In search of moss

First off... Happy Birthday Chloe! Thanks for inviting us to your first birthday party!

When we left the party it was snowing. When we got home it was sprinkling. The girls were sleeping from the drive home. I was determined to go collect moss today so we headed to the park anyway (both girls still in party dresses, at least Sierra had boots and Aayla had a rain suit in the van). We parked the van and I read about 3 pages before both girls woke up at the same time. The rain stopped, the sun came out and the birds began to sing. It was perfect timing.

We went to Tynhead Park today which is close to our house. We probably only stayed about an hour so it wasn't a big hike today as we were on a mission to collect moss! Sierra was armed with a basket I got at Value Village the other day which was still in the van. (It drives my husband crazy that the back of my van is full of almost anything you might need, and alot of what you probably don't!)

We headed down the trail and found lush green moss everywhere. It was on the ground, the trees, the fence, the rocks, everywhere! We only managed to find two types on the ground that was in abundance, so as to not disturb the park too much.


It didn't take Sierra long to fill her basket. We also collected some pine cones, and small mossy branches.

"Owwhhh... did you hear that elephant mommy?" Elephant??? There goes that wonderful imagination of hers. She proceeded to tell me a story about the elephants who live in the woods.

When we got home we had to nourish our famished tummies and went straight to work! I have been itching to make one since I saw the one mamakopp made. As a child my mom always had a terrarium going for us. We had a large old fish tank full of moss, small plants, and a mini pond. This was home to many a frog, toad or salamander for short periods so we could observe them and then set them free.
Sierra adding the water and then some rocks.
Next comes some dirt. (we don't have a compost so we had to borrow some dirt from our garden)
We have a visitor, a little lady bug. With a good eye you can spot it on the right side of the bowl, about half way down.
All done. Sierra made the smaller one and I made the bigger one. She must have spent 1/2 an hour rearranging her figures inside. She had a lot of fun with it.

I sure hope the dampness does not hurt my little figures. I dared not put in wood ones, so I hope it won't be too moist as I will be very sad to loose my elf and deers especially.

Side views above and top views below

Both other gnomes my mom made. I forgot to take a picture of the knit one by himself. Mom gave me that one for Christmas last year. he wears a little carved bird and button my grampy carved. For my birthday which just passed she gave me the polymer clay and wool felt gnome who is helping a little hurt birdie. See close up below. I think he is superb. Mom is making a family of gnomes and will be selling them on etsy when she gets the family finished.
I am not sure what my longing is to nature lately. I feel a strong pull to be experiencing nature more and to do more with nature through walks, crafts and stories. (perhaps a midlife crisis, is 37 too young for one?) I guess I just want to try to bring back some of that sense of wonder that I was able to experience as a child, growing up in rural Nova Scotia. What ever the reason, I am glad it is happening, I am thankful that I live in an area which makes it easy to travel not too far, to experience mother nature and all she has to offer. I am fortunate to be able to have the desires within me to realize how important nature is, and how much my children will benefit from it's beauty.

So get up off the computer chair you are sitting on to step outside, close your eyes and feel nature surround you!