Bear Tales...Autumn Song

Autumn Song
Elizabeth Ellen Long

These are the days of fallen leaves,
The days of hazy weather,
Smelling of gold chrysanthemums
And gray wood-smoke together

These are the nights of nearby stars,
The nights of closer moons,
When the windy darkness echoes
To crickets' farewell tunes.

*** FYI***
The teddy bear was designed in 1902 in honor of President Theodore Roosevelt
By 1906, in the USA, the teddy bear craze was in full swing. Society ladies and children carried their bears everywhere. Today, more than ever as we travel through life's uncertain  journey, we certainly need the TEDDY  BEARS gift of unconditional love and acceptance more than ever!

Join me every Wednesday for the " Bear Tales"  favorite children poem time

The "Bear Tale" bears are available on my website. They are 12" soft jointed plush bears (burton and burton)
Available in Tan and White.

Autumn Apple Bread

Autumn means
Crisp Apples,
Cooler days,
Colorful Foliage
Homecoming,
Football,Sweaters,
Freshly baked and
more family time!

debbie mumm friendship doll

Our days are getting cooler and that's when I want to bake. 
This is a great recipe to use in the fall when apples are everywhere

APPLE BREAD...

**To make this bread healthier use the items in ( )
 Beat together:
3/4 cup vegetable oil (canola oil)
1 cup brown sugar (or splenda brown sugar)
2 eggs

Stir in:
1 1/2 cup chopped, unpeeled apples
1/4 cup chopped walnuts.
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

Mix together:
1 1/2 cup white flour (Whole Wheat)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda

Add to apple mixture. Do not overmix
Pour into a 9 x 5 loaf pan
For a nice way to finish it off. Add cinnamon sugar to the top before baking. 
Bake at 350 degrees for 55 to 60 minutes

• Family Learning Tip
  

While preparing the apples for the recipe, use this time to have the kids learn something new. 

• Hold up the apple 
• Have everyone guess how many seeds can be found inside. 
• Cut the apple open and count the seeds. Did any one guess right?
• Do it again with another apple & see if the seed count is the same. 

Now your ready to cut up the apple and finish the bread. Smell how yummy it is!

Autumn Bubble Time

   Jeanne and Kayleigh enjoying the outdoors making BUBBLES.
Autumn is a fantastic time to get outside and enjoy the fresh air and sunshine. The days are not too hot and are perfect for having some fun bubble time.

• Pour 3 cups of water into a  mixing bowl
• Add 1 cup of dish washing detergent
• add 3/8 cup corn syrup
• Mix well
• Let mixture stand for 3-5 hours (make it in the morning for a fun afternoon activity)
• Pour the bubble mixture into a cake pan or other shallow container. 
• Dip a bubble maker into the mix and blow or wave it around to make bubbles

You can use these different items for bubble blowers. Bend an old wire hanger to make a large wand, berry baskets make small bubbles, funnels, chenille stems can be twisted and in the picture we used an old badminton racket.

FYI...Worlds longest bubble? David Stein holds the official Guinness Book of records.
His bubble was 50 feet x 2 feet diameter.  Now that is Big!

FROG

Fun decorating idea:

Have your children make

hand prints on the wall 

and then paint stems and leaves

to make flowers. 

These hand prints are

Jonathan, Kayleigh, and 

Jessica's in Grandmas playroom.

  Two frogs fell into a deep bowl,
One was an optimistic soul,
but the other took the gloomy view.

We shall drown, and he cried adieu...
so with a last despairing cry,
He flung up his legs and said good bye
the other frog quoted with a merry grin,
I can't get out but I won't give in.

I will swim around till my strength is spent
then I will die the more content.
Bravely he swam till it would seem,
His struggles began to churn the cream

On top of the butter at last he stopped,
and out of the bowl he gaily hopped
What is the moral, 'Tis easily found
if you can't hop out...learn to swim around!

When life gets crazy remember to F R O G
(fully rely on God), Keep a happy attitude and
things will get better.
Smile and have a great day!

Apple Printing

Decorate a muslin or canvas bag with apple prints. These bags are perfect for going on that  hike and collecting your fall items. This is really fun project that the kids love doing.You can make pictures on construction paper as well. 

Cut some apples in half. Do some vertically and others horizontally. This way the kids can see the hidden star. Pour some red or green tempera paint into a paper plate. ( buy your tempera paint at a independent craft store in your neighborhood) Dip the sponge into the paint and dab the apple. Gently press the apple onto the fabric bags or paper.

 Kayleigh and Jonathan are having lots of fun
making their Fall Collection bags  
(can't find bags to buy? You can order them on my website) 

Make sure to cover your work area with paper or plastic. This can be a messy activity. Which  I am sure that is why Jonathan and Kayleigh enjoyed it so much. When they were finished painting the bags, they decided to paint the apples and themselves. Good thing that they wash up well!

ASL word of the day

As a deaf interpreter I find ASL a fascinating language. I love sharing this knowledge with my grandchildren and they love learning new words. Each week we will share some words that are easy  to sign. This way you can learn them and then practice signing  with  your family and friends. Research has found that children who are not to the point of speech yet, can learn and communicate in basic sign to let you know what they want.

This week Jonathan and Kayleigh are going to show you some words to practice.

    apple n.  a rounded firm fruit with red, green or yellow skin:  eat an apple

• with the kuckle of the right X hand near the right side of the mouth, twist the wrist downward with a double movement

I love you is one of the most universal signs there is. Kayleigh loves to sign this to Grandma Nee'
hold up your thumb, index finger and pinky while holding down your middle and ring finger.
I love you combines the letters I, L and Y to make the sign.

Celebrate Autumn

When the final days of summer
Bend the berries on the vine
We look forward to the harvest
At the end of summertime

*Bee's and sunflowers 9" handmade cloth doll**
As the cool breezes of autumn begin to blow, it makes a great time to enjoy nature. Slip on a sweater, gather your family & friends and take an autumn hike to collect fall items to use in crafting.
Acorns, pine cones, sticks, leaves, feathers, etc.Dry your leaves, spray paint and use in your fall decorating.Use the nature items you found on your walk to make an autumn wreath by gluing them ( personally, I prefer Hot Glue) and other items to a grapevine wreath.
Take along a homemade trail mix with you on your autumn walk

Autumn Trail Mix

In a large bowl mix together:
2 cups peanuts
2 cups raw sunflower seeds
1 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1 cup raisins or dried cranberries
1 cup mini chocolate chips
Store in an airtight container

Yummy!

You're Invited

***Sariah is ready to make cookies with Grandma!


I want to invite you to join me everyday for some family and friend time ideas.
My blog will feature on:
Sunday: Inspirational thoughts
Monday: Toys and games
Tuesday: Friendship sayings and recipes
Wednesday: Bear Tales (poems to share with your children)
Thursday: Hints, crafts & gift ideas
Friday: American Sign Language Words ( a new word each week)
Saturday: Kids Crafts

Bear Tales

The Apple Rhyme
madeleine nightingale

In my garden grows a tree
Of apple-blossom. where for me
A blackbird perches every day,
Sings his song and flies away.
So since fairies make for birds
Music out of fairy words,
I have learned from it a rhyme
For folk to sing at appletime,
Which (if you live where apples grow)
You'll find a useful thing to know.

Apples ripe and apples red,
Grow they high above my head
Alack-a-day! for I am small
And apple trees are mostly tall;
Dreary-me! But what is sadder,
Nobody can find a ladder.
Call a pixy, green or brown,
And bid him throw the apples down.
Pixy, throw them down as quick
Or quicker than my hands could pick!
One, two, three, and now another,
Each one bigger than the other.
Pixies green and pixies brown,
Throw the big red apples down.

Friendship Tea Time

Come and share a pot of tea
My home is warm and
My friendship free












It's autumn time and the weathers getting cooler. What a great time to invite a friend for some friendship time of chatting, tea and cookies.

Here is a recipe for some old fashioned Friendship tea

1 jar (15 oz) instant orange breakfast mix
1 cup of granulated sugar
1/2 cup of presweetened lemonade mix
1 package cherry flavored unsweetened drink mix
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
*1 cup unsweetened instant tea mix * This can be added if you are a tea drinker.

I am not a "tea" drinker so I don't add the tea to the mix.
to make this sugar free: substitute the orange and lemonade with sugar free versions and use splenda in place of the sugar.

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients; mix well. Store in an airtight container.
To Serve, stir 2 heaping tablespoons tea mix into 8 ounces hot or cold water

This make a nice gift. Place mixture into a plastic bag and insert into a fabric bag and tie with a ribbon. Tie on a card with the instructions for use.
Give with a tea time Friendship Doll

Who doesn't love Stick Horses

Jonathan is taking a ride on my cuddle pony which is classic stick horse also known as the hobby horse. These toys have been around since the 16th century.



Seeing a stick horse can bring back some fond memories.
Do you remember stick horse races, or maybe just pretending to be a great rodeo rider ?
Stick Horses are a timeless treasure!