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.

Picking Peaches Barefoot

What a joy it is to be able to walk outdoors and pick fresh fruit from your own garden.

Growing your own fruit and vegetables is a great way to get kids outdoors and connecting with nature. Not only do they get to eat the freshest, most delicious organic food going, introducing them to healthy eating habits, but they get to learn where food comes from, how it grows and they get to spend lots of time outdoors, tending to their little peach tree, potted herbs, potatoes in a tub, or even a tomato plant growing in a small pot.

Peaches Galore……

I was gifted two peach trees from the kids three years ago. This year we have an amazing crop. Samuel and Jasmine are in charge of watering the peach trees, pruning them back and adding stakes if needed.

Pick and Eat

Guess what we’ll be eating for National Eat Outdoors Day 31st August! Join in the fun @ C&NN Connect : Recipie & Idea Swap by Suzi Lipman.

Peach recipes

Grilling peaches deepens their natural sweetness. A family favorite is Barbecued Peaches with hot Caramel Sauce and Vanilla Icecream or Yogurt.

And here’s a scrumptious savory alternative:  Jamine Oliver’s Grilled Peach Salad with Bresaola

Peaches are good for you.

Peaches are high in beta carotene, which provides cancer-fighting properties and the ability to inhabit the growth of cancerous tumors. A recent laboratory study also identified phenolic acids in peaches aschemopreventive dietary compounds because of their ability to inhabit growth of estrogen-independent breast cancer cells. Lutein and zeaxanthin, also help protect against age-related macular degeneration. Fibre, vitamin C, and iron are more reasons to indulge in peaches this season. Heidi Hoff -Alive.com

What fruits or vegetables are your kids growing?

Here’s a cool gardening certificate for kids: Chloe the Gardener Certificate.

I was talking to a friend on the phone last week. He asked how I was.

I said I was feeling a bit like a zombie, Sam (my youngest) got me up at 2am in the morning to watch the Perseid meteor shower.

His reply, Are you complaining?

I could sense my friend was trying to make a point.

I hesitated and thought for a minute about the question. (Your son wants you to share a magical moment with him and you’re complaining). Of course my friend didn’t blurt that out but I knew that’s what he was implying.

NO, I’m not complaining Don, was my reply.

I realized that in general I complain too much. It made me rethink how I converse with others and more importantly how I look at the time I spend with my family. Each moment is to be savored and treasured for they are only gifted to us for such a short time.

So I am tired for a day, so what. I got to spend a magical evening with my youngest son.

My husband managed to capture this fabulous shot on Thursday evening.

Sam, his brother and sister and my husband and I watched the Perseid meteor shower on Thursday evening until midnight. We had been told we would have a better chance of seeing more flashes in the sky on Friday between 2-3am so I promised Sam (who was incredibly excited about seeing even more meteors ) that we would set the alarm clock. It was definitely worth the early rise. We saw some spectacular bursts of light shoot across the sky but it was the whole excitement of being outdoors, snuggled in a blanket with Sam staring up at the sparkling sky, listening to the natural sounds of the crickets’ chorus and the owls hooting that made it so magical.

In the vastness of the universe, our planet is smaller than a grain of sand in the desert, but we perceive Earth as large and permanent because we are so much smaller than it is, and our lives so brief by comparison…………A reminder that life is short.

The Joy of being outdoors (A blog post from last year).

I will be a long time dead.  What a joy to be alive and have a family that loves me and beautiful friends to share time with. Life truly is a gift.

Thank you my beautiful friend for the reminder of how precious life is.

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…

What a joy to watch.

A pleasant change from the snake visiting the raspberry patch….

Hunting for the right location to build the fairy house.

A team effort.

The girls hang pine cones and seed decorations for the Butterfly Girl fairies.

Checking to see if the Butterfly Girls like their leaf bed.

The girls dance around their fairy house, doing the Butterfly Girl Congo.

More details are added….

…Sacha finds a feather and adds it to the top of the house.

And a short fence is posted all around the house along with pebbles.

Anna, the youngest student, runs up to me and announces that the Butterfly Girls are still sleeping. They must love the leaf bed we made them Marghanita.

How magical!

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