Alabama Autumn Nature Tea

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It all began when  great big box arrived at our house last week. It came from the land of Wildflowers and Marbles and it was filled with lovely brown bags.

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We spread a tablecloth on my bedroom floor, snacked on cookies and apples and cheese, and drank cinnamon tea and hot apple cider. Our little friend Colin was here for the day and got to join in the fun .

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Mary Beth opened the bags one by one after reading Jennifer's careful tutorials. She pulled out treasures like Alabama cotton.

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One little boy was so impressed with the cotton plant and Jennifer's explanation of it that when he recognized that he wasn't wearing a cotton shirt, he went and changed.

 
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There were labeled boxes with Alabama rocks inside...


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Everyone was enchanted with a carpenter bee. Jennifer wrote that these bees are not aggressive. My children were pleased to hold them in their hands and amazed that Jennifer's children hold them even when they are alive.

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Hickory nuts ...

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And all sorts of seeds and pods ...

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When we were all finished opening the treasure bags, Mary Beth took all the nature finds downstairs to the seasons table. If I were a really good blogger, I'd end with that picture. But I'm a mom stuck in bed and none of my children seems to know where the camera is ...