Kids, Lakes, Loons and Pines

nature mandalas

Its the last week of school!!! It is the time to be creative to keep children engaged in learning.  Earlier in the week we took our learning outdoors to make some nature mandalas.  I have been partnering my class with a third grade classroom and we have been trying to explore the outdoors each week together as "nature buddies."  This was a great project to round out our classroom partnership for the year.  Our students were so creative and cooperative!  My hope is that they will take a little of this lesson with them and explore and play with natural objects and design over the summer months.

What we did:

• We collected buckets full of rocks, pine cones, blossoms and other interesting found objects from nature.
• We found an undisturbed background (smooth sidewalk)
• To define the shape of a circle we placed a large hula hoop down.  The kids started working together, from the center out creating and expanding their design.
• After a set amount of time we removed the hula hoop, gave each group and opportunity to check out all of the designs and took pictures before we cleaned up the walkway.

a weekend in the north woods

 

 

These images sum up our weekend.  I took the kids to nana's and papa's where the kids and I all took our first swim of the year.  (Last weekend it was snowing - this weekend we were swimming!)   James got contracted out as a wild land firefighter to help at a local wildfire not too far from home - those big planes we visited at the airport the other day are now at work!  

kids, chickens, bees, rabbits.....and airplanes

 

This post might not exactly fit with the homesteading theme of this blog, but it fits with the culture of the north woods environment in which I live, and one of my deep rooted interests from a time period earlier in my life -aviation!   I love to keep just a spark of this interest alive by visiting our local airport each Spring when there are large, contracted aircraft stationed and ready to aid in wildland fire suppression.

At our small airport outside of town there is an U.S. Forest Service Tanker Base.  Every Spring some (pretty awesome) aircraft make their way to our neck of the woods and I work to  coordinate a kindergarten field trip to tour the airport to check out the airplanes, and to get some hands-on instruction by some wild land fire fighters and Smokey the Bear.

Last Friday was our field trip, and the weather and activity cooperated so we got to see some impressive airplanes and helicopters! To scope things out my daughter and I went out to the airport Thursday after school and we were lucky enough to have a chance to talk to some of the pilots and crew from Neptune Aviation.  We even got a chance to go aboard and sit in the cockpit of one of the planes.  The Neptune BAe 146 aircraft have been stationed in Ely and have been flying and dropping fire retardant on local fires and fires in Canada.

So I got a little fix of the aviation bug this past week - and got to pass that on a bit to a bunch of young little dreamers and doers in my life. 

::letting them play

The suckers are running!  This is such a telltale sign of Spring in our little corner of the world.  Every Spring when the suckers are making their way up our creek we all splash around  searching for these ugly fish as they make their spawning runs.  This year our four children (and the dog and cat) were part of the experience.  The kids were independently making their way up and down the creek, two boys racing boats they made out of scrap pieces of wood.  After a full week at school and a full Saturday of cleaning and laundry, I had to resist my urges to stop them in their play, just for a while, so they could live this experience today and make these memories of their childhood without their mother nagging them about getting their clothes dirty.  As their mama, I know these memories are far more valuable than the  inconvenience of another full load of laundry and the mud and dirt tracked into the house.  Sometimes all it takes is a moment to pause and take a breath, to gain the perspective that I need to just let them play.

kids and eggs

 

It sure feels like Spring in my kindergarten class!   We are reading Charlotte's Web, we have a windowsill full of plants, we have a bunny running around the classroom - and - we have chicks hatching!  So far four chicks have hatched -Lola, Chirp, Paul and Fluffers.  I posted some videos to my instagram account if you want to see them in action.  I LOVE sharing these fun experiences with the children in my life!

::out back

 

 

 

Spring is here!  This lake that still had ice on it yesterday afternoon now is ice-free!

These days I am making time to pay attention to the beauty and reminders that a change of season brings.  I am also working to share mindful practices of noticing and paying attention with the children in my life, both at home and at school.  It is so simple, yet so meaningful to make these connections with the natural world each day.

 

 

::almost

We had our first true day of Spring weather yesterday.  The birds are singing, trees are budding and there is a rumor that a dandelion was even seen on the school grounds.  

There are still spots of snow in the woods - and - the lakes are still frozen - but it is coming!  We are at the point of no return - no more winter!   I am not kidding myself, there is the likelihood of snow flurries before the end of May in NE Minnesota, but for now - I am very content without my winter coat and sporting my capris and flip flops when I can.

embracing the chill

 

April fools! - we're back to winter weather in NE Minnesota.  

Today we are waking up to 19 degrees with snow in the forecast.  We are embracing the chill with hot tea, bowls of soup and evenings working on projects (and listening to audio books) around our family table.  

The kids have plenty of energy and are just putting back on their bundles to play outside.   I am making a point to slow down.  I had minor surgery on my leg about a week and a half ago and at my recent follow-up appointment my doctor told me that I had a choice - I could slow down and heal quicker, or I could drag out the healing process as long as I wanted.  I am opting for the quicker option.  So I am doing my best to take it easy - which is a challenge as a busy mom - but I am going to try to follow doctors orders so I can be back to my regular (pain free) self as soon as I can.

 

getting ready

We are taking it easy in our neck of the woods (I am recovering from some minor surgery).  I enjoyed the day at home making messes with some of my favorite little people doing some Easter preparations along with a good dose of rest.  

Wishing you a Happy Easter!

::enjoying a beautiful day!

This past week the big kids and I took a long hike in the woods.  While others have green grass and blossoming daffodils, we still have snow and frozen lakes - but we are enjoying the beauty that surrounds us!