Monkeys in the Garden

On and overcast afternoon, Penny and Lulu dressed as sock monkeys and went on a playdate to their friend's house. I've been noticing that these past weeks, even though it continues to rain almost constantly, the girls have a renewed interest in the outdoors. Penny loves to move logs around, pick up sticks and rocks, pick flowers (off the ground, we tell her) and "build" new things. Lulu loves to roll in the mud. Seriously! Just get in there and lay on her belly and dig with cupped hands, like she's burrowing underground. On this day, they built a "fairy house" in their buddy's back yard, and had a good cheer for themselves once it was complete.

This is what a fairy house looks like, in case you didn't know:

I made their sweaters. All the details are here. Lulu's pants are also handmade, from Moda's Sock Monkey fabric. They are Quick Change Trousers from this book. I've made them so many times before, and they are always so great, and the reversible element is perfect for the mud.

Speaking of fairies and all things mystical, here's a story: At preschool they have "Circle Time", where they sing, report the weather, assign jobs, etc. These days, the teachers have been asking some questions, and taking answers from various kids. Yesterday, the question was, "How does water get into the clouds?" and this was Penny's answer:

"People collect waterfalls, and then they fly up to the sky. They lay down and die and the water spills out of the clouds. It rains and rains, and then there's a beautiful rainbow".

Isn't that spectacular? We haven't really addressed the issue of death yet, so I'm intrigued that it came up. I love how she's considered gravity in it. I love how vivid and visual it is. I wish I could pause life, and create an animation of it.