November Art

 Before snow set in for the long winter's sleep, we thought we'd try an autumnal art project.

We knew we'd need leaves, but search as we might... for acres all around, there weren't any to be found.  Unless we took a day trip into the forest there weren't any trees to hope for leaves from, and the forests mostly are pine trees and have snow... so perhaps it was an ill conceived notion to begin with.  Until I remembered that Caleb gathered some leaves for us last year to use in the garden.  Bags and bags of leaves..  There was one bag left.  To the barn for a bag of year old dry leaves.  

Somehow I thought there was more of an assortment.. but there wasn't.  We managed to create some autumnal art nonetheless.  Karlsson's live among trees and winter isn't blowing up their skirts quite so violently yet so they had a plethora of lovely leaves.  

As always.. such a variety.

Minutes before art began the following week, the message arrived that Sybil, who had been eager to join us, would be at the hospital.  She had hurt her toe after a heavy stool fell on it.

We received updates through the evening and she was a trooper.

This was Ava's night to tutor us on an art method.  Water droplet art.

Duncan.  He liked some of it left as droplets and opted not to smear or smudge.

Emerson attempted a few before becoming less generous with the water.. He had some overly soaked pages.  My 'mallard on the pond' became 'taste the magic rainbow'.  Whittaker decided partway that water droplet art wasn't his thing... so he painted cats.  Eden the overachiever of the night. Such variety.  And Sadie.. once you make a masterpiece you move on.

Christmas Ornaments

Whittaker had a great time creating Christmas ornaments.  Emerson created a paper chain to count down to Christmas but then abandoned it to play cars. 

Snowflakes.  You might think that with snow already on the ground and no chance of it leaving for well over 20 more weeks, we would discourage snow themed activities... but as long as I'm indoors and warm and we have no place to go..."Let it snow, Let it snow, Let it snow."

Patrick doesn't attend art often... secretly he wants to though.  Look at the enormous easel he has!

(It's not an easel... it's the drywall lift and he isn't drawing or painting he's cutting out outlet and light switch holes.)  We know he really just wishes he was painting. 

Wonder if it will ever get old?

As the days grow colder we see the signs of winter.  The little blackbirds begin to swarm in larger numbers.  One day the Canadian geese are no longer around.  The leaves from our tree have fallen and the grasses are golden beige hues.  The mountains in the distance are dusted white and many days are overcast and we simply trust that the mountain are still out there in the distance.  But the sign we're most aware of, is the antelope.  We enjoy watching for them in the mornings on gopher hill and look forward to their afternoon naps and visits to the pond and salt lick.  All summer long we see a few here and a few there, but as they begin to congregate in larger numbers in the fall we wonder each day, 'Will this be the last day we see them this year?'  It's always delightful to see them again the next day.  They tend to come closer and closer to the house and we spend moments staring at each other...

Until... one day... they're gone.

This year however... 

they left one behind. 

This little guy was all alone behind the barn.  

We called him Mohawk.  

His leg was injured.  He couldn't stand up and allowed us to get close enough to shift him and bring him some water.  We didn't know what else to do for him.

We called the wildlife game warden and they came out and took him away.