The talented and enthusiastic children of our Immaculate Heart of Mary Homeschooling group honored our dear Saint Francis in a memorable way. Remember those charming but bare houses, clustered round St. Francis like a tiny European village by the side of a mountain? Well here they are awash in the vibrant colors of childhood:
I hope I won't sound like too much of a name dropper, but there happens to be a lovely young lady from the Bonny Blue House on the right in this next photo and the sweet niece of the Castle of the Immaculate on the left:
The children were only too happy to let me snap photos highlighting their craftsmanship. Each Franciscan birdhouse featured a darling bird perched in front:
and our dear St. Francis in the back. I explained to the children that this adornment turned the birdhouses into roadside shrines, reminiscent of the ones gracing so many roads in Europe:
Here are a few samples:
A pair of best friends made these twin birdhouses:
But those weren't the cutest twins at the party, not by a long shot. These two darlings were:
And their mother, my pal Mary Ellen, looks slim and fabulous already! Having seven children certainly agrees with her.
As if this weren't enough, in keeping with our St. Francis and the animals theme, the wonderful MacBeth Derham arrived toting a large bag of fat acorns to entertain and edify the children with her amazing Squirrel Project:
I know St. Francis would be pleased!
The houses are beautiful, and so are the twins!
Posted by: Cheryl | October 05, 2006 at 09:12 PM
Alice --
this isn't fair, you have all the homeschool icons near you. Mary M, Momwise and I will have to get together and have a Colorado version of one of your get-togethers!
Posted by: Mary G | October 05, 2006 at 09:17 PM
BTW, the birdhouses are beautiful and it looks like it was a memorable day for y'all!
Posted by: Mary G | October 05, 2006 at 09:17 PM
>Mary M, Momwise and I will have to get >together and have a Colorado version of >one of your get-togethers!
Now that is a gathering I wouldn't want to miss!
Posted by: Alice | October 05, 2006 at 11:11 PM
That's it. I'm moving to...where are you? You certainly aren't in Texas!
Jennifer
Posted by: Jennifer | October 06, 2006 at 12:07 AM
Lovely, lovely project!
And how great to be amongst such wonderful friends!
I wish I were there, too!
Posted by: Maria | October 06, 2006 at 12:36 AM
I should have consulted you before our Little Flowers' group painted birdhouse churches. The birdhouses look beautiful! The children did a wonderful job. The group of people participating sounds delightful!
Posted by: Christine | October 06, 2006 at 01:14 AM
Oh, Alice, thank you so much for sharing this wonderful day! What memories were made for those lucky children (and mothers)!! :)
Posted by: Dawn | October 06, 2006 at 06:12 AM
It looks like you were graced with perfect Autumn weather for your Immaculate Heart of Mary Homeschool group meeting. I enjoyed the name (and picture) dropping, btw! ;)
Posted by: Jennifer | October 06, 2006 at 09:15 AM
Slim and fabulous? You had your rose colored glasses on that day. Thank you dear.
Seriously Alice looks as pretty and young as she did in college, only better surrounded by all of her beautiful children.
We love our days at the Cottage.
Posted by: Mary Ellen Barrett | October 06, 2006 at 06:35 PM
Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful idea! After one year, I finally managed to pull it off. Take a peek.
http://thegoodwithin.blogspot.com/2007/10/feast-of-st-francis.html
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
Posted by: Genevieve | October 04, 2007 at 08:19 PM