The Rhythm of Family

     This is a beautiful book, written by Amanda Blake Soule and her husband, Stephen. I have her first two books also- "The Creative Family" and "Handmade Home". Full of essays, projects, observations, child-rearing advice, and glorious pictures of their home in Maine throughout the seasons, it's a great book for parents, crafters, nature lovers and artists alike.
     Each chapter covers a month, with an essay by each author, a project for kids, maybe an observation exercise, or a recipe to follow. Amanda has a blog that I've been reading for (has it been that long?) 3-4 years now that she fills with beautiful pictures of all her yummy food recipes, knitting projects and her tomato harvests. Her books have been a natural progression from all the work she does on her blog, and is a more in-depth look at her family's yearly habits, routines, and rituals, without being preachy or weird who-does-this-woman-think-she-is-look-at-my-perfect-family-ness.
     "The Rythm of Family" does such a good job of highlighting some issues that keep cropping up in modern life, without being overbearing or weirdly intense about them. How do we disconnect from the media, without ignoring it? How can we get outside more, and still make it fun to be there? What should be in applesauce? How long does it take to dye fabric? How do I make a rubber stamp?
     What? I did say she had craft projects in there, to . . .