catbird – Page 3 – Wineberry Woods

11Dec 2024 by catbird No Comments

Sun Buns

We loved the sun bread we made last year so much that I decided to make another variation this year-- sun buns!! (Also admittedly I just really like saying sun buns) Same idea, just smaller and easier to serve. Sun Bread, is of course a beloved book by by Elisa Kleven about baking a sun bread to coax the sun to come back- perfect for the Winter Solstice. In the book they bake a big bread to share, which is of course delightful too, but since I had already deviated from the recipe in the story, I decided to keep going. I use a gluten free brioche recipe from Cannelle et Vanille Bakes Simple (actually the babka recipe which makes a double batch) to make this sun bread gluten free. You…

10Dec 2024 by catbird No Comments

Deer Mother Winter Solstice Cookies

Folklore, Recipes, Winter, Winter Solstice

After drawing my 2024 Winter Solstice Countdown calendar I couldn't stop thinking about the beautiful image of the deer carrying the sun in it's antlers. I was thinking about all of the Winter Solstice cookies I have made and wondering how I could make one that really is Winter Solstice. Full stop. My Longest Night cookie almost does that, but for the most part they would be perfectly appropriate for a variety of holidays. Generally I like that, we celebrate secular Christmas and Hanukkah too. But I wanted to make one cookie that was unabashedly for the Solstice. Hence the Deer Mother Cookie was born. First, a little background on the Deer Mother. There has been a deer mother/ winter solstice tale making the rounds lately with most claiming it…

10Dec 2024 by catbird 1 Comment

“Greenglass House”

Craft Project, Learning, Middle Grade Book Buds, Recipes, Winter

Next up in middle grade book buds, is Greenglass House. I have been reading a ton of middle grade books lately, but would love to hear your suggestions for more book buds! Middle grade books are substantially longer, so I have broken the middle grade book buds into a lesson, a craft or two, and a snack. All are driven by the themes and ideas in the respective book. These could be the jumping off point for a more in depth academic book study, or just a fun project to further immerse yourself in the worlds of your favorite books! Greenglass House Written by: Kate Milford Greenglass House is sort of an unusual choice for me, it's not particularly nature focused and it falls pretty solidly into the mystery genre, but there…

04Dec 2024 by catbird 1 Comment

Pomander Mushrooms

Craft Project, Nature Art, Winter, Winter Solstice

I started making dried orange mushrooms to use up the rounded parts of the orange when making dried orange garlands. They are super cute just left plain, but I had a brainstorm while I was making pomanders recently-- if I stuck cloves into the "cap" before drying them, they would look super mushroom-y and even better, smell amazing. They make lovely winter holiday decorations, great handmade gifts, cute ornaments, and super special gift tags. They would even be adorable nestled in some potpourri or a winter wreath. A perfect craft to spruce up and make your home smell like the holidays! Pomander Mushrooms Materials: oranges or clemetines knife whole cloves toothpick sticks glue dried moss twine (optional) Method: First prepare and dry the oranges. If you are using clementines just…

02Dec 2024 by catbird 1 Comment

Pretty Plentiful & Pleasant Pomanders

Craft Project, Play, Recipes, Simmer Pot, Winter, Winter Solstice

Sorry! Sometimes I have to give in to my terrible alliteration tendencies. This post is all about pomanders in every form. I love the smell of oranges and cloves together more than most things-- it's one of those things I never get tired of. So I decided to go nuts and collect a whole bunch of the various pomander projects I've done over the years in one convenient place! Pomander balls have been associated with Christmas and/or Winter Solstice for some time, but that isn’t how they originated. We think of them as oranges studded with cloves, but in medieval Europe, people would keep little satchels of herbs on them because most everyone and everything smelled bad. They became a status symbol and the wealthier you were the fancier your…

20Nov 2024 by catbird 1 Comment

Yule Hot Cocoa

Recipes, Winter, Winter Solstice

This time of year I will happily drink pretty much any kind of hot chocolate, any time and so will my kids. It is the definition of cozy. Being cozy is practically a religion in my household. That said, it recently occurred to me that I have never made a special Winter Solstice cocoa and that simply won't do! So, to correct this oversight, I present to you my Yule hot cocoa. To make it extra Yule-y I added oranges to coax back the sun, cinnamon and cloves for luck, peace and protection (as well as holiday spice), and a little bit of spruce for the ultimate winter evergreen magic. Evergreens are remarkably citrus-y in flavor too. It’s all topped off with a sun shaped marshmallow dusted with turmeric and…

19Nov 2024 by catbird No Comments

“Owl Moon”

Craft Project, Picture Book Buds, Picture Book Hikes, Play, Recipes, Winter, Winter Solstice

Picture Book Buds are a fun and easy way to incorporate literacy into nature study. Read a book (you can even read it outside!) and then enjoy the related activity and snack suggestions! Owl Moon Written by: Jane Yolen Illustrated by: John Schoenherr Owl Moon is a classic winter story about a young girl and her father going for a walk at night. They are hoping to see some owls and her excitement at staying up late like a big kid is palpable. I am also always struck by her desire to keep quiet so as not to scare off potential owls, that struggle for a young child to be quiet and observant is something so many parents will immediately recognize, and it's so beautifully detailed. This one is a classic…

18Nov 2024 by catbird No Comments

Low Effort Winter Solstice Ideas

Winter Solstice

Sometimes, you just can't. We've all been there. Here are some ways to get out into nature and celebrate the Solstice with minimal or no prep and low effort. Hot Chocolate Hike Stargazing to celebrate the longest night Look for animal tracks Take a winter walk Bake Cookies (or just eat them...) Make pine needle tea Make Solstice wishes Cozy up with a good book Make pomanders

18Nov 2024 by catbird No Comments

Sun Shaped Animal Treats

Winter, Winter Solstice

The sun is paradoxically a big symbol of the Winter Solstice, not because it's sunny, in fact quite the opposite, its the darkest day of the year. That means that the sun rises late in the morning and sets early in the evening (when that happens depends on where you live.) That is why we call it the shortest day, because there is less daylight that any other day of the year. After the Solstice, the days start getting the tiniest bit longer all the way up until the Summer Solstice which has the most hours of daylight all year. Ancient people all over the globe knew that Winter Solstice was the least sunny of days, so they tried to encourage it come back by creating light and making images…

18Nov 2024 by catbird 1 Comment

Peppercorn Owls

Craft Project, Nature Art, Nature Table, Play, Winter, Winter Solstice

When I saw that the Plant Wonder Collective November plant of the month was peppercorn I was a bit stymied. I have committed to making a craft with each plant each month and the more culinary herbs are often tough. I had used tri-color peppercorns in my spice mosaic ornaments a few years ago, so I decided to make a twist on those. As I was sifting through cookie cutters looking for inspiration, the owl cutter jumped out at me-- the colors were perfect and it would make the cutest winter decoration! And so peppercorn owls were born. They are adorable as ornaments, make the sweetest gift tags, and my favorite way to use them was the owl moon garland I made by stringing them with dried moonwort seedheads. The…

Author: catbird