I've been poring over old journals and seasonal idea books, brainstorming some themes and plans for the upcoming months. I really love this time of year - it's still summer and yet there's that hint of a new season just around the corner ...
With the buzz and bustle of fall not too far off - the time is ripe for enjoying the most of what's left of summer! I am working on a list for the rest of the year, but for now, I'll share what I've jotted down for the month of August - which begins next week!
Nature:
- sunflowers (harvest and hang for the songbirds)
- the seashore (picnic on the beach, go tidepooling)
- crickets (count chirps to check temperature)
- fireflies (catch in a jar to admire, then release)
- cicadas (listen for that familiar "heat bug" whine)
- bats (watch for them just after sunset)
- shooting stars (Perseids peaking August 13th)
- thunderstorms (have a storm candle ready)
- orb weavers (beautiful webs sparkling with dew)
- crows (make a scarecrow)
- morning glories (their time to shine is now)
- dragonflies (great backyard hunters)
- The Full Green Corn Moon (8/28)
Food:
Visit the farmstand for ~
- blueberries (pancakes, slump, buckle, pie)
- watermelon (punch, sorbet, jello cake)
- corn (hot and buttered, corn pudding, corncakes)
- tomatoes (homemade sauce, tomato sandwiches)
- zucchini (zucchini bread, zucchini everything!)
Faith:
- Lammas (1)
- Our Lady of the Snows (5)
- The Transfiguration (6)
- The Assumption (15)
- Our Lady of Knock (21)
- The Queenship of Mary (22)
Home:
- Clean out the learning room; refresh supplies.
- Order winter outerwear.
- Take Christmas card picture (or begin trying).
- Begin Christmas planning notebook.
Famly Life:
- National Watermelon Day (3)
- NFL Preseason begins (5)
- VBS week!
- 4Real Conference (11)
- CJ's 8th birthday (13)
Stories: (Themes: blueberries, grain harvest, corn, crows, country fair, seashore)
- Peter in Blueberry Land
- Blueberries for Sal
- The Little Red Hen
- Raccoons and Ripe Corn
- Blacky the Crow
- Martha
- Corgiville Fair
- Pagoo
Field Trips:
- the farmer's market
- the seashore
- a cornfield
- blueberry picking
Crafts/activities:
- make a seashell frame
- work on a shell collection
- work in the garden; visit one
- go on a bug hunt
- watermelon seed-spitting contest
- make corn husk folk
- make felt shooting stars
- grind grain
- bake homeade bread
- polish the learning tables (with beeswax polish)
- hang sunflower heads for birds
- gaze at the stars
- make apple picking totes
- set up nature table for the new year
Now, it goes without saying I don't plan doing all of these things! :) But it's still fun to think about them anyway. August is just full of delightful things - tell me, what are some of your favorites?
