Montessori flower arranging: flower study part 4

Check out part 1, part 2, and part 3 of our Montessori-inspired flower study!

We are frugal flower pickers around here, so when I introduced this flower arranging lesson to Elise, I kind of expected her to go wild with the scissors in the garden.  Instead, she sniped just a few of her favorite herbs - parsley and mint - for an edible bouquet.  When I suggested she pick one of the "showier" flowers, she halfheartedly agreed, insisting that we leave the rest for the bees!

If you feel like the bees in your garden are adequately supplied with nectar and pollen, and you have a flower or two to spare, try this flower arranging lesson!  You'll build control and coordination of movement, as-well-as decision making skills.  Plus, nothing brings the beauty of nature indoors like a bouquet of cheerful, fresh flowers!

You'll need:

• a basket for gathering flowers
• scissors
• a selection of small vases
• a pitcher with water
• a funnel
• newspaper or other scrap paper for collecting leaf and stem trimmings
• a drying cloth
• coasters or doilies to place under the finished bouquets

First, bring your basket and scissors to the garden and select a variety of blooms (or herbs!) to pick.

Elise filled her basket with oregano and chive blossoms, parsley, echinacea, and gaillardia.  

Once you're back inside with the flowers, choose a vase to fill with fresh water.  If the vase has a narrow opening, use the funnel.

Spilled some water?  No big deal!  Use your drying cloth to wipe it up!

Select a bloom or two to arrange in the vase.  Trim the stems, and remove any leaves that are in the water.  These can go in the compost or trash at the end of the lesson.

Keep in mind the aesthetics of the bouquet, and don't overcrowd your vase with too many flowers!  Set the finished bouquets in a safe spot while you clean up your supplies.

Finally, place the bouquets on coasters or doilies around the house.  Enjoy!

flower walk: a flower study intro

One of my favorite things about summer is the all the flowers.  I often find myself completely lost in thought over a sunflower - seriously, Hubs thinks I'm crazy!  It never ceases to amaze me that no matter how long or cold the winter, those plants wait patiently to burst into bloom for a month or two of summer - just the blink of an eye, you know?

Elise seems equally intrigued, so I decided to engage her in a little deeper exploration of our colorful environment. We kicked off our flower study with a simple, sensory experience - a flower walk around the neighborhood.  After filling a bag with snacks and supplies, we hit the sidewalk!

flower walk supplies:

• field guides
• notepad
• magnifying glass
• string for measuring plants and scissors for cutting the string
• an assortment of markers, pens, and pencils

Of course, we ended up using our senses the most!  We smelled, touched (gently!), and delighted in all the different colors and shapes we observed.  Bees buzzed around us, and we pondered the orange powder coating their legs. Could it be the same stuff sprinkled on the inside of those blossoms? 

As we neared home, we stopped to suck the nectar out of few climbing honeysuckle blooms.  While we would never pick flowers from someone else's yard - gasp! - these are growing on a power line in an alley.  Totally okay, right? Anyway, we'd done this once before, but this time we were shocked to find that the flowers were empty!!!  Not even a tiny drop of nectar to be had!  We pulled out the Rocky Mountain Gardener's Guide and began to read about climbing honeysuckle.  Just as we got to the part about hummingbirds drinking the nectar, we heard a buzzing sound, and there was a hummingbird sipping from a flower right above our heads!  Oh, I so love moments like this!

Stay tuned for more flower adventures...

looking back at summer: the pea fort

 ^^ The Pea Fort - July 2014 ^^

I took a little blogging break over the summer, 

and I know there are A LOT of readers wondering 

What ever happened with The Pea Fort?  

For those of you who just started reading itty bitty love, 

The Pea Fort is a trellis-like structure we built 

and planted pea and bean seeds around 

- in hopes of creating an edible playhouse for Elise.  

You can read more about it here and here.

^^ Elise feasted on peas and beans all summer! ^^

I had plans of picking some to freeze and enjoy over the winter, 

but all were consumed immediately upon being picked, 

either inside or just outside of The Pea Fort.  :)

That makes more sense anyway,

don't you think?

^^ The Pea Fort The Snow Cave - November 2014 ^^

What will we plant next year?

Maybe more beans and a few less peas.

(The pea plants died-back once the weather got hot,

and it was tricky pulling them out from around the bean plants.)

I'd also like to try a climbing flower or two.

Morning glories?  Sweet peas?  Hmmmm...

We have all winter to dream!

the pea fort: part 2

Hi there!  I just wanted to pop in for a quick "Hello!" and to give you an update on the awesomeness known as The Pea Fort.  The peas and beans we planted a few weeks ago are up and climbing the walls!  Woo hoo!  It's turning into quite the magical little hangout for Elise - and for me, too!  Most days we'll bring out a blanket, a few pillows, a snack, and a basket of books, spending the entire morning lounging, listening to birds sing and other cheerful neighborhood sounds.  Another little addition that we've been loving is the bird feeder - can you see it hanging in the back?  A pair of American Goldfinches have become regulars, and I think they're the prettiest little birds I've ever seen. 

I hope all has been well with you lovely readers and that you've been enjoying Spring! xx.

the pea fort: part 1

 ^^hard at work on the pea fort^^

Spring!  Spring!  Spring! 

I know it's been spring for over a month now, but around here, it's finally starting to feel like spring, too... and we just can't get enough of it!  We've been spending nearly all day, everyday outside - soaking up the warm air and watching the world wake up from its wintry sleep.  Ahhhhh!!!!

Elise's practical life skills have expanded to include digging, planting, weeding, watering - and building!  I've been drooling over pea trellis teepees and stick forts for some time now on pinterest, and we finally decided to combine the two ideas and build a pea fort.  Yay!  I am so excited for Elise to have her own nook to play in outside this summer, and to experience growing and eating her own food.  So far, it's just a frame, but soon we'll plant peas, beans, and some other climbing plants, and *hopefully* they will grow and cover Elise's little fort with leafy green goodness.

I promise to keep you all up-to-date!  ;)

some more pea fort inspiration:

1. Teebonacci Playhouse in the Garden (Organic Gardening)
2. Woodland Fort (dig this chick)
3. Bean Teepees (Lullbutton's Farm) 
4. How to grow your child a living den... (HubPages)