Mud Kitchen: Part I

It is no secret that children love to play in the dirt. My boys are no exception. It is a chance to let imaginations and creativity run wild and to reconnect with the natural world. Take my word for it...sticking your hands in the dirt is good for the body and spirit!

I had the idea to create a "mud kitchen" in our yard for the boys for some time.  What exactly is a mud kitchen, you might ask? Well, it is just what it sounds like. A special space outside where children can pretend-cook/bake/make all sorts of messy concoctions...from mud pies to mud soup! Typically, various well-loved kitchen utensils, bowls, pots, and pans are available for use, and plants, flowers, sticks, leaves, etc. can be found as well to add to "recipes" or garnish "delicacies."

Yesterday, I finally got started creating a mud kitchen in our backyard. It's not finished yet, but a good beginning! 

First, I gathered various odds and ends from inside the house and garage. An old nightstand that was not being used had the potential to be a perfect stovetop and oven. An old kitchen chair placed on its front side on the ground perfectly supported a wood-slab countertop. A white crate slid underneath would store various mixing bowls and dishes.

Next, permanent marker heat coils and temperature dials added a touch of authenticity to the stovetop/oven. (No, my coils and dials are not perfectly-drawn, but that's not necessary! Imperfections give a mud kitchen added charm!)

A metal row of hooks (from the dollar store) nailed to the fence made the perfect place for hanging kitchen utensils.

I could have stopped at this point and considered the mud kitchen completed,...

...but since I do so love a splash of color, I went ahead and painted the countertop a vibrant yellow. No doubt, during play, it will transform into ooey-gooey explosion of brown! That's fine and completely welcomed.



(A dark photo due to the setting sun...)

There are still a few things to be added...a sink/wash basin, nails on the fence to hang pots and pans, and of course, MUD! A mud pit dug near the kitchen could work well or even just a container of dirt collected from the garden!

I will post Mud Kitchen: Part II when the kitchen is finished. I am eager to sample (or, not) the fantastic treats my children will whip up in this space! Oh, to be a kid again...

And So It Begins...

"The family is one of nature's masterpieces."
~George Santayana

The quote above rings so true to me. My husband, our three boys, and what we all are together, as a family, feels like a beautiful thing. A beautiful thing that did not just appear all at once, but through both intent and chance, formed over the course of time. 

Perhaps it is because I've always loved art that I view so many things in this world...in life...as masterpieces. Things to stop and take notice of...to appreciate...to enjoy...to savor. The perfect blackberry cobbler is not just a dessert to me, but rather a sweet and comforting reminder of my childhood and the berry vines intertwined around the field of wildflowers behind my house. A decorated mantle fills my heart with the unique joy connected to each passing season or special holiday. Our small garden is a slice of heaven...a patch of land bursting with a rainbow of lush, green plants and colorful fruits and vegetables waiting to delight our taste buds and fill our bellies.  The sound of my children's laughter while they run and dance in the warm rain of summertime is the sweetest music to my ears.


This blog is a place for me to share the different things in my life which I find beautiful, enjoyable, or worth appreciating...whether it be a home/garden/craft project, special recipe, enchanting place to visit, family activity, or even just a photograph. I hope it serves as an inspiration to try something new or to appreciate nature's masterpieces and the "ordinary" things in life a little bit more.