This is Waldorf - Connection to Earth

This is a little themed post that I have been musing on for a while now. I believe I would like to try to make this into a regular thing. This blog has become a bit of a journal for me, and putting some of these words down has helped me to solidify them in reality.

So here goes!

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This is Waldorf is a verbal and visual representation of what Waldorf means to us.

Waldorf is our lifestyle.

Rather, more accurately, our lifestyle is easily defined by Waldorf. We were already doing many of the "ideals" long before I met my dear and wonderful friend Tanya, who first told me about Waldorf, way back when my twins were not even walking. Some of the "ideals" go along with attachment parenting and conscious living and natural living.

So today I'd like to show some pictures that represent our connection to Earth. The Earth provides food and Energy for us.

~ this year's garden - our first ever ~

With love and great care, the plants and animals will provide food.

~ first tomato ~

But timing is also important.

~ rite of passage: picking green tomatoes ~

Pictures in books come alive, when you see them in Nature.

~ Cicely Mary Barker's Foxy Foxglove ~

We are connected to Earth physically, but we also want to be connect to Earth spiritually.

~ Dancing in the rain on Spring Equinox ~

And most importantly, We Are Nature.

Peace,
Carrie

Thankful

Last Friday we celebrated Thanksgiving with my parents, sister, and sister's significant other. It was a beautiful day and we quickly decided to move the feast out-of -doors.

~ Lela-made place markers ~

~ The Birthday Boy - Pop ~

~ Lela and Gran ~

~ Liv and Aunt Bec ~

Thanks for a beautiful and blessed day, loved ones!

Peace and Gratitude,

Carrie

WiP Wednesday - Cheating and More

I remember fondly a funny post on Little Home Blessings. Despite spending the last fifteen minutes digging through her site, I cannot find it. (However, after all that digging I feel newly inspired by all her beautiful crafting!)

Anyway, the premise of post was that she had been crocheting, and was "cheating" on her knitting.

~ So, today I'm cheating as well. ~

My friend taught me how a couple weeks ago and I am just now getting around to my first project. This is going to be a hat for me - imagine that, actually crafting for yourself. I'm amazed at how quickly crochet works up.

I try to have my girls wear a hat out-of-doors when the weather necessitates it. But I cannot expect them to wear one if I never do! Crochet offers a warm-natured momma a lightweight hat. I will definitely share a finished picture of this one.

In keeping with the cruddy-picture-nice-craft theme, here's a picture of a really sweet bow that my friend made for the girls. There are actually 2 different bows, one for each girl. She did an amazing job!

~ Lela ~

~ Laurel modeling a past WiP - another completed gnome hat. ~

~ And isn't a marriage, a partnership, always a work-in-progress? ~

Yes, the Winter Beard is gone. :( To return soon, I hope!
My parents visited us for 4 days last week, and we celebrated Thanksgiving. I figured I would share those pictures in the next few days. But on Saturday night, after the girls were asleep, my mom gave us her credit card and we went out for drinks and a little food and a lot of fun. This picture that I FORCED Mike to take is probably the first one we've taken together in at least a year.
Peace,
Carrie

WiP Wednesday - Yarn

Earlier in the week I dyed another batch of yarn. I was trying for red, orange and yellow, but ended up with purple, deep orange and yellow. Still pretty!


Apparently yarn makes an excellent sling. :)

This yarn will be, among other undetermined things, another, better fitting, gnome hat for MaKenna.

I also am working on a sewing project that I cannot share here at this time. :) And have about a dozen or more projects in que.

Peace and Happy Crafting!

Carrie

Waldorf Co-op

With the beautiful mid-70s weather we have been having the last few days, we decided to move Monday's co-op back to our favorite location at the creek. After all, children of the forest cannot catch cold. ;)

~ Getting into position for Warrior ~

~ Yoga Cows! ~



~ Liv ~

Since last week leftovers of the hurricane forced us to cancel co-op, we are only just now doing our Martinmas. Erin led the Circle and told the story of St. Martin, followed by our seasonal verses and songs. During our leaf movement verse, there was a gentle wind which blew down beech leaves all around us - it was amazing!

Lora taught us all a German lantern song - she did a great job and by the end of craft, most everyone knew it!

Here it is:

Laterne, Laterne,

Sonne, Mond und Sterne!

Brenne auf, mein Licht,brenne auf, mein Licht,

aber nur meine liebe Laterne nicht!

~ Making paper lanterns ~

~ Lela showing Lora (and Colin) a little beetle on her lantern ~

~ Blake ~

~ Lantern walk through the woods, singing ~

One of the children turned 8 last week, so we sang to him, had some delicious pumpkin cranberry bread, and gave him a few little gifts. We gave him some choice quartz, a wooden top (made by my dad) and a shell. He sweetly told Lela, "I love gems!" It just made heart melt!

There were also fun and games after Circle. The kids played Farmer in the Dell many times.

A great co-op, as usual! There was lots of momma-visiting, some knitting and even some cosmic communication. ;) Peace and Love to all my momma friends. :)

And more beautiful pictures on Erin's blog, Four Little Pixies.

Peace,

Carrie

Autumn Splendor

On Sunday we went for a hike as a family at McDowell Nature Preserve, on the very first trail we hiked after Mike took the job here.

~ Mike and Laurel ~

Mother Nature was so beautiful - Autumn colors at their peak.

We made time for a little bit of creek play.

And took in the fruits of recent rains.

I captured this very sweet exchange between Mike and Laurel.

~ Log-jumping Lela ~

Family hikes remind us that

we are not there to connect with nature.

They remind us that We Are Nature.

Peace,

Carrie

Reconnect

Peace,

Carrie

Halloween Celebration

For the second year in a row, we have spent Halloween with our circle of friends.

~ Crafting their special flower necklaces ~

~ Laurel carefully threading beads ~

~ Liv licking the yarn to make beading easier ~

~ Mike and the girls carving turnips ~

The girls wanted to be faeries and specific ones at that! From Cicely Mark Barker's Flower Fairies books: Lela chose the Poppy Fairy, Liv the Rose Hip Fairy and Laurel the Elderberry Fairy. (Elderberry Fairy was especially poignant this year seeing as we have been taking it regularly for the various sicknesses. Elderberry is an excellent herb for healing.)

~ The Poppy Fairy AKA Lela ~

Their costumes were all handmade from old clothes or linens that were in the "to be upcycled" box. Well they aren't quite "upcycled" but they had fun with them. The wings were butterflies that were hanging from their bedroom ceiling. After the bunkbeds went up, everything on the ceiling came down, so we put them to use.

~ Laurel as the Elderberry Fairy ~

~ An arboreal Rose Hip Fairy - Livvy ~

We attended a wonderful celebration at Erin and Tim's house. Everyone brought delicious food, inspired by their ancestors. I brought a locally raised pot roast and mashed potatoes, as well as a sweet potato casserole.

~ Mike as the Tree Fairy ~

After the amazing dinner, there was a Costume Parade through the backyard. Then the Daddies went down into the woods for the Trick or Treat Trail. The Mommas led the group down the trail for their yummy treats. At the end of the trail was a fire for roasting marshmallows. The kids couldn't wait to get back to go through their treats. My favorite part was that Nova wanted a pear but didn't get one. We had three so we shared with him. How sweet that his most coveted item was fruit!


There was also a cute craft as well as lawnmower hayrides. Yes, that's right - my kids all had so much fun, but I think that Tim had the most fun. :) Please check out this post on Erin's blog for some really cute pictures from the party, including lawnmower hayrides!


Also, check out Beth's blog post as well for more pictures!

Peace,
Carrie

WiP Wednesday - Tiny Gnome Hat

Well, I really have no problem doing the same project over and over and over again. Just ask my friends how it was with the little gnome dolls. :)




I'm making this one to fit a 3-6 month old.

Peace,
Carrie

Busy Tuesday!

We had a great day here! Our morning Circle was a bit rough, but I'm choosing to blame it on the full Moon. ;)

~ Full Moon setting ~

After an abbreviated Circle, we made more leaf garlands. Kate had some extras, and Tanya passed on a few of her extras for Mike's costume. Today each girl strung hers.

~ Lela ~

~ Liv ~

~ Laurel ~

Afterwards the girls hung them over their new bunk beds. Ugh, that is still another blog post that needs to happen (Daddy made them).

~ Lela hangs hers on her top bunk ~

~ Liv posing with her garland ~

~ "Smile Laurel!" ~

After lunch and a LONG walk through the neighborhood, it was time to water the plants. I really consider this a great Waldorf-y activity for kids.

I'm not sure why I feel that way, what specific qualities this activity has, but maybe someone can enlighten me.

Swinging is another activity I consider important. The rhythm of it really appeals to my kids.

And maybe someone out there can tell me just WHO this child is?! Because this certainly doesn't look like my little Laurel anymore. *sigh*

Peace,

Carrie

p.s. Be sure to check out Four Little Pixies and Grass Stained Knees for more beautiful pictures!