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October

I was really excited for fall and then I (and the kids) got sick and we haven’t been able to do all the things I wanted to do, especially getting into the mountains. We are finally better so today we got some pumpkins and caramel apples.

Tonight I want to make popcorn and watch Room on the Broom. Today made me feel like painting pumpkins but instead I am working on some wintery paintings that I hope to share soon.

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15 Fall Books

The Apple Cake

I don’t think books need to have to have a lesson or moral but if they do, I want it to be like this one.

The Witch Who Was Afraid of Witches

Old Illustrations or go home.

The Leaf Thief

I love the illustrations in this one.

Mushroom Rain

So beautiful.

Leo: A Ghost Story

Cutest ghost story ever.

Sleep Tight Farm: A Farm Prepares for Winter

A book for when you need to feel cozy.

When We Were Alone

This powerful book makes me cry every time.

How to Make Friends with a Ghost

This book is so sweet and unique.

Pumpkin Moonshine

An old one that I love.

Pecan Pie Baby

A sweet Thanksgiving book.

In the Dark, Dark Room and Other Scary Stories

IFYKYK

Sophie's Squash

Gardens forever.

Children of the Forest

Mushroom hats are necessary in this line up.

Leaf Man

I love leaves and this book.

The Widow's Broom

I stumbled across this one just last year and it has an old time creepy feel that I love.

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Mirror Mirror

I just finished this painting. It feels a little different than my usual paintings but has a similar vibe to some I used to make a really long time ago. I was trying to find a feeling, of looking in a mirror in a dark hallway a long time ago. I don’t know if I quite got there but it’s a start that I want to keep building off of.

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Birthday Girl

My youngest is 5 so we had to have a tea party. We had cake shaped like a pony and apple juice and strawberries. I tried some face painting which turned out okay considering the faces were pretty wiggly. I am definitely not a Pinterest party mom but we had a lot of fun.

The whole thing has made me want to paint a tea pot and some cake. I might have to give it a try. Maybe I will try to capture the feel of my very favorite sleep story A Very Proper Tea Party.

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Butterfly

I painted a monarch butterfly and some milkweed because the colors seemed so fun. We have a pollinator garden in our yard for the bees, my husband runs Hollow Tree Honey, so we are pretty good at helping the bees. I think we could be better at planting specifically for butterflies and fall might be a good time to add some plants.

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Hiking With Kids

It usually starts with whining for us. They don’t want to go. How long is it? Why do we have to? And then if we are lucky they get into it. Then if they find something to play with in the mountains they want to stay all day.

I want to get up in the mountains more and take more pictures to paint from before it gets cold.

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Wildflowers

Who can say how many times I listened to Wildflowers while I painted this? It’s been a great summer for wildflowers here. I will be sorry to see them go as we head into fall.

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End of Summer/Back to School

We’ve been busy finishing off summer with swimming, playing, and s’mores. School started this week and it’s been a bit of a rougher start than I imagined. My middle child is starting first grade and really struggling with anxiety and my husband needed some temporary help with his business so it’s been physically and emotionally busy and I haven’t had the space for art yet that I have been looking forward to.

About 6 months ago I checked out the book The Highly Sensitive Parent thinking it probably wouldn’t apply to me. I always thought I wasn’t highly sensitive when I heard that phrase in passing because I pictured it as a person who was emotionally intelligent or really intuitive and masterful at reading people or something. I am not sure what I thought, but that is not how I am and that isn’t what it means. I took the test recently on the internet and turns out it is mostly feeling overstimulated most of the time with is definitely me. Either way, both the book and the test turned out to completely and totally apply to me.

Many highly sensitive people are “deeply moved” by arts and music which again is me. And it feels like this should be the upside in what honestly feels like a downside a lot to the time. Although like many things such as introversion it might not be a problem if the world was set up for us more? But it is definitely not. So when I am not making art AND feeling overwhelmed by everyday life and kids screaming and the crushing violence in the world it feels like all downside. Making art with my kids, reading to them, and creating makes it feel like a positive thing again. So I hope I will feel more aligned when school really gets going (preschool starts tomorrow) and I can make time to make things.

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15 Summer Picture Books

In summer with kids sometimes I want to spent time with them and yet do something lazy. Some summer days are for hiking and swimming and some days are for vicariously hiking or swimming through a book while you sit on your couch in the AC.

I am picky about what just “feels” summery to me and I can't explain the process totally but it usually involves nature or fun or fun in nature. Here are the results.

The Little Island

I say yes to Maine. These illustrations kill me.

I Love the Mountains

I love the rolling hills, need I say more?

Spot Goes to the Beach

This one seems to be out of print but my nostalgia says yes.

Summer Feet

Shoes are for winter.

George and Martha: The Complete Stories of 2 Best Friends

These books are a crowd pleaser anytime but all of them together makes for a chill afternoon and there are plenty of hammocks, gardens, and high dives to make it a good choice for a summer day.

The Little Blue Cottage

If you are looking for coastal grandmother vibes here you go.

Linnea's Almanac

This one also seems to only be available on thriftbooks and goes through the whole year but I find the summer months particularly magical. I loved this book when I was a kid. My son loves it too and it makes him want to explore nature more.

This Moose Belongs to Me

Mountains. Check. Funny. Check.

The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear

A classic book with a summery strawberry. (Here’s hoping my strawberry patch does better next year.)

Watercress

Summer plants spur poignant conversations.

Hike

I used to think there weren’t a lot of picture books about hiking but now there are quite a lot. I like this one.

Over and Under the Pond

A true nature book is just what you need sometimes.

Frog and Toad All Year

Okay okay, this classic technically has snow in it but the ice cream chapter is a must for summer.

Grand Canyon

We usually go to the desert in the summer or a national park and this book is a great way to celebrate that.

Everything You Need for a Treehouse

My kids love this one and I do too.

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July

July has felt like a really long and fun month. We went up to the mountains for the Wildflower Festival and learned the names of all the flowers, none of which I can remember now. Tom and I went to see Regina Spektor with all the other older millenials and she was amazing. The kids and I went to the park and the pool and we all spent an amazing week in the desert, nearby Zions National Park, visiting my grandparents.

Looking back it’s all been summer magic. I haven’t painted all month which makes me feel things - grateful to have been outside so much, frustrated that I didn’t fit it in, anxious to get going again. My kids start school in 2 and a half weeks and I know I will get in a better rhythm then. Meanwhile, July is for popsicles and sunsets. In the few days that are left I want to climb into my hammock and read a book.

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Drawing at the Zoo

This week we went to the zoo and we took sketchpads. Kids are asked to draw things frequently but rarely given reference material. I once worked with a teacher who would always give the kids a picture to look at if she asked them to draw something and I loved that because that is how I draw. Art by kids is great no matter what, in my opinion, but it’s fun to give them the option to draw from life.

A bonus was that it made the zoo more fun and made us slow down and document the process. I wish I could have sketched too but I was too busy keeping track of everyone and their pencils. My 9 year old would really take his time and use his eyes. My 6 year old would glance at it and then quickly draw it. My 4 year old took it pretty seriously and looked hard. I love how their drawings turned out.

sketching at the zoo with kids
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