Not Quite the Papperly Chronicles Caboose

But almost. Moving to the end of many dates Pap and I have had with our peeps this past month.  I picked up Antebellie at 2:00 and we had a lovely afternoon and evening on one of the most beautiful fall days there could be.
I've learned some things from our big dates.   One, I do know them quite well, even though I usually see them as a herd, so I was very able to tailor their date to their personalities.  Two, with the older ones especially, I did find that with several hours with just two of us, I got a much closer look at them.  I just don't think there is any substitute for quality time.  It leaves me grateful for such times and of course somewhat melancholy that there isn't enough of me to go around for many of these personal dates.

On Antebellie's list was cooking on a fire, sewing, fishing and a science experiment.  But with siblings coming home with of tales of Pap's workshop, she was willing to put the science on hold.
Handy Man  had to work late every day, so we began with her fairy dolls.  Since sewing was on her list, we sewed their colorful gowns instead of using petals.
I happened upon some new fabric markers for her to create her own pattern.  She had chosen two wood peg dolls, and she had already chosen other fabric for their gowns.  I asked did she want a third peg doll?  This little dearie is a processor.  You can see her mind working.  I suspected she was working out a situation where she would have three dolls and her sister only two.  After a bit, she said she thought she'd like this gown to be an extra for the two dolls she had.


I wanted her have some woodburner experience before trying her dolls faces, so she practiced a bit.

 May I introduce Arabella and Molly.  So. Stinkin'. Cute.

 We talked alot about her excellent talent in art.  She said she preferred sketching to painting.  She wanted to paint, but just didn't feel she was too good at it.  I asked her how much time did she spend drawing, versus painting.  That cleared up the matter pretty quickly.  I asked if she'd ever used watercolor pencils-she hadn't.  I think they give you the best of  both worlds.  I got mine and we packed up and moved outside for our next date experience.
While I got things ready, she drew.


Then she used water to soften some of the color. What, a tree that isn't a lollipop?  No big yellow sun with rays in the corner? Ground that isn't level and a sky that touches the earth, with no direction from me?  Be still my heart.

She shared with me that she was finding some frustration in her art not looking exactly like she wanted it to.  Ahhh, familiar territory for me.  I shared with her that her ability to see was growing up faster than her ability to sketch, but not to give up, she'd get there if she kept practicing.

She's reading Little House in the Big Woods, so we talked a lot about Laura and the value of fires in that day and time.  When she realized she was actually going to give fire starting a whirl, she exclaimed, "My mom is going to kill you."

Chicken tacos, okay, so I bought taco shells.
"Umm," said the girl, "Do you have any soft tacos?
" Would you prefer tortilla shells?"
 "Well, it doesn't really matter, but I have these teeth falling out all over the place and they are easier to chew."



Time for a break and some fire cooked supper and a sigh, "You are just spoiling me rotten."
We had supper ready for Pap and then they were off. Pap was amazed at her independence.  Anyone who baits their own hook is a keeper in his book.

I'll not entertain you with more pictures of the same sawing you've seen over the last several posts, but they were again put to good use, as she fashioned her butterfly fairy house. Land's, she looks fourteen in this picture.

Didn't I just take this picture yesterday of my own little garden fairies?