Autumnal Equinox

Tonight we had our family equinox celebration. The girls and I have been preparing for this all week. Along with our other daily activities we've been reading stories from Grandforest Tree and Circle Round, collecting fall things (leaves etc.), observing the change of seasons.

It all culminated this evening. Nightowl was busy all afternoon preparing for our celebration. To begin she created her first wool felt board:


She really loved manipulating the wool and had a lot of fun with the medium. For those who can't interpret the wool this picture shows: a changing tree, a pile of leaves and a rake, a lonely hawk, chilly autumn sun and rain clouds, and a little girl who's found the last violet of summer.

Then she disappeared downstairs to prepare for our party. It was a very secret operation and we adults were not allowed into the playroom. Our only hint of her activities was the come to the party sign, Chillymama helped with the printing:


She finished up right before dinner - our seasonal repast of baked pumkin and potatoes topped off with pomegranate fruit. After dinner we took an evening walk and looked for the autumn changes. Once we returned home the party began. Nightowl had set up a family game night complete with her newly created Equinox Matching Game:


We played this and other games and were invited to snacks and hugs. The evening ended with the spectacular lighting of the Autum Equinox Lantern. Nightowl and I finished the lantern Friday afternoon and we were so excited to see it at night. Upon lighting it for the first time she exclaimed: I had no idea it would be so beautiful.


I couldn't agree more.