Worry Dolls

Posted: May 14, 2012 | Author: becca neumann | Filed under: Art & Healing, Child Centered Activities | 5 Comments

This month I am fortunate to provide enrichment groups for some K-5th grade students at a nearby elementary school. The principal shared with me her concern for some of the students and issues of anxiety. Many factors can contribute to a child’s feelings of anxiety such as troubles at home, social issues, academics and a million others. I got to thinking about Guatemalan Worry Dolls. The legend goes that before you go to bed, you whisper one worry to each doll then put them under your pillow. While you are sleeping, the dolls will take away your worries.

Emma Hardy has a wonderful “Peg Dolls” project from her Green Crafts for Children. Using wooden clothing pegs, fabric scraps, yarn, marker, scissors and glue, we will create worry dolls to help the children find an outside place to put their concerns.

The process of creating these dolls is cathartic and soothing, in addition to the use of the dolls once completed. For example, the repetition of wrapping can help to settle a racing mind.

spring pageant

Posted: May 9, 2012 | Author: David | Filed under: Art & Healing, Gallery - Visual | 2 Comments

Here in zone 6, on the ocean, there have been two weeks of cool, damp days. The trees and shrubs are happy, with buds ready to burst. This is the magic time, and with a day or two of sunshine, the apple orchard will be resplendent!

Beach Rocks = Garden Art

Posted: May 6, 2012 | Author: becca neumann | Filed under: Art & Healing | 3 Comments

On a recent play-date at the beach, a friend gave me this idea. Soon we will begin work at the community garden and these critters will help decorate the space.

Spring blossoms

Posted: April 21, 2012 | Author: David | Filed under: Farming off the Farm, Gallery - Visual | Leave a comment

Here are photos of the apple orchard, taken April 18th. With the very warm March weather, we are about three weeks ahead of a “normal” spring. The buds are currently in the “half inch green” and “tight cluster” stages.

For the Person You Love

Posted: April 16, 2012 | Author: becca neumann | Filed under: Gallery - Quotes | 1 Comment

from Thich Nhat Hanh’s Your True Home

Have you offered your presence to the person you love? Are you so busy that you cannot be there for that person? If you are a father or a mother or a partner, generate your own presence, because that is the most precious gift you can offer.

All Things Nutcracker

Posted: April 3, 2012 | Author: becca neumann | Filed under: Chronicles of a First Time Parent | 6 Comments

Our daughter’s third birthday is around the corner so OF COURSE there’s a Nutcracker theme. Since she saw the performance in November, she has been twirling, arabesque-ing, and leaping everywhere she goes.

We even took her to Swan Lake this past Saturday which further expanded her little world. I’ve now got Tchaikovsky on my iPhone so we can roll around the grocery store to the tunes. Here are several photos of what David and I are putting together for her day.

Nutcracker assembly line – some table top nutcrackers…and larger one to poke your head in!

Army of Mice and Mouse King

Spring Still Life

Posted: March 18, 2012 | Author: becca neumann | Filed under: Art & Healing, Child Centered Activities | 6 Comments

Kale Chips

Posted: March 12, 2012 | Author: becca neumann | Filed under: Child Centered Activities, In the Kitchen | 3 Comments

This is a great snack recipe I found in a September 2010 Parents magazine. You want to use organic kale as conventional is high in pesticide residue. Kale is rich in vitamins A and C as well as being an antioxidant and any clever way you can sneak some into your diet is well worth it. We put raw kale into red sauces and simmer them down until they’re soft. This year we will try growing some in our garden. Can’t wait!

Bunch kale (washed and dried)

2 Tb olive oil

2 Tb lemon juice

1/4 tsp sea salt

couple sheets of parchment paper

Preheat oven to 350 and chop kale into 1/2″ pieces. Place in large bowl, adding oil, lemon juice and salt. Have your pint size helper massage seasonings onto kale then place on parchment covered baking sheet. Bake up to 15 minutes or until dark green and crisp. Cool and serve!