Imagine Childhood : Magic & Memories That Last a Lifetime

... nature walk: castlewood state park, missouri

This week's lovely nature walk comes to us from Castlewood State Park in Missouri where Loralyn and her family recently went on an adventure.  There they explored the rivers and admired the beautifully tall trees.  They even found one they could fit inside!  Thank you so much Loralyn for sharing!

If you would like to contribute to our weekly Nature Walk series, you can learn more about submitting photos here, or you can also visit our new Nature Walk Group Pool on Flickr to add your adventures to the collection.

Thanks again Loralyn for sharing!

 

... celebrate slow

Although the first day of fall isn't for a few more weeks yet, the start of September brings with it many autumn activities.  Days tend to be more focused on school and work and the wonderful excitement of learning new things and meeting new friends. September marks a change in tempo.  We begin to have more defined schedules and the drifting and slow daydreaming of summer sneaks its way in a little less. 

But just before the full gear shift, it can be great to celebrate "slow"... to enjoy those moments where nothing else matters.... but the moment itself. We like to do that with late breakfasts in pajamas... outdoor games that change and transform into all day adventures... and a few simple pleasures like the crisp crackle of a Crème Brûlée crust paired the sweet, slightly tart freshness of summer fruit.

Simple, decadent and so much easier than it seems, this classic custard is perfect for lazy days, especially because it can be made ahead of time and kept in the fridge until you feel like broiling a little sugar and enjoying a soft late summer breeze.  We use this recipe and have never had a single complaint... well, except that there wasn't enough of it!

Wishing you a wonderfully slow weekend where you are!

Variations for experimenters:

Coconut Crème Brûlée

Ginger Crème Brûlée

Key Lime Crème Brûlée

giveaway forum: an apple for the teacher and a winner!

A walk down a country road...


... early morning mist...


... and apples fresh with dew.


Fall is just around the corner...

What a perfect time to announce the winner of our Back to School Giveaway!

The winner chosen by random number is: Anna who wrote: "I always loved reading (and still do!). My favorite thing about back to school is the promise of starting fresh and new. I always feel like Sept. is the new year not Jan.!"

Thank you to everyone who participated in the giveaway and shared their stories.  It was so much fun to read about all of your favorite subjects in school!

... barn stories: at my back door

My daughter opened the back door and there he was.  She said "mom are you teasing me, this can't be real?" I didn't get up to look and replied that I hadn't  done anything.  Then she yelled again "Mom this is a monster frog... it has to be a rubber toy".  Again I told her I wasn't playing a joke.


Finally I got up to see what she was talking about and it was a real monster frog... not a toad which we see all the time. This fellow had lost his way, he was in trouble.  For some reason, animals in trouble seem to find their way to our doors, barn or house. He needed water which we don't have much of on our arid plot of land, so we got him a pie pan full and turned the yard sprinklers on. He had traveled from the creek bed about 6,000 feet or more away.   Our neighbor has a pond which often fills with rain but had recently gone dry.   We think he had been there and was trying to find his way home.


He is an American Bullfrog the largest in the United States, and is known to swallow small birds and snakes... we didn't know that when we took the photographs... good thing he didn't have a craving for a camera lens! We hope we were of some help and he has made his way home.

... fossil hunting in the city

Hot concrete and asphalt, glass and steel... sometimes nature can seem so far away on a hot day in a big city.  But no matter how much we cover over wooded trails and grassy valleys, nature always manages to find a way to leave its mark.

Fossils reveal so much to us about the growth and change of the world over time.  What does your sidewalk tell you? Going on an urban fossil hunt can be a great way to find out... Happy trekking!

Tools of the Trade:

Fossil Hunter's Notebooks: for recording all of your findings.

Crayon Rocks: there's nothing like using a "rock" to make rubbings of your favorite fossil finds!

Tracking and the Art of Seeing: great scientists always start with a great guide book.