Great Giveaway with German Dolls!

Be sure to pop right on over the NaturalKids Blog for a chance to win a German Dolls' sweet lil' Pocketdress & Pocketdoll. Go now! Go like the wind or the giveaway will end!

GiveAway with the NaturalKids Team

Pop on over to the NaturalKids Team Blog to enter a giveaway we (BirchLeaf Designs) are sponsoring. you have many chances to win a cute little newborn tie-dyed onepeace, hat, and sweet mama tea!

Sweet Giveaway with The Sitting Tree

NaturalKids Team member, The Sitting Tree, is offering a sweet giveaway here: http://thesittingtree.blogspot.com/2010/10/handmade-for-holidays-giveaway.html

Please enter and give her blog some love!

Volcano Building Basics

Science is so much fun! If it were up to Milo and Kiah, they would do science all day, every day!
Here are the directions to build a simple, yet effective volcano...

First, you will need a tub to put everything in and a pint-sized mason jar (or any jar for that matter) to hold the "volcanic" ingredients.

Next, follow Milo's instructions: Please note that we only had apple cider vinegar on hand...it is recommended to use white or distilled vinegar. Also, any dish soap will work, in this instance, we used Dr. Bronner's Sal Suds.

Once the "volcano" has been built and packed around the jar, Milo also says you can "add some prettiness if you want, like stones and little trees".

 Finally, gather around with friends, follow the steps above, and Wah Lah!

 We found that the "explosion" happens rather quickly, so if you add a bit more vinegar at the end, you will get a second explosion!!



Milo does a jig!

Milo created a new product for the booth!

Handmade T-N-T! It's dyn-o-mite!

He was using the waste ends from our streamers but they ended up being such a huge hit, we had to buy him wood to make more! He sells more dynamite than we sell streamers...

To help Milo be more independent with his creations, His Papa, Mojo, made him a "jig".

Now he can make his little packs of T-N-T all by himself!

Wah La!!!

Huge Sale in July with NaturalKids!

Member shops from Etsy's NaturalKids Team are having a sale in July! It's like Christmas in July! 

Looking for a gift for someone special? Come right on in and browse through great deals! Sales and Promtions you will want to check out!

Our shop is offering...from July 15-25, buy any 2 items, get 10% your entire order (shipping excluded).

May the Sun Shine down like Honey where you Stand...

Holy big ball of fire! Check out this sweet giveaway from Imagination Kids! Enter by 9pm tonight for a chance to win this super cool sun stacker! Be sure to swing by their shop for more cool stuff!

Butterflies on the Rise!

Kelly, from MuddyFeet is flitting about, trying to bring back the beautiful butterflies! According to NWF, butterfly numbers have been low...so what can we do about it? Visit Kelly over at her blog to learn about the butterfly challenge she has to offer and to enter a giveaway of some of the beautiful things in the photo above!

Butterflies on the Rise!

Progressive Pioneer Blog Double Giveaway!!!

Progressive Pioneer is having a double giveaway! One from Annie, of Bird and Little Bird, with her sweet little Semi-Fantastic Mr. Fox Kit and one from Jen, of SewnNatural, with a set of her lovely felted acorns. Please do go over and enter!

Giveaway with Living Crafts Magazine and the NaturalKids Team!

Living Crafts Magazine is offering an awesome giveaway! Have a chance to win your choice of either a one year subscription to Living Crafts or 4 back issues (in case you are already a subscriber but may have missed out on some of the previous issues).

Each issue focuses on a season of the year, bringing ideas and the how-to for projects that are in harmony with nature to create a seasonal rhythm at home. Editorial content includes projects making toys, apparel, home items, gifts, and seasonal crafts.


To find out more information and to enter, pop on over to the NaturalKids Team blog. The drawing will be on Sunday evening at 7:00 pm EST.

Thanks from all the members of the Natural Kids Team!

p.s.
If you don't win, Pardis, the Editor of Living Crafts, is offering the current summer issue for free to all new subscribers by entering the following code at checkout ~ when you subscribe you will receive five issues all together instead of the usual four that come with a one year subscription ~ Sum10NE

It is All the Same Disease of Consumption

Eagle Rock could just as easily be the place, it is all the same disease of consumption.


A Christian could find the answer in Chronicles 7:14

Same problem: and the same solution, but the solution seems so far out of our reach.

Subject: A letter from Chief Arvol Looking horse - A great Urgency


To All World Religious and Spiritual Leaders

My Relatives,

Time has come to speak to the hearts of our Nations and their Leaders. I ask you this from the bottom of my heart, to come together from the Spirit of your Nations in prayer.

We, from the heart of Turtle Island, have a great message for the World; we are guided to speak from all the White Animals showing their sacred color, which have been signs for us to pray for the sacred life of all things.

As I am sending this message to you, many Animal Nations are being threatened, those that swim, those that crawl, those that fly, and the plant Nations, eventually all will be affect from the oil disaster in the Gulf.

The dangers we are faced with at this time are not of spirit. The catastrophe that has happened with the oil spill which looks like the bleeding of Grandmother Earth, is made by human mistakes, mistakes that we cannot afford to continue to make.

I asked, as Spiritual Leaders, that we join together, united in prayer with the whole of our Global Communities. My concern is these serious issues will continue to worsen, as a domino effect that our Ancestors have warned us of in their Prophecies.

I know in my heart there are millions of people that feel our united prayers for the sake of our Grandmother Earth are long overdue. I believe we as Spiritual people must gather ourselves and focus our thoughts and
prayers to allow the healing of the many wounds that have been inflicted on the Earth.

As we honor the Cycle of Life, let us call for Prayer circles globally to assist in healing Grandmother Earth (our Unc'I Maka). We ask for prayers that the oil spill, this bleeding, will stop. That the winds stay calm to assist in the work. Pray for the people to be guided in repairing this mistake, and that we may also seek to live in harmony, as we make the choice to change the destructive path we are on.

As we pray, we will fully understand that we are all connected. And that what we create can have lasting effects on all life. So let us unite spiritually, All Nations, All Faiths, One Prayer. Along with this immediate effort, I also ask to please remember June 21st, World Peace and Prayer Day/Honoring Sacred Sites day. Whether it is a natural site, a temple, a church, a synagogue or just your own sacred space, let us make
a prayer for all life, for good decision making by our Nations, for our children's future and well-being, and the generations to come.

Onipikte (that we shall live),

Chief Arvol Looking Horse
19th generation Keeper of the Sacred White Buffalo Calf Pipe

Northwood Alliance, Inc
6063 Baker Lake Road
Conover, WI 54519
phone: 715-479-8528
fax: 715-479-8528
http://www.northwoodalliance.org/
nwa@nnex.net
 
More articles re: Eagle Rock
http://keweenawnow.blogspot.com/2010/05/hot-day-at-eagle-rock-before-arrests-of.html
http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.indiancountrytoday.com%2Fhome%2Fcontent%2F95060709.html&h=b36e0
 

American flag is hung upside-down on top of Eagle Rock as a sign of distress. Photo by Keweenaw Now.

Got Eagle Rock?

For Immediate Release: May 23, 2010

Contact:

Cynthia Pryor - (906) 360-2414 - cpryor@isp.com

Yellow Dog Watershed Preserve - (906) 345-9223 - ydwp@yellowdogwatershed.org 

Drew Nelson – (616) 706-2539 - drew@drewnelson.net

Link to Drew Nelson's song: http://www.yellowdogwatershed.org/blog/2010/05/21/activist-songwriter-release-song/

Hard copies of the song are also available by contacting the YDWP office.

Drew Nelson releases ‘Eagle Rock - Song of the People” in support of those protecting their sacred site from harm

Drew Nelson, singer songwriter, has written a song that calls to all of us who wish to protect our lands from any action that would injure it. Drew who is from Michigan, understands our water rich place and has embraced this cause against a metallic sulfide mine on the Yellow Dog Plains - located in the beautiful remote Upper Peninsula of Michigan on the shores of Lake Superior.

Currently, Rio Tinto second largest mining conglomerate in the world proposes a copper/nickel mine under the Salmon Trout River on the Yellow Dog Plains. The proposed mine, disrespectfully called “Eagle” is on state and public land that our government has put in the hands of this multi-national corporation for their private gain. On this state land there is a rock - a three acre outcrop that is the only high spot on the Yellow Dog Plains. This rock is Migi zii wa sin or Eagle Rock that is a sacred site to the Anishinaabe of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community. Eagle Rock was scheduled and approved by the state of Michigan to be the portal to this mine.

The event that precipitated the arrest of Cynthia Pryor and the occupation of Eagle Rock by three courageous women - Charlotte Loonsfoot, Chalsey Smith and Georgeana Earring was the beginning of the fencing in of Eagle Rock by Rio Tinto. These are all women of the water who did what they had to do to help stop this mine.

Drew wrote this song in honor of the bravery of those who now occupy Migi zii wa sin and who are not leaving. Drew presents this song with these words:

I have written a new song called 'Eagle Rock (song for the people)" and it will be made available for FREE to everyone. All I ask is you visit these sites, educate your self about what is going on and PLEASE make a donation to those brave heroes who are holding off one of the largest and most egregious violators of indigenous peoples and our mother the earth.

THIS IS NOT A LOCAL PROBLEM IT IS A GLOBAL PROBLEM.

Drew signs his name lower case and as ‘human being’. This is not about any one person but together represents all the brave spirits and human beings that care. We thank all who wish to help and as you listen to this song - think about those people on the ground, in harm’s way, who have taken their stand - there at Eagle Rock.

For more information about Eagle Rock and how you can help, go to these sites: http://www.standfortheland.com/; http://www.yellowdogwatershed.org/; and http://www.savethewildup.org/.

Please also visit Drew Nelson's website at http://www.drewnelson.net/.

Our Great Lakes are so precious! According to the EPA website http://www.epa.gov/glnpo/basicinfo.html: The Great Lakes are the largest surface freshwater system on the Earth. They contain about 84 percent of North America's surface fresh water and about 21 percent of the world's supply. Only the polar ice caps contain more fresh water.

In addition: Lake Superior is the largest freshwater lake in the world by surface area and is the world's third-largest freshwater lake by volume.

Holy wah that's a lot of fresh water...we need to work together to protect it!

Soulemama Giveaway with the NaturalKids Team!

Soulemama is hostessing a giveaway with some members from the NaturalKids Team. Click on over to enter to win one of our playsilks, along with other goodies from our natty friends!

http://www.soulemama.com/soulemama/2010/04/soulemama-sponsor-natural-kids-.html#comment-6a00d8341c4ea853ef0134801a87bd970c

Deep Fried Peeps

So, what do you do with those nasty left over peeps no one wants to eat after Easter anyway?

Well, if you happen to know a potter (which we do.), and if he happens to be firing his wood-fired kiln (which he was)...we highly suggest bringing the peeps!

Thanks to Ryan Dalman and his family with Dalman Pottery...They taste much better kiln fried!

Below are some of Ryan's lovely pots. For further inquiries, he may be reached at dalmanpottery@gmail.com

Sugar Loop 2010 - From Sap to Syrup

From Sap to Syrup...

Mojo and Rad boilin' down sap. This is an all day process of feeding the fire and adding sap. It takes a little over 40 gallons of sap to equal one gallon of syrup.

We bought a new stainless steel pan this year...it's so lovely!
Thanks to Paul at
stainlesssteelcreations
for such a nicely made pan.

Sap at a rapid boil.

Kiah and Ona call it a day and make the trek home. 

We transport the remaining sap to our outdoor kitchen. Here we boil it down on the stove. We take it to 119 degrees, then strain it from the faucet into jars.

The jar on the left is from the "first run" batch. The jar on the right is from the 2nd run.

This painting from our dear friend, Jen, sums it all up...Maple sap is such a blessing! Making your own maple syrup sure makes you feel "connected" because you know right where it's coming from!

Sugar Loop 2010 - From Maple Tree to Sap

From the Maple Tree to Sap...

Maple Trees are a blessing!  

We tapped 70 trees this year beginning March 3rd and untapping April 5th.

Following are photos from our Sugar Loop Day 1 thru Day 4...Tappin' Trees:

Make a hole in the tree at an upwards angle (about 10 degrees) with no more than a 2" depth. 

Hole waiting for a tap...the sap is already drip, drip, dripping.

 Kiah digs in her bucket for a tap.

Milo hammers the tap into the hole.

Diggin' out the arches.

Collecting firewood for the upcoming fire.

Don't forget to taste the sweet sap right from the source!
Look for our next post "From Sap to Syrup" in the next few days.