Pepper Paints

When It Snows…………….

You should first go out and play in it.

Especially if you have really cute puppies!

Then you should make Snow Ice Cream!!

Beat 1 cup of milk with 1/2 cup of sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla till fluffy. Then add enough snow to absorb all the liquid.

This is sooo tasty! But of course I had to alter it, so I tried it with Almond milk, maple syrup and vanilla and it was Mmm Mmm good but of course that wasn’t enough! I added some shredded coconut, cocoa nibs, a few raisins and some chopped up macadamia nuts-Then it was perfect!!!!!!!!!!

Not all of our homeschool classes have started yet. So this week we eased back into our routine, slowly! Since  Jake and Molly were younger and naps were a thing of the past, I would try to set aside time most afternoons for some quiet time. We called it Tea Time. In the afternoons we would make a  pot of Red Zinger and have little snacks while I read to them.  We still look forward to our afternoon break! And even though Jake only occasionally joins us for the snacking part, the girls and I use this time to catch up on our latest chapter book or some poems. One of the books I plan to use more ideas from is COME TO TEA by Stephanie Dunnewind. It has lots of ideas for tea party themes, crafts and games.

We also made a trip to the zoo this week.

While Molly and a friend attended a zoo class; the little girls and I walked around to see a few animals enjoying the snow.  Then a quick  hot cocoa break!

Experience Columbus, Ohio via ME!

Last night a few fellow, Columbus bloggers (her, her and her) and I attended a shindig put on by Experience Columbus.

It was fun to meet some new people as well as catch up with some ladies (her, her, her) I haven’t seen in a while.   (Sorry if I caught up with you and didn’t link to you, I had Jenl’s ice cream on the brain and it took my techy self way too long to do that many links!)

Abby made sure I didn’t forget about her- or she might kick my stretchy pants covered butt!

They are trying out a new add campaign and we got to preview it and comment and snack and all that good stuff.  Best of all we get to customize a free T-shirt from a local vendor!!  Definitely the best gimme!  Anywho, there campaign is based on what Columbus doesn’t have.  I am a bit leary of this ad concept.  I get that we don’t have bragging rights to the Eiffel Tower, or the Alps.  I don’t think anyone in the three hour radius (those who most visit for leisure) is looking for those things.   I am guessing you would be coming here to visit family, you probably have kids..or you are coming here to shop or visit OSU.   Most every city has a zoo, malls, possibly a science center, art museum etc…I think there ad should focus not only on what we do have but the oddities, off the beaten path, free, and different things Columbus has to offer.

Because I do not have three hours to type out a really great add for Columbus, I will just list some of our greatnesses!

1. The short North-try to visit the art district on the first Saturday evening of any month, year around and you will not only be entertained by the street performers, the open galleries  and stores, many different  eateries and bars, but by the people that attend.  Some of the best people watching around. We are The Indie Arst Capitol of the World you know!  And the short North will prove how serious Columbus takes its Art.

2. The Park of Roses-Come here anytime through out the summer and be amazed by the Award winning rose gardens.  Or come in the winter and hope there is some snow!

3. In the summer you can check out either one of these great free water attractions with your kids:  The Dancing Bunnies or Homestead Park.  Now neither of these are in Columbus proper but really no matter where your staying, it is fairly easy to get around here.  Especially is you aren’t in rush hour traffic.  But if you want water and you want to stay in the city-there is not only shopping galore (for those with money to spend!) but there are also free fountains to play in at Easton .  There are waterfalls to play in here in Columbus  too.  Did you know that?

4.We have great shopping!!  Some of the best thrift stores are here!  Village Discount, Ohio Thrift as well as several Salvation Army’s and Goodwills and Volunteers of America stores.  Antique stores like crazy!

5. Music and Food.  Where do I begin??  Every type of authentic ethnic food as well as American eateries can be found here.  We have many vegan and vegetarian options also.   Now as far as music-well I think we have another title there too-aren’t we like the best new up and coming talent, hot live music scene too?

Well I could go on and on, beleive me I have so much more,  but this took me too long and  maybe someday I will do an insiders scoop of Columbus on the cheap-with and with out kid activities.  Or better yet maybe someone will PAY me for all my good info!

So in a nut shell – Come visit us!  There’s lots to see and do both ordinary and extraordinary.  If you are planning a trip to our fair city and your are looking for something to do-drop me an email and I can certainly point you in the right direction!  I can be like your internet travel guide!!

Moooooooooooo from Cowtown.  Go Bucks.  O_H_I_O We have a little bit of EVERYTHING here!  That’s my new add campaign :

COME TO COLUMBUS-WHERE THERE REALLY IS A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING!

Farmers Market Saturday on Sunday

This weeks special guests to the market…. Cheese making demo!!  There was a great article in Mother Earth News all about making cheese and lactose free  dairy products  you can make at home.  I am really excited to try making some cheese with raw milk and goats milk.  The cheese makers had several samples to choose from.  Molly and Ginger picked lemon zest cheese to bring home.

Free 1/2 gallons of milk out of the back of a truck!   Snowville  is a local creamery  trying to get the local big name grocery down the street to carry their milk products.   My lucky day!

We again brought home asparagus and green beans.  But no need to purchase any greens as my garden has gone wild!!

When we got home Ginger found a slug and went searching for one of our bug habitats.  Next thing I know she was screaming, “There’s a butterfly in the box!”

And sure enough there was a swallowtail flapping around in the box.  We had forgotten about the chrysalis that wintered over in the box.  We opened the box and it flew out only to return to my head!

And then to Ginger….

And then to Molly…

Happy Birthday Jake

13 years ago I became a Mother for the first time.  You were so tiny with the biggest blue eyes.  I couldn’t believe “they” trusted us to take you home from the hospital and be alone with you. No book could have prepared me for the intense feelings of being your Mother.  The bond I felt with you was over whelming.  At times it was  like a secret language.  I innately knew what you needed.  Today as a Mother of a teenager I do not.   Motherhood was not easy then and it is not easy now.  But I wouldn’t change it for the world.

Happy 13th Birthday Jake.  I love you!!

Love,

Mom

See you next year Paas.

I am sure many people were cleaning or shopping or doing other busy things to get ready for Easter. But I am sure many of you did not try to also tackle boiling various strongly rank smelling vegaetables and spices to dye your eggs today. You probably just bought the Paas and had the usual great success of deeply colored eggs. But I am not you. I am a make more work for myself kind of person.

My house is a mess, my son had a few friends spend the night, we were supposed to make a duckling costume, a birthday card and shop for a birthday present. That wasn’t really enough on my plate today so I boiled purple cabbage, carrot tops, turmeric, blueberries, beets, and a kale, spinich, parsley mixture. SO all these gasouse oders mixed with the smell of hard boiled eggs and the clam chowder my daughter made for lunch making quite a STINK! The colors looked nice in bowls but most were just too subtle once they were on the eggs for my kids.

The beets worked great.

I ended up adding blue food coloring to the cabbage water, Yellow and a few drops of red into the carot tops and green to the kale mixture. I know you can boil the eggs in the pot with the veggies to make a deeper color but The kids like to dip and redip and do half and half colors. They came out pretty anyways. Molly said next year she just wants to use the box stuff. Of course Molly!!

All three kids spent most of the day outside. The sun was out along with lots of fresh air and summer like play was on hand, barefoot puddle stomping and chalk in the driveway! It is going to snow tomorrow. I guess that’s spring around here.

If You Feed Them They Will Come

Today we read SNOWBALLS by Louis Ehlert and made a snow mound for the birds in our yard. We supplied them with bird seed, cut up oranges, popcorn seeds, raisins and 3 half filled bags of peanuts left over from last summer.

Then we sat back and quietly waited for them to come.

We have a cardinal that we call Lovey that has spent the last two winters sleeping on the wires that go into our garage under the gutter. I made the mistake last winter of trying to make him a nest of dryer lint and dog fur in the bottom of a milk carton. It was sub zero temps and I placed my cozy nest up there and waited for him to come and when he didn’t come that night my husband made me take it down. He didn’t return for several days after that. I was so afraid he froze to death, but he eventually returned. Every night just after dinner we hear him chirping out what sounds like the name of our dog over and over, “Rddy, Rudy, Rudy.” and then he settels in for the night. Today we kept trying to guess which cardinal in our yard was Lovey.

This photo is for Abby, who mentioned she likes my tiny spoons in the last post. I am a collector of MANY things and tiny spoons along with these stirrers are just a smidgen of them.

Thanks Joe Joe

Love you!