He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not...He LOVES Me!

A few friends recently commented on my absence from this space! All is well in our neck of the woods. I found myself in a bit of a hibernation mode this past winter, focusing more on the practical aspects of day to day life, rather than creative endeavours.



With Spring in full swing, I'm feeling inspired on many fronts - mainly my garden. My good friend Michelle introduced me to Niki Jabbour's fabulous new book, The Year Round Vegetable Gardener. I'm not sure my poor husband is sharing in my enthusiasm for the book. It's the middle of tax season, and being an accountant, it goes without saying that he is one busy man. For the past few weeks I have been dropping "hints" that I really, REALLY need some help building a cold frame and mini hoop tunnel. He either really, REALLY loves me, or just wants me to stop talking about all my "plans" that involve his construction skills. He built me a lovely cold frame a couple of weeks ago and tonight we tackled the frame of the tunnel.

I've got very high hopes for this garden of mine in the coming months. I attended Seedy Saturday at the Wolfville Farmer's market last weekend and went a little nutty picking out seeds from both Annapolis Seeds and Hope Seeds. I'm actually giddy thinking about all the delicious veggies that will soon be coming our way. I keep reminding Hubby that once he tastes the first home-grown salad of the season, all his work (and all his listening to me talk, talk, talk) will be well worth it!

While I "patiently" wait for my tunnel to be ready for planting, I decided to finish up a project I've been picking away at for months. I dug out the knitting basket and in no time I had myself a new sweater. I actually sewed up the last of the loose ends this morning so I could wear it to my sister's birthday lunch! It is the Annabel Cardigan from Quince and Co. and I am IN LOVE with it. Although I've had great success knitting for the wee ones, I tend to find knitting for myself a bit more challenging in terms of fit and style. This sweater is a perfect fit. In fact, I've decided my wardrobe needs another one in green. What makes it so rewarding is that I dyed the yarn using goldenrod Chi-Chi and Muffy picked from our property. It's such a beautiful sunny hue.

What "spring fever" projects are you working on these days?? I'm always looking for new ideas!

Love Letters

The arrival of February inevitably brings a flurry of creative activity by my two little secret admirers. I know a lot of people lament Valentine's Day as yet another commercialized holiday, but I always enjoy the fun it brings. I think it adds a bit of much-needed love and light to the dreariest, coldest month of the year. While the boys were at school today, I pulled out the craft supplies and designated half of the dining table as "Valentine Central". Glitter glue, stickers, doilies, stamps, sequins, markers....Chi-Chi and Muffy have all the necessary supplies on hand to express their love!





On this very chilly day, they were both so happy and content to work quietly on their creations for the bulk of the afternoon. Our family's Valentine mailbox is already filled to the brim. They even completed all the cards for the upcoming class parties! It's always fun to give something sweet and simple with a handmade touch. I really wanted to avoid candy or sweets of any kind. I came up with some super easy friendship bracelets. A while back, I had dyed some chunky yarn in a rainbow color scheme. I dug this out of the wool stash and in no time, I had crocheted enough little bracelets for both classes. I simply chain stitched for 24 counts - easy peasy and super speedy to pull together. The pretty yarn makes them look more impressive than they are!

Happy Friday (:

The Official Opening

The holiday season was officially kicked off in our household today......although the Chrismtas activities began long ago. The boys were greeted this morning by the family Advent calendar, a much loved tradition in our home. I've tried to keep the Advent treats simple this year. In previous years, I gave a combination of treats, trinkets and treasures. This year, I'm giving teeny weeny little treats each day. More candy is certainly not something the boys need, but it kept things simple and easy for Mama. The treats are very, very small so I'm ok with it. (i.e a single gummy bear). I do so love Mary Beth's idea of the Buy Nothing New Advent Calendar. I may shift to this in future years as it is a nice alternative to the focus on receiving gifts!

I spent some time pulling out a few seasonal decorations today, including our nativity scene. I made this little set a couple of years ago with my scroll saw, inspired by the work of Woodmouse. I also pulled our collection of Christmas stories and books from storage. I keep these items tucked away during the rest of the year. They are much more appreciated and treasured as a result.

There is something comforting about reading these same stories each year....some of them dating back to my own childhood. My all-time favorite Christmas story collection is The Animals' Merry Christmas, written by Kathryn Jackson and illustrated by Richard Scarry. I'm a huge fan of Richard Scarry and his Busytown gang. Where is Christmas Jesse Bear? (along with all the other Jesse Bear books in the series) is also a family favorite!

My dear friend Michelle popped in for a quick visit today to pick up some alder branches to decorate her classroom. Now that the boys no longer attend her preschool, we don't see each other as often. It was nice to catch up and connect. She had requested some of my candycane yarn for classroom crafts. It makes me happy to send a bit of Wool Fairy goodness to the students at Maple Tree. I did up a bit of this yummy yarn for my own crew, as I'm sure there is a great deal of Christmas crafting in our near future. It's so easy to dye up! I just randomly dump a bit of red and green dye on a natural skein of yarn. It's fun and festive.

Happy December everyone!

Here Comes Santa Claus (two of them actually)

As much as I've tried to delay the appearance of the "Christmas Spirit" around here, it has arrived in full force! Don't get me wrong, I love the holiday season and all that goes with it. I actually enjoy the period leading up to Christmas more than the day itself. The baking, the decorating, the crafting, the visiting, the treats, the lights.......etc. I do, however, get burned out when it all begins a bit too early. I set a firm rule this year that Mommy would only tune into the Christmas songs when the calendar turned to December. Despite my resistance, Chi-Chi and Muffy are completely consumed with the holiday season ahead!

The majority of playtime in these parts centers around Santa and his elves. We have an extensive collection of "holiday attire" to aid the imaginative process, including two kiddie Santa suits, an elf costume and a Mrs. Claus costume. They have been playing this game for years (winter, summer, spring or fall), and I have to admit, it is so fun to sit back and quietly observe. This year they took their activities outdoors and converted our play-boat into Santa's sleigh. All was fine and dandy, until I found the little monkeys dumping my bucket of ashes and soot from the woodstove all over our yard! "Mommy, we are just delivering coal to all the naughty kids!!!". Sigh....thankfully there were no live sparks in that bucket!


A few years ago I knit them both a couple of warm and woolly Santa toques. These are dual-purpose hats - providing warmth from the bitter cold and adding a bit fun and magic to pretend play. Chi-Chi recently put in his request for a set of matching Santa mittens. Poor Santa's hands were cold! I love making fun little woollies for the boys! There is no doubt, these will get a lot of use.

Chi-Chi also placed his order for a new set of red pants, as he has outgrown those from the previous year. I popped into the fabric shop today to pick up some red fleece and came out with some silly fake fur in my shopping bag. Tonight I pulled out the scissors, some elastic and my glue gun. In no time, my two Santas were outfitted with fluffy new beards! They are hilarious! As I was settling Muffy down for the night, I found Chi-Chi tucked away in his bedroom, (aka workshop) decked out in full St. Nick attire. He was busily creating gifts for his loved ones. Although Santa is most often associated with the "receiving end" of the holiday, I'm witnessing the spirit of giving in my home. Both little ones are inspired by Santa's generosity. Chi-Chi's little handmade gifts truly melted my heart. He made Daddy "a set of French words to learn". I love that.

I caved in and played "Here Comes Santa Claus" for them tonight. Let the Christmas games begin (:

No Regrets

I tacked a few additional kilometres on my morning runs the last couple of days. I will admit that the Green Pumpkin herself indulged in one too many Tootsie Rolls on Halloween night. It felt so good to bag up all that candy at the end of the evening. I will send it to work with my husband tomorrow and the temptations will be gone (:

The Great Green Pumpkin was a huge hit in our home. I was nervous the boys would be feeling some regret in relinquishing their entire booty. The truth is, I let them have their fill just following trick-or-treating and I think they may have realized they'd had enough sicky sweetness. The allure and mystery of the Green Pumpkin was more enticing to them then a few dozen chocolate bars! I keep a small suitcase of treasures and trinkets for last minute gifts...etc. My husband refers to it as my "stash". In exchange for all those treats, the Green Pumpkin left behind a very teeny weeny Lego set, a dinky toy and a few thrifted hockey cards. I was initially worried they had unrealistic expectations, but it turns out I underestimated the allure of a $2 dinky toy! There were no regrets and no mention of treats from either of them!

So with the month of November stretched out before us, I'm in the mood to snuggle up with a knitting project. We've got the wood stove running full force these days and I love to spend the evenings lounging on the couch reading or knitting. Since it looked so great on Soulemama, I've decided to tackle an Annabel cardigan for myself. I have all my skeins dyed, but I'm still waiting for them to dry out! I pulled the last of my goldrenrod blooms from the freezer for this dye project. I regret not collecting more in late August, as I've fallen in love with this beautiful shade of yellow. In fact, I just completed a little goldenrod sweater vest for Muffy. He proudly wore his "Mommy Love Vest" to school today....melt my heart (:




We are all enjoying the cleansing effect of this crisp fall air! Thanks to the Green Pumpkin, we are back to our healthy habits.

Thankful Thoughts

The week seems to be zooming by on me, and I am only finding the time today to collect my thoughts. I woke up very early Monday morning and reached out to find a warm, fluffy headed little boy in bed with me. We still play a game of musical beds each night, and it is not uncommon for me to wake up with no sense of where I am or who is snuggled up beside me. I long ago gave up on the notion of breaking any "bad habits". Sleep is a priority to me over many things in life!

During those dark, early hours, with my soon-to-be 5 year old cuddled up next to me, I felt truly content and thankful. I was thankful to have just spent a wonderful weekend with a most special girlfriend I've not seen in two years. I was thankful to have had some freedom and time away. I was thankful to be home again, close to my little ones. I was thankful to see my husband (and thankful he cleaned up the kitchen before I got home!).

All these feelings of gratitude, as well as the approach of Thanksgiving, got me eager to complete my "thankful" banner I started a couple of weeks ago. This is just one of a few banners I've made, inspired by Handmade Home. It was fun picking out the earthy, autumn inspired fabric from my scrap bin. I enjoy making these banners as they are quick, easy and fun. I think it actually helps tie this space of our home together, which I am constantly struggling with and rearranging!

My friend and I spent the weekend at my parents' house in the Annapolis Valley. I can't tell you how excited I was to find out they had a huge patch of these beautiful Chinese lanterns growing on the edge of their field! I helped myself to a hefty bouquet. They add such a festive fall touch to our dining table this week. The boys and I also made this pretty leaf lantern using an old jar, white glue and fall leaves. The hardest materials to source from this list were the leaves!!! This was a bit frustrating for me, as we don't have very many deciduous trees in our immediate area. The boys and I searched high and low for these leaves. We ended up using bits of fern, along with what I believe is wild choke cherry. We'll have to venture out a little farther for some maple and oak leaves later on this week. Those ubiquitous spruce trees will come in handy for Christmas crafts, so I'm not complaining!

So much to be thankful for this week as we look forward to a fun and happy birthday for Muffy! I can't believe that little monkey will be 5 tomorrow!

Lunch for my Bunch

We are into our third week of school, and I have to admit, my heart still aches a bit each morning at the bus stop. This is the very first morning Muffy woke up saying he did not want to go to school. His reason? - "Because I can't eat when I want to!" I knew this was coming! Both my boys are very big eaters, and the school schedule doesn't seem to allow enough time to finish their lunches at a reasonable pace. I put a lot of thought and effort into their lunchboxes, hoping they have enough food to carry them through the day.

My own mother always packed great lunches! At the time, I did not appreciate all her efforts, but looking back, she invested a great deal of time and care to ensure my sister and I ate healthy meals. Thanks Mom!! This week I finally got around to stitching up a few more cloth snack bags for recess. The boys can easily nibble on these portable snacks on the playground. I have been stuffing them with a bit of nut-free "trail mix" that includes cereal, yogurt covered raisins, pumpkin seeds and Annie's organic bunnies. There is also enough room to tuck in a cheese stick, which ensures they get a bit of protein mid morning. I'm still working on eliminating plastic from the lunches. I use the odd plastic container, and I usually wrap the contents in wax paper. I've found it difficult to find small stainless options that the children can open, and glass would not go over well at school. The boys love their little bags, and it is my way of sending a bit of "Mommy's love" along with them. I think it provides more comfort to me than them.....but it makes me feel good anyway!

I spent yesterday making a batch of homemade "pizza pockets" for today's lunch. It is pizza day at the school. The cafeteria brings in fast food pizza on Tuesdays (I will refrain from ranting about this). This causes a tricky situation. I want the boys to feel like they fit in, but I don't want them eating the fast food option. Last year Chi-Chi REALLY wanted it, so I caved and allowed it as a treat twice a month. In the end, I found it coming home untouched. He soon learned it didn't taste that great and reverted back to my homemade version. The pizza pockets fit inside a little thermos and are a bit less messy than pizza slices. I really enjoyed this article in Sparrow Magazine. There are some great tips in there about achieving a balance between "healthy" and "normal" on the school lunchbox front!



I snuck in one more quick, crafty project lastnight. Chi-Chi came home with his first wiggly tooth yesterday. He is absolutely giddy about it. I made this simple tooth fairy pillow from some wool scraps. I contemplated embroidering the details, but decided it would be best not to put bad karma into the gift. There would have been some serious cursing and swearing if I had gone that route. I chose to needle felt the details instead, and I'm pretty happy with the results. I only had room for his initial, instead of his full name, but I think it still adds a personal touch. What's the Tooth Fairy's current going rate for a tooth these days???

Adorable Acorns and Creepy Crawlers

This past weekend brought lots of sunshine our way. I saw it as the perfect opportunity to get out my felting basin and enjoy some fun soapy, wet activity with the boys. Muffy didn't show much interest in the project! Chi-Chi, however, was right there beside me as we worked on a set of felted acorns for our fall decorating efforts. I was so excited to finally get to this project, which has been on my wish list for quite some time. I wasn't really sure of the best way to approach it, until I found this excellent tutorial! I followed the steps outlined in the video with great success, including the use of both dry and wet felting methods. We even got a little creative as Chi-Chi wanted to create a planet earth. So much fun!





I'm really pleased with the results. In fact, I really need to get out and collect more acorn caps, as I have grand visions of these little beauties dangling from the limbs of my Christmas tree! I think they make such a nice addition to our fall nature table. It was time to pack away the seashore/summer themed decorations in favor of items inspired by autumn. I really enjoy the process of completely refreshing the seasonable table and digging through my tucked away stash of trinkets. It's nice to pull out something that we have not admired in almost a year. The children are always drawn to the new display, and it was not long before I found Muffy adding a touch of colored leaves he collected outdoors. I keep a child-sized chair pulled up to the table so both Chi-Chi and Muffy can spend time admiring and rearranging the items when they see fit.

Our sunny weekend also offered lots of opportunity for backyard exploring. Check out what Muffy carted home from our tiny pond! Ok, I have to admit, I was glad to see it was dead. In fact, I confirmed it was dead before I let it enter our home. Yikes! What is this thing? Big Sister, is this one of those predacious diving beetles???? My bug-lovin' boy was pretty proud of this discovery!

Hoping everyone had a wonderful weekend!

Studio Time

After a busy week of appointments, I carved out a bit of studio time for myself this morning. I'm gearing up for a full weekend with the family, so it was nice to spend some quiet time, picking away on a few little creative projects and puttering a bit.

I've been tinkering with a few ideas this week. I managed to get started on a fall-themed banner for our dining room. It is still a work in progress, but it will say "THANKFUL" when complete. Once again, I found myself digging through that rug hooking wool stash of mine. I'm pleased that I scrounged up enough scraps to create the project from existing materials. I like using bits of fabric that appear in other areas of our lives - the apple fabric from Chi-Chi and Muffy's aprons, the old yellow sheeting from a grocery bag project, the hens and chicks print from the boys' quilts. It seems to tie all aspects of our family life together.

I've had rainbows on my mind lately, thanks to Muffy's rainbow/hose science experiment this week. I dropped by The Loop on Barrington Street in Halifax yesterday. I was in the city for an appointment, and decided to treat myself to a bit of wool. I picked up a some lovely raw fleece in a rainbow of colors. I'm hoping to make some felted acorns very soon!

Last night I found my hands feeling restless, and in need of a quick, mindless little project. I've been wanting to make a set of rainbow gnomes for the boys for quite a long time. Once again, I was so happy to have all the necessary materials on hand. It was a great use of leftover yarn scraps. I was able to crochet the little suits quite quickly and easily. I love quick little projects like this and find them so satisfying. This morning I topped each gnome off with an acorn cap. My husband laughed when he saw them! He commented thatthey look like they're wearing French berets! I guess this is appropriate since the boys are learning French. They can practise their French colors with them! I may give them to Muffy for his birthday, or I may just pull them out as a fun surprise to brighten up a rainy day.

I also crocheted a cuddly rainbow ball for a friend's baby. I have not made one of these balls in a very long time. They are really ideal for toddlers as they are easy to grasp and so warm and soft. A great quick and easy project to satisfy a creative urge.

Anyone else feeling creative these days? Maybe there is something in that fall air (:

Just In Time

Fall is in the air today! It's the first morning I've noticed that distinct crispness in the air. It gets me in the mood for all sorts of autumn goodness - apple crisp, wood stove warmth, woodland hikes and knitting, of course!

Yesterday I finished up the Tea Leaves sweater I've been picking away at all summer. It's ready just in time for the chill in the air. I think I'm happy with the final results. It's a bit bigger than I would prefer, even after making some adjustments to the pattern. I also had some major problems blending in different skeins of yarn. Since I dyed the wool myself in different batches, it was impossible to achieve a perfect and seamless match. I do love those buttons and the color is exactly what I was going for.



Now that my sweater is complete, it's time to move on to some winter woollies for the boys. This week we pulled our Queen Anne's Lace blooms out of the freezer and picked a hearty batch of fresh goldenrod for the dye pot. For anyone interested in natural dyeing, there is a ton of information on the net. I'm no expert and I tend to just experiment and tinker with such things. I used alum as a mordant to help the dye "stick" to the wool. This simply involved simmering my skeins in a water/alum solution for approximately 45 minutes. I then placed my skeins in a roasting pan, along with the dye stuff and water. I wrapped the blooms loosely in cheesecloth in an effort to keep my wool free of leaves and other organic bits (bugs! spiders!). I also tucked in a bunch of tea bags here and there. I like the golden effect the tea adds. Plain goldenrod is just a bit too bright for my liking. I also prefer dyeing in a roasting pan as opposed to a pot. This allows the wool to have varying contact with the dyestuff and produces a mottled effect that I really like. I baked everything at 350 Celsius for about 40 minutes and allowed it to sit and cool overnight.



The skeins are currently drying in the morning sun. I think some cozy Saturday night knitting and a movie might be on the agenda this evening. The boys will each have a new hat and mittens for the fall and Muffy will likely be sporting a new sweater vest. Perhaps this color would not be my first choice had I been using my chemical dyes, but somehow it is perfect and I love it. The hues remind me of a November landscape, when the leaves are but a memory and the grasses have all turned golden and brown. For any fellow knitter who is frustrated with their kiddies turning up noses to those adorable hand-knits... involving them in the process REALLY does work. The boys are genuinely excited about their new hats and they will guaranteed be happy to wear them. The fact that they hand picked baskets of Queen Anne's Lace and goldenrod and helped me with the dye bath really gave them a sense of pride and ownership in the project.



Does any other crazy knitter out there use their wool as a decorative accent? I recently filled this antique wooden bowl with a selection of my natural dyeing experiment results. Natural dyes really do provide a more subtle, earthy effect that I'm drawn too! It's worth giving it a try!

Dye Pot Dreams

Despite the fact these summer days are action-packed with the antics and activities of Chi-Chi and Muffy, I'm still finding the opportunity to steal of few moments with my latest knitting adventure. That yarn basket of mine follows me wherever I go. I've managed to sneak in a few rows at the pool side, the playground and the backyard picnic table. It's slow going, but I seem to be enjoying the leisurely pace of the project. Sometimes I favour larger projects over the "quick hits". With the end nowhere in site, I can just relax and enjoy the meditative act of knitting itself. That being said, I am pretty excited about the final result. It is a gift to myself! I'm knitting the tea leaves cardigan, which I first saw on Soulemama (of course!). Aren't these pottery buttons absolutely beautiful? They were made by my very talented potter/artist cousin, Sarah! If you happen to be looking for the perfect finishing touch to a special project, you should check out her Etsy store. So hard to choose! I've had these starfish tucked away for quite some time, and I'm quite excited to finally use them. Inspired by the buttons and summer beach days, I intentionally dyed the wool in an ocean inspired palette. I'm imagining this cozy sweater will keep me warm on those cold winter days when the ocean is a little less "friendly" in these parts.

While I'm working away on my sweater, my mind is also dreaming of upcoming projects for the fall. With school starting, I will be eager to make some new warm woollies for those cold days at the bus stop. Both Chi-Chi and Muffy truly enjoy getting "involved" in the creation of their hand knits. This is certainly the time of year to plan ahead, as our property is bursting with blossoms that are absolutely perfect for the dye pot. Queen Anne's Lace is in full bloom and the goldenrod is just beginning to splatter the landscape with it's deep yellow hues. I also did some planning back in the spring and planted several pots of marigolds. Over the coming weeks, the boys and I will be harvesting these blossoms to create a few special items - hats, mittens and a new fall vest for each of them. A little tip: I freeze the dye stuff if I am not prepared to use it immediately. All three of these blooms produce some beautiful yellow dyes. I often throw in a bit of tea to darken the color and add a more mottled texture to the yarn. The photo shows the goldrenrod/tea hat and mitten set I made for Chi-Chi last year. These were favorites of his, most likely because he assisted in gathering that goldrenrod with his own little hands.

I do enjoy tinkering with natural dyes. It's not something I would likely do exclusively as the color choice can be rather limiting. I was fortunate to participate in a natural dyeing workshop last summer at Deanne Fitzpatrick's studio. More than anything, it was fun and refreshing for Mommy to have a day to herself! Anyone who has been to Deanne's studio and shop will know what I mean when I say it is a wool lover's dream and truly an inspiring place to pass the time. The course was taught by the talented Joanna Close, and was fun and informative. I left feeling confident and inspired.

Anyone else doing some "lazy summer" knitting? What's on your needles?

Fields of Gold

There is nothing quite like jumping into fresh week after having spent a wonderful weekend with those you love. After being away for a few days to visit my parents in the Annapolis Valley, I enjoyed a bustling morning in the kitchen, organizing and preparing food for the week ahead. With a fresh batch of yogurt out of the pot and straining, I set to work on a double batch of homemade crackers. Crackers are always a quick and easy snack for the boys, so they are convenient to have on hand when Mama is tired (or feeling lazy). A recent Bulk Barn shopping spree has my pantry cupboard overflowing with a fabulous selection of grains and seeds. I'm taking a baby step approach to eliminating as many pre-packaged foods from our lives as possible. Last week was the yogurt experiment, this week I'm "cracking down" on boxed crackers! Muffy served as the taste-taster this morning and the results of my efforts received glowing reviews. The crackers were gobbled up in an instant the the yogurt bowl was licked clean. I always get a warm, cozy feeling of satisfaction when I witness my children truly enjoying wholesome, healthy foods.

Here is the cracker recipe that I compiled from a few sources, one being an old photocopy from the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada.

1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/4 cup flax seeds
1/2 cup bulger
1 cup white flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup buttermilk (I used the left over whey from the yogurt making)

Combine dry ingredients and cut in butter. Add buttermilk and stir well.
Shape into 6 balls and roll out on a floured surface as thin as you can.
Transfer to a baking sheet.
Bake at 350 for 10 minutes
Let cool on wire rack until crips. Break into smaller pieces.
Hide from your husband and children and ration out carefully so they last more than one day.

Since I found myself working in the kitchen, I figured it would be rather efficient of me to get a bit of wool dyeing done! I came home with a bushel of dandelion blooms from my trip to the Valley. The fields last week were a breathtaking and brilliant yellow. Isn't it funny how these flowers get such a bad reputation? I was so taken by the stunning beauty of these fields. I'm not so sure the results from the dyepot will be as vibrant or awe-inspiring! My experience with the nettles was a tad drab and disappointing. I suppose it is more about the process of slowing down, gathering, preparing, creating.....and the fact I feel just the tiniest bit like Laura Ingalls while I'm out foraging!

Yes You Can...Yogurt!

Last Saturday evening I settled down with a nice cup of tea and my laptop to take a leisurely stroll though some of my favorite blogs. After having completed a fair amount of sewing projects the previous week, I felt a little down time was in order. My first click lead me to Sherrie over at Twenty Two Pleasant. She pointed me over here for instructions on do-it-yourself homemade yogurt. So much for some down time! Before I could even empty my teacup I was on my way back to the kitchen to give this recipe a whirl. It seemed so simple and too good to be true.

The next morning I was up with Rocky the Rooster (he serves as the alarm clock around here....but I can't seem to change the setting to something more reasonable!!). I must say, I was pretty impressed when I opened the lid and discovered a yummy, tangy batch of homemade yogurt. In no time I found myself throwing together a batch of homemade granola to pair up with my yogurt. Though our Sunday mornings usually call for pancakes, we strayed from tradition and served homemade yogurt and granola topped with maple syrup and strawberries. Absolutely divine! I'm hooked and so excited to add another little do-it-yourself trick to my limited repertoire. I made another batch mid week as the first was gobbled up in no time, and success once again. Give it a try! I swear it is fool proof!

Yes, my stove top has seen lots of action over the last few days. The dye pot has been going non-stop. The fresh spring air and sunshine always get me in the mood to hang freshly dyed skeins on the line. I just recently started tinkering with natural dyes. I treated myself to an early Mother's Day gift - The Craft of Natural Dyeing by Jenny Dean. Ironically I opened this week's CSA box from Taproot Farms and discovered a bag of stinging nettle calling out to me. What a dilemma - feed these amazing nutrient packed greens to my family, or sacrifice them to the dye pot. I guess I'm a selfish person. I chose the later. I'm dreaming of a pair of nettle mittens for myself next winter! Perhaps we'll get more nettles next week and I promise, we will eat every single one....or maybe the whole family should have nettle mittens. What's a Wool Fairy to do?

I received another early Mother's Day gift this week from my sweet little boy, Muffy. He presented this gorgeous arrangement to me that he created at preschool yesterday. Honestly, I'm in awe of the work of this little three year old boy. It is sitting proudly at the centre of our dining room table, bringing joy to me at each glance. The children have been doing Ikebana arrangements at their Montessori preschool for the last couple of months. It is amazing to see what these small children are capable of when given the opportunity and tools. It's just a reminder to me of why I have always been so drawn to Montessori.

So of course I've got a Montessori inspired activity going on today with Chi-Chi and Muffy working away on the latest task - gathering dandelion blooms for the dye pot. Why am I not feeling that guilty about this dye job?