As another polar vortex approaches and snow in the forecast, what to do but think of summer?! Summer at Heartfelt is a special time. The time off school and the extra hours of daylight set a more relaxed pace, with plenty of time for craft projects. And we host seven weeks of craft camps, allowing time for more in-depth projects–our camps are beloved by the campers and teachers alike. Check out our camp offerings, tell your friends, and sign up soon!
New this year, every craft camp is open to children of all ages, from those entering kindergarten up to teens. During each camp, we will divide children into groups by age so that content will be appropriate and maximum fun for all. Younger children will have a shorter day.
Back to the present, we still have more weeks of winter ahead. When my daughter was young, Valentine’s Day projects were welcome way to brighten up grey day–’tis the same for me now.
On a more personal note, my husband’s Jeep has been in the shop for weeks, getting the engine rebuilt (I’m not quite sure what that entails and I don’t think I really want to know). So we’ve been a one car family, with my husband driving our pickup most days. I’ve been walking, getting rides, riding the bus, and using Lyft.
Conversations with the Lyft drivers are so interesting. Many of them are immigrants from Africa or the Middle East. My young driver today was from Kenya; his parents fled the civil war in their home country Somalia and he was born in a refugee camp. He has been in Minneapolis for eight years and dutifully sends money home monthly to help his parents. I enjoyed hearing his story, realizing that I can only begin to understand the trauma and heartbreak of being a refugee. I feel compelled to try to step outside my privilege in personal conversations and study. I don’t always succeed but making the effort feels like the least I can do in our inequitable world, to see, hear, and perhaps understand the life experiences of others.
Stay warm!