Non-Traditional Kitchen Designs

It's nearing the time for a completely new kitchen. We did an update about ten years ago, but now the 40 year old cabinets have reached the end of their life. Actually, we could get a little more life out of them with another repaint, but the lowers are not level and the water runs to the back of the counters. For some reason, a kitchen full of wall-to-wall upper and lower cabinets seems like an outdated design and a bit confining to me. I haven't always felt like this, but I'm going to go with a non-traditional approach to re-designing the kitchen, and see where that leaves me. It's a bit of a risk, but I plan to do it on a budget, and we can always add cabinets and counters later.

I leaning toward stainless steel restaurant work tables with no cabinets, and no full size oven or range. We'll use induction range plates and an induction half stove. Here's my Pinterest pin board with the kitchen items I may choose; I'm adding possibilities as I find them.

Old Fashioned Soft Molasses Cookies

Ingredients:
3/4 cup shortening (3/4 cup correct amount)
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup molasses
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon nutmeg

Recipe here.

I substituted 3/4 cup of apple sauce for the shortening, and one tablespoon of canola oil. They were gone quickly! I also added a bit of cardamon. Soft and delicious!

A Manual Can Opener That Lasts!

WMF Profi Plus Safety Can Opener


I've been using this bit of German engineering weekly for about six months now. I used to get so irritated with manual can openers not working properly or breaking after a month of use. This one has lasted, and it's easy on the hands. It took a while for me to get the hang of it because it opens the outside rim edge of the can, and has to be placed onto the can horizontally. It glides around the can without much effort leaving no sharp edges. It was a bit expensive, but the price was worth it for a reliable can opener. It opens those big 6.5 pound cans effortlessly. I picked this one after reading customer reviews of various can openers, doing a bit of research on Amazon.

DIY Dollhouse Bookcase

Source: style-files.com via Alexandra on Pinterest

I would love to make this for my daughter's room. Click on link(style-files.com) under picture for directions.

DIY Children's Tent

Source: ana-white.com via Alexandra on Pinterest

We are going to make this for my daughter, and give it to her on Christmas day. I'll be sure to post pictures. Click on ana-white.com under the image for the directions.

Switching Gears: Homeschooling with Public Library Resources

We've used Rod & Staff, Schoolaid, and a bit of Christian Light Education(Learning to Read) as our core curriculum since Kindergarten. They are very close in content to early to mid-20th century school books, and that appealed to us. They are also bargain priced and efficient(basics) without any frills. We've filled in learning with some great online resources, using free helps and public domain books and texts. In the eighth and last year of Rod & Staff schooling, my son is more than ready(antsy, really) to spread his wings and learn less formally. We are already looking ahead to the next school year, and this year we dropped the Rod & Staff eighth grade reading curriculum in favor of independent reading(with summaries and a vocabulary list) this year.

Next school year, we will be using only one prepared curriculum, and that will be Christian Light Education Math(Rod & Staff ends at grade eight); the rest we'll get from free online resources and the library. There are stacks and stacks of history and science books* at the library, more than enough to choose from for reading, books reports, and vocabulary lists. We go to the library every week, and I already have a section and titles in mind.

Rod and Staff English is advanced, so my son will be well versed in the formal rules of English at the end of this school year. He will be ready to focus on reading and writing. I remember reading only classics for ninth grade English, and writing report after report on them. I really learned to write and comprehend well that year, and the best part was that I was able to choose which classics to read. I chose mostly romantic classics written by Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte, E. M. Forester, and Edith Wharton. We did nothing else but read, write, and keep vocabulary lists. It was a small overseas private school, so the teacher was able to get away with this. It is my best remembered and was my most enjoyable year of schooling. I'm planning to open up this possibility to my son as well - the ability to choose favorite classics or quality literature to spend the year with.

I'll be sharing these teen resources and our books here on my blog. Finishing up eighth grade will feel a bit like finishing up second grade, where you move from learning to read to reading to learn. It's like taking the training wheels off, and moving into the adult realm. How fast they grow, and what precious time we've spent learning together as a family. I love homeschooling!

*We'll begin Apologia science in the tenth grade.

Living Geometry, Algebra, and Calculus Books(and More)

Life with Fred Series for Math(Elementary - College)

Someone asked me if I knew of a living math series for algebra. Well, this is pretty close to living books for math. It's learning math with a humorous whimsical storyline. Review and curriculum here at Rainbow Resources. I've never tried this series, but it looks like a good solution for a child who enjoys quirky humor and suffers from math phobia.

Sample pages here:

Life of Fred Pre-Algebra 1 with Biology(PDF)

Living Book Reference Lists: Science Grades One - Eight

Classical:Grammar Stage Science Book List(grades 1-6) Compiled by Carol Richey This is a good starter list which I've used for library book searches. It's also good to use as a spine for finding similar books under topic areas using key words.

Charlotte Mason Living Books Curriculum(grades 1-8), good for reference.

From Donna Young - "A basic a skeleton outline of science topics. Use this as a study guide to look up resources in an encyclopedia or other reference books": See here, and here for a living science book list shared on a Donna Young forum.

Public domain science books shared by An Old Fashioned Education. Some texts are included; however, many are living books. See books broken down by grade level here.

Support for the Relaxed Homemaker

Home Living had a wonderful post recently for de-stressing your life as a homemaker. A relaxed homemaker can often find herself out of step with the rest of the world. Being an older keeper of the home, I relate particularly well to her slow living posts. I can never thank her enough for posting supportive and affirming posts on the benefit of an afternoon nap, or "taking to the bed", an old fashioned way to recharge and keep your body healthy when we let ourselves get run down.

She allows for printing of her posts as long as it's for personal use. A handy site is linked making posts print friendly, allowing you to delete sections, and save to a PDF.

If modern society leaves you feeling unsupported and inadequate, read Living Without Unnecessary Stress, and browse her other posts. Slow living is not about being lazy; it's about living smarter, and enjoying a quality of life that lingers, that you can savor and does not lead to indigestion of spirit and soul.

Easy Fun Little Pet

We've had this pretty orange betta since spring, and it's the sweetest little thing, always happy to see us walk by, or talk to it from above the bowl. I know he's looking for food, but he does seem to like us to pay attention to him. He also has preferences. I'm his favorite, and he runs and hides from my daughter who gets too carried away with her love.

He was just a few dollars at Wallyworld. The tank is a super large Wallyworld vase on clearance. All the other tank items were purchased there as well: a little heater, a simple pump, a bridge, large pebbles, and plants grown from bulbs. The pump is not completely necessary, but I like to think they are healthier with it. It's a bit strong for the tank, so I fold the tube in half(with packing tape) for just a little bubbles. The fish seems to like it. I purchased a small siphon off ebay which changes water in the tank in no time.


One thing I've learned with bettas is that they go not like those betta pellets. I buy the betta flakes which they eat up quickly.

Vintage 1920's Fashion Advice for Young Women

Interesting 1928 vintage fashion book, "Appropriate Clothes for the High School Girl":

Suggestions for the Stout Figure

A girl may not only improve the appearance of her face and head by the proper use of line but she may do wonders with her figure, as well, if she knows how to properly design her dresses. A dress wonderfully becoming to a slender sylphlike girl may become a tragedy on her plump classmate. Every girl should understand her physical make-up as thoroughly as she does her disposition, with its strong points and its weaknesses. She should know the kind of line she may wear successfully in her dresses, and the colors that are most becoming to her and the types of materials most suitable for her.

The stout girl should carefully avoid a design in a dress that is too cut-up or complicated. Tunics, unless long and scant, are unfortunate usually and the interest created by trimming about the waist line or elaborate belts should never be indulged in by the stout girl.

Length-producing lines should always be planned and light or colored collars should always be designed so that interest will not be created out towards the sides of the figure, creating width, but down the center front instead.

Contrasting shoes and stockings not only cut from the height of the figure but help to accent the feet and ankles of the wearer. The girl who wears white shoes with her dark dress states, by so doing, that she considers her feet well worth public consideration.

Contrasting materials for sleeves or elaborate cuffs or pockets will add width to any figure.

The designs in the accompanying illustration are most suitable for the older school girl when made up of wool or linen materials.

I may safely recommend this type of line in design for the girl of superfluous weight.

I always find these vintage fashion books interesting as they come from a time when my grandmothers were young girls. Both are passed away now, but the memories are saved in old pictures.

Download link here from Project Gutenberg.

This Week's Picture Book Library Picks

Two quality young children's picture book finds this week from our public library:

A bit like Aesop's Fables, The Lion and the Mouse, the Snail and the Whale book by Julia Donaldson is a cute story written in clever rhyming prose about an adventurous snail who meets a friendly whale willing to take him beyond his small world on a rock. After a trip around the world, the little snail finds a way to rescue the whale when they find themselves beached.


The Pea Blossom
A story about a pea, set in Beijing, China, who put his trust in faith. His purpose is revealed in the end upon the healing of a little girl with a chronic illness who miraculously heals after he blooms in front of her sick bed window. Although, not expressively mentioned, this book could easily be interpreted from a Christian standpoint of having faith, and letting God guide us to our life's purpose.

Review from Amazon:

K-Gr. 2. In this lovely retelling of the Hans Christian Andersen story "The Pea Blossom," five little peas wait impatiently in the sun to ripen. The first four peas have grand aspirations--one wishes to dine with the emperor; another plans to visit the moon--but the fifth and last little pea declares, "I shall go wherever it is that I am meant to." The fifth pea's destiny is to land on the windowsill of a gravely ill young girl, where it sprouts into a beautiful, blooming plant that brings about miraculous healing: "As the peas grew fat in their pods, so did the girl thrive and become healthy again." Choosing to set her version in Beijing, China, Poole illustrates her simple, elegant prose with watercolors on rice paper that are clearly reminiscent of Chinese paintings. The delicate, graceful scenes are imbued with just the right touch of whimsy; children will particularly enjoy the expressive faces of the anthropomorphic peas. A poignant read-aloud that will enhance any folktale collection. Jennifer Locke

Free original story by Hans Christan Anderson here. To print and/or save, simply right click on the images of the pages.

Paper Chain Craft Templates

Simple fun and free to print. See here.

Make a Large Decorative Driftwood Sailboat

Even though summer is almost over, these would still be fun to make if you have access to driftwood. It's on my list, and this is a great time to look for seaside driftwood, after the all the storms and hurricanes.

See here for post.

Organize Your Measuring Spoons and Cups

If you don't mind putting holes in your cabinet, this is a great idea to keep organized. I am always searching for my measuring spoons and cups.
Picture and idea from here. I might try this with that sticky picture hanger tape instead of screws

Store Sheets Neatly Away

Sheets folded and stuffed into the matching pillow case.

If I could get them to fit, this would be a great idea!

The 50 Best Websites of 2011

Time Magazine ran this article recently. Interesting educational choices:

Education

• Freerice
• Khan Academy
• Open Yale Courses
• Smarthistory
• Starfall
  

Read more here.

The only one I've used in the past is Starfall, which really is excellent. I haven't checked out the other sites in depth.

Helpful Home Economic Tutorials

Super quick housekeeping instructionals to watch and read. Although they are not made specifically for young people, I think they are helpful for tweens and up, who are just learning to do housekeeping chores.

Indira Fernandez with Cinderella's Cleaning Services in Houston, Texas(videos and transcripts):

How to Vacuum Efficiently

15-Minute Bathroom Cleanup

How to Do a 15-Minute Kitchen Cleanup

Maine Couple's Stylish Frugal Lifestyle on $17,000 a year

Mr. Fleming and Ms. Wurst are a couple with a talent for living and for furnishing a home stylishly on a budget. Their annual income these days is about $17,000, now that Ms. Wurst has stopped teaching to spend more time with their son, and Mr. Fleming is concentrating on his artwork and home-furnishings business, Designs Adrift.

They decorated their home for just under $4,000, and the furnishings in their living room came to $828: that includes the priciest item, a $150 sofa from the Brimfield, Mass., antiques market, slipcovered in an antique linen sheet; mirrors created out of discounted glass remnants for which Mr. Fleming made driftwood frames; and the plant stand, the small grass rug, the ottoman and the shelves.

Ms. Wurst’s favorite shopping site: a parked trailer at the Phippsburg dump.

“Some days it’s pure excitement, running back to the car to unload armfuls of stuff, only to go back for more!” she wrote in an e-mail. “It’s amazing what people throw out. I have found completely new (still in packaging) items such as my Bodum tea press/pot and even down throw pillows (still in packaging) and a fabulous ’50s-style wall-mounted can opener.”

She added, “It’s perfectly suited for the pantry in this house and we needed one and it was free. Read rest here.

Check out the slide show of their home at the link, just beautiful.

Extending the Table Cookbook: Ginger Tea

In the spirit of the More-with-Less Cookbook(eat better, use less), this book, Extending the Table: A World Community Cookbook covers recipes for frugally prepared food and drink from across the world, mainly from under-developed parts of the world. I'm working my way through this cookbook. Tomorrow I plan to try an African(Kenya) recipe for ginger tea.

Ingredients:
2 cups water
1 Tbsp diced ginger root
Simmer for ten minutes

5 tsp black tea leaves
Simmer for 3-5 minutes
Add: 2 cups hot milk

Young Children's Dice Math Game

ThinkFun Math Dice Jr.

My daughter actually picked this out at Barnes & Noble with some birthday money from grandma. This kind of shocked(that she picked it) and excited me at the same time! Woo-hoo, learning games that she actually enjoys. This is something you could make yourself with a few dice and a handmade number wheel, but for the price, it's an affordable option. Adding(and subtracting) is learned quickly with this set. The number die is twelve sided. Ages 6 and up.

Math Dice Game Ideas

Check Utilities for Discounts and Rebates

Recently, I checked all our utility websites for discounts. I found a few good deals like rebates for an October heating tune-up, free programmable thermostat, free rain barrel(make and take workshop), rebates on energy star water and HVAC units, $40.00 back on enrollment in energy saving program, discounted light bulbs, and a free energy audit. They also had some free .pdf printables and facility tours for children. Some years offer better discounts than others. It's worth checking out.

Vintage September Child Birthday Verse Printable

I found this in a 1910 teacher's magazine. To enlarge click on image, and then right click on image to print/save.

Vintage 1910 September Blackboard Calendar

I print out these old calendars for our homeschool. This one was found in a 1910 teacher's periodical. To print, click on image to enlarge and right click.

Someone is Turning Six

We had a pizza lunch and some fun at Chuck E. Cheese today for my daughter's birthday.

The cake was a simple low calorie white cake with a sour cream and vanilla pudding frosting. The butterfly was made with a cut-out of an image found here. The template was printed out in 8x5. All you do is cut out the middle, apply it to a frosted cake, and frost in a different color and/or add sprinkles. After you frost, just peel the template off carefully. In order to make room for the pink frosting, I ended up skimming off some of the bottom yellow frosting while the template was in place. Otherwise, the template frosting would have stood higher on the cake.

DIY Replacements for Velcro Wood Play Sets

This is a Melissa & Doug set which had a missing cookie top. I was able to reproduce the missing piece with some thin pressed board and some very sharp utility scissors(Friskars Shop Snip 8.0), both found at a big box store. The pressed board was free, discarded in the wood scraps bin.









Easy directions:

Trace the missing part, cut, sand, and paint. Apply the appropriate side of self adhesive velcro, also found at a big box store, to the back. I used some craft paint that we got from a thrift store, a big bag full of small individual paint pots in many different colors.I'm guessing it is acrylic. I think I've seen these sets at Wallyworld in the crafting aisle. The piece came out a bit larger, but passed muster with my daughter.

It's a bit hard on the hands to cut, but I was thinking about making a velcro pizza set - good for teaching fractions as well as pretend. A jig-saw(don't have one) would be much easier, but the snips do cut fairly well through the thin particle board. Circles are the most difficult to navigate, requiring numerous straight cuts in, and discarding sections before being able to work around.

Printable Vintage Paper Cut-out: Whimsical Squirrel Family Carrying Home Acorns

Completed today for an autumn unit study. We lightened the original before printing to make coloring easier. Not bad for a free printable from 1917. I had to made extra cardboard supports in the back to make it stand.

Click here for the free printable. Simply right click on the image at the link to enlarge and save. It comes with a little story and instructions.

Easy Squirrel Crafts to Accompany Any Young Children's Unit Study

These crafts were started with free online printables. The squirrel template is here along with other free squirrel printables. I added paper fasteners(split brads) with the help of a hole punch for the articulating parts.

Vintage Squirrel paragraph and tracks are from old children's readers(early 1900's). Click on images below to enlarge and save. These were fun to make today with my daughter(age 5). It's difficult to see, but the picture collage has a branch hanger. Baby acorns and a leaf were added to the right side. My daughter has to add glitter to everything, so this nature craft got glitterized. A vintage leaf and acorn cut-out would have looked nice as well.

I made the squirrel say "please" before he got the nut. ;)

Free Downloads for Movie and Book: Little Lord Fauntleroy by Frances Hodgson Burnett

Review from Internet Archives:

As the third screen adaptation of Frances Hodgson Burnett's popular novel(click to free copy), it is an avalanche of sweetness and sentimentality only '30s Hollywood could pull off without having audiences run from theatres in search of insulin. One of the reasons why is this amazing cast of superb character actors (in order of appearance): Una O'Conner, Jessie Ralph, Guy Kibbee, Henry Stephenson, C. Aubrey Smith, Constance Collier, E.E. Clive, plus many more. The title role is played by Freddie Bartholomew, a child actor much loved by mothers and grandmothers, and thoroughly detested by us kids growing up on the lower west side of Manhattan. Delores Costello is his widowed, self-sacrificing mother. Mickey Rooney has a small but important role.

A nine-year-old Brooklyn boy living in genteel poverty, is told he's heir to a British earldom. This necessitates his move to England to live with the aristocratic grandfather he's never known. (Have the first hankie ready for Bartholomew's farewell scenes. Save the second hankie for moisture-inducing scenes to come.) A sudden turn of events puts everything in jeopardy. Nevertheless the plucky lad eventually triumphs. The large cast has no weak links. However the great (sir) C. Aubrey Smith turns in the outstanding performance as Bartholomew's misanthropic grandfather.

Excellent production values, thoroughly professional camera work and skillful direction designed to wring out every last drop of sentiment, results in industrial-strength schmaltz you will either love or hate. I love it.

See here for better quality movie download and viewing. Smaller sized download here. Free and in public domain.

Young Children's Squirrel Printables

The hurricane has brought a premature Autumn to our backyard - leaves and acorns litter the ground. My daughter(age five) has been collecting acorns and painting them, so I'm following behind with a squirrel mini-unit study. I'll add to this post as I find things that we are going to use.

Vintage how to draw a squirrel.

Squirrel "Ss" penmanship page.

Cut and paste squirrel

Squirrel maze

Sweet vintage woodland squirrel coloring page. A bit advanced, but fun to color together.

Squirrel dot-to-dot

Gussie the Ground Squirrel paper doll(vintage)

Cut and paste squirrel family(vintage)

I'm coloring this one for our school wall(printed in black and white).

Realistic coloring page with squirrels on tree, house in background

Squirrel tracks.

To print the following pages, right click on image of page(s). Free and in public domain. Entire book is free to download as well.

Handbook of Nature-study for Teachers and Parents, pages 233- 239.

Squirrel Finger Games and Story(2 pages)

For older children(for the older sibling who wants to join in): Fourth-sixth grades writing lesson, The Squirrel, pages 72-73. 1912 Lessons in English.

Vintage French cut out squirrel(stands up).

Library Finds: Picture Books

Two favorites this week for young children:

Water Hole Waiting

Ages 4-8. The Kurtzes, brother and sister, describe a dawn-to-dusk day at a water hole on an African savannah, citing the activities of the many animals that inhabit the ecosystem. At dawn, as a troop of vervet monkeys forages for food, a youngster attempting to take a drink is stopped by Mama, who notices a herd of hippopotami arriving for a swim. At midday the young monkey tries again, only to be deterred by zebras and a lumbering crocodile. Later, a lion and a giraffe come for drinks, and a family of elephants rumbles down for a splash. Only after dark, when the larger animals have gone, does Mama deem it safe for her baby to quench his thirst. Vivid artwork complements the elegant text, often extending it with additional details: the close-up views of thundering zebra hooves and snapping crocodile jaws are particularly impressive. The story will work well on several levels: young listeners will understand the frustration in having to wait for a cool drink; older children will appreciate the diversity of savannah wildlife.
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Box Turtle at Long Pond

PreSchool-Grade 2-- A day in the life of a box turtle is rendered carefully in words and lifelike illustrations with a text that respects its subject, avoids any anthropomorphism, and is simple enough for very young listeners. It records the turtle's actions as, slowly but with perseverance, he drinks, searches for food, evades danger, and sleeps. The outstanding gouache paintings in borderless, horizontal two-page spreads are so realistic that one almost reaches out to feel the turtle's textured shell. Although at times the turtle seems to be camouflaged, blending into his surroundings, he stands out clearly once located. The animals he encounters are equally well illustrated--readers will almost hold their breath so as not to frighten the raccoon and chipmunk. The book's design is excellent; even the well-chosen type, superimposed on the illustrations so that there is no visual break from the scenes, is clear and easily read. This is superior nature study for young readers and listeners.
--Louise L. Sherman, Anna C. Scott School, Leonia, NJ
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Harvesting Squash

I am beginning to get more squash now. What really surprised me was finding spaghetti squash in my garden! I don't remember planting this, but it will be a much appreciated extra veggie to use with an Italian recipe. A lot of edibles have failed in my little garden plot over the years, but squash has been a winner this season. Next year I'll be planting more squash, cucumber, green pepper, and tomatoes. All of these vegetables do well for me with very little fuss. I did manage to get a few small carrots and radish early in the season; these I'll plant again too.

Although the bugs and slugs where not a problem this year, the weather was harsh for the garden with heavy rains followed by hot dry spells. My soaker hose sprung a leak, so I've been watering from above. It doesn't work as well, so garden yields have been a little sparse.

How to Plant a Victory Garden

Free download here. Better quality video at this location as well.

The War on Dust

Eight Strategies to Reduce Dust in the Home :

1. Keep closet floors clear for easy cleaning.
2. Upgrade your furnace filter
3. Rotate bedding weekly
4. Capture dust — don't just spread it around.
5. Beat and shake area rugs.
6. Take cushions out for a beating.
7. Clean the air while you clean house.
8. Match the vacuum to the flooring.
See entire article here.

I've begun vacuuming the beds as well. When possible, I air out the house while cleaning. What do you do to fight dust in the home?

Free Resource for English & Language Arts

Ignite the Fire has a helpful page of free resources here. These are mostly for middle school and up. I like their writing resources and guides for middle school students.

Sew a Giraffe Tutorial

Click here.

Dragonfly Printable Nature Study and Language Arts Resources

"...the dragon-flies remain not only entirely harmless to man, but in reality are his friends and allies in waging war against flies and mosquitoes; they are especially valuable in battling mosquitoes since the nymphs, or young, of the dragon-fly, take the wrigglers in the water, and the adults, on swiftest wings, take the mosquitoes while hovering over ponds laying their eggs." ~ Dragonflies and Damselflies By Anna (Botsford) Comstock.

The Insect World: A Reading Book of Entomology, 1902

The Butterfly Vivarium; or, Insect Home, 1858

"ALL you children who live in the country, or spend summers in the country, and some of you city children who do neither, must have seen dragon-flies. You may have called them "Devil's Darning Needles," or "Mosquito-hawks," and you may have heard very absurd stories of their sewing up people's ears! The stories are entirely false, for the beautiful dragon-flies have nothing with which to "sew up" ears or anything else!

I have seen them darting about the streets of New York, Boston, and Chicago, catching the mosquitoes on the wing. I have seen them in many smaller cities and towns, and in the country and by the sea, they abound.

Why do I tell you about them if they are so common? Because, like many common things, they are very interesting when one knows all about them,— or nearly all—and the flying about in the air and catching mosquitoes for breakfast, dinner, and supper, are not nearly all of the life of a dragon-fly." ~ Primary Education, Dragonflies, 1898(Switch to plain text if print too small - upper right button at link)

Fiction, The Fiddler Crab and the Dragonfly, 1901

Little Folks in Feathers and Fur, and Others in Neither, The Little Masker, 1880

The Insect Folk, Our Pretty Dragonflies, 1903.

Good Stories for Great Holidays, The Water Drop,1914

Harper's Fourth Grade Reader, The New Life, 1888

Stories of Woods and Fields, The Dragon Fly, 1902

More later....

Printing Tips: Right click on the image of the pages at the links, or download entire book. All are free and in public domain.

Crafts:

Nature craft dragonfly

Business card dragonfly plane

Sunflower Seed Harvest

Cut today from my garden. Edible and pretty(when in bloom).