19Sep 2023 by catbird No Comments
Little Leaf Baskets to Store up for Winter

Little Leaf Baskets to Store up for Winter

Autumn, Autumn Equinox, Craft Project, Foraging, Garden, Nature Art, Play
One of my favorite things about seasonal midpoints is that they reflect what is happening in nature-- and different cultures all over the place have similar observances. As I was researching Equinox around the world this year I stumbled across a random mention of the the French Republican Calendar- which was briefly instituted in France after the French Revolution. They instituted a calendar that began the year on the Autumn Equinox and had months named after things happening in nature. The first month was named for the grape harvest. This got me thinking about phenology which the science of tracking seasonal changes. (And one of my favorite things!) I decided to go for a walk in the garden and see what seasonal changes might inspire me. Sadly I don't have…
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04Sep 2023 by catbird 1 Comment
Seed Saving

Seed Saving

Autumn, Autumn Equinox, Garden
Collecting seeds in the fall garden is both useful and super fun for kids. Shelling beans is one of our favorite fall activities- crinkly seed pods make all kinds of interesting noises and provide free seed for next year. Seed saving is both one of the last tasks before the garden goes to bed, and a promise of next years growth. It’s the end of one cycle and the start of the next one. Sometimes I hand draw fancy seed packets- sometimes I stuff seeds in random unlabeled bags and forget about them. My Farm to Flight unit study includes a printable seed packet with a space to tell the story of your seeds— was it the biggest juiciest pepper? Was it a gift from your grandma? The stories of…
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04Sep 2023 by catbird 2 Comments
The Simplest Autumn Lanterns

The Simplest Autumn Lanterns

Autumn, Autumn Equinox, Craft Project, Play
It's no secret that we love lanterns, this site is full of various lantern designs of varying complexity. (falling leaves lantern, star lanterns, harvest moon lanterns, frost lanterns) But when my kids were toddlers this was the go to lantern craft. It's super easy for little hands and can be upgraded in any number of ways. The supplies and simple and easy to manipulate. Fall is lantern time for me. The nights are darker and longer and a lantern brings a cozy flickering light. A number of traditional celebrations and festivals include lanterns this time of year and it's the perfect time for a lantern walk. Easiest Tissue Paper Jar Lanterns In their simplest form these lanterns consist of a recycled glass or plastic jar, tissues paper, glue, and some…
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04Sep 2023 by catbird 1 Comment
Fall Apple Picking Hike

Fall Apple Picking Hike

Autumn, Autumn Equinox, Foraging, Garden, Hike Ideas, Play
Ok so "hike" is a little bit generous here, but this is a great way to get outside, get exercise and procure snacks. And as I have mentioned, we love hikes with built in snacks. There is something about picking fruit off the tree that is inherently more thrilling than buying it at a store, and it makes children infinitely more likely to want to eat it. They have participated in the process so they are now invested. The best part is that when invariably get home with way too many apples, you can partake in one of our other favorite autumn traditions-- baking with apples!
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04Sep 2023 by catbird 2 Comments
Spore Prints

Spore Prints

Autumn, Autumn Equinox, Craft Project, Learning, Nature Art, Nature Collection, Nature Journaling
Spore prints are useful tools for identifying mushrooms you find, they also make lovely ephemeral artwork. Fall is a fantastic time to search for mushrooms, it feels like the woods are covered in them this time of year. (And lawns too for that matter.) The "print" part of the spore print is the spores that dropped from the mushroom. The different colors aren't just nice to look at, but a key way to identify mushrooms that look similar. The green prints in this post are from chlorophyllum molybdites common name "the vomiter." As the common name indicates this is absolutely not a mushroom you want to eat, but it looks very similar to others that are edible. Never, ever eat a mushroom without confirmation from an expert. Back to the…
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26Aug 2023 by catbird 3 Comments
Autumn Equinox Corn Dolly

Autumn Equinox Corn Dolly

Autumn, Autumn Equinox, Craft Project, Folklore, Play
Some people make corn dollies for First harvest and some make them for Equinox and some make for neither just to celebrate fall. For whatever reason I associate them with Autumn Equinox and try to make a new one every year. She is supposed to be stored in the all year to ensure an abundant harvest. Then it goes in the fire on the next Equinox and her ashes are spread in the garden to come full circle. Oddly enough, the "corn" in corn dolly generally refers to wheat, corn was slang for grain in medieval Europe which is actually why we now call maize corn. When colonists came to the US they just called the local grain (maize) corn because that's what they were used. To confuse things further,…
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26Aug 2023 by catbird 1 Comment
Signs of Fall

Signs of Fall

Autumn, Autumn Equinox, Nature Art, Nature Journaling, Play
I am generally opposed to worksheets- they squash creativity and are limiting. Consequently I am never impressed with the "fall scavenger hunt" printables that make the rounds this time of year. For one thing fall looks different depending on where you live. That said, this is great time to look for signs of the upcoming seasonal shift. It's a great practice as an adult to focus and hone in on subtle shifts in nature and I find that it is downright thrilling for kids. (As well as setting them up to be adults who notice the subtle shifts in nature...) So ditch the worksheets and just bring a nature journal or sketchbook and try listing and or drawing pictures of the things you see. If you do this year over…
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26Aug 2023 by catbird 1 Comment
Campfire Mulled Cider

Campfire Mulled Cider

Autumn, Autumn Equinox, Campfire, Recipes
One of our favorite Autumn Equinox traditions is to make mulled apple cider over the bonfire! This couldn’t be easier and is so festive it takes on a little bit of a smokey flavor. Anything cooked over the fire is automatically extra yummy in my humble opinion. You will need a campfire grill grate of some sort but it doesn't need to be at all fancy and is useful for all manner of things. Ingredients: a pot that can be used over a campfire campfire grill grate a bonfire! a gallon of apple cider (or less depending on how many people you are serving) a pinch of cloves a few cinnimon sticks a whole star anise a pinch of allspice berries a half an orange with cloves poked into it…
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26Aug 2023 by catbird No Comments
Autumn Acorns

Autumn Acorns

Autumn, Autumn Equinox, Folklore, Nature Collection, Recipes
Acorns and oaks are steeped in folklore just about everywhere they grow. There is something old and wise about them. They were (and still are) a food source for Indigenous Americans and were eaten in in the past in Europe as well. They require some prep work, but I love their warm roasted flavor. A number of magical qualities and superstitions are attributed to the acorn. The symbolize good luck, abundance, protection and long life. My favorite bit of folklore is that the acorn symbolizes huge potential in small things and reminds us to be patient. There are 500 species of oak in the world and their acorns (which are their seeds!) all look a little different. I am personally partial to burr oaks for their lovely shaggy caps. Acorns…
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