On the Carousel

Watch with glittery eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places.

-Ronald Dahl

The nicest carousel I have ever seen just happens to be down the road...in rural Ontario.
This little piece of history is over 100 years old and has been lovingly maintained by the Roseneath Agricultural Society.  Originally made by a master carousel builder from Kansas, it made its way to the small community of Roseneath, Ontario in 1932.  Every unique horse has a real horse hair tail and beautiful music from an Wurlitzer Military Band Organ fills the air.
In order to maintain the carousel, it is housed in a sixteen sided climate controlled wooden structure.

So this weekend I went with my youngest little one and his friends to take a ride...4 little boys...all wearing big smiles as we went round and round...
A visit to the Roseneath Carousel is well worth the trip.  Please check out more information at this link: Roseneath Carousel
Here is our day at the carousel...

Wonders

Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year. - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Here is our world today...

Into Spring...

 Gratitiude is the memory of the heart. - Jean Baptiste Massieu

I think I had forgotten about spring.  I had gotten use to cold days...but for the past few weeks...warmer weather has come...
I glanced out of my window...and saw a beautiful moon...delicately floating low on the horizon...above the lake.  I wish you could have seen it too...
Then I remembered all that I had forgotten.  There is so much we all have to be thankful for...
Here is my world today...

A golden moon...

Apple Blossoms...

Our path to the lake...

Children's anticipation of first swim in lake...

Enjoying the wind...

Feeling the cool water between our toes...

A newly discovered nest of eggs (wild turkey...I think)...

Green Grasses...

Blooming Lilacs...

Homemade Kisses

All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt. - Charles M. Schulz

I think that homemade gifts are the nicest to both give and receive...especially for Mother's Day. So today, we wanted to send our own homemade Kisses...
Here is what we did....

1.First
We made the homemade kisses with this recipe from the Joy of Cooking: Homemade Old Fashioned Fudge
(but you could use any recipe you like...)

 After we had made the fudge, instead of pouring it into a pan to cut into squares, we rolled the slightly cooled fudge into balls...and let them firm up...

2.Next
We collected the materials needed to make the wraps:

Materials:
Pen for writing
Foil Origami Paper or Aluminium Foil
Extra strips of paper for writing individual notes
Mason Jar (optional for presentation)    

3.Then
When the fudge balls were cool...each child was given a small strip of paper to write their message and a piece of colour foil to wrap their kisses...

    

  

 

4.Last
Then we carefully wrapped the fudge ball with the foil paper...

Make sure your small piece of paper with a message sticks out of the wrapper slightly

Carefully Draw up the corners

Twist the "Kiss" closed

 

5.Time to Give...

You can add the kisses to a mason jar to complete the gift...or a basket...it's up to you!

  

 Happy Mother's Day!!

And Now the Ice Melts...

Under the snow...blossoms a daring spring. - Terri Guillemets

A walk to the lake...

Spring has come almost over night here in Canada.... Our world has transformed from ice and snow...into a beautiful green landscape....

Here is our world today....

pear blossoms....

sweet spring flower....

water's edge...

at the boat launch...

Our Newfoundland, Navy Bleu, in for her first spring swim

Our first Canoe trip of the year...

A beautiful green canopy already fills the forest...

Lilacs about to bloom...

sweet scented flowers fill the air...

first spring trip to the lakeside beach...