Elderberry Days

We've been spending a lot of time with the elderberry bushes in our garden

After gathering and separating a few quarts of berries, we got down to work/play!

First, we made Elderberry syrup, intending to boost immune systems coming into the school year and winter sickies season. It's so good, we've given it as gifts, served it over vanilla ice cream, made soda with seltzer water (as well as a couple of REALLY yummy coctails. Elderberry peach gin fizz and Prosecco with elderberry syrup and fresh mint) 

To make the syrup, we brought 2 cups of berries to a boil in 2 cups of water. After boiling point was reached, we turned off the heat and mashed the berries. We let them steep for a couple of hours, then strained them through a fine mesh strainer. I would have liked to use cheesecloth, but was out.  Then we mixed in 2 cups of raw, local honey. Poured off into mason jars, and voila! I understand it keeps in the fridge for one to two months (though I guarantee it won't last that long! In fact, I just ordered more raw honey from our farmer to make another batch before the catbirds and mockingbirds clean out the bushes!)

I got direction for the syrup from the elderberry  issue of herbal roots zine, which is included in our herb fairies subscription. The magazine is loaded with info, games, stories, recipes and crafts to get to know each herb, as well as journal and coloring pages and resources for further exploration.  The herb fairies stories are a big hit with my girl, and she's learned a lot, listening to them during our after lunch quiet time.

Then we made elderberry ink (mashed, strained berries, salt, and vinegar)

Nature journaling, more cooking (grain free peach elderberry crisp, YUM!), elderberry flute crafting and dyeing yarn and a play silk rounded out our week with elderberry. 

She strained off our fermented elderberry dye. We filled the jar with berries, covered with water, and let sit in the sun for 3 days. After straining, we added some alum mordant and a skein of wool yarn, along with a playsilk.

We were very happy with the results, though we put the yarn back in the jar for 24 hours to deepen the color

cutting a length of elder branch for a flute

hollowing out the branch with a drill bit. The flute ended up cracking after a lot of work, but we will eventually try again

Elderberry syrup on vanilla ice cream with fresh peaches, borage, and nasturtium flowers. Perfection in a bowl.
Can't wait for elderberry season next year!

Nature Journaling

We spent a few hours this afternoon, amongst the ephermerals. We started out in search of chickweed, some to draw in our journals and some to harvest for dinner.  After a bit of journaling, we walked on, and invevitably discovered a new wonder, every few feet. "I want to put THAT in my nature journal, too!" Alrighty, then!
I really believe in nature journaling as an excellent tool to help one to really SEE the thing before them. I find that when I "know" something, I call it by it's name and sort of create a sterotype of it in my head, whether plant or animal. My husband and I were talking out this idea on our last hike. If I see something that I don't know the name label for, curiosity drives me to really experience it, and take in as much as I can.
Taking the time to look closely and record as much information (and drawn detail), whether I know a thing or not, helps me to truly SEE it. I think it's a great mindfulness/awareness/presence  tool for any age.

We don't generally pick plants that we're journaling, and when we forage, it's done mindfully and with gratitude

A break for some climbing. She discovered both Virginia Creeper and  Poison Ivy at the top, and decided to journal both on the same page, due to their similarity, when young

A wonderful way to say goodbye to the Bluebells

Wrapped up our woods time with a bit of creek play.. building a swimming hole for the fairies to say thank you... 

In Bloom

Spring is in full swing, here... the lilacs are begining to bloom, bluebells are carpeting the floodplains, forsythia and redbud brighten roadsides and forest. We've been spending as much time in the woods as we are able, as well as taking our lessons outdoors. Lots of hiking and climbing foraging and planting (I keep meaning to do a garden post, but haven't gotten to it! Perhaps a regular "this week in the garden" posting schedule will develop)

our woodfrog tadpoles are growing like mad!

Lots of outdoor reading time. We are loving The Burgess Bird Book. Watching and listening to the birds in the garden, after reading about their "suits" and nest building habits is delightful.

Some fairies, having tea in a sycamore treehouse, while I harvested some nettles for soup and tea.

Stinging nettle

I've been dreaming of this recipe since asparagus season began. I tried to remember where I first saw a version, but couldn't find it. I made a cauliflower (grainfree) crust and topped it with ricotta, lemon zest, asparagus, and chives. Some parmesan dusted on top. It was amazing (though very floppy, not pizza crusty... I've found that one must sometimes alter expectations with certain recipes, and appreciate it for what it is, rather than what you're replacing/approximating)

Hunting eggs

Flitting through the bluebells