color palettes: april in delaware

There's nothing like a long walk to clear the mind and boost creativity. Couldn't resist making some color palettes from pictures I snapped on my stroll along the Delaware Greenway in Wilmington this weekend. I'm thinking this could be a regular thing...

 

 

Happy Spring!

a pleasant hike along the delaware river

We opted to skip the Black Friday sales last weekend. The cousins were in town and the weather was warm, so we decided to do a mini-hike in Old New Castle, DE along the Delaware River instead. To get to the start of the hike, you enter the town via rt 273/Delaware Street and take it past Jessop's Tavern and all the way to the end where there is a small parking lot and dock. Old New Castle itself is a historic 17th century town that is quaint to go exploring in, but today we chose to walk along the water through Battery Park and the paved trail that makes a short, doable 3 mile round trip.

click to enlarge map

The kids whined a little at the idea of a hike, but this is a great one for kids. Being close to the mouth of the river and the bay, the shore is sandy and covered with beachy stuff. There is a lot of driftwood to pick through, some shells, and a good amount of sea glass to find.

It's a picturesque walk despite the power plants visible across the way. 

Battery Park has some osage orange trees that have dropped their fruit. Although not an uncommon tree, we'd never noticed one or seen its distinctive fruit before. Not related to citrus trees at all, the osage orange is named so because of the pleasant citrusy smell of its fruit. They aren't edible are said to repel ants and look good in a bowl with gourds.

Once under way, we realized there must be some geocaches set up on the route. Sure enough, a check of the smartphone there were 3 to find which kept the kids going, even running, during the hike.

What kids doesn't like a treasure hunt?

Near the start of the hike was this old ticket booth from a now defunct railway line. We'll come back another time to tour the whole town and visit the Read House and the other historical sites. There is a garden tour in the summer that I haven't been to in years...

geocaching along the northern delaware greenway

It was looking like Easter weekend was going to be a bust weather-wise. Then the sun came out Saturday afternoon just as my brother was arriving with his brood for the weekend. Perfect weather for a hike along the Northern Delaware Greenway which cuts through our neighborhood.

But how to get the kids on board? Our children are at the age where they want to be on the computer all the time, even on a nice day. It's a challenge to get them interested in something else without whining. My brother's solution: Geocaching. I'd never heard of this before, but it's been going on for years. Using a device with a GPS such as an iPhone, you hunt for hidden "treasure" by setting off on foot and tracking a route to the treasure with the device. Using the iPhone app, we determined there were 3 within easy walking distance in Rockwood Park. There are over 1 million of these treasures all over the world, hidden well enough so to not be found by accident by someone not in on the game, but not so well that kids can't find them with a little help.

The "treasures" are small low-value items like key chains, silly bands, and the like.

 

If you take out an item, you're supposed leave something of similar value behind and sign the log book.

The first cache we found had been placed in its hiding spot in 2004 and had a long list of visitors. The GPS said it was 8 feet away when we were right on top of it. So it's not accurate down to the last foot, but accurate enough.

The Mayapples were up. I love these little umbrellas underneath the trees.

The cold storage house at Rockwwod.

Doing a circuit around the manor house at Rockwwod. Get them outside on an adventure and they can run for miles. Hike for hiking's sake- not so much.

The final cache was a small bottle with tiny rolled up log inside. The kids were thrilled with the whole adventure.

 

Such a pretty time of year here in northern Delaware!

delaware etsy finds

I can count on one hand the number of people I've mentioned Etsy to in Delaware who actually know what it is. Happily, I manage to get them interested and some have even gotten accounts and started exploring all the unique wares.

I recently joined The Delaware Etsy Street Team created to pool resources to promote Delaware-based Etsy sellers. I already know a few DE sellers, but it was great fun to find even more through the "shop local" tool that Etsy has. I made this treasury today featuring only Delaware Etsians. Great finds, no?

autumn morning in the brandywine valley

Went for an early drive this morning to take in the beauty of the Brandywine at its peaceful best.

frosted field

barn in the mist

my favorite abandoned farm house

hay bales

the "belties" of Centreville

We are very fortunate to have so much open space and preserved land so close to the city of Wilmington. Have a great weekend!

ramsey's farm

It's not October without a visit to the local pumpkin patch. At least when you have kids it's not. I'm not sure I would think to go to a pumpkin farm if I didn't have kids. But that's the great thing about having kids- they make you get out there and rediscover the world.

Beloved Ramsey's Farm, in North Wilmington, is in full swing this time of year. They are open to the public from September 25 through October 31st for pumpkin picking, educational programs, school field trips, fun stuff like hay rides and corn mazes, and birthday parties.

 

 

Today we were there for a little friend's birthday.

The kids really got into the pumpkin painting craft.

A nice change of pace from Chuck E. Cheese.

And the corn maze was fun too.

Happy Fall!

camping at trap pond

This past weekend we remembered the life of my grandfather, who died earlier this month at the ripe old age of 95, with a camping trip with the kids.

My grandfather was born into poverty in a farming community in Idaho and had a rough childhood before marrying, becoming a farmer and father to seven kids. He wasn't the warmest man on the exterior, and life on the farm was all about work, but once a year he would load up the family in the truck for camping in the Rockies. My mother and her siblings have fond memories of these trips where Grandpa was his happiest. The camping continued on after grandchildren came along and my family would spend summers out West visiting cousins and camping in large fun groups.

The kids have been begging to go camping since we got a larger tent for Daddy for Fathers Day. We got one that claims to sleep six, knowing it would actually sleep four. Never trust the capacity claims at the sporting goods store unless you want to be sardines and have no room for your gear.

We discovered while planning this trip that you have to go to the state park websites to reserve a campsite early. Our original plan was to go to Rickett's Glen State Park in Pennsylvania because of its awesome waterfalls and woodsy campground surrounding a lake, but it was booked up. Then we decided to scale back the plans, stay closer to home, and make it for just one night. Trap Pond State Park in southern Delaware fit the bill. It's not a large park, like the ones in the Rockies, but the campground was nicely wooded and we were able to get a secluded walk-in site in loop E.

Trap Pond's claim to fame is it's stand of baldcypress trees, the largest this far north. At the far end of the pond, where it becomes swampy, the trees grow straight out of the water from their swollen bases. They have canoes and rowboats you can rent as well as a pontoon boat tour so you can see them up close. You think to yourself, is this really Delaware? It feels prehistoric.

 

The kids managed to find some wildlife within the first 15 minutes. We think it was a smooth green snake.

Never saw these weird hairy-capped acorns before. They belong to the bur oaks on the edge of the forest.

One of the things I remember most about the Rockies trips, besides the stunning scenery, was how everything revolved around the meals. The aunties were always scurrying around organizing, preparing, and cleaning up afterward. It's a wonder we got any hiking done. In similar fashion, I found myself spending the whole day before making a list and grocery shopping at 3 different stores to prep for the trip. In my old age, I don't have the patience for mediocre food anymore, and I was hoping to rustle up something gourmet for dinner. I came up with a fish and vegetable concoction that cooks in tinfoil packets that I had a vague recollection reading about in a magazine somewhere. Although my grandfather would scoff that I'm using supermarket fish, not fresh-caught on the trip, here's my recipe:

Campfire Fish and Vegetables
(serves two) 
1 carrot julienned
3 scallions coarsely chopped, mostly white parts
mushrooms- 2 handfulls, sliced
snowpeas- 2 dozen or so
2 frozen mahi mahi fish filets or other firm fish, frozen 
salt & pepper to taste
1 lemon, sliced 
fresh herbs- thyme, parsley, chives, whatever you like 
1/2 cup white wine, divided


Roll out 2 pieces of tin foil, twice as long as wide. Assemble the vegetable in the middle of the foil, lay frozen fish on top. Season with salt & pepper. Top with lemon slices and herbs. Drench in white wine & seal packets well. Fold the seams over several times and store inside a plastic grocery bag (in case of leaks) on ice in a cooler.

I put these together in the AM before we left the house. By dinner time, the fish was thawed and ready to for the fire. We got the fire going to a point where the flames were below the grate and hot coals were in the bottom. They needed very little cooking time- about 5 minutes. Careful opening them due to the hot steam that will escape.

Bring along some crusty bakery bread to sop up the juices!

By the next day all our ice was melted, causing me to wonder how we could manage a two-night or more trip. I guess we could buy ice somewhere... what a pain. I see why serious campers eventually buy an RV. Two couples in the campground had these darling little T@B campers.

It turns out they are (or were) made by Airstream, which explains why I was attracted to them. They are very compact, but well-made and appeallingly designed. They have a small kitchen and u-shaped banquette around a table which folds into a 2-person bed at night. It sure would be convenient to have running water, refrigeration, and a place to have all your gear ready to go on a moments notice, but for now we'll rough it as car campers.

We got rained on before we got very far on the hike that goes around the lake. We were hoping to see the more of the baldcypresses. Oh well! That gives us a reason to come back for another quickie camping trip.

brandywine festival of the arts 2010

It was threatening rain all day today, but luckily the new Brandywine Festival of the Arts wasn't rained out. After all the controversy last year over its sudden cancellation, I was eager to get over there and see the new and hopefully improved fair which is now under new management.

Wooly Baby

Yay! Evidence of the indie craft movement infiltrating the fair was found! Delaware has been largely out of the loop of the modern craft being embraced in other cities of the Northeast, but I think we are ready for it now.  Josie Marsh's Wooly Baby booties and slippers, upcycled from leather jackets and wool sweaters, were drawing a crowd. Josie will also be exhibiting at Crafty Bastards Arts & Crafts Fair, the ultimate indie craft show, in Washington, DC on October 2.

Felt It

Next door at Felt It, business was brisk as well.

Felt It

Anne Messley uses Eco-Felt made from recycled water bottles and hand appliqués her whimsical designs onto onesies, tees, tooth fairy pillows, and wall hangings (the cool kind- stretched on embroidery hoops).

Jaime Zollars

Jaime Zollars brought her fanciful screen printed illustrations up from übercrafty Baltimore for the weekend.

Jaime Zollars

Her quirky images of vintage circuses and dark fairy tales are available as archival prints, postcards, t-shirts, and buttons. Jaime will be showing at the Crafty Bastards Arts & Crafts Fair as well.

Yummy & Company

Jennifer Wilfong of Yummy & Company, also from Baltimore, displayed a mix of recycled copper and hand formed low-fire clay jewelry.

Yummy & Company

The intricate patterns are achieved by etching through one layer to another. The effect is graphic, yet delicate at the same time.

Delanco Hats

Haberdashery is back for men of all ages. Jon Compton of Delanco Hats displayed his hats, upcycled from men's suitings, with vintage flair.

Delanco Hats

 Actually, no reason a woman couldn't wear one of these, especially the "newsie" style

Chris Murray

I just recently started bringing my kids with me on my craft show expeditions, and they really seem to get into it. My daughter marches right up to the artisans and asks them questions about how their pieces are made. We spent some time talking to Chris Murray about his carved wood bird sculptures and the many hours that go into some of the bigger pieces. These feather pins look like real feathers at a glance, but are actually expertly carved and painted wood.

My boy of course loved the blacksmith demo and was content to stay there indefinitely. From there, he was whisked off to the zoo, which was free to all today.

Although overcast, it was a pleasant day under the familiar canopy of trees in Brandywine Park.