It's my favorite time of year for a walk in the woods. I enjoy a walk in the woods anytime of year, of course. Sure, winter is magical and spring is refreshing and summer is relaxing....but autumn? It's just perfect. There are no bugs, there is no mud, there is no uncomfortable heat, and there is so much beauty all around us. And, well, time to linger. Time to linger and so much to gather and bring back in with us. Mushrooms last week, pine cones and acorns this week, and surely leaves will be coming in by the basket full by next week. And then all those bits find their way into the library and onto the craft table and onto the shelves and dangling from the ceiling in all manner of creations. I've learned, in these years, to create the space for all of this to happen, to supply the tools with which to create, but to then sit back and let it unfold. To be the one ready to tie the knots, or trouble shoot, or thread the needle. It's a pretty sweet job, I must say. I love it so. To see what they remember from year's past. To see what they come up with new from books and stories and their own imaginations and inspirations. So much fun, I tell you. One of my favorite parts of being a Mama.....even when it means cleaning up glitter from in between the floor boards yet again. Totally worth it.
(*A note about acorn crafting. I prefer to bake the acorns for an hour at 180 in the oven, to kill the grubs inside, rather than having them fall out as the acorns age. And we use a small drill bit to make holes in them, easy for stringing.)