sheep & wool, year 2

So, the pictures aren't great but I wanted to share about our second annual trip to the Maryland Sheep and Wool festival anyway. I often find that when I attend special events like this, I'm too busy experiencing it to have much time to photograph it.

We learned our lesson from last year and headed straight for the merchandise tent where they sell t-shirts, tote bags, posters, etc. from the event. We weren't fast enough, though - all the kids' size t-shirts were gone, so we got the Jude and Henry these sweatshirts instead. It was slightly chilly that day, so they got to sport them right away.

 I've wanted a "natural" kitchen broom for a while now and had seen the man who makes these last year, and decided to get one. Of course Jude, who loves to clean, needed one too. He quickly went to work sweeping "all the yucky stuff on the ground."

 He held his broom the whole way home.

I didn't buy any yarn this year, but I did get this book:

as well as wool roving in a variety of colors. I've been wanting to learn how to do needle felting for a while now. As usual with all of my new art projects, Henry was immediately on board and made a "fire" out of the wool as soon as we got in the car.

He wanted to see all the colors I chose, so I laid them out on the table when we got home. He proceeded to go around the table and make a ball using all the colors.

The only disappointment was that Henry didn't get to spin any wool like last year. I guess a child broke one of the spinning wheels last year, so it seems everyone decided not to let children try them out this year. I still have the yarn he spun for me last year, though. I looped it around my bedside lamp, so it is one of the first and last things I look at every day, and I treasure it dearly, especially because he made it for me on Mother's day.

legwarmers

I made Felix these legwarmers about a month ago. He wore them on our November trip to Hard Bargain Farm - here we are at the playground (with Jude) while Henry was with his group.

 Meanwhile, I think Jude saw me snapping all those photos of Felix and decided to ham it up.

{simply ten good things}

I have a lot of little tidbits I want to share, so I decided to borrow an idea from (who else?) SouleMama. So, here goes my first try at simply ten good things...

 {making our own italian seasoning using spices we had in-house}

 {a vintage skillet I found at the flea market on Sunday. It makes the most divine eggs I've ever had, and is the perfect size for warming up a portion of leftovers for lunch}

 {brothers playing together at Hard Bargain Farm on Monday}

 {Felix and Jude loving the swings}

 {a hat knit for a friend's new baby - my first hand-knit gift}

 {the transportation exhibit at the National Museum of American History}

{Jude learning to pedal his trike all by himself}

{a $2 bus found at the thrift store today}

{a $20 thrifted toaster oven that looks and works like new, and warms up my favorite lunch: chicken pot pie}

{a set of thrifted baskets that I'm still not sure what to do with...any ideas?!}

It was warm and sunny this morning, but as I composed this, the air shifted and there is definitely a chill in the air. I am lamenting the fact that I do not have more knitted sweaters, cowls, booties, and vests ready to go...I'd better get to work! Hope you and yours are enjoying this fall season...please share your own "simply good things" here as well!

overnight adventures

Last night, I got to do something I didn't dare put on The List, because I thought it couldn't happen: camping with Henry!

Over the summer, I signed Henry up for this wonderful program at Hard Bargain Farm. It meets once a month on Mondays during the school year (designed for homeschooled children), but the first and last meeting of the year include an optional "overnight adventure." I very much wanted to do this, but couldn't figure out how to make it work with the rest of the family. Finally on Sunday, I told Dan that's all I wanted for my birthday, and he agreed we would figure it out. It took until 10 pm that night for all the details to come together, but we did it!

I brought all three boys to the farm for the morning. Jude, Felix and I had fun exploring while Henry participated in the program. I left Henry there under the care of another very kind parent while I took the little ones home and settled them down for their naps. A friend came over to stay with them until Dan got home from work, and I headed back to the farm with all of our "camping" gear!

{Henry and some other early risers eagerly helped prepare breakfast}

{playing with sticks...what else do boys do outside?}

{learning about pollinators}

It was such a treat to spend that time with just Henry. It allowed me to observe him more than I'm ever able when I have all three, and I enjoyed seeing the way he made friends, interacted with the other kids, took initiative to be the first to sign up on the chores list, etc. I even had time for some kitting while the kids told stories around the campfire.

This morning we visited the Children's Garden and helped milk the cows:

{observing a monarch caterpillar}

{Farmer Anne instructing the kids how to pick green beans}

It was hard for both of us to leave! We look forward to the next session in October.

#1 on my Almost-Autumn to-do list

Last night, after a (rare) long day at work/away from the boys, I made my daily visit to SouleMama. I was inspired by her suggestion to make a summer FUN to-do list. But first, a caveat: given where I live, summer is my least favorite time of year because it's so hot and humid for 6-8 weeks on end that you really can't go outside - not with babies and toddlers, anyway. No matter what you do, they get dehydrated and overheated within 20 minutes.

But about two weeks ago, I felt IT. The Moment when the Wind Changed from summer to fall. It was another hot hot summer day, probably in the mid to upper 90's, but that's when it happened. Ever since then I've been noticing the subtle shift in the weather - it's getting less humid and a little cooler as the days go by. The past two days have been absolutely gorgeous - blue skies, fluffy clouds, slight breeze, windows open, and more time spent on the front porch than inside the house. I've begun my fall knitting.

We have now officially entered Kate's Most Favorite Time of the Year.

So, I guess I should call my list the "Now I can do all the things I've been wanting to do all summer but haven't been able to because it's been so f-ing hot" list.

#1: Pick fresh fruit at a local farm.

{setting off toward the apple orchard at Larriland Farm this morning to pick my favorite variety, Gala!}

{heading over to the peaches with 2 full bags of apples}

{blackberries!}

{we decided Breakfast for Dinner was in order so I made peach compote}

{which paired perfectly with the blackberries over the pancakes!}

{Felix's first experience with blackberries}

{he made this sour face every time, but kept eating them! It was hilerious.}

After dinner, the chinese checkers set arrived in the mail!

{Henry's first game of Chinese Checkers. He loves it, of course. Have I mentioned that the only thing he wants to do these days besides draw in his sketchbook is play games?}

It was such a perfect day. I almost forgot that there was an earthquake this afternoon! Ha!

#2: Day trip to the beach! (not tomorrow, but someday soon!)