New Leaf  Handmade Goods

Yesterday marked this year's autumn solstice, and the day before that we finished combining, making it one full month of harvest for us.  

 I've been enjoying the return of Light Jacket Season, as my sister calls it, though this week we are back to 30C+ temperatures.  I really love autumn -the smells and colours, the end of a long summer of hard work, the promise of walks in the fresh air and cozy evenings in the house.  Now that Julie is a bit older and beginning to understand things, I've been trying to create meaningful experiences for her.  One book I read, Heaven on Earth by Sharifa Oppenheimer, suggests celebrating seasonal festivals, allowing children to see how they are connected to something bigger than themselves, something continuous and meaningful.  So, with this solstice, we've started a little celebration for the changing seasons.  

Using a basic grapevine wreath as our starting point, Julie and I created a seasonal centrepiece for our kitchen table.  We went on a walk around our yard and collected things that would look nice around a lit candle: rose hips, yellow poplar leaves, and dried sunflowers.  We did a short dance outside (mainly because Julie likes to spin in circles) to welcome the new season, and decorated the house with an autumn wreath.  For supper that night, we used a cloth tablecloth, and lit the candle in the middle of our centrepiece.  It was a simple celebration, but a lot of fun, and definitely handmade.