Toddler Tuesday: Garden

Hello, We are a little late posting in the day because we just have not been up to snuff today. Panda has a bit of a cold and well.. Things have been stressful around here lately to put it mildly. For this week's sensory bin we used potting soil (note this is outside this week), garden tools, pink flamingos (because everyone needs pink flamingos), and silk flowers for planting. He liked this bin, but a freak hail storm drove us inside for today.

 

A few garden books to set the tone for the week. 

 Panda helped plant the seeds for the garden yesterday. I sprung for peat pellets this year so things would be slightly less messy. Panda enjoyed helping to sort them into their separate compartments (reminiscent of the ice cube tray and pom poms we played with last week).

 Once the peat pellets were hydrated, he helped poke the seeds down into the peat with a chopstick. Each day we will check on them and and he will help water them if needed. We will be watching for the first sprouts wake up and raise their heads. 

 I found this cute scrub brush at the dollar store. Bear came up with the idea of using it as a paint brush this week. 

Good call Bear. It worked well. When Panda is feeling better we will work outside in the big gardens each day prepping them for planting. We still have a ways to go. Planting does not start till mid May in Minnesota. Thanks for jointing us.  Have a blessed day. 

~Shine on~

Advent Garden: Light of Hope and Stones

 This is the first day of Advent. In Waldorf circles this week is the week to celebrate the light of stones. In the Christian advent this week's candle represents 'Hope'. This year our Advent garden will be a mishmash of the two. Since Panda is so young we are keeping things very simple. He is starting to show interest in the Advent garden (replacing our nature table for this month); so every day I try to set aside a time when he can touch everything on the table supervised and I chat at him about the different items. This week I pulled out various crystals, rocks, a salt lamp (for the candle), and our Hope ornament. Then we went for a drive around the lakes to see the sun sparkling off the ice and warming the rocks along the shore. It seemed an age appropriate way to introduce minerals to a 7 month old.

Panda's first Advent was also his first time in a church. I have been searching for a new church for quite some time.. This being the week of Hope is not a time to look back on what I left, but forward to this wonderful church which we found. Everyone is truly welcome and children were met with smiles and laughter everywhere I turned. Two children lit the Advent Wreath and every week the pastor calls the children forward for a special "Children's Time" before the sermon. Children were welcome anywhere in the church and not once did I see a disapproving ' control your child" look on any one's face. Panda became fussy and so we left the sanctuary. Three people came to find me at separate intervals (one of those people being the Pastor's wife) to tell me that they did not mind fussy children and that we were welcome to bring him back in... Wow! Just Wow. How very different than what I grew up with. We may have found a new place to fit in. A place where Panda can continue to be raised in a community of love, warmth, and light. So it is with Hope for a great many things that we start this season of love. Be well.

Fairy Garden

 I have always had a love of fairy gardens and when I was younger I built them all over my parents yard. A year or two ago Bear bought me this giant pot to sit next to our front door and I have been dreaming of turning it into a fairy hallow. 

The little house is made out of Polymer Clay and a pop-can. The windows glow in the dark so it looks like someone is home at night. Everyone who visits our home is cheerfully greeted by this little garden. My younger visitors ask who lives there and my older visitors say it makes them feel young again.

I have entered my garden into The Magic Onion's 5th annual Fairy Garden Contest. I love my new little garden and hope you do to. Maybe you might grow one of your own? If you do, I would love to see. Have a beautiful day, be well, and Have Fun!