Imagine Childhood : Magic & Memories That Last a Lifetime

... weekend links

 
Here are a few things that kept us curious this week. 

• One room school houses are making a sweet comeback.
• How flowers conquered the world! 
• Want to see the world's largest tree? Check this out. 
• Too rainy to play outside? Think again. 
• We have four words for you... Bald. Eagle. Live. Camera!
• Just because a vegetable is ugly doesn't mean we can't eat it. 
• Spring will be here eventually, here's how to plant a bird friendly garden!
• There really is nothing better than the smell of homemade bread. 
• February giving you the blues? Fight back with some magenta, yellow, and bright green!

 

Happy Weekend! 

 

xox

~ i.c. 

. . . february survival kit: color!

There is a particular time in winter, this exact time to be precise, when all of that cold and grey can get really... old.  With March so near, but true spring still pretty far off in the distance, it can be hard to muster up excitement for these late February days that tend to be a bit on the dreary side.  So today, we've made a little survival kit to help you and your kiddos make it through the next few weeks.

First on the list is this fun and very colorful Snowball Watercolor Activity. Perfect for cold and gray snowy days.

Next up is. . .

. . . this lovely shadow painting activity.  Great for days when there is a bit of sun, but the branches are still bare in the cold winter air.

And for those times when all you see is white, here's an activity that will help you see the rainbow of color hiding in every snow crystal.

Have a junk drawer full of odds and ends? Turn them into an exciting and colorful game of Stick Stacks!

Can't wait another day to see a few blooming flowers? Give this fabric flower craft a whirl and then perhaps invite a. . .

. . . ladybug or two to wander through your new garden in this warm and cozy DIY ladybug costume.

Or, make this wonderful rainbow ribbon wand to fill your home with colorful magic.

And when you really can't go another day without a few beautiful plants, pull out some of your favorite plant dyes and conjure up a little color from last season's harvest.

 

Need even more color? Try out some of these fun crafts too:

Indigo Dye Kit

Flower Fairy Kit

Flower Crown Kit

Plant Dye Starter Kit

 

Happy Crafting!

~ Sarah

 

... moments of magic

Spring most certainly has not arrived just yet. But little signs are beginning to creep out of the woodwork. This moment of magic happened around mid-morning on a Sunday, Valentines Day. As I sleepily sipped on my morning coffee, aimlessly staring out the window, it was the shadow that first grabbed my attention. Next, the little bursts of pink that didn't seem to be there the day before. I was struck by the contrast of the dark winter shadow of a bare tree, against the warmth of pink petals peeking out of their protective buds.

I will be forever in awe of the stark audacity of nature in the depths of winter.

 

~ Jordan

 

. . . no knead sprouted wheat bread

Is there anything better than. . .

. . . a homemade. . .

. . . loaf of bread. . .

. . . baked with love. . .

. . . and tenderness?

Perhaps the only thing better than that would be a no knead sprouted wheat loaf of home baked bread!  Tender and delicious this easy recipe will feed your family with lots of love and healthy nutrients.

 

No Knead Sprouted Wheat Bread

Recipe adapted from here

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1 cup lukewarm water*
• 1/4 cup nonfat dry milk*
• 3 tablespoons molasses or maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons instant yeast
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 3 cups organic sprouted wheat flour (can substitute whole wheat flour)
• 1 tablespoon of butter for brushing on the top of the loaf after baking

*You can use 1 cup of milk in place of the water and dry milk, just make sure to scald the milk first and cool it until it is lukewarm (a necessary process to disable protease )

Mix all of the dry ingredients together for a few moments to make sure they are well combined. Add the wet ingredients and mix in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or a food processor with a dough blade for three minutes. The dough will be a bit sticky. 

Line an 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" pan with a strip of parchment cut to 8 1/2" wide.  Make sure it is long enough to leave "handles sticking out either side. Grease the ends of the pan and scoop the dough into the prepared pan.

Cover with plastic wrap or wax paper and allow to rise in a warm spot for 60-90 minutes (or until the loaf just pushes out of the top of the pan.

While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 350.  I like to bake bread on a baking stone as it helps it rise a bit better and gives a nice even temperature.  If you have a baking stone, put it in the oven and turn on the heat as soon as you set your dough aside to rise. That way it will be up to temperature by the time you bake.

Bake for 20 minutes and then tent with aluminum foil. Bake for an additional 15-20 minutes or until an instant read thermometer reads 190-195.

Allow to cook for a few moments.  Use a butter knife to slice along the ends to make sure they are loose and then use the parchment "handles" to pull out your loaf of bread and place it on a rack to cool.  Brush the top with melted butter and sprinkle a bit of salt. 

Slice when completely cool.

 

With the Kids: Invite the kids to help you mix up the ingredients and prepare the pan for the dough. Scoop the dough out into the the pan and cover. While the dough is rising, learn a little more about the science of bread! After the bread is ready, encourage your kiddos to come up with sandwich recipes all of their own and make names for their sandwiches. Plan an adventure outside where you can take a picnic lunch of these sandwiches!

 

Happy Baking!

~ Sarah

 

... nature walk: micou's island, nova scotia

This week's wintery nature walk brings is to the shores of Micou's Island, Nova Scotia. There, Dawn and her family hiked the trails and took in all the wonder winter has to offer. Thank you Dawn, for sharing your lovely hike with us! 

We love to share! If you would like to contribute to our weekly Nature Walk series simply email us at info@imaginechildhood.com or tag us on Facebook or Instagram with the hashtag #icnaturewalk.

Thanks again Dawn, for sharing!

 

* Last week in Nature Walks: Singapore and India