Imagine Childhood : Magic & Memories That Last a Lifetime

... brown paper packages tied up with string

{Photo by Trevor Gainer}

Cardboard and string...  simple straight forward materials with endless potential.  They can be mundane or magical.  They can hold up a wobbly table leg, or tie together an unruly bundle of papers.  They can provoke curiosity and excitement simply by arriving in the mail, and after their contents are removed, they can become forts, trucks, airplanes, or enchanted train cars that will take you anywhere with a wrinkle of the nose or a blink of the eyes. In this video by Trevor Gainer, cardboard and string are all of these things.  The process is clearly displayed, the progress is slow moving, and it is filled with anticipation and magic.  Each move and its potential success or failure makes the box come alive.  It is imperfect and real, and sometimes takes a few tries to get to it's destination, making the the end result something beautiful to see indeed. A simple cardboard box that makes you believe in the impossible all over again... and again... and again.





Wishing you a weekend filled with the magical potential of simple components, playful experimentation, and a lot of imagination!

... giveaway forum : march blooming branches fairy

Yay for March!  It will be here very soon which means spring is just around the corner, and we thought a great way to celebrate the coming of bright crocuses and budding trees would be with a give away of one of our Blooming Branches Fairies! Hand made with wool from her own sheep herd, this plant dyed felt beauty was crafted by our own Barn Stories Contributor Deb, and would love to bring a little spring into your home. Starting today, we will begin our Giveaway Forum series where each Thursday this March we will pair a giveaway with a forum topic, because if there is one thing we've learned, it's that parents have a lot of good ideas to share with each other!  We hope that this and the upcoming Thursday entries with provide the space to do just that. The format is simple:  Leave a comment responding to the forum topic, and get a chance to win the giveaway prize! Since we would like to have these discussions reflect your interests and inquiries, please feel free to suggest forum topics that would answer the questions you've been dying to ask by emailing them to [email protected]. This week's topic is:  What is your favorite spring activity to do with children? Leave your answer in the comments below and enter for a chance to win the Blooming Branches Fairy above.  The giveaway will close next Wednesday March 4th at 11:59pm MST and the winner (picked by a random number generator) will be announced Thursday March 5th! Good luck!

... barn stories: farmer in the city

Walking through the streets I see...


The interplay of nature and man occurring where one major city street diverges into two, in one of the largest cities on earth.  Nature frames an interpretation of the sun- art/nature


A home found nestled in the branches of a tree - nature/art - waiting for it's spring occupancy.


On a side street, the trees leave their mark on the wall too - nature/art - art/nature


This lone resident, with very little coaxing almost approaching a jump onto this shoulder of mine


Passing by the park, nature frames man made art in the sky.


And in a building made to hold great works of art, spring has made it's way inside.

... meeting trees

Wake up your senses and see the world around you in a whole new way by finding a tree through touch and smell.  We came across this great activity in Sharing Nature with Children and had to try it our for ourselves! What's needed: a good friend, a few scraps of fabric, a back yard, park, or forest. The Game: With a friend go out to a park or any place with a grouping of trees.  Blindfold one person and lead them up to a tree. Ask the blindfolded person to feel the tree with their hands, or even their cheek. Ask specific questions: How does it feel? Is is rough? Is it smooth? Is anything growing on it? Is it damp or dry? Can they wrap their arms around it? Now ask them to smell the tree.  How does it smell? Sweet? Sour?  Like leaves or grass?  Like the dirt?  Like wood? Once your partner is finished exploring, lead them back to where you started, but by an indirect route,  and take the blindfold off.  Ask the person who was blindfolded to see if they can find the tree they were lead to. Now let your partner try!


Activities like this heighten our senses and can create wonderful lifelong relationships with nature.   So next time you go outside, don't just hug a tree, smell it too!


**** For the star watchers out there, look out for a green "two-tailed" comet due to pass closest to the earth today Feb. 24th!****

... nature walk: spring city, utah

This week’s Nature Walk comes to us from Spring City, Utah where C. Lynn took a morning walk just before dawn. Even as most of us can't wait for the snow and ice to give way to the soft green of spring, beautiful photos like these are a wonderful reminder of the magical landscapes that winter can bring.

If you would like to contribute to our weekly Nature Walk series, you can learn more about submitting photos here.

Thanks again C. Lynn!