photos by Dave K Cooper

I’m all about experimenting. So in that spirit, I’m going to try a new column here on Classic Play called Adventuring. Something slightly more organized and in-depth than the weekending in pictures thing I typically do. This is evolving. In fact, after I wrote the piece I realized the format is a bit unusual. I’m not sure where I’ll take it eventually, but that’s kind of what adventuring is all about isn’t it?

So what’s the premise? Right now, I hoping to take you to some of the off-the-beaten-path places we go. I’m sure I’ll throw in some well known ones too (I have a ton of photos from the Philadelphia Museum of Art I can’t wait to share). The idea is to discover adventure and wonder in unlikely places.

Ready? I’m kind of anxious. Let’s see where this thing takes us…

It’s a bright sunny, and surprisingly warm afternoon. We passed the city of Frederick, Maryland about ten minutes ago and now find ourselves on a two lane road lined with fields and cows. There are mountains in the distance.

“Kids, you’re missing all this.”

One of them looks up briefly from the book she’s been glued to for the last 30 minutes. “Oh yeah. Nice.” Eyes straight back to the page.

“It’s really is beautiful out here,” I sigh. For a moment I let my mind wander. I imagine my life on a great big farm—getting up in the morning, feeding the, whatever it is we’re raising. I’d be as comfortable wearing an apron as I was driving a tractor. I’d drink sweet tea and fresh squeezed lemonade.

Oh who am I kidding? I’d never survive on a farm. The work is way too hard. And I freak out just looking at heavy machinery. That stuff is intimidating. Tell me you haven’t looked a John Deere in the eye and said to yourself, “Let me just move over here out of its sight path a bit.” I say a silent prayer thanking the universe for farmers, because Lord knows I’d die of starvation if I was in charge of food.

The car travels along. The road is straight and the sky goes on forever. I think I’ve seen this scene this in a movie somewhere. There’s a guy on the side of the road chopping down trees. Wait, is this Twin Peaks? I’ll know in a minute if we all start talking backwards.

There’s a turn up ahead. Lilypons Road.

Lilypons Gardens has been in business since 1917 and is named after legendary Opera singer Lily Pons.

We exit the car and meet up with my parents, sister, her husband and my nephews for an early Mother’s Day celebration.

First stop, the bright pink house that serves as store, and at one time, post office. Out front the kids swing in metal rockers. Dave and contemplate a set for our front porch. I sit down in the large glider with my six-year-old.

“Actually, I’m a little sea sick. Is it supposed to rock that this?”

“Ah,” I said, getting up.

We enter the shop. The inside is small and most of it appears to be used for stock. Tucked away in one corner is a cold case with bottles of old fashioned soda and water. I make a mental note to grab a orange cream on the way out.

While most of Lilypons Water Gardens features large ponds filled with, you guessed it, water lilies, there are a few display gardens showcasing the company’s work. Today the display gardens are infested with tiny gnats. They’re swarming like mad around our heads. Our hands are swatting them away. But the gnats know we lost the battle as soon as we entered their territory. I’m wishing I had remembered bug spray.

“Ack! What is with these bugs?”

“I was hoping to breathe in Monet and all I’m getting is essence of insect.”

Those white flecks? Gnats.

The display gardens were stunning, almost worth the gnat assault. Had I packed some citronella spray, things would have been more enjoyable. [note: keep some citronella spray handy.]

We left the displays and the gnats and headed out to the large ponds.

“Watch out for frogs and snakes.”

“Uh oh,” said my son. “That’s not good news for you, is it?”

“I’ll try my best to be brave if I see any snakes,” I said.

“I’ll hold your hand in case you get scared.”

The sun is getting hot so we try to find some shade. We head over to the Koi tanks. There we find snails, pond plants and tadpoles that resemble aliens from outer space. The kids are equally grossed out and mesmerized.

“Hey, what’s that floating pavilion thing over there?”

“Let’s see,” said our girl before she took off in a full on sprint. “The sign says you can feed the fish. Can we? Please? Please? Please?”

“Dave, do you have a dollar? I’ll go back into the shop to get the food.”

“It’s like a Japanese painting.”

“ACK! Don’t climb up there like that!”

In the distance a shape is moving towards us. It’s large. Too large to be a koi.

“Hey, it’s one of those giant snapping turtles. I swear those things get to be huge.”

A beast of a turtle surfaces.

“Whoa. Did you see how big that thing is. Look at the shadow.”

“Okay.” My voice has risen a few octaves.

The beast dives down. Seconds later, we feel the platform shift.

“Whoa. Okay, that was fun. I think it’s time to go.” Why yes, I am a big old scaredy cat. Also? I’m not interested in losing a foot to a snapping turtle today. I checked my to do list and it’s not on it.

We head to the car. I’ve had enough adventure for today.

“So, what was your favorite part of today?”

“Absolutely. So? Where we headed next?”

Lilypons Water Gardens
6800 Lily Pons Road
Adamstown, Maryland 21710

Hours
Spring: 9 am to 6 pm
Summer: 10 am to 5 pm

Drive time
from Washington DC 1 hour 20 minutes
from Baltimore MD 1 hour 10 minutes

Be sure to bring along citronella or non toxic/organic spray! Don’t want to hurt the fishes, frogs, and turtles, both small and those big honkin’ ones.

The other week I showed you how we’re reclaiming the living room. However, I realize my style may not be your style. So I thought we’d explore a few different ‘looks.’ Today I asked my crazy creative friend Joya, who has wicked good taste and three active boys how she’s managed to curtail kid/toy/art projects/life-with-kids clutter. Here’s a peek at her finds for the home. xo Jen

I have three boys ages 18mos to 9 years, so we have a varied level of kid stuff throughout our living space. From baby toys and books, to nature collections, art supplies and sports gear.

We have lived in various sizes and styles of homes over the last few years and I have been on a continuous hunt for storage to make sure our living space continues to reflect our style. A few key rules we live by to make this easier:

1. less is more
2. toy & storage design matter and
3. all kids, no matter what age, like to have something of “theirs” to play with in almost every room in the house!

Additionally, with a newly walking toddler, I have to make sure storage is soft and safe for him to move about. So there are a lot of baskets & totes (not just your typical ones either) in our home. Here are my current solutions to keeping things tidy, accessible to the kids and our living space stylish:

1. Large canvas tote bags add style to your décor/room. We throw baby toys and small books in these and they can then easily transport to another room and hang on hooks out of the way.

2. Fabric basket boxes are great for my school age boys to hold their books, sketch pads,nature guides and binoculars.

3. In the kitchen, we store “play kitchen toys” in this stacked basket from Ikea. My little one loves to unstack the baskets and look inside.

4. We keep a low, sturdy shelf, in the philosophy of montessori, accessible for my little one in the kitchen (where I spend most of my time). We keep the items on it minimal and purposeful.

5. Art supplies can be stored in a vintage utility cart.

6. Sports gear fits nicely in a stylish hamper.

7. Finally, my older boys like to collect bits of nature and bring them inside. So with a few vintage glass domes (the kind typically used for cheese) we have created a designated place for their nature display. These also make a great centerpiece on a kitchen table.

“For the past couple summers, I’ve struggled with what to do with my kids all day … This year, I’m enrolling them in the Stay-at-Home Summer Camp. It’s a self-directed camp where they can pick and choose what they want to do.” [click here to keep reading]

photos by Dave K Cooper

We’re wandering around a Philadelphia neighborhood.

Earlier that day, Dave surprised me with a trip to the Philadelphia Museum of Art for Mother’s Day. “I know you prefer experiences to things. So for Mother’s Day, you’re getting an experience. I hope you like your surprise.”

After our tour of the museum, we hit the gift shop. I heard Dave ask one of the staff for recommendations for a good neighborhood to stroll around. That’s how we ended up on cobblestone streets lined with beautifully preserved federal style homes. I thought, I wonder who lives in them. It’s something I often think when I visit a new neighborhood. What are the stories behind these doors? What type of job would I have to have in order to live here?

“Look there’s a playground! Can we go? Please????”

“Honey, it’s Mommy’s day. It’s up to her.”

He stares up at me with those puppy dog eyes, eyebrow arched, hand clasped in prayer. He gets the eyebrow arch from me. They say a baby mimics what it sees. They say a baby’s smile is formed by watching its parents. It’s a learned behavior. If they’re right, I say it extends to eyebrow arching as well. I used to practice it in my bedroom mirror. All the actors on soap operas did it, that eyebrow arch thing. I’d stare into my reflection and pop up my left eyebrow. At 12, I thought it was the hallmark of serious acting. And who knew, one day I might be a serious actor on a serious dramatic show like Days of Our Lives. “Doc.” “Roman.” “Doc.” “Roman.” It was serious stuff. Now, it’s just part of my repertoire. And sometimes it just does it on its own. Errant eyebrow arch.

Now his sister appeared at his side. There were two sets of pleading hands. “Can we? Pleeeeeeease?”

“Sure, why not.” I shrug. And off they run.

There are pregnant ladies everywhere. Babies in slings. Strollers. Our kids are so big compared to the other kids at the playground. When did they get so big? Why didn’t anyone tell me this was happening? This growing-at-an-alarming-rate thing?

My daughter is on the cusp of change. She’s been in her head so much lately. I understand to some extent, because I’m like that too. But still, I worry about that girl. So quiet, deep in her own thoughts. What is going on in there?

This morning she gave me a book of Mother’s Day coupons she’d been working on at school. It was funny, witty, lively and beautiful.

“Do you like it?”

“You’ve read it three times now,” she said giggling.

I couldn’t help it. I re-read it again. As I read through, I could feel my spirits rising, the anxiety fading away. My girl was still in there. She may be quiet, but she’s full of life.

I watch my son. He darts in and out, weaving his way across the playground as if he had choreographed the dance himself. He’s light on his feet. Where did he get that from? When he was not yet two, we were at a playground and he tripped while running. Face meet pavement. It was horrific for everyone involved. I rushed him to the pediatrician who gave us an immediate referral to a pediatric dentist. “Keep an eye on that tooth,” she said. “He may loose it.”

Now his legs are lean and he’s gotten so tall. Sometimes I have to remind myself that he’s only six. We ask a lot of him for being so young. He gets himself ready for school in the morning, feeds the pets and does his homework after school. There was a time I feared he’d never talk, never potty train, never learn to read or write. And he’s done it all.

This morning he handed me a card he wrote in himself. No backwards letters. Everything in proportion. And there was even a drawing that was evolutionary leaps from the stick figures he usually makes.

“Did you write this yourself?”

“Bud, I am speechless. This is…” I felt a tear roll down my cheek releasing the fear I had been harboring. This kid? He’s going to be alright.

I sat there on Mother’s Day watching our kids swing, remembering what it felt like—pumping your legs, putting your whole body into it until you build a rhythm that rockets you high in the air, making your tummy do somersaults—a soaring feeling somewhere between fear and excitement. It’s just like parenting.

We hacked a Melissa & Doug easel to create a double-sided mega marble run that stood the test of 100s of kids at the USA Science + Engineering Festival.

Want to make a mega marble run for your kids? Let’s get to it!

Here’s what they’ll learn:

This mega marble run is a a great toy that will keep the kids entertained for hours. But it’s more than that. Through play, kids learn lessons about gravity, design, and how angles affect acceleration. Plus, it’s a massive exercise in problem solving and persistence.

Here’s what you’ll need:

large oil drip pan – I found ours in the Walmart automotive department for about $12 each
art easel – ours was just sitting in the corner of our basement, not being used. If you don’t have one, check out the Mala easel at Ikea. It’s $15.
screws – measure the depth of the legs on your easel and buy ones that won’t poke through. So, for most easels I’d recommend going less than an inch.
cardboard tubes
round craft magnets
plumbing elbows – .75 inch
hot glue gun
marbles

Here’s what you’ll do:

1. Remove chalk/white boards and trays from easel.

2. Screw the metal oil pans to the legs of the easel. I removed the bolts that held our easel’s legs together and placed the screws so they’d hold the legs together. If you have a Melissa & Doug easel, take a look, and you’ll see what I mean. If you have an easel that has one continuous piece of wood for legs, then it probably doesn’t matter where you place the screws.

3. Cut cardboard tubes to different lengths. Leave some tubes whole. But for most of them, remove sections to create a partial cylinder. We found the 3/4 cylinder shape worked best so make sure you have a lot of those. To make, just cut away 1/4 from the top part of the cylinder. You’ll want to test out magnet placement and make adjustments as needed.

4. Hot glue magnets to the the back of cardboard tubes and plumbing elbows. I found two magnets worked best for all the pieces including the elbows. For elbow pieces, glue a magnet near each opening. It prevents it from spinning and moving around.

5. Make a trap for the marbles using the bottom portion of an oatmeal can, cereal box or whatever you have on hand.

6. You and the kids can go crazy decorating the tubes. Or, go the ‘less is more’ route and leave them plain. Totally up to you.

7. Play!

How cool would this be at a kids party? If you do plan to use it at a party or with multiple kids, I’d suggest buying a boot or litterbox tray to place at the bottom of the marble run. It’ll cut down on marbles bouncing all over the place. It’s a lesson I learned the hard way.

Incidentally, do you know how exhausting it is to run after marbles as they bounce across the floor of a giant convention center? Let’s just say, very.

“But Jen,” you say, “there’s so much more you can do with this hack, in addition to a marble run.” Great point! This board is great for all sorts of things:

Homeschooling lessons
Spelling board
Magnetic poetry
Calendar
Displaying art – think of it as a big ol’ refrigerator door
the list goes on and on…

Have fun!

This week I fell off the picture taking wagon, so no scenes from the week. Instead, I’ve submitted the gem above from Mother’s Day two years ago. I’ve titled it: A Four-Year-Old’s Idea of Subtlety.

And now the links:

I’m teaching again! Join me May 31st 6 pm Pacific/9 Eastern for Writing and Finding You Voice. It’s online and you can show up in your jammies. Fantastic right? What’s more fantastic than that? It’s only $15. What’s even more fantastic than that? You. (awww)

Beautiful series about Motherhood put together by one of my favorite bloggers. Fifteen different moms, with 15 different backgrounds all discussing motherhood. It was a delight to read. I recommend starting at the beginning and reading through. You’ll love the ending.

Speaking of lovely things, check out Wondermind. It’s an interactive site developed by the Tate Museum to teach kids and adults about the brain through art and science. There are games, short videos and questions throughout.

I stumbled across this blog and wish I could remember how, but I can’t because my brain is mush. In any case, it’s clever and beautiful. Enjoy!

Dads, this would be a great project to do with the kids tomorrow. Hint, hint.

I want to give this a try.

And this!

And these make me smile every time I look at them. Mental note: add origami paper to the craft shopping list.

Wishing all the moms out there a very happy Mother’s Day! Have a great weekend everyone.

When you meet Caroline Urdaneta, it’s hard not to fall in love. She’s warm, friendly, a great story teller and crazy smart. Oh and she has this glow that radiates from within. I’m not even kidding, she’s that cool.

There’s lots to love about Caroline. One of my favorites is how she inspires others to embrace their creative side, adults and kids alike in such an affirming way that you’re left feeling like you could do anything. That, and I suspect she really does believe you could do anything. It’s like she’s your own personal creativity coach cheering you on from the sidelines. Pretty awesome, no?

But you don’t have take my word for it. Let’s hear from Caroline herself.

How would define creativity?

I think being creative can mean anything from making-up a song in the shower to painting a still life. I always hear people say, “Oh! I am so not creative!” And then I watch as they cook the best meal I’ve ever eaten. Or, they’ll sew an amazing outfit for their child. Or, they’ll figure out an ingenious way to keep some creaky old step from creaking. Everyone just has a different way of being creative, but creativity is not exclusive.

Have you always considered yourself creative?

It’s weird because I was definitely creative when I was a child (I was always entering school art contests and I was very involved in theatre) but I went through a phase right before college where I didn’t feel very creative at all. But, I think it’s pretty normal to have lulls in our creative lifespan. In my early twenties, working as the assistant curator at a sculpture garden and being surrounded by so much creative energy reinvigorated me. I started painting again during that time period of my life and really rediscovered my creative self. It was like a reunion with an old friend.

How do you nurture your own creativity?

Quiet time. Which is rare because we have four children! But actually, our children absolutely inspire me creatively. I’ve considered motherhood the most creative phase in my life. With children, there are so many creative needs to fill. That in itself is inspiring.

Did you grow up in a creative household? If so, what were some of the ways your parents nurtured your creativity and curiosity?

I’m definitely coming from a creative family. My great grandmother wrote for Harper’s Bazaar in the 1930s and was a talented artist. She walked around the house with pencils stuffed in her bun in case she had an idea or wanted to sketch something. Her creativity (and embracing of it) influenced just about everyone in my family. My mother is very artistic and on the other side of my family, my father’s mother loved to paint and she was very prolific with her work.

Growing up, my parents nurtured my creativity by giving me the freedom to create. They let me build forts all over the house and decorate my room however I wanted. There weren’t too many rules regarding what I could make and what I couldn’t. One time, I remember just randomly deciding to make cheese in the kitchen. I was probably 10 years old. I made a huge mess with the cheese cloth and milk everywhere. But, when my mother walked into the kitchen, she was proud that I was being creative and she never got upset at me for making a mess. As a mother myself now, when I look back at that I have to give her so much credit. She didn’t want to squelch that creative spirit in me and she didn’t.

How do you nurture it in your children?

By giving them the freedom to create and imagine. I’m a big believer in not helicoptering around the the kid’s creative time. Not every project should look like it belongs in a magazine. In fact, the most interesting and brilliant things my children have created are normally crafted from duck tape and plastic butter tubs with Q-tips sticking out. Children are usually less concerned with the outcome of a project. They tend to be fascinated by the process and that can be a huge lesson to artists everywhere.

What are some of your favorite ways to spend time together as a family?

My husband is from Venezuela and salsa dancing is a hugely popular there. He’s influenced our family a great deal in that way. We spend a lot of time as a family dancing in the kitchen. We salsa or we just do really goofy robot moves if we’re in that kind of mood. We play music from artists like Ruben Blades when we want to salsa and the kids really love it when we play Sérgio Mendes too. Dancing is so universal for all ages it’s a great family activity. Also, on the weekends when we don’t have anything going on, we plan “family days”. We pick an activity like going to the zoo or a nice park and we just spend the day together with no major agenda.

How have you been able to integrate work with pursuing your creative passions?

Blogging is the perfect way to incorporate my creative passions into work. Bloggers write, photograph, create or do all three. In my case, I do all three so it’s very fulfilling to me. I also love the feeling of a connection when I share an idea. I offer ideas and I embrace ideas. I like to see blogging as a dialogue. Sharing is a valuable part of the expression of any art form. An artist would paint and leave his work in a dark closet if he didn’t want anyone to see it, right?

Tell us how you got into blogging?

One day, I literally googled “rainy day craft projects for kids”. After I searched, I realized that many of the projects I found required a bunch of supplies I didn’t have. With small children at home, I didn’t have the time (or budget) to run around shopping for craft supplies (especially not in the rain). So, I thought to myself, “there needs to be a blog or website that encourages creative time using what you have around you.” Later that day after the kids and I had randomly covered some paper in glitter, I opened up a Blogger account and started blogging about it. Salsa Pie turned into something of a hybrid of crafts for the kids, DIY projects and sometimes even a spot for me to share my thoughts on motherhood. It’s kind of still evolving but at the core of it all, I hope I can encourage people to be more resourceful. We can’t teach our children to be innovative if we aren’t.

What are you working on now?

Keeping myself organized! I could always use some pointers with that! I do have a few fun things coming to fruition. Off the top of my head, I’ve just been asked to be a regular contributor to one of my favorite community craft blogs called SIDAC. I also have a project I worked on potentially coming out in magazine this summer. I’ll know more about that later. I also have plans to rejuvenate the recipes portion of my blog and have it focus on kids cooking in the kitchen. I’ve waned a little with my creativity in the kitchen recently but I plan to concentrate a little more on that throughout the remainder of this year. My kids love to cook so that inspires me.

From time to time everyone’s creative juices wane. How do you handle that? Does it cause you any anxiety or do you just let it pass?

Oh yes! That definitely happens to me. I find that when I have a lot of stressful things going on, I have trouble with lightbulb moments. I normally just let the lulls pass on their own. I’ve learned when I have creative juices waning, that is usually an indication I need to focus on something else. I tend to be more reflective in those periods which is an important precursor to creativity.

You can follow Caroline on Twitter, facebook and pinterest. And you can read her blog here.

Hi there! I’m excited to introduce you to new column we’re running called Classic Play Cooks. I’ve asked writer and cook Jennifer Buchet to helm this bi-weekly column. Today she’s here with three simple, easy and delicious carrot recipes that everyone at the table will eat—picky eaters included. xo, Jen

Carrots are one of those ubiquitous vegetables that pair well with almost any meal. From Spring’s tender baby shoots to the robust flavors of Fall, carrots are very versatile. Steam them, boil them, bake them into muffins; mash them with potatoes or roast them in the oven—you get the gist!

Of course, we don’t always have the time nor temperament to prepare gourmet meals. These recipes are nutritious and simple to make. Even the most finicky eaters will surely enjoy these delicious dishes!

Sesame Soy Carrots

Ingredients

1 lb of baby carrots (washed)
2 tbs brown sugar (packed down)
1 tbs butter
1 tbs soy sauce (preferably low-sodium)
1 tsp toasted sesame seeds

1. Place the carrots in a saucepan, filling the pan with just enough water to cover the carrots. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Drain and set the carrots aside.
2. In the same saucepan, add the sugar, butter and soy sauce. Simmer on a low heat until combined.
3. Stir in the carrots, mixing well.
4. Before serving, sprinkle with the toasted sesame seeds.

Craving something slightly sweeter? Try this similar recipe which uses agave syrup instead of soy sauce. The syrup, or nectar, comes from the Blue Agave plant grown in the Southwest and in Mexico. Yes, it’s the same plant that tequila is made from, but don’t worry; the nectar is by no means alcoholic!

“Cactus” Carrots

Ingredients

1 lb of baby carrots (washed)
3 tbs brown sugar (packed down)
3 tbs butter
3 tbs agave syrup
2 tbs lemon juice

1. Place the carrots in a saucepan, filling the pan with just enough water to cover the carrots. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Drain and set the carrots aside.
2. In the same saucepan, melt the butter over a low heat.
3. Add the sugar and agave, stirring until combined.
4. Lastly, toss in the carrots and spritz with the lemon juice. Coat the carrots well and enjoy!

Another easy recipe that you can whip together is this simple salad, or slaw. It’s perfect as a side or as a light appetizer.

Crunchy Carrot Slaw

Ingredients
2 cups shredded carrots
2 green apples, sliced into matchsticks
1 tbs lemon juice
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Dash of salt

Simply mix all the ingredients together in a bowl. For an added punch, crumble feta cheese on top.

It’s never easy when you have picky eaters in the house. It always helps to include them in the buying process and/or making the meals. You can also try growing your own carrots, whether it’s a small patch in the back yard or in a long deck box. Not only will the kids love seeing Nature at work, they’ll also enjoy eating something that they grew themselves.