Martinmas - Lantern Walk

Watercolor painting to make their lanterns

The children gathered together under the warm California skies with brushes and paint to watercolor paint their lanterns.

Each children bringing forth their creations

Reds and yellows were used to illuminate their paper so the beautiful candlelight will shine more intensely.

The little artist delicately frames her painting

Interesting shades emerged as the reds and yellows danced together.

The painting was stained with oil and then folded many times

Oil was washed over these paintings to make it translucent for the candlelight to glow through. Once dried the children folded their paper many times creating different angles.

The lines were drawn on the inside

We have had German volunteers working on our farm this season so they taught the children some German lantern songs for the walk.

The glowing lantern!

Soft wire was inserted to the top part of the lantern and then joined in the center to attach a bamboo stick.  The lantern hung gently in front of them as they walked.

The lantern walk

A festive celebration it was!  The parents of Spirit Mountain made delicious healthy soups and the guests brought artisan bread and/or apple cider.

We all joined together to form a large circle as the little school blessed the dinner.  Blankets were laid out on the lawn and meals were enjoyed.  As the sun sank behind the golden hills all the pretty the lanterns were lit. A sweet melody was sung by the children as we walked the farm paths.  We all had a glorious time!

Thank you Lori, and all the children, for this wonderful festival.

Michaelmas

I haven't had good reception for uploading photos, so I'm a bit late for this post.

I would like to have created a little more for the children for Michaelmas but moving around and living out of our little airstream doesn't leave much time nor space for this.

I needle felted this little green dragon and arranged it on a lovely brown silk, along with some driftwood and dried pods we gathered from the beach in N. California.

We were invited to the Michaelmas festival at a Waldorf school in Ashland.  It was the first time my children had been amongst such a large group of children. Sania said he had never seen so many children before.

Each grade performed something special for the crowd.



The theme play for Michaelmas, taming of the dragon was beautifully played out by the children in grade Two.

An old photo from last year of my little knights flying their dragon kites we made.

I asked Sasha if he would like to go to school and he said he would never go anywhere without Sania or his mama.  A couple of weeks ago I was chatting with a young girl, Sasha's age at a camp site.  She was turning 8 in a couple of months and was already in grade 3.  She was sweet, confident and well spoken but she didn't seem to have that spark or play in her as young children her age should have.  All her days are spent at school, doing homework or participating in extra classes.  Her family only goes on vacation once a year and this is the only time she gets to really spend time with her little brother and play. It was hard for me to digest what this little girl told me.  How grateful I am that our family are able to enjoy our lives playfully together as one.