Pumpkins in the City

It was a warm Fall day. We had checked out of the hotel and were waiting to head back to Columbia. Grandma and Grandpa had preceded us in their rental and we had times on our hands. The kids and I decided to take a walk around Arlington, and "see what we can see," and with a kid's eyes we could see a lot.

We saw the fallen leaves, the broken branches, the wilted flowers. We saw bottle caps, candy wrappers, empty bags of chips. We saw lost mittens, hairbands, and even a shoe. There were airplanes above, ledges aside, water beyond. Then there was the pumpkin patch.

On the intersection between Fort Meyer Drive and Lee Highway there lies an island. Its primary purpose is to split traffic in two directions and allow for pedestrians to cross, but today it was our playground. In celebration of Fall someone had taken the time to turn this otherwise ordinary section of the road into a pumpkin patch and had left it there well past Halloween. That was not good for the pumpkins, but it was great for us.

When she first spotted the pumpkins, JR asked if we could take a look, so we did. Then she got closer to them. She examined the find: some were painted, some had eyes, some were round and others were losing their shape, there were orange ones and there were yellow ones. She kicked one around, it fell over. She squealed, Yousef jumped back. Then she asked if she could touch them. I did not see a reason why not. Actually, I saw many reasons why not but I decided to shed caution to the wind and allow for some fun; the hotel was close by after all and we had my parent's apartment at our disposal if we really needed it. So, I let her at it.

She proceeded slowly at first, hesitant, unsure of what she will encounter. She gently touched one pumpkin and it felt soft to her touch. She turned another one over, it was rotten. She looked for a stick and tried to poke a third; the stick went through and a light went off in JR's head: this could be even more fun, especially when you equate messy with fun! She looked at me for permission and seeing how I was enjoying watching her as much as she was enjoying what she was doing I nodded in approval.

Proceed with caution at first

There then followed the giggles and the laughs as she set the stick aside and dug in with her hands. She was almost up to her elbows in pumpkin gutting out the one she chose. Handful after handful came the seeds and the strings.

It's more fun by hand

Jannah-Rae showing Yousef her findings

JR explains to Yousef about the seeds

All the while Yousef stood there watching, unsure of whether he wanted to attempt the same or just observe. He was keenly interested in what his sister was doing and squatted attentively watching her every move and listening as she narrated to him what she was doing and what she was discovering. At one point he found a stick and probed the pumpkin with it but when it came back orange and fuzzy he let it go. His comfort zone is still in need of expansion and he was just content to live the moment through his sister.

Twenty minutes and many seeds later, the pumpkin was finished; JR had removed all the insides, squished the outside and gotten her science lesson in. Deciding not to leave the pumpkin in the  middle of the sidewalk, she returned it back to the patch. She hoped that someone walking by would notice her carved pumpkin and wonder what had happened to it.

The day was getting older and it was almost time to go. Jeff appeared in the distance so we got all cleaned up and ready to leave. Wondering what we had been up to, Jeff looked around. JR pointed at her pumpkin; it had a story to tell. Sitting there on the side, the pumpkin unknowingly had served a great purpose: it had allowed us to soak up some sun, enjoy what nature could be found in the midst of the city and let our curiosity go free. There is a lot to see when you go out to see what there is to see. 

JR, and the fun is complete

Yousef in the Fall

Fall is beautiful! But then again so is every season, if you ask me. I love spring and summer, too and am just getting past my discomfort with brutal winter cold.

And yet this season somehow brought me so many opportunities to be in the moment, enjoy the weather, savor the surroundings and be slow and deliberate. Maybe it's living in the suburbs,the quiet, the lack of a list and the absence of a destination. Maybe it's Yousef, Jannah-Rae or the "new" me. Or maybe it's the trees, the leaves, the scenery. Whatever it is has certainly changed the way I look at, and see, things and "make" memories.

One such memory was on a beautiful morning when Yousef had been up early and I had little errands to do around the house. I think it was a Tuesday. The "pressing" issue of the day was to drop off Jeff's shirts at the dry cleaner's before picking up Jannah-Rae from school at 12:30. The dry cleaner is located at the end of the road leading to the development before reaching the traffic light and after passing the school, the playground and the pool. On average it takes about 25 minutes to get there by foot, but on that day it took three hours! Yousef and I headed out a little after nine and barely made it in time to get JR before they turned the lights off in the classroom.

Like every time we embark on a walk to pick JR up from school, Yousef that day was on a mission: to take in as much of the sights, sounds, smells, and feels of the day as he could.

He pushed JR's doll stroller and off he went to his "regular" spots.

He checked out Fall decorations.

He looked for the cat underneath the neighbor's car, woof woofed after the walking dogs, and pointed and squealed in delight at the squirrels.

He "fed" the "dog."

And inspected the lady bug. 

He rearranged garden gnomes and moved and re-moved animal figurines.

We played hide and seek, had our snacks on the side of the road, and picked up acorns.

He climbed on the produce bleachers, inspected the wheels on the stroller and emptied and refilled its basket out several times.

He played with the leaves. 

And more leaves!

He asked to be held, then squirmed to get down. He laughed, nodded and talked.

He had a fit.

We had a blast!

Coffee and Cake

I am not a big fan of paying for coffee at a shop when I can make it at home just the same. I am also not a big fan of buying mass produced, highly processed, sugar loaded cakes from said, or other, coffee shops. But when Jeff is travelling and I have easy access to the car, JR is off at school and Yousef and I need a change in scenery I make an exception, especially when I can have my coffee for free and can earn a star for Yousef's treat.

We had been living in a three story townhouse in a new development in Howard County for a little over four months when I finally got comfortable with driving fifteen minutes to a standalone Starbucks; not in a Target, not in a Safeway, not in a Barnes and Noble, not at the Mall, but all by itself, like they should be. All this time I had refused the concept of a) driving to get coffee, and b) driving altogether unless I really have to. And when I have to I drop Jeff off at work and find myself in front of Columbia Mall that houses a Starbucks should I want to dispense the stars earned mostly from Jeff's walks over there on a special venti drink.

Living in Arlington, VA had spoiled me: I could walk to no less than half a dozen coffee shops in fifteen minutes or less and I could stock my pantry and refrigerator, pay my phone, and internet and cable bills, pay my local taxes, pick up books from the library, do DMV transactions, visit the post office, choose between five playgrounds, attend three story times, buy clothes all without having to set seat in a vehicle. So naturally when we relocated to the suburbs, I resisted changing my habit. Then, I got somewhat over it; just somewhat.

I used to take JR on dates when she was Yousef's age and so it was time for Yousef and I to spend some "quality" time together outside our neighborhood. That the weather that day had not turned into the extremely windy and chilly it later became was a bonus.

The map which I thought was my best guide to a new location, showed me the way to its proximity then sent me around in circles. Had I not been determined to hang out with Yousef that morning in the fresh air I would have turned the car around and driven home. But after long minutes of driving up and down the street looking for Starbucks, I was getting close to giving up. Then, I saw it. It was in a building smaller than the ones around it, so it was not that obvious. We made it this far. The line was out the door, it was after 8:00am so I guess people wanted their coffee on their way to work. We took a turn. Yousef was fussy. I held him; he squirmed. I tried to entertain him; we spilled an entire jar of special reserve coffee on the floor. I was getting impatient. Then, it was our turn.

Grande Thanksgiving roast and a pumpkin cream cheese muffin with an empty plastic cup for milk for Yousef. We were all set. We headed to the patio. Most of the chairs and tables were wet but we found a couple of dry ones. Two bites into his muffin Yousef was on to moving around.

Two sips into my coffee I was chasing napkins, wiping down spilled milk and holding on to the muffin; the wind was gaining momentum and I had to secure our belongings. I also had to take photos; I wanted to commemorate our outing. By that time I think the other coffee drinkers were wondering about me; I don't think I seemed collected to them and I probably wasn't: I had been up multiple times during the night and then completely up since 4:00am because I gave up on trying to go back to sleep and wanted to write.

It all ended well, though. I didn't care what people thought. Yousef had a good time. I enjoyed being out with him. He ate, I drank and we both played in the sun. When it was time to sit in the car seat, though, the fun was all over - but that is another story for another day.

JR the Gardener

With Fall half-way through, it is nice to have a reminder of the wonderful days of Spring. While Falls comes with its own array of planting opportunities, JR and I do not have enough room to cater to these wondrous blooms. Instead, we still gaze at what is left from our Spring harvest- basil and mint - and look forward to next Spring when we can plant again.

 

This was the first gardening year for JR; well of course it was, the girl only turned two this year! But she seemed to know what to do right from the start: Scoop out the dirt with the shovel first. Decide the shovel was not worth the work. Ditch the shovel for hands. One at first, then two at once. Add water. Make mud. Play in the mud. Then add the seeds. Add more dirt. Make more mud. Then, ask Mama to clean up! Is there any other way!

 

It was so much fun watching her engage in this nurturing process. She was careful with the positioning of the seeds and made sure she put enough, although sometimes she put a little too much! Once the pot was completed, she moved it to the side, and took out another and began her work again. Several pots later, our planting was done, and it was time to "watch" the plants grow.

 

Every day for weeks, JR would wake up in the morning, fill her little water pitcher up and water her plants. What joy it was to see the first strawberry bloom, grown, and ripen. Then the mint, the basil, the parsley and cilantro made their entrance. At harvest time, JR made sure she cut some up for Mama's kitchen and some for her play kitchen; after all she wanted to make dinner for Baba.

 

 



JR showing off her garden.

 

Busy watering.

 

 

Preparting for harvest.

 

 

Tasting her crop.

 

 

Returning the plant to the sun.

 

Cleaning up.

Apple "Tea" Party: Name Place Trees

Jannah-Rae's friends will always know where to sit when they join her at her formal parties. When they came to the Tea Party, their names were spelled out on a teapot cutout.

 

 

 

At the Lemon "Tea" Party, a half lemon held their names on a leaf.

 

 

 

This time, an apple tree will bear their first initials amongst the apples.

 

To make the name place trees, I first had to have enough empty toilet paper rolls. For this, I called upon my friends and family and together we collected six; the number of girls in attendance. With a small cover-up job, these were then transformed into the tree trunks. Green craft paper and an online template produced the crown of the tree. Red paint spots formed the apples, and white foam letter stickers created the indicators.

 

 



 

Start out with blank green craft paper and toilet paper roll.

 

 

Cover the toilet paper roll with brown craft paper, then paint the paper with brown tempra paint to desired shade.

Dot the tree cut-out with red tempra paint.

 

 

Stick the appropriate letters in the center of the tree.

 

 

 

 

 Cut slits on the side of the "trunk," and insert "crown" into it.

Behold the finished prduct.

 

Apple "Tea" Party: Favors

Every good hostess knows you should not send your guests home empty handed. A party favor is a wonderful way to conclude the event, say good-bye, and leave a lasting memory.

 

For her first Tea Party, Jannah-Rae strung together a teapot cookie cutter and a bag of camomile for her guests.

 

 

 

At her Lemon "Tea" Party, the guests each received a personal lemon cake, and its recipe, to take home.

 

 

 

 

 

For her upcoming Apple "Tea" Party, Jannah-Rae decided to put together an apple basket for her friends. The process of assembling the gift baskets served as both our activity of the day and our art project. The final result was arrived at after a small demonstration, a little frustration, and much collaboration. With steedy encouragement and a small snack, JR actually put many of these baskets together herself.

 

 

 

 

To put these gift baskets together, JR and I scouted our favorite grocery store for fruit baskets. We got lucky and they gave us a handful for free. Next, we visited our craft store for the apples and pipe cleaners. We could have also bought the green grass there, but we already had that on hand from left-over spring packaging. 

With some paint and creativity we set on our task.

It was a beautiful Fall day, so we spread out on our covered patio to enjoy the sun and watch the people while we worked.

With a pair of scissors, I poked holes through either side of the basket for the pipe cleaner handle. JR was frustrated at fist at not being able to string the cleaner through the hole, then after a few tries, she became skilled.

Once the handle was in place, it was time for the grass. Just enough to top off the basket.

First, we put an apple tree leaf.

 

Then, each basket got a green apple,



and, a red one.

 

 

With six on hand, our work was done.



 



 

 

Apple "Tea" Party: Taste Test

While I consider myself a good cook, I do not think I am an equally good baker. I have a few tried and true cake recipes, and I make some pretty good chocolate chip cookies, but when it comes to more "elaborate" desserts, I tend to shy away. Pie, more specifically pie dough, is one of these concoctions that I find extremely challenging. I treid my hands at home-made pie dough once and decided this was one that was worth more store-bought than home-made. The filling, however, is a different story. Once I have the ready-made dough, I can, and have, fill it up effortlessly. Its just the first step that is the hardest.

That being said, I decided that nothing is more suitable for an Apple "Tea" Party than apple pie, and more specifically mini-apple pie. How fun, and cute, would it be if each of the girls had her own individual pie set in front of her. It would make for an attractive table setting, too! Once the idea formed in my mind, I set out to execute it. The first item on the agenda was having the necessarty tools on hand. From the kitchen store I bought an apple-shaped cookie cutter, and from the grocery store, the ready-made pie dough. Then, I needed apples - I love Granny Smith - sugar, eggs, and cinammon.

With everything on hand, and JR napping, I threw together my trial run of these miniature pies. Below is a step-by-step tuturial should you be interested in replicating it one day.

 

Bring the dough to room temperature.

Roll it out, and cut it in even numbers with the cookie cutter.

 

 

 

Aren't these cute!

 

 

 

In a sauce pan, cook until soft the chopped apples, sugar and cinammon

(add sugar and cinammom to taste).

 

 

 

Fill half the cut-outs.

 

 

 

Cover the filling with the other half of the cutouts.

Pinch the edges with the edge of a fork to close the pies.

 

 

 

 

 

Cut a small slit in the top half to allow steam through.

Brush tops with egg wash.

Bake at 425 for 15-20 minutes.

 

And Voila! Mini apple pies!