newts, fish, snakes, aquatic insects and birds.

Did you know that roughly only 1 in 5 eggs matures into a frog? No wonder they need to lay so many eggs! I don't think that they'll miss a couple if we take a few to observe :)

K had some trouble picking put the eggs as they were so slippery but they couldn't escape being sucked into the large jar. We didn't end up keeping them all we just couldn't avoid sucking them all in en mass when they started to float in *grin*.

The following link is to an interesting 2 minute video of frogs mating in a backyard pond. It has some neat underwater shots and close ups of the frogs and frog spawn. You can view it at: http://www.vimeo.com/745654

Make sure you turn up your speakers and watch it on full screen for the best view. Another neat site is this one which helps you identify different frog eggs by telling you the different breeding times, egg sizes, color, hatch time and more!

We can't wait to see if we can raise our frog spawn to maturity!!

Visit The Great Outdoors Challenge to join in the fun and you can also visit other participants and see what sort of nature fun they have been having by clicking on the names below :)

~ Rosina

Fellow Nature Players:lisa, sanders, angelina, phyllis, sarah, christie, jennifer, debbie, dong dong, denise, luisa, joy, stephanie, cori, alex, dawn, kristen, catherine, tricia, becky, christy, ruth, kari, courtney, branflakes, jessica, renee, haiku, brynn, amy, clemencia, sherry, leslie, lise, renee, anet, jenn, marina, amy, ella, marcia, karen, beth, julie, kyndale, kelly, lizzie, eileen, ag, mari-ann, cindy, robin, nicole, debbie, julia, anita, lisa, jenn, montessori, marita, jeannie, hallie, mandy, kangaroo, andrea, joey, carmen, teena, stephinie, gidget, elizabeth, emma, rosina, saminda, melissa, katie, becca, atouria, barbara, ariella, missy, elizabeth, sarah, eileen, lisa, stacy, jennifer, tulsileaf, lisa C, morticia, angela, rana, jamie, lisa c, luz, charley, heather, valerie, kirsten, rachel, annie, kendra, beth s, lindsey, michelle, megan, renee