Moonrise Kingdom’s trailer is such a ridiculous visual feast of a style that I simply adore. And so much of it makes me long for summer garden days. I am watching it over and over because it sparks ideas literally every single second. I wish I had a full set of stills to study.
Oh and that music — sounds so much like the Chicha music that I fell in love with when we made the first Leaf Magazine video. Do you remember it?
As I uncovered the grass of fallen pine needles and leaves this weekend, I am already longing for summer to come back. If I had a child with a summer birthday, I think a large scale Twister competition and other yard games party might be the perfect way to entertain a crowd. And a quick swipe of the mower returns the lawn to a more genteel feeling once everyone has gone home.
image from Sara’s Perfect Party
Now that Prince William is married and has a receding hairline, the crush that I once had on him doesn’t seem quite so Mrs. Robinson-ish. I do however still love that he has become the patron of the fitness field. (how charming, right!)
Watching this video made me think about those fields in England as opposed to those here in the US. Outside of the very core of major cites, they are quite different. In the UK most fields are part of parks and well integrated and attractive public facilities that are used by lots of people. Here in the US we get some of that in places like NYC’s Central park or other large urban parks, but step into the suburbs or further into the rural landscape and they frequently become these things that are plopped down where ever their might be space. They are never given priority for walk-ability or easy access to those that would most use them. They are never pretty and these days they rarely have much more than a big flat field for field sports only. I am thinking of the fields that I grew up playing soccer on as a kid. It was called Banbury and it was former turf farm. At the time, and for more than 30 years now it remains a huge expanse of fields stacked on top of each other, not a tree in sight, and with a big muddy rutted out parking area. Oh, the sunburns I got. No one is there unless it is Saturday soccer morning and I think what a waste.
I wish that we could recognize the value of these community resources and make sure that they are built in places and in a way that is actually supportive to the community. It’s just too rare to have a fully utilized public park in this country. I’m not even sure how to change such a thing except for on a completely local grass roots level. What do you know? How could we, as a community, elevate the public park and encourage them to be better designed, better placed, better funded resources?
I fear I may have waited too long to build the sandbox for my kids. What age do you think that sand boxes become unexciting? I think around 6 or 7 but I am hoping that maybe I can stretch it a bit later?
I just fired off a message to a local tractor supplier to see if I can source some used tractor tires to make into a combo sand pit and retaining wall (I am thinking to back them into a hillside). If you google in your neighborhood for tractor tires I am sure you will be able to come up with some for yourself.
I am not a fan of big black blobs in my garden, but with some paint, I imagine I can create something that has a lot more character and charm. I have just read some tips that say water based paint is better than oil based paint for the tires. Does anyone have experience with this?
This Bamboo pole tent is quite simple construction. You can see how Donna and Sherry made this one at their fantastic Play Based Learning website. They cover it with sheets, bamboo screening, even animal hides; it’s all up to the kids and you, the builder.
images from Play based learning, pinterest and BonBonMom.
Also see Build and In-Tire Playground for more ideas.
Good Morning! Have you seen this beautiful video?
I am curious — is this as inspiring to you as it is to me?
