Candlemas/Shadows

This week we took time to study Candlemas and shadows. 

Candlemas is a day("mas") for candles.  It became a special day to the Roman Catholics to bless the candles of the year.  If you want to learn a lot more about celebrating February 2 you can check out this link.  In America it turned into Groundhogs day, thus we also discussed our shadows.  Even more remarkable...in our family Feb. 2 is uncle Matt's birthday.  So, we talked about him too :)

On baking day we made cinnamon rolls,

because they are delicious.

Tillie making rolls

Wesley made an eagles nest

Then, we made cookies to mail to uncle Matt.  

He only got a few and I didn't even get to take a picture! (DAD!)

Our field trip this week was on Tuesday and we went to see the snow sculptures at the winter carnival.

Milking cow

Monster under bed

They were really neat and there was a snow castle maze too.  

Frigid, frigid cold though so, we did not stay long and we took the kids to see dinosaurs at the science museum.

We decorated candles...

and we mailed them to uncle Matt as birthday candles.

We kept this one for our table.

We also made candle holders out of air-dry clay

Wesley's

Tillie's

Matthew's

With all those jewels who could resist making crowns?

Then, we talked about shadows.  

We read lots of groundhog day stories.

from the library I got a shadow puppet book and tried our hand at shadow puppets.

So it is...Six MORE weeks of winter.  

I couldn't help but recite this nice verse of how spring may be around the corner.

THE COMING OF SPRING

The birds are coming home soon;

I look for them every day;

I listen to catch the first wild strain,

For they must be singing by May.

The bluebird, he'll come first, you know,

Like a violet that has taken wings;

And the red-breast trills while his nest he builds;

I can hum the song that he sings.

And the crocus and wind flower are coming, too;

They're already upon the way;

When the sun warms the brown earth through and through,

I shall look for them any  day.

Then be patient, and wait a little, my dear;

"They're coming," the winds repeat;

"We're coming! we're coming!" I 'm sure I hear,

From the grass blades that grow at my feet.

By: Ada M. Skinner and Frances Gillespy Wickes

Anticipating spring,

I started to work on our nature table.  

We do not see any flowers around here yet, apparently in the UK they are starting to have glimpses of a flower called a snow drop.  Cute little white flower.  I decided to make a snow drop fairy from a pattern in All Year Round.  

Snow drop flower fairy.

Wesley crafted a little snow pillow for her to rest on.  

All and all very good Candlemas week.

Next week it is about LOVE.

Until then...

~Blessings