Natural play kitchen toys & wooden building blocks

We've been having fun with some new wooden toys. One day we are in the play kitchen and we're baking, measuring, organizing & cooking. The next day, we're building towers. The great thing about toys with a simple form is that they can be anything. The possibilities for play are endless!!!

I will be breaking out my felting needles and wool to add to her creative play. We can celebrate the season with some apples, acorns, mushrooms, and pumpkins. Maybe even a jack-o-lantern and some Indian corn. 

Last of the season

The end of our growing season is coming to an end here in Connecticut. This morning, I made some zucchini pancakes. I also used the last of our basil for some Turkey Meatballs and sauce. We have a few more peppers and maybe a handful or two of tomatoes before we say farewell to our garden. 

Next year, I have plans for a bigger garden. Some beans, berries, cilantro, lots more basil and an early, mid, and late cherry tomato plant.   

Apple galette with children

For the galette ( a flat round cake of variable size) pastry

1 1/2 c flour

1/2 t salt

1 stick cold butter

4 T ice water

1-2 T raw sugar

Mix flour and salt in mixer. Add chunks of cold butter to mixer a few at a time. Gradually add ice water until dough begins to clump together slightly.

Gather dough into small balls & flatten into circular disks. Chill in refrigerator, while you make the filling.

For filling:

4-5 apples, chopped

3 T brown sugar

1/4 c flour

2 t cinnamon

Mix dry ingredients, then mix in apples.

Bring out chilled dough. Add heaping spoonfuls of apples to center of circular dough disks. Fold ends inward, leaving center exposed. Brush dough with milk & sprinkle raw sugar on top.

Cook at 450 for 20 minutes until pastry browns.

Yum. Yum. We made our apple galette with whole wheat flour and topped with some homemade whip cream. My little one loved making the whip cream.

Pumpkin picking

Same cow, different day

I'll be going back to hopefully capture a picture of my little one picking out a pumpkin, kind of an annual event. My little one was busy playing with her friends.

Mother of pearl serving sets

I have been gradually adding on to my basic dinnerware set and purchasing platters and serving bowls, mostly when I need them. I recently brought a pasta salad to a family picnic in a platinum rimmed china bowl, which was the only bowl that fit the pasta salad. So, the next day, I purchased a basic white mixing bowl set, which has come in handy. 

I have a few dinnerware sets, including my basic white everyday dishes, my Mikasa Cameo Platinum china that was a wonderful shower gift from my girlfriends, to my family Azurite Charm depression glass. For serving pieces, I have a variety of white platters and a number of shiny silver pieces, including a few Wilton Flutes & Pearls pieces that go right from the oven to the table. 

I do have a serving set to match my gifted flatware set, but I otherwise held off on serving sets, as I was looking for some sets to coordinate with my dinnerware and china as well as my depression glass. Well, this spring I discovered some mother of pearl pieces at Pottery Barn that I really loved. I think they really go great with all my sets, so I went ahead and purchased the serving spoon set, the spreaders, and a charger, to use as a platter. I also won an ebay auction for the PB serving spoon & fork set. The price could not be beat.

Recently, I came more pieces, a Pier 1 dessert serving set and cheese knife set and found some Towle pieces with mother of pearl. Some day, I'll have the house to actually entertain. For now, I guess we all need a thing or two to collect and I'll be collecting mother of pearl serving pieces.

More games

My little one is involved in random play today. We are just going with the flow and letting her work through her frustrations from school. She is asking about my jewelry and I seem to know where this may go. 

Another day, another ear of corn

Some more fun to be had removing the kernels of corn.

Some tools were requested for the job.

2 ears down and 3 more to go.

Some digging and planting also helped my little one settle in after school. She seemed to be a little frustrated today when I picked her up. I was planning on getting a few groceries on the way home but I knew it would be best to come straight home. Some fresh air and unstructured activities seems best on these days.