Building the Biggest Butterfly Girl Fairy House for Charity (part 2)

Getting kids outside and connecting with nature couldn’t be more FUN!

Upon arrival, the girls discovered the Butterfly Girls hanging in the trees.

Once everyone had arrived I handed out some chalk and asked the children to draw their favorite animal, bird or insect.

Let’s Go ….

…and build the biggest fairy house in the Okanagan.

The children collected foliage and weaved their magic into my tepee structure, making it their very own…Butterfly Girl Fairy House.

The girls added flowers…

…built a fire using cones, sticks and stones then proceeded to hang up their butterfly girl chrysalis pods.

What a joy to watch.

The inside of the Butterfly Girl house was just as beautiful as the outside.

Later we made Pine Cone Bird Feeders at the Little Humbugs picnic table and stools, located in our secret wooded hollow.

Learning about American Robins as we made the pine cone bird feeders. Part of the Little Humbugs “Let’s Go Outside” video series is to encourage children to “touch, feel and be involved” with nature.

What better way to do this than let the children hunt for pine cones, get messy with sunbutter and bird seed, then experience the pleasure of watching birds arrive to feast on their delicious pinecone feeders.

Snack time…

We picnicked on fruits that were in season, peaches and plums that I picked fresh from my garden earlier that morning. One of the mothers (Kristina) kindly made Butterfly Cup Cakes.

A party wouldn’t be complete without a party hat. We made mini nature crowns for their Butterfly Girl dolls.

And finally …………

…We finished the event with a treasure hunt.

The children delighted in finding Nika and her gemstone collection.

A perfect ending  to a magical day….

Time for goodbyes….Hugs brought tears to my eyes.

This truly was a very special day in my life that I will treasure……………..

My Butterfly Girls and their 8ft Butterfly Girl Fairy House 2010

I can’t wait to do it all again in the Spring. We plan to do a tour from BC all the way down to California starting in the late Spring and early Summer. If your interested in holding one of my Little Humbug Events (Dragonfly Boys and Butterfly Girls) for Charity please contact me : info@littlehumbugs.com Closing date for applications will be 15th November 2010. I’d love to meet you and share the joy that comes to everyone from getting kids outdoors and connecting with nature.

Part 3 coming soon with video.

My daughter on a visit to NkMip Desert Cultural Centre

I wanted to share this beautiful prayer from a book I borrowed from a dear friend…”American Indian Healing Arts” by E Kavasch and Karen Barr. The book is a magical blend of plant lore, history, and living traditions that draws on a lifetime of study with native healers.

GIFTS FROM MOTHER NATURE

Earth teach me stillness

as the grasses are stilled with light.

Earth teach me suffering

as old stones suffer with memory.

Earth teach me humility

as blossoms are humble with beginning.

Earth teach me caring

as the mother who secures her young.

Earth teach me courage

as the tree which stands alone.

Earth teach me limitations

as the ant which crawls on the ground.

Earth teach me freedom

as the eagle which soars in the sky.

Earth teach me resignation

as the leaves which die in fall.

Earth teach regeneration

as the seed which rises in the spring.

Earth teach me forget myself

as melted snow forgets life.

Earth teach me to remember kindness

as dry fields weep with rain.

………………………………………….Ute prayer

I love visiting the local Farmers market, what better way to spend your Saturday morning. Chatting with local farmers and getting to taste the best Organic fruits and vegetables in your valley. I believe it is really important for a community to support local farmers and business’s. Buying locally-grown food can bring more money into the community, reduce the costs of food shipment and create a better community atmosphere.

Who I discovered today…

Green City Acres

Meet Curtis Stone owner of Green City Acres…..Pedal Powered Urban Farmer.

Anyone who knows me will know how much I love to get on my bike and I try to use it as an alternative mode of transport whenever I can but this guy is the real deal when it comes to sustainability.

All his farming operations including farm maintenance, transportation of crops, restaurant deliveries, weekly farmers markets, and moving of their 300 lb. rototiller, are all done with their bikes and trailers. Their mission is to foster social and environmental change through the production of local organic food, with minimal use of fossil fuels, and to help, teach, and empower people to start growing their own.

What an inspiration. Check out Curtis’s website: Green City Acres

Now a few months ago one of my friends introduced me to Spelt. He baked me a Banana Bread that was the most delicious one I had ever tasted. It literally melted in my mouth. He kindly shared his special recipe and told me where to find the farmer who mills his very own ORGANIC spelt.

Meet the lovely owners of Quails Farm.

These guys not only grow and mill the Spelt, they also make the most amazing Spelt baguettes

and pizza bases and offer a huge selection of mouth watering organic vegetables.

Heirloom carrots from Quails Farm

Spelt is a species of wheat that has been grown since 5000 BC. A fact I found absolutely fascinating. Since discovering Spelt, I’ve been baking everything with it, I’m totally converted. Here’s a link to learn a bit more about Spelt.

Anna Yarosky Pottery

I cannot go past a pottery stand without thinking of my father. He would sneak us into his art classroom to play on the Potter’s wheel on a Saturday morning. Being head of the art department he would tell the janitor he was working on assignments while my brothers and I tossed the clay.

It was these mini pots that caught my eye-don’t you think they would make most adorable little set for my Little Humbug dolls.

Sunflower Magic…

Just as I was leaving I spotted these enormous sunflowers. Who couldn’t resist such beauties. I thought they would make the most fabulous prop for my book character Chloe the Gardener. Talking of Chloe the Gardener…………

Getting Kids to eat ORGANIC

I watched a video recently which got me thinking about the importance of eating Organic but how costly organic can be for some families.

Please take a moment to watch this short video concerning a cancer epidemic surrounding conventional agriculture in France…

Nos enfants nous accuserons

After watching this, I felt compelled to work on ways on how we can make ORGANIC fruits and vegetables affordable for everyone. There has to be solutions. One way is to get kids excited about gardening.  I believe one way I can help, is with my book character Chloe the Gardener, encouraging kids to eat ORGANIC. Here’s a few links:

Grow your first vegetable garden with Chloe the Gardener

Discover the magic of gardening with kids

Natural Play Structures

Are your kids growing their own vegetables? Here’s  Chloe’s gardening certificate for kids to download…

Happy Gardening Everyone!

This post and the following 2 posts are dedicated to my beautiful friend Don who allowed me to hold this magical event in his grounds, a nature haven for wildlife.

The Butterfly Girls of Summer Charity Event 2010 (Biggest Fairy House – Kelowna 2010)

These days, a typical child spends only 4 to 7 minutes outside each day. Compare that to the 7½ hours daily the average kid uses electronic media, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. I want to help reverse these statistics.

So I decided to hold a nature event…….based around my book characters The Little Humbugs. The Humbugs live their lives not dissimilar to how we all used to live, just like indigenous people who respect and live in harmony with Mother Earth.

Preparation for the event…

First I cleared an area for my tree stump stools around an existing stump that was just the perfect size for a Little Humbugs table.

The Little Humbugs seating area. An area in the shade for crafts and picnicking.

We evolved in nature – if we become disconnected from the natural world we lose something magical, something so precious.

Then I started on the construction of a tepee structure for the Butterfly Girl (fairy) house

For the last couple of weeks I have been foraging, collecting pine beetle infested logs, stripping them, cutting back any large branches and finally on Friday I got to raise the logs with the help from Don (the owner of the grounds) and my eldest son into a tepee like structure.

Next, I started to add the frame work. (Older children can be involved in this process).

A spiritual experience.

There was something very magical about building such a structure, I enjoyed the solitude, it gave me time to let go, to feel the connection with the earth, the wonderful surface, patterns and textures of the rustic wood, the dry, dusty soil. My days of working on the land, getting dirty, smelling the forest, feeling the warm summer breeze kiss me and make the long, dry native grasses toss and dance were special. Finally seeing the structures come together as damselflies and dragonflies entertained me with their magnificent acrobatic displays, it reinforced my mission to start a nature facility (school) for kids sometime in the not too distant future. To share the joy and wonder Mother Nature gifts us every day and to feel connected to our incredibly beautiful yet fragile planet.

Keeping it environmentally friendly, I used pine beetle damaged branches

and biodegradable twine.

A welcoming heart (made from willow, handmade felt beads, a pine cone threaded on twine) for the entrance.

A whopping 8ft structure stood in front of me.

Now it was time to invite the children to hunt for foliage, decorate and let them weave their magic into my tepee structure, making it their very own…Butterfly Girl (Fairy) House.

Find out how the children bring  their enthusiasm and energy to breathe life into the Little Humbugs charity event and fill my heart with joy and laughter in my next blog post…………

The more I work with children in nature the stronger my passion grows to spread the word about the importance of nature in a child’s life. This event is raising funds to help kids with cancer. We hope to raise enough funds to allow several cancer patients the opportunity to have a fun day in nature.

If you would like to get involved helping to raise awreness of such an important cause please contact me: info@littlehumbugs.com or why not become a Little Humbugs Ambassador.

How to make a Butterfly Girl Petal Crown

Head outdoors to collect petals and leaves. The girls in my nature class all got to pick an empty Butterfly Girl Chrysalis (pod bag) to collect their treasure.

What you will need to make a Butterfly Girl Crown:

1. A selection of petals and leaves (we also added lavender)

2. Long strip of recycled paper or card (measured to fit child’s head)

3. Glue (Glitter and sequin are optional)

4. Tape or stapler to join the two ends of paper together

Place the stem of leaves and lavender in the center of the paper and tape in place (we found the tape held the leaves in place much better than the glue).

Glue petals in place and sprinkle with glitter if desired. Now staple or tape the two ends of paper together.

Now grab your Butterfly Girl Wind Streamer …..

…….and GO PLAY!

Dragonfly Boy crowns are made in exactly the same way only using more leaves and swapping seeds for petals.

Native people have always recognized or imbued in animals certain human like traits, easily recognized by youth. Otters appear to be playful, and squirrels assertive. No one questions the strength of a bear, the extraordinary expressions of a frog, or the patience of a spider. (Thom Henley)

I got the idea to do the Empowerment Pebbles with my Little Humbugs nature class after reading a marvelous book “REDISCOVERY” by Thom Henley. A fascinating read and full of outdoor activities based on Native traditions.

Little Humbug Spirit Pebbles.

For my Little Humbugs nature class, I decided to get the children to search for 7 smooth pebbles, one for each day of the week.

Using simple drawings of animals listed below, paint or draw your designs on the rocks.

Once the child has drawn a design on each pebble, tell them the special gift that each of these animals bring to them and ask them to think about how they can use this gift in their own lives. Use animals that are native to your region and familiar to your child.

WOLF: Special Person – Just as the wolf howls its proud song to the moon, you too can recognize that you are a unique and special child. You are a lovable and wonderful child!

RAVEN: Curiosity – The raven is never bored, always curious, always exploring every corner of the world. So too can you awaken your sense of wonder – discover nature and its endless wonder.

SALMON: Sharing – just as the salmon shares its body with the bear, otter, eagle and human, so too can you learn to share your food, your feelings, your fears, your books and toys. Sharing is one of the most important traditions.

SPIDER: Patience – Spider spins her web and waits, and waits, and waits…Spider knows that her patience will be rewarded with a fly in her trap and a meal for her young. You too can learn the lesson of patience; all things will not come to you instantly.

BEAR: Strength – The powerful grizzly bear will bring you to the gift of strength-inner strength to help you through sad moments in your life. Like the mother grizzly bear who overturns logs to feed insects to her cubs, or to protect them from danger, you too can learn to be strong.

HUMMINGBIRD: Happiness – Hummingbird, this joyful little spirit, brings happiness into your life. All the sweetness in the nectar is yours. Remember to take time and smell the flowers and find joy in all you see and do.

DEER: Peacefulness – The gentle deer brings you the gift of a peaceful spirit. Deers are always aware, always alert, but at the same time they are peaceful and gentle. Take time to be quiet. Ask your parents to take you to a beautiful meadow of wildflowers or the hushed silence of the forest and you will know the gift of the deer.

The youngest in my class (6yrs) turned over each pebble after drawing her animal and wrote the meaning on the back of the pebble. I was very impressed by this action and all the other children followed suit.

How to use your spirit pebbles.

At the beginning of the week, get your child to close their eyes and randomly draw one pebble from the pouch. This will be their special power, or focus, for the day. By keeping that day’s pebble as a touch stone in their pockets, they will be reminded of their discipline throughout the day. At the end of the week all pebbles will have been drawn and are then returned to the pouch. Once a month your child could have a special day to reflect on being joyful, patient, generous etc.

Use recycled felt or a scrap of old material to make a pouch to store your pebbles.

The beauty of the journey of Empowerment play is that it brings the animals alive for the children in a way they’ll long remember.

This was one one of my favorite and most rewarding activities out of all the The Little Humbugs nature camp activities. I really do hope you make time to do this wonderful nature craft with your children. If you would like a copy of my Little Humbugs Spirit Pebbles worksheet, drop me an email:info@littlehumbugs.com

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Thom Henley for writing “Rediscovery“. It has been an inspiration and continued resource for my work. The Little Humbugs live very similar to how the Native American Indians used to live and I am thrilled to be able to incorporate a little of the Native American Indians traditional teachings in my work.

“Children need to be together in nature, so they can learn to respect, accept and understand each other better. Native American Indians have something important to teach about respect for the earth and all our relations that live here.” Erma Bearstops, Lakota Elder.

“As a parent, environmentalist, and a scientist I cannot conceive of a more important program than Rediscovery.” David Suzuki

The Little Humbugs love fruit, especially strawberries.

Strawberries are good for you and are one of the healthiest fruits you can eat. All berries are great for you as they are full of minerals, vitamins and other nutrients. Strawberries make a great healthy snack.

Strawberry Shortcake made outdoors.

Baking outdoors is so much fun. Chloe loves to listen to the birds singing as she rolls out her pastry.

She then pops her pastry into the Little Humbugs outdoor pizza oven for 20 minutes. Once cooled, Chloe adds homemade raspberry or strawberry jam and tops with freshly picked organic strawberries from the Little Humbugs garden.

YUMMY!!!

Chloe likes to serve her strawberry shortcakes along with her super healthy “Very Berry Smoothie“.

1 organic banana
1 cup mixed fresh or frozen organic berries
(Chloe likes to use blueberries, raspberries & strawberries)
Half a cup almond milk (or soy milk) (Optional)
or half cup of freshly squeezed orange juice
1 tablespoon raw honey
1 tablespoon flax seed oil
1 teaspoon flax seeds

Naughty but nice…

Occasionally the Little Humbugs will indulge in cream strawberry shortcakes.

Do you grow your own fruit and vegetables? Here’s a cool certificate from Chloe…

A beautiful day with a beautiful friend in his stunning wildlife garden.

This week we made Butterfly Girl fairy houses at my “Let’s Go Outside” nature classes.

We started by collecting materials to build the homes.

We had strong winds, a sprinkling of rain and very little sunshine but did that bother us….not at all. The kids were having way too much fun.

The kids measured the Butterfly Girls before making their house to make sure they would fit .

Using their imagination the kids used stones for seats, leaves for bedding and even made the most realistic little camp fires (will share in the next post).

One girl wanted to leave a message for the Little Humbugs, so she wrote it on a piece of drift wood.

This sign made my day-love it!

The other kids decided they wanted to leave a message too but used a leaf.

All too soon it was time to pack up.

Everyone wanted to stay and play with the fairy homes, we could have played there all day. I only wished we could have stayed until nightfall and watched to see who would visit their charming little homes.