Woodlot

Yesterday we went to Kevin Veinotte's Open Woodlot Day. He didn't bill it as an extravaganza, but that well describes what we found waiting for us at the end of a wooded path just down Mossman Road. The Department of Natural Resources had set up an eight-stop display of sustainable tree farming, riparian habitats, log milling, and more. We (okay, I) drank free Laughing Whale coffee, donned the mandatory hard hats and listened to some interesting speechifying from the various parties involved--most notably the Ecology Action Centre. They promote Kevin's organic, sustainably harvested trees over artificial trees.

Charlie loved wearing his "Bob hat". He watched the saw mill turn trees into lumber, he ran around the Christmas tree forest, and he especially loved exploring the DNR's super-sized helicopter parked in the meadow. On the way home we detoured through Mahone Bay's scarecrow festival and stopped at The Biscuit Eater for bat cookies. It was a whirlwind of outdoory goodness kind of morning.

Tonight is the big debut of the new bob-skates during family skating hour at the rink. Details to follow.

Cranberry Bog

OK, now we know. Cranberry bogs are not very attractive. And I (Mom) am the only person in the family who actually likes cranberries. Next year we are definitely visiting an apple orchard instead. (If you want to learn way too much about apples, btw, visit my professional blog).

Across the road from the bog was a little sign for a barn sale, pointing up a wooded lane. We couldn't pass up the opportunity to explore Heckman's Island further. I flipped through stacks of ancient 78s while Charlie ran around a beautiful old barn high on a hill overlooking the sea.


We came home and ate nachos de puerco with Daddy before taking a walk to visit the "snow" (a pile of ice shavings our zamboni deposits outside the community rink). Charlie made his first official snowman of the year, complete with a gravel face and rock top hat. He fell asleep in the stroller on the way home, with a smile on his face and a big slab of ice shavings melting on the tray in front of him.
It was a good weekend.

Fall, Soon to be Winter

The leaves are starting to turn here, and not a minute too soon for Charlie. There are a few themes he's been harping on as of late, all to do with the change of seasons. "I want to get a Christmas tree," he says. "Where's the snow? I want to build a snowman." "I want to go ice skating. " "Where's my sled?"

Luckily for Charlie the rink opens this week. We just ordered him a pair of bob skates, so he can really get his feet on the ice this year. And next weekend is Kevin Veinotte's open woodlot day (Best Woodlot of Nova Scotia 2007!), so we can go visit our organic, sustainably harvested Christmas tree while it's still growing.

What's with the winter fun fascination? It must be his Canadian blood. I'll strive to keep up.

Tomorrow is Open Farm Day in Nova Scotia. We're planning a visit to the local u-pick cranberry bog, Terra Beata. We've been making our own granola lately, and I think we'll use their cranberries to make a holiday granola for friends and family. Let me know if you want some...

Nature Boy

Here are some pics from the last few weeks... you can see we've been spending a lot of time outside!

Kick It Up a Notch

OK, now we're writing our own books. Yesterday we (okay, I) wrote and Charlie illustrated The Big Mess. It goes a little like this:

Charlie made a big mess.
Actually, he made a lot of big messes.
"Eeek! I'm going to crack up!" said Mommy.
"Can we clean it up together?" she asked.
"OK, Mommy!" replied Charlie.
And they did.

Okay, the cleaning up part is still mostly me too, but it's a step in a hopeful direction!

We're making maps now, too. Charlie is a big map-o-phile. We're mapping the whole neighborhood. Now we're headed out for a walk, to check out The House With Dogs That Bark Loud and Early Every Morning and The House of Those People Who Really Like Firecrackers.

I Go Camp

Mom's a slow learner.

Charlie had to say "I wan' go home" approximately eleventyjillion times before I thought to ask, "What do you want to do at home?" in response, struck in my desparation by the thought that maybe! just maybe! if I got specific we might find a way to meet his needs in the campground.

"I wan' read book," he said.

"Oh," I replied. "We have books here." And he was most content to sit on my lap on the beach, reading One Monkey Too Many and One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish while adorable little Livia from the next campsite perched next to me and watched. After he'd had his fill of literature, we waded through the water catching and releasing minnows and a baby frog.

I wasn't so successful with his next most persistent request, "I wan' go kayak." Maybe next year we'll rent a canoe.

Old Growth Forest, Here We Come

We're off to the Not Back To School Camp in Kejimkujik National Park for a couple days.

Carrot Soup Part Two

I e-mailed John Segal to tell him about our soup-making adventures and linked him to the blog post. He promptly wrote back and offered to send Charlie a hand-coloured Carrot Soup bookplate.

Did I mention that I love children's lit authors?