Donna's Day

On a recent afternoon when my son texted me to check in, I nimbly replied with sticky fingers, “I’m preoccupied with taking pics of pints of pickled…” While laughing at the preponderance of P’s, I accidentally pressed “send.” He immediately wrote back, “Pickled PEPPERS? … ha!”

If you find a few soft, bruised apples hiding behind the pickle and mayo jars in the back of your refrigerator, or discover some cast-offs at your local orchard or farmers market, consider them perfect for this activity. Peel, carve and dry them for apple-head puppets.

Set aside a space on your kitchen counter or a table in your family room to showcase your kids’ summer nature collectibles. Their own museum of natural wonders can be enjoyed by friends and family who come to your home.

Pears star in this easy-to-make rustic galette that school-age kids will enjoy helping you prepare. The crust can be mixed quickly with young hands and muscle — or you can roll out a store-bought pie crust.

Say, “thank you.” Those two important words are so embedded in us as children that we continue to pass the gesture of politesse to the next generation as part of the social drill. mom was no exception.

“It was a dark and stormy night” could have been an apt beginning to an exciting tale told by Nancy Liddy to her two grandsons in Madison, Wisconsin, via Skype recently.

Looking for an easy, last-minute, chocolaty dessert idea that doesn’t require heating up the oven on a hot September day? Here’s a clever idea you and your kids will enjoy: Make yummy homemade brownies in a waffle iron.

As technology advances at a rapid rate, many of the traditional ways of doing things may be unknown to kids born in the 21st century.

It has been a watermelon summer. The luscious, juicy treat has made a regular appearance in our soups, salads, grilled sides, as well as sliced up on large platters for the perfect alfresco big-crowd dessert.

If your young kids and grandkids like blowing bubbles, they’ll love this activity. When the colored bubbles dry on construction paper, they will become the eye-catching background for a one-of-a-kind work of art.

Kristina Zajic, speech pathologist and mom of 8-year-old Aisha and 10-year-old Elizabeth, loves bins. She has sand-toy bins, Barbie bins, ball bins, pretend-toy bins, office-supply bins and even nail-polish bins.

I don’t know a young child who doesn’t love a hammer. Watch when kids grab one tightly in both small hands, lift it high and pound. Thud! They see it do something. It might only be a nick on a board, or, if lucky, they’ll hit a nail square on.

“Spending time with my seven young grandkids is about learning together and making discoveries that ignite the human spirit,” says Jan Bowman, retired teacher and grandmother of seven.

I’m not a financial analyst, but one thing I do know for sure is that cash is flying out of my billfold. Today’s $75 tab to fill the tank in our family car and even more to fill the refrigerator were a clear sign that costs are rising before my eyes.

A yellowed 4-cent postcard surfaced from the bottom of an old shoebox stashed in our attic. A classic in time, it was sent before ZIP codes and eons before cell phones and snappy email.