Author: kris

Get out on a winter nature walk and collect some conifer needles to bring back to your kitchen. Conifer needles are a great defence and remedy against those pesky respiratory colds that creep up during the winter months. I got in touch with wild edibles expert Laura Reeves of Prairie Shore Botanicals to get the low-down on some common… Continue reading healing pine + spruce tea

Building shelters in the yard as we learn about various types of shelters like straw bale and adobe. Winter fires out back, ice skating, homeschool co-op puppet-show planning and eating good food, rooting for our high school basketball all-star. Quiet times with tea and work, reading together, learning together, stories about being a babe in arms in a rocking… Continue reading lately…

out at the grand marsh & beach. sledding on dunes blanketed in sun-drenched snow.

It’s tempting to burrow into our cozy homes and tuck nature walks away until spring arrives – but there is a lot to explore and learn about in this magical season! When dressed properly with a few ideas up our down-filled sleeves, nature walks in winter are a warm and rich activity – mittens, cocoa, the smell of pine… Continue reading Winter Nature Walks: Conifers

Every now and then, as I look at our Christmas tree, I feel a pang of guilt for cutting down a live tree. It kind of makes me feel how I imagine I’d feel with a trophy deer’s head on my wall.  And then I remember that this tree was grown lovingly by local farmers,… Continue reading a tree and community

Whether your children board the iconic yellow school bus and head off to the local school, or pull on their slippers and head to the family table for school, there are many ways to create a rich learning environment in your home. Learning doesn’t have to be compartmentalized into school or homeschool hours; it’s all… Continue reading Creating a Rich Winter Learning Enviro

A few things we were up to before Christmas… // crafting, learning, gaming // advent // holiday making in the kitchen // holiday parties with friends // lego contest entries // eating at great local restaurants and checking out installations of my design work // everyday crafting and learning fun        

As the days shorten and the glow of the sun lessens, we aim to preserve the warmth and beauty of the sun in our homes and hearts. To celebrate and carry that warmth of the sun with us into the darkness, these paper lanterns are a fairly simple and remarkably rewarding activity, perfect for fall and… Continue reading Carrying the Warmth of the Sun: DIY Paper Lanterns

I’ve definitely been guilty of double and triple checking that my child is sure he or she wants to sew their project that way, or wear those pants with that shirt… yet I bite my lip more often than not and truly have a heart to embrace their individuality. But it is sure tough work sometimes. Our society generally views children as… Continue reading kids are capable