sunflower houses and more

:: a while back, we were lucky to have won a book, sunflower houses by sharon lovejoy. there is so much inspiring projects and stories shared throughout the book, it was hard to chose which one we would start with. remembering our trip last autumn through a sunflower maze, i knew a sunflower house would be wonderful. i reacall a mention of 8x8 but ours may be smaller as i am still trying to figure out where we could plant it, until then we are tending to the seedlings and have some morning glory seeds ready to sow in the soil, which will fill in the canopy.

a fairy garden

:: we gathered materials around the house for the past few days for our fairy garden. she gathered some beach rocks gifted from great grandmother for our walkway, a larger shell to hold water, gems, painted mushrooms rocks, marbles, acorn caps and wind chimes. i love hearing her imagination take flight. 

we also headed to the nursery for a shade flower and an accessory (or two). lastly, we gathered some moss from around the yard and the finishing touch was some mica chips that my little one ground down. i had no idea what she was doing but i sat back. and a great lesson and experience unfolded in time. 

i originally thought i would buy a fairy house like this, or make one like this or that, but my little one really enjoys making fairy houses so leaving it open allows her more opportunity for play. another lesson for me, to sit back and let things unfold.

what things do you children put out for the fairies?

10 Homemade Laundry Soup Detergent Recipes

I had been searching for a recipe for a homemade laundry detergent recipe without borax and someone on the mothering boards gave me this wonderful link to tipnut. The following is taken directly from there site. If you try or have tried a recipe, please leave a comment with your feedback.

10 Homemade Laundry Soap Detergent Recipes

First Some Tips:

• For the bar soaps required in the recipes, you could try Fels-Naptha, Ivory soap, Sunlight bar soap, Kirk’s Hardwater Castile, and Zote. Don’t use heavily perfumed soaps.
• Washing Soda and Borax can normally be found in the laundry and cleaning aisles.
• Some people with really hard water or well water may have to adjust the recipes if the clothes look dingy.
• Although several of the recipes have the same ingredients, the measurements are different–some contain a higher soap to water ratio. Test and see which works best for your laundry needs.
• You can make huge pails of this at once, or smaller quantities. Also if you can get your hands on a few empty liquid laundry detergent bottles they work great for storing the detergent. Just make a big batch and pour in bottles, cap then use as needed–shake before use.
• Some of the recipes call for large amounts of water. Check with a local restaurant to see if they have any empty large pails from deep fryer oil–that’s how many restaurants buy the oil. See if you can have one or two of the pails after they’ve emptied it–just wash them out really well before using. They’re big, heavy plastic and very sturdy when stirring the soap and hot water.

 

10 Homemade Laundry Soap Detergent Recipes

Recipe #1

1 quart Water (boiling)
2 cups Bar soap (grated)
2 cups Borax
2 cups Washing Soda

• Add finely grated bar soap to the boiling water and stir until soap is melted. You can keep on low heat until soap is melted.
• Pour the soap water into a large, clean pail and add the Borax and Washing Soda. Stir well until all is dissolved.
• Add 2 gallons of water, stir until well mixed.
• Cover pail and use 1/4 cup for each load of laundry. Stir the soap each time you use it (will gel).

Recipe #2

Hot water
1 cup Washing Soda
1/2 cup Borax
1 Soap bar

• Grate the bar soap and add to a large saucepan with hot water. Stir over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.
• Fill a 10 gallon pail half full of hot water. Add the melted soap, Borax and Washing soda, stir well until all powder is dissolved. Top the pail up with more hot water.
• Use 1 cup per load, stirring soap before each use (will gel).

Recipe #3

Hot water
1/2 cup Washing Soda
1/2 cup Borax
1/3 bar Soap (grated)

• In a large pot, heat 3 pints of water. Add the grated bar soap and stir until melted. Then add the washing soda and borax. Stir until powder is dissolved, then remove from heat.
• In a 2 gallon clean pail, pour 1 quart of hot water and add the heated soap mixture. Top pail with cold water and stir well.
• Use 1/2 cup per load, stirring soap before each use (will gel).

Powdered Laundry Detergent – Recipe #4

2 cups Fels Naptha Soap (finely grated – you could also try the other bar soaps listed at the top)
1 cup Washing Soda
1 cup Borax

• Mix well and store in an airtight plastic container.
• Use 2 tablespoons per full load.

Recipe #5

Hot water
1 bar (4.5 oz) Ivory Soap – grated
1 cup Washing Soda

• In a large saucepan add grated soap and enough hot water to cover. Heat over medium-low heat and stir until soap is melted.
• Fill a large pail with 2.5 gallons of hot water, add hot soap mixture. Stir until well mixed.
• Then add the washing soda, again stirring until well mixed.
• Set aside to cool.
• Use 1/2 cup per full load, stirring well before each use (will gel)

Recipe #6

2.5 gallons Water (hot)
1 Bar soap (grated)
3/4 cup Washing Soda
3/4 cup Borax
2 TBS Glycerin

• Melt bar soap over medium-low heat topped with water, stir until soap is melted.
• In a large pail, pour 2.5 gallons of hot water, add melted soap mixture, washing soda, borax and glycerin. Mix well.
• Use 1/2 cup per full load.

Recipe #7

2 cups Bar soap (grated)
2 cups Washing Soda
2 – 2.5 gallons hot water

• Melt grated soap in saucepan with water to cover. Heat over medium-low heat and stir until soap is dissolved.
• Pour hot water in large pail, add hot soap and washing soda. Stir very well.
• Use 1 cup per full load.

Recipe #8

2 gallons Water (hot)
1 bar Soap (grated)
2 cups Baking soda (yes baking soda this time–not washing soda)

• Melt grated soap in a saucepan with enough hot water to cover. Cook on medium-low heat, stirring frequently until soap is melted.
• In a large pail, pour 2 gallons hot water. Add melted soap, stir well.
• Then add the baking soda, stir well again.
• Use 1/2 cup per full load, 1 cup per very soiled load.

Powdered Laundry Detergent – Recipe #9

12 cups Borax
8 cups Baking Soda
8 cups Washing Soda
8 cups Bar soap (grated)

• Mix all ingredients well and store in a sealed tub.
• Use 1/8 cup of powder per full load.

Recipe #10 – (Powdered)

1 cup Vinegar (white)
1 cup Baking Soda
1 cup Washing Soda
1/4 cup liquid castile soap

• Mix well and store in sealed container.
• I find it easiest to pour the liquid soap into the bowl first, stirred in the washing soda, then baking soda, then added the vinegar in small batches at a time (the recipe foams up at first). The mixture is a thick paste at first that will break down into a heavy powdered detergent, just keep stirring. There may be some hard lumps, try to break them down when stirring (it really helps to make sure the baking soda isn’t clumpy when first adding). I used 1/2 cup per full load with great results.

Liquid Detergents Note

Soap will be lumpy, goopy and gel-like. This is normal. Just give it a good stir before using. Make sure soap is covered with a lid when not in use. You could also pour the homemade soap in old (and cleaned) laundry detergent bottles and shake well before each use.

*If you can’t find Fels-Naptha locally, you can buy it online (check Amazon).

Optional

You can add between 10 to 15 drops of essential oil (per 2 gallons) to your homemade laundry detergent. Add once the soap has cooled to room temperature. Stir well and cover.

Essential oil ideas: lavender, rosemary, tea tree oil

 

within the cracks

:: exploring and indulging our senses at a local nursery. the little one just loved running aside the stone walls. when i took a rest of the wall, i discovered some beautiful sedums growing within the cracks and along the top.

nurturing ourselves

did you catch the mindful connection on nurturing ourselves as women and mothers with heather fonenot from rhythm of the home? 

a few things that i took from the talk
that nurturing is nourishing every part of ourselves
- establishing a yoga practice
- choosing to honor your body with very good food
- spiritual aspect of nourishment and nurturing
- global aspect about how we choose our company that we keep
- how we allow others to define us and how we choose to define ourselves

real *nurturing* comes from being able to carry that with you the whole day
it is the attitude about why
why you deserve 5 minutes in the bathtub
why you deserve to go to the grocery store by yourself

- choosing your breakfast  and how that starts your day
- choosing clothes and how that makes you feel
- choosing your routine and giving ourselves 10 extra minutes
- choosing the company we keep  what kind of friendships are we developing? how do they play a role in our happiness?

the choices that we make helps to create a nurturing environment for ourselves as women and mother


- if you have taken to the time (to make choices that nourish yourself) to eat well, to listen to soft music, to take the long way to school with beautiful scenery, nourishing friends to talk they make everything more manageable
- and at the end of the day you have more purpose, more success, more happiness in the easy or more difficult situations
- if unexpected things come up, if you get basics in place, you can stay true to yourself

staying true to yourself
being okay with who we are
being okay with where our family is now
set boundaries for what you expect from others and expectations for yourself
be clear about what nurturing ourselves is
authenticity, be the best you
it is up to us to create a nurturing family enviornment
recognizing and defining self-worth is most important

fairy laundry

:: fairy laundry. fairy blankets, fairy beds and fairies make their clothes from these. my favorite flower coming up in our gardens, allium globemaster.

finding sacred moments

finding sacred moments in your life discuseed by elizabeth sterling on the mindful connection.

(these are just my notes, i recommend listening to the webcast over at the mindful connection.)

sacred moments

right now

just as you are

there are sacred moments you are meant to experience

to be the changing one to see in the world

- weave sacred moments throughout your day

- shifting an attitude or how you approach a problem

tools for finding sacred moments 

tools to bring connectedness and wholeness into your life

1. mirrors in our lives - opportunity for us to start looking at the world around us a little differently and open our awareness to the idea or the role that we have in co-creating the world in which we live and we realize that we have help in doing this

- use people in your life as mirrors and messengers

- we co-create the world in which we live

- who we are, what we need and where we might want to go > everyone is our guide

- children are great guides, they tell it to us straight

- if you recognize something in someone it is a reflection 

- example, you come across someone hostile person, acknowledge that what i see in this person is a reflection of some small thing in me that i can choose to release at that moment by engaging with that person in a more positive way or taking a few breaths to release that energy. it can have a profound impact, you do not know that type of impact that might have in the world

- will you look at the sign or listen to the message?

- if we start approaching the people in our lives that way, we become empowered and begin to make positive changes in ourselves that ripple out into the world

2. spiral of gratitude - a cycle for manifesting intention in small steps in using gratitude to see as a way to see that sacred is always revealing itself in our lives and that it is always there

- step 1. put out intentions, dreams or desire for change in our life

- step 2. we have to become aware and alert, looking for signs, guidance, opportunities are going to start coming our way that are going to help us on our path to this bigger dream that we have

- step 3. give thanks for each one of the signs or opportunities

3. keeping your vessel open - gentle reminded that we are given a lot of opportunity to make conscious choices everyday and a lot of times the choices are in unexpected ways and unexpected packages. if you could allow yourself to be open

- step 1. expect unexpected

- step 2. remove stagnation, stagnant chi from our energy system, ie. house organized or not organized, hanging onto stuff that we do not need anymore, even emotional things or routines not serving us any longer. shaking things up can be a good thing

- step 3. get out of the rut of habitual choices with simple changes. view all of our choices and everything we do as a conscious choice. a powerful way to create new opportunities for us

4. grounding and maintaining a balance - requires time and dedication

- step 1. seek our balance in nature

- step 2. using mundane activities as opportunities for mindfulness, repetitive activities, opportunity for mindfulness, focus attentively on task at hand, perform task with sense of purposefulness and mindfulness, like hanging laundry, weeding, washing dishes, folding laundry

- step 3. meditation, focus on breath, walking mediation with baby, walking mindfully focus on each step
- step 4. mind/ body practices. yoga, qigong, tai chi

9 sacred moment practices
1. tree of gratitude, root of tree as breath. be grateful for breath. limbs of tree reaching out for the light
2. breath prayers and mantras. choose a couple of words to focus on. love and gratitude. love and peace, ommm chante ommm, ahhh
3. savor sipping = a practice of sipping a beverage mindfully. with each sip give thanks to people, plants, animals that made the beverage possible. use tool of gratitude to make it a more mindful experience. fosters a great sense of connectedness to the world in which we living in
4. mindful cooking and eating. take time to prepare the meal from local growers or grow yourself. interact with growers and give thanks and visualize people, plants, animals and send them a little blessing
5. listening to gratitude's voice.
6. shifting our focus. so much beauty, joy, magic all around us. children can be wonderful to look at the world differently if we open up to them. view our intention as seeds we plant
7. use power of written and spoken words. expose ourselves to more life enriching words
8. meridan tapping, emotional accupuncture. emotional freedom technique. tap gratitudes
9. mandalas = universal symbols of wholeness. they can help us to create sacred spaces in our lives.

*workshops beginning on summer solstice. sign up on the threading light blog

websites mentioned:

so wabu sabi
threading light

tadpole check

:: checking in on our tadpoles and seeing how much they have grown from our first encounter, when only a few tadpoles had hatched from the frog spawn. along the way, we discovered a frog, dragonfly larvae and watched a salamander patiently fish for tadpoles. we found some snail shells, a crystal and a hickory nut shell, which serves a sunhat for the little one's pocket doll. such a wonderful hat, if i don't say so myself.

:: i picked up a pocket full of small acorn caps that i needle felted with this vibrant green color and was inspired by the dragonfly larvae we discovered. i just love the color. they are up in my shop

jar of sunshine

:: i will say that my days have been pretty great lately. i've been packing up a picnic and heading out to enjoy the outdoors, parks, nature centers and local watering holes. i've been allowing more time for creative opportunities and i've been keeping the words from the mindful connection webcast from jennifer louden accessible, "there is nothing to do and no where to go." 

obviously, there is always something to do within the home, whether it is the laundry, dishes, preparing meals, cleaning, etc. and to be honest, i feel like i have a never ending list that i never manage to complete before another week of duties gets piled on. it has been exhausting. so for me, for my family, i needed to get out, get out of my house, stop thinking about all i have to do. 

as mothers we tend to take on everything ourselves. we tend to not take a break until our "work" is complete. initially, i felt guilty taking some time off, but now i need the time. and when i come back home, i have more to offer my family.

:: and while the chilly, rainy weather kept us inside, my daughter set out a picnic for us today. it was lovely to take a little break. 

the mindful connection - children as healers

i listened into the mindful connection webcast with kristie burnes of earthschooling. she discussed "children as healers"

at preschool level - parent modeling natural healing
- reflexology to heal headache
- calendula for healing burns
- herbal teas for stomach aches
- lavender essential oil on pillow to help them sleep

- use lavender oil on doll that is hurt
- plants herbs in garden and harvest them
- tea tins in play kitchen, mortar and pestle

at kindergarten level - bridge between family and school life
- play creatively, poems and songs
- snacks they help set table and light candles, seasonal crafts
- simple stories that feature healing or herbs ie. 3 bears>porridge is healing food, little red riding hood>basket of goodies with mint tea and herbal remedies, peter rabbit> chamomile tea
- adapt stories to be closer to home
- offer healing properties of food and herbs with meal, ie herbal tea, alfafa, berries, dandelions, salads with violets and clover you find in the yard, apples with cinnamon and honey, carrot juice, spearmint tea, hibiscus tea, chamomile tea
- drops of essential oil in watercolor paint
- simple sewing or make potpourri
- teach them to make herbal infusion - tea - certain amount of time and certain measurement

1st grade (7 years)
- complex fairy tales, Rapunzel, name of herb
- german fairy tale, children searching for herbal remedies or healing plants
- stories from nature, talk about plants
- when painting, beginning color therapy, how do the colors make you feel? what do you think about this color?
- form drawing, circles, iris, iridology chart
- advanced finger knitting, every 3rd one add a healing gemstones
- stories with the personalities of the elements, wind, fire, earth, water
- make aromatheraphy candles
- make your own herbal block crayons
- natural dyes


2nd grade
- fables and saint stories
- model for overcoming adversity
- how plants help overcome advesity too
- stories of healers
- painting plants, talk about what plants resemble
- form drawing, reflexology
- talk about how does the fire effect you? what is your relationship with the fire?


rules of safety
1. use only what is safe and you know
2. heal only small injuries and aliments
3. ask for adult help or guidance
4. ask permission before healing another person

3rd grade
- children wonder where they belong
- old testiment, spiritual literature
- learn about higher power
- healing garden
- edible flower garden
- make herbal syrups
- explore temperaments, painting and drawing, how the colors interact with each other


4th grade
- history / geography of their locality
- local environment, local herbs, farmers market, nature center, plant identification walks
- eating seasonal local foods
- visit local healers
- human/ animal kingdom, more advanced reflexology 
- Norse mythology, a rich history of healing
- teaching temperaments, does hot pepper relate to wind, fire, earth or water


5th grade
- botany
- complex herbal identification
- kids to use herbal identification book
- what element do you think this person is?


6th grade
- temperament theory
- south america - rainforest and how it relates to healing
- geology, how healing gems are formed
- answer questions about how things relate in a scientific way 


* it was said to start with what you know. begin at the preschool level and build from there

websites mentioned:
the BEarth institute

wip - old blue jeans

:: i borrowed my mother's sewing machine months ago. it sat there. i looked at it. i was afraid of it. i wondered it i would remember how to use it. i have not used a sewing machine since the 8th grade. i set out on a new adventure. i had to use the seam ripper a few times, but we're having fun.

there is nothing to do and no where to go

jennifer louden spoke on the mindful connection 

 she started off with a poem by marc nepo

"...there is nothing to do and no where to go

 excepting this,

we can do anything and go anywhere"

living our soul's work

be present to what is

let me be with what it

what could i do in this moment right now to feed us

are you going to order out

what would i really love right now

this is our life to shape

this is our life to create

mindful questions remind you that you have a choice

remember that you have a set of glasses on at any set time

and you are seeing the world in only one way

but you are just a little fish to experience

you are a creator

you create your life, you do not have to around reaction to it

you have nothing to do and no where to go

what your natural strengths and talents

and strength them, repeat for positive benefit

build your lives around your strengths

a lot of freedom that comes from living your life the way

weaknesses are things that weaken you

drain your energy, exhausts you

come up with some creative things or simply don't do it

who says i have to cook dinner? who says i have to iron?

mindful questions 

what do i want?

what would i love to do next?

what are your desires?

self-care becomes more of a way of life, not just at the end of the week after your "work" is done

i want to live a life that cares for me

what do i desire

what is interesting me

what is calling to me? what do i desire? pay attention to your desire and following it

let yourself be nourished by it

follow your desires, they nourish you

what our soul is hungry for

self care are simple and available and free

if you get 15 minutes, grab onto it whole-heartedly

1. if i am in hyper alert mode

dialogue with the parts of yourself that is hyper alert

these parts of you are afraid, what are they afraid of??

2. start at the level of the body

choose relaxing music to calm your brain down

choose something physical to transition yourselves

giving yourself mindful transitions

3. keep log or chart for taking care of yourself

how you felt before you took care of yourself

how you felt after you took care of yourself

exhasted?

if you need rest, get to bed early, make up your sheets, use lavender soap in the shower

do it with love and intention

yoga nigeria= relaxation technique

how do you handle something that exhausts you that you have to do, ie cleaning?

so much of what exhausts us in life is the conversation that it should be different than it is

get curious how you could lower your standard around "cleaning" and asking for help

we assume that there are things that need to be done by us, why?

sandwich it between things that strengthens you

what makes you think that the world will need?

get curious

self care = an attitude of lightness

get to a place where we can be deserving of pleasure and kicking back in the middle of the day, make a 3 column list

1. what do you have to do?

2. what could you do?

3. let go of?

(buddism) the problem is you think you have more time than you do

today may be the last day that you get

let's show up for it, let's enjoy it, let's stop and reflect

let's reflect , have a cup of tea, catch up with our souls, and then go on to do the next thing

i trust that the choices i am making right now are based on (what i know in this moment)

trust in your deepest experiences of meaning

i am living my purpose

my purpose is unfolding through these kids (homeschooling)

i am engaged and strengthened

i did something, i feel engaged with life

i feel alive

deflect negativity

websites mentioned:

thelifeorganizer.com    52 weeks of mindful questions,

the comfort cafe   monthly subscription

comfortqueen.com

yes

i am inspired by this posting at ordinary life magic. 
 

happy mother's day

every day is a gift in life to experience their loveliness. happy mother's day to all the mamas!

(trying to capture a ppic with my children still)

treasure hunter

:: my daughter is a treasure hunter. she explores and uncovers treasures where ever she goes. 

when we simplified her room and the play area, i uncovered a little collection of treasures she has found through the years. treasures i remember seeing when she found, but did not know she was holding on to each and every one. one of the first treasures she dug up in her digging area was a little colbalt blue vicks eye drop bottle. i remember doing a google search which dated the bottle back to around the time our house was built. there are pieces of brick and pottery, pieces of pennies and a broken plate. most recently, we were learned the techniques for panning and had the opportunity to pan for gold that came from a mine in angorage, alaska. 

aside from these treasured that she uncovered with a shovel and rake, she has been gifted lots of treasures while visiting family, from volcanic rock from iceland, shark's teeth, polished gemstones, rocks and crystals from india, marbles to an oyster shell. and while sometimes family thinks they have to buy her toys and things, i wish they would know that these natural treasures mean much more to her. 

cinco de mayo

:: happy cinco de mayo todos

may day blossoms

:: little blossoms grace our seasonal nature table. we gathered blossoms in the garden and around the yard and put them in small little bud vases and spread their goodness around the house. what flowers are you enjoying in your garden?

happy may day everyone

blissful simplicity

 :: my children are very blessed. blessed with people who love them dearly. blessed with family and friends to share in their birthday celebrations. blessed with family, who would do anything for my children and would give my children the world. and children just do not need a world of material goods, but it always nice to have a few special gifts for a birthday celebration. gifts that are chosen with much thought and consideration. gifts that are beautifully made and well crafted. gifts that have meaning and purpose. and sometimes myself, i am left wondering if what i have to give is enough. 

many questions run through my head. should i make something more? should i purchase something else?  will there be enough to fill up the easter basket? 

after a wonderful birthday celebration, sweet memories shared and a bounty of new gifts, we shared the remainder of the evening building fairy houses, playing with the fairy trinkets from the treasure hunt, drawing some pictures with on her new drawing pad and reading. we read a story from her new grimm's fairy tales book and a second-hand copy of Miss Rumphius, which is a wonderful story with a message about doing something to make the world more beautiful.

and today, my daughter had been watching out for butterflies in the garden, listening to the little chirps from our bird house, looking at the ants in the sidewalk cracks, picking violets and playing with her wooden warbler water whistle. she is blissfully swimming in her pool, searching for some of her new birthday treasures underwater: a piece of granite, a foreign coin, a rose quartz point and a bracelet made from new beads her brother (and i) picked out for her. she is eager to hang her new wind chime and plant her sunflower seeds later on today and is excited about making more "fairy wands", which are the fruit skewers we made for her birthday party. 

and it is a reminder to me that children do not need much. there have been a few gifts that have been played with, but mostly she is fully content engaging in the wonder and beauty of nature.

a very fairy birthday

:: to my sweet little baby girl, who is not so little anymore. the time has gone by so fast and now you are 6 years old. words can not explain how your love and beautiful soul has brought boundless joy into my life. you teach me more everyday about life. i love you so.

:: birthday preparations coming together. some projects i was able to finish and others i did not. i mistakenly did not have a single piece of wool felt long enough to back the crown, so that will sadly be a belated birthday present. i am bummed about her crown but i did made a new decoration for our birthday ring. i have a special song that i sing to my little butterfly, which is why i made her a little butterfly. we also made some delicious wands from chocolate covered pretzels and skewers of fruit. 

 :: my little one has really enjoyed our valentine's day scavenger hunts for the past few years, so i made up a little scavenger hunt for her birthday party. this time, with a fairy theme. i had collected pine cones, acorn caps, dried echinacea from the garden and i added some geode slices, treasure eggs, little star sequins, little brooms and miniature wooden rolling pins & clothespins. we also had some fairy toad stools and i made up some tiny seeds packets out of waxed paper, in which i enclosed sunflower, snap pea and pumpkin seeds. 

the children ran around with their fairy ribbon wands looking for the fairy treasures. they were pointing out all sorts of things around our yard that the fairies could use and it was great seeing them take a closure look into nature. they all had fun breaking open their treasure eggs, drawing and running around the yard barefoot. 

i overhead my friends saying amongst themselves that our party was refreshing and that parties for children are so big nowadays... and i feel some sort of acceptance from our friends to some extent. a lot of times i really do shy away from any discussions as to why i do what i do with my little ones because it is just beyond their reality. but that's a whole other blog entry.

:: my daughter loved the echinacea wands so much. (the carved stick was a gift from one of my daughter's friends. the friend's grandfather did a little carving on the stick and he decided to give it to my daughter for her birthday. so sweet) 

:: and i think these feet speak for themselves. 

birthday song   anonymous
found in a child's seasonal treasury

In heaven shines a golden star
an angel led me from a far.
From heaven high unto the earth 
and brought me to my house of birth.

Oh welcome welcome lovely day
With sunshine bright and flowers gay.
With painted birds that sing their song 
and make me kind and good and strong.