18Jan 2023 by catbird 1 Comment
Edible Snowing Clouds for Midwinter

Edible Snowing Clouds for Midwinter

Craft Project, Midwinter, Nature Art, Recipes
This Midwinter project grew out of some research I was doing about the fairytale Frau Holle. Frau Holle is a classic Grimm's fairytale in which a mistreated step sister falls down a magical well to a fairy realm in which is rewarded for being kind to Frau Holle with gold. (There is of course also a "bad" sister who does everything wrong and is punished in proper Grimm fashion.) Frau Holle in the story needs help shaking her bed linens because the feather make snow in the mortal world. It's one of the more interesting fairytales I've read, and more so because Frau Holle features heavily in Grimm's non-fiction writing about Germanic folklore. Frau Holle is not just a fairytale, but an important goddess in the early Germanic pantheon. She…
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16Jan 2023 by catbird 1 Comment
Forcing Branches

Forcing Branches

Foraging, Midwinter, Nature Collection
A lovely way to celebrate Midwinter is to force winter tree branches. “Forcing” branches simply means that you bring them inside when it’s still cold outside which causes them to react to the warmth in your home and break bud earlier than they would have outside. If you live somewhere a little warmer you may be able to get some early flowers this way, (this is also a great way to start a lesson about the difference between flower buds and leaf buds on winter trees) but nearly everyone will be able to get some charming little green leaves. Willow is on of my favorite trees to force, not just because they are one of the easier trees to coax into an early leaf out, but because they also have…
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15Feb 2022 by catbird No Comments
Sugar on Snow

Sugar on Snow

Midwinter, Recipes, Snow Moon, Winter Portfolio
February is when tree sap starts to travel back up tree trunks, meaning that it's time to make maple syrup! The best days below freezing at night but warmer and sunny during the day. I live in the most southernly part of the US where you can still tap trees and make maple syrup. I tap both maple and black walnut most years and every so often we make some sugar on snow. We usually use store bought maple syrup for the sugar on snow- the syrup we make is too precious! The sugar in this case refers to the maple- it's just cooked until it's at softball stage and then allowed to set up quickly on the cold snow. Simple yet magical! A perfect way to celebrate Midwinter and…
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30Jan 2022 by catbird No Comments
Midwinter Cleaning. Of Children.

Midwinter Cleaning. Of Children.

Bath & Body, Craft Project, Midwinter, Play
Historians disagree on the origin of colloquialism “spring cleaning, '' but there is some evidence to support that it was originally a Midwinter tradition, not a spring one. The season’s association with the hearth and preparing for spring make sense. Many historical traditions reference cleaning out the old year at Midwinter. Consequently, this is a great time of year to craft cleaning products, soap and bath bombs. We naturally spend more time inside in the deep of winter, so it makes sense to turn our attention to cleaning out our physical spaces and ourselves. The kids and I try to make at least 1 new soap each year and they are much more inclined to use said soap because they make it and it's special. We also love to make…
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27Jan 2022 by catbird 1 Comment
Making Butter with Kids

Making Butter with Kids

Midwinter, Play, Recipes
Midwinter is the time of year that ewes traditionally started lambing, so for Western Europeans in ancient times it was the return of milk to their diet. It’s hard for us to really understand that these days, but there is something very comforting about creamy, milky dishes this time of year. February is also usually the month that our hens start laying again which is always very exciting. As I’m writing this I’m thinking we should really plan some sort of mini celebration to mark the occasion! I don’t do lactose so I don’t really dive deeply into the milk and cream elements of this holiday, but my kids love to make butter. Mason Jar Butter Making Making butter in a mason jar is stupid easy and strangely satisfying. We…
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