Michaelmas Festival Week!

Happy Michaelmas!  Our week has been so much fun!  There was the chalkboard drawing that the kids woke up to on Monday.  They love it.  I'm beginning to enjoy chalk drawing.  This was the first time I tried wetting the chalk to get more vibrant colors.  I like the result though it really eats up the chalk so I'll be burning through our chalk set fairly quickly. 

 

If you thought my banner picture of the beautiful Fall leaves was from around here you would be mistaken.  I took that picture last year in NY.  This is what it looks like right now here in the Southwest.  Beautiful blue skies, warm sunny days and green, green, green.  The nights are cool though and we can smell Autumn coming.  Though our Autumn is not quite as colorful as back east it's still a lovely time of year.   My Mom recently sent me a text from NY saying, "mmm, can you smell the Concord grapes?"  Ooh, so mean!  Concord grapes ripening has to be my favorite Fall smell ever!  Roasting chilles is one amazing Fall aroma here in the Southwest.  Can you smell the chile Mom?!  (All in good fun of course.)

Anyway, I digress.

A dear friend of mine sent us this soy candle and some beeswax wax for decorating it.   Thank you so much my friend!  I'll have to work on my dragon sculpting skills.  I've seen some really beautiful Michaelmas candles online. Mine is quite grotesque. 

The candle has been one of our most favorite things about this week.  We light it every evening at dinner time and Michael all on his own exclaimed, "the flame is St. Michael's sword and he's defeating the dragon!"  I was so surprised to hear him say this as I had just read in All Year Round, "The flame becomes Michael's fiery sword subduing the dragon day by day until he is banished completely." 

 

I had wanted to have this dragon finished at the beginning of the week but to no avail.  I always underestimate how much time it takes to make these things.  I found this pattern at Rhythm of the Home.  I made him using an up-cycled wool sweater from my stash.

 
This week we began reading The Festival of Stones by Reg Down.  The book begins with stories of Michaelmas and so everyday we've read the next short chapter of the continuing story. Then we do a project to correspond to our usual activity days.  Baking day brought these pumpkin chocolate chip bars.   Very yummy and a big hit!    

The only colored leaves we've found so far are some yellow and yellow/green leaves.  So we made really easy crowns using orange & yellow felt and glue.  I sewed the ends together to fit their heads. The boys had fun placing their leaves and helping glue.

I also told a story called the Strong Boy, by Christine Natale about a boy who learns from Saint Michael how to use his strength for good.  My favorite line of the story is “When strength and freedom are joined with love and healing, all evil can be overcome and great things can happen!” It is a beautiful and meaningful story.  One that resonates with Michael as a big brother I think, in using his strength wisely with his little brother. 

We made cardboard swords.  They were super fun to make but only lasted a little while.  Michael said his is called the "Truth of God"!  I am seriously amazed at his ability to completely grasp the spirit of Michaelmas with just a couple of stories & crafts.

 

My chivalrous knights were slaying Autumn dragons all throughout the house and yard.  I know the "Truth of God" is more eternal then the swords turned out to be!

There was no hitting with them but just swinging them through the air left them floppy fairly quickly.  We'll have to figure out some simple wooden ones for next year.  Michael is already asking for a special wooden sword of his own.  Hmmm, maybe a seventh year Birthday gift?  Though that seems a little dangerous with a two year old in the house! 

 

After the swords went floppy they had the best time with the skinny little box we cut them from.  Silly boys!

Today we made our dragon bread using the Harvest Loaf story and recipe in All Year Round.  Michael really loved the story. 

He grew to be quite a fat dragon and was gobbled by all.  Tomorrow evening we're having a Michaelmas bonfire with Papa. We'll be roasting our dinner & desert over the fire. It promises to be a fun night!

Until next time...