A winter's day

Well, it isn't much of winter around here in the Northeast. I mean it's cold and all but there is no snow, the average temperature is anywhere in the mid to high 30's, there isn't much luck for ice skating and the skiing is a little wet, but, nonetheless, it's January which means techincally it's winter!!!

Today the littlest ones in my home and I went for a little walk-about to 'find' winter. We bundled up after our lunch and headed out into the grey, cold day. It did flurry as we were heading to the creek, which was a welcome surprise! Charlotte insisted that we would need a sled to return home in.......I love her wild imagination!

We wandered about for a few minutes, getting ourselves adjusted to the dim forest lighting, the cold air, the crackily sound below our boots. We laughed as our feet got caught up in the downed branches and one of us would inevitably stumble. The sound of the creek was as serene as in the summertime however it's babble did not lure us into it's waters! Instead, we kept close to the edge and were mystified by the ice that had formed over the running water and along it's edge forming intricate weaving and designs that required a closer look! Charlotte (my 4 year old) took this photo while leaning over and hangin around a tree! Great shot, huh?!

This is a favorite spot for us to go to. The familiaraity is something akin to home. It's comforting, it's inspiring, it's exciting. You'll always discover something that wasn't there the last time you visited. The girls were able to dig up rocks and then return them with a splash in the creek. We found this lovely little hideaway that we imagined could have been a home to a chipmunk, a woodland fairy, a bird.

It was a lovely day, taking in the crisp air and vacant scenery. The children devoured every moment, as they usually do when they are out of doors. It's hard to be outside when the weather is cold and grey but I must request that you take the time, if for only a few minutes, to let your kids get out and stretch their lungs, their legs, their spirits; and not just them, for you, too! At least for me, I know I feel recharged and calmer by being outside. It's a connection that a human can only receive when unplugged and in the vast surroundings of our natural world.

Among other things, Nature holds a bounty of treasures for the discovering. Today we found an abundance of horse chestnut shells. So.....we repurposed our left over beeswax candle nubs and made floating candles. Below is a collage of photos, starting in the left hand corner and going across you'll see:

1. Our lovely treasures
2. Our candle pieces inside a glass jar (one that won't need to be used for anything else other than melting wax)
3. Our jar placed in a pot of boiling water
4. Almost melted wax
5. Melted wax (took about 15 minutes for the wax to melt)
6. The waxed wick that we cut up in to 1/2 inch pieces to put inside the shells
7. The shells with their wicks
8. Here is the photo of the shells after they had been filled with the melted wax. If I had the proper tools I would have taken the time to dig out the 'hoof' print inside the shell to make it hollow. Leaving it there, these little candles will only burn for a few short minutes, but, the top part of the shells (which we only found one of today) makes a nice little candle that will burn for about 10 minutes. Perfect timing for little children to enjoy their beautiful work!
9. This photo is of the little candles lit, floating in a crystal bowl of water. We had them on our dinner table this evening and it was a lovely way to celebrate our outing and the winding down of a busy day!

It's the little moments like this that help bring more meaning, more intent into our lives; the discovery, the delight, togetherness, and celebration. It's the simple things, truly, that help us to remember that our moments don't always need bells and whistles.......our moments simply need us to 'BE'.

I wish you all a lovely day full of little treasures that allow you to 'be' in your moments more fully xoxo