Imagine Childhood : Magic & Memories That Last a Lifetime

... barn stories: horsing around

Right now, Rocky is stall bound after having surgery, but he is almost done with just a couple more weeks to go (yay!). Meanwhile, Iggy is dearly missing his friend. Each day as he trots in from a day alone (he is a stud colt so he can't go out with the mares) he always glaces towards Rocky to see if he is still there, you can almost feel his longing for his old friend.

When they are together in the paddock a fence divides them because the space is small, not like a pasture where there is lots of room to get away from each other while they are playing.

Of course playing for them, or horses in general, looks ruffer than it really is. Neither one has placed a mark on the other but by the looks of it they should be in tatters... They lunge and dive towards each other with teeth sometimes bared always coming just short of contact. Rocky is great at stern looks keeping Iggy in his place.

After a session or a day of play they are both tired, here they both look like they are done for the day.

Horses are herd animals and Iggy needs to learn his place. In the wild these lessons learned through play would be the difference between life and death. In the barnyard it's just about passing the day...

To play in all the different ways it is displayed, and to the learning that comes with it.

 

~ Deb

 

* Last time in Barn Stories: Marigolds

... knowing green: back to school nature

 As school gets underway again for many out there, certain back-to-school rituals are once again on the to-do list. One of which is covering books. So why not bring a little of summer with you as you head back into the classroom?

Making a bark rubbing of your favorite tree on a paper bag to cover your books is a great way to do this.

 I started by cutting the paper bag down one corner and cutting off the bottom part. Then I went outback to my favorite tree and taped the bag inside out lengthwise to the tree with painters tape. From there I started making the bark rubbings with various colored crayons.

 Once I had my original artwork collected it was time to cover the books. To do this I looked up a "how-to" online.

 Then I just grabbed a book and started covering...

... and am I pleased with the results! Fun and colorful, these book covers are the perfect reminder of summer reading sessions under my favorite tree.

~Jordan

*Last time in Nature: Unexpected Friends

... nature walk: desolation sound marine park, bc

This week's beautiful nature walk comes to us from Desolation Sound Marine Park, BC, Canada and the surrounding coastal areas. There Brittany, Phil and Ryan explored the incredible mountain vistas, local wildlife, and chilly ocean waters via kayak. Thanks guys for sharing such a special adventure with us!

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 Nature Walk Group Pool on Flickr to add your adventures to the collection.

Thanks again for sharing!

*Last time in Nature Walks: Crested Butte, CO

... savoring summer

A while back we played lemon-lime checkers and we liked it so much that I had to make a more portable version with pieces that didn't have a shelf date.

So, This time I made a double sided game board.  One side is a quilted checkerboard while the other has a pocket to hold the wooden game pieces and a tic-tac-toe game board. 

The pieces themselves are solid colors on one side and have x's and o's on the other...

... perfect for soaking up those last moments of summer...

... along with an ice cold lavender limeade.

 

Cloth Tic-Tac-Toe and Checkers Game Board:

• 1/2 yard scrap fabric (at least two different colors
• wooden discs (available at most craft stores, or you could use buttons or bottle caps
• ribbon (for tying the board closed
• paint
• permanent markers

Rip your fabric in strips that are 1/4" larger than your desired checker square on all sides. Then, sew those strips together alternating colors.  Once you have them all sewn together, cut strips perpendicular to the stripes to make your checkers.  Then rearrange these pieces so that they form a checkerboard pattern (you'll have to shift the strips a bit to the left and right each time to do this) and trim off any excess.  Sew these strips together to make your square.

Once you have your square back it with a solid colored piece of fabric, and then sew a pocket (I just used some of the left over strips I sewed in the first step) by laying a piece of finished fabric over the bottom third of the solid fabric side and top-stitching three of the sides.

For the game pieces, simply paint or draw on them to make the colors or x's and o's.  Using a permanent marker, draw a tic-tac-toe grid on the solid fabric side (if you're worried about it bleeding through, you can do this before sewing it on).

Then, grab a few fresh limes and put 1/2 lime into each cup and mull it with a little lavender, sugar (to taste) and water using the end of a wooden spoon.  Add more water and ice and serve with blueberry fruit skewers... or my all time favorite summer treat, a bowl of frozen blueberries!

 

Happy Summer Days!

~ Sarah

P.S. Click Here to see who won our Back to School Giveaway!!

*Last time in Crafts and Activities: Soaking in the Season

... knowing green: unexpected friends

A few weeks ago I posted some photos of a cleverly camouflaged moth, and just last week I was once again surprised by another act of disguise. This time in a bouquet of sunflowers.

Brownish black and yellow, just like center of the sunflower he was hiding out in, this little guy was hard to spot...

... but just different enough to finally see.

I love the way he contrasts with the fuzz of the stalk. And he's shaped just like a sunflower seed too! I just wish I could figure out what kind of bug he is! Any suggestions? Your help would be greatly appreciated, especially in identifying whether he is friend of foe to my sunflowers.

Thanks!

~Jordan

P.S. Don't forget, our Back to School Giveaway is still going strong... Make sure you enter before noon tomorrow!!

*Last time in nature: Watching the Clouds Go By