Green Mandala Star Suncatcher

Green Mandala Star Suncatcher
Originally uploaded by Pictures by Ann

It's time to start thinking about Christmas. That's a bit difficult to do when the weather is in the upper 80s and low 90s, and everything is so green and colorful outside.

However, it's always enjoyable to create new window stars in a variety of colors and patterns.

I'm planning on making more stars in green, red, and white over the next couple of months. There should be quite a selection in my shop, Harvest Moon by Hand. See the images above for a sneak peek.

Some of the stars shown here as well as other gift items are already available in my shop if you like to get your Christmas shopping done early.

Sophia in "The Chocolate Milk Cow"

Sophia Bringing Chocolate Milk to Ms. Otto
Originally uploaded by Pictures by Ann

This is one of the scenes of "The Chocolate Milk Cow" - a play/musical at a local community theater in Wisconsin - that Sophia is in (St. Croix Art Barn).

She is playing "Francis Farmer" and has been rehearsing for over six weeks. The 5 performances span over two weekends, and are giving Sophia some great opportunities in theater, singing, dance, and public speaking.

She is responsible for learning quite a few lines and songs, but has really enjoyed the challenge...and performing in front of live audiences.

Olivia Performing at Local Community Theater

Olivia Reciting Creed
Originally uploaded by Pictures by Ann

This is one of the scenes of "The Chocolate Milk Cow" that Olivia is in. Sophia is in the performance as well. The play/musical is at the St. Croix ArtBarn in Osceola.

The girls each have about 50 lines that they are responsible for knowing - a combination of lines they speak themselves, with a few other children, or as a group.

There are quite a few songs and movements that they also learned as part of the play/musical.

This has been such a great opportunity for both of the girls, and they are looking forward to being a part of next year's performance already...even though this one still has 3 more performances.

Summer Solstice Star Collection

Summer Solstice Star Collection
Originally uploaded by Pictures by Ann

Using the 4-color star as the central focus, I made a different pattern star in each of the four colors to surround it.

These five stars remind me of the Summer Solstice which is right around the corner.

They also would be good stars to have up all summer reflecting the warm colors and temperature of the season.

The link to my Etsy shop (Harvest Moon by Hand) is on the right side of the blog.

Olivia Harvesting Rhubarb

Olivia Harvesting Rhubarb
Originally uploaded by Pictures by Ann

It's definitely summer now and the garden is starting to produce some favorites - like rhubarb.

Here Olivia is holding two stalks of rhubarb from the garden. The leaves have to come off before they come into the house since they are poisonous to cats.

So far, we've enjoyed rhubarb sauce, crisp, and coffee cake. Sophia has requested a rhubarb pie.

Before long, it will be time to can some rhubarb sauce and freeze some cut-up rhubarb for use during the winter.

Olivia Feeding Giraffe

Olivia Feeding Giraffe
Originally uploaded by Pictures by Ann

One of the unit studies the girls did this year was on Africa and African animals. The Minnesota Zoo is having a special exhibit during the warm months. There are two beautiful giraffes here now.

One of the opportunities visitors have is to feed the giraffes a special biscuit (you have to purchase it and then go in a separate area to feed the giraffe).

Check out the giraffe's tongue as it reaches for the treat Olivia is holding out for it. She said the tongue was "rough." She really enjoyed feeding the giraffe.

Giraffes eat for 23 hours each day. They rest in 5 minute increments for a total of 1 hour each day.

Bringing Brazil to Minnesota

Ruth and Girls in Osceola
Originally uploaded by Pictures by Ann

A friend from Brazil visited for ten days from the end of May through early June. She was an exchange student back in the late 1990s when she was a senior in high school.

This was an exciting time for the girls as they learned a lot about Brazil - its culture, language, everyday life, and games. It was such a wonderful opportunity for them to meet Ruth and get a taste of what Brazil/South America is like.

Hopefully within a year, we will be traveling to Brazil on frequent flier points to visit Ruth and her family. It would be an incredible learning experience for the girls - and a real opportunity for them to get a more better view of the world and what life is like in a different country.

On this day, we visited Osceola, Wisconsin, to see Cascade Falls. You have to walk down about 100 steps to get to the waterfall. There's a small stream that winds through a forest. It's a pretty location tucked right along the St. Croix River.