Snow, Snow Candy and Crystal Snowflakes...

Day 51

First it snowed here in Albuquerque-or I should say on the west mesa part of Albuquerque where it rarely precipitates at all....so all work and chores were out the window in favor of SNOW related activities

snow baseball...don't know why this picture is staying so small will work on fixing it later

Never seen snow before, he was not really that impressed

Yes this picture did end with a big ball of snow in G2's face

This was a cat rescue, she THOUGHT she would like the snow but once she was out in it she found out she was much more of an indoor cat

Molasses snow candy.....one cup of molasses and one cup of brown sugar boiled to bubbly

flat trays of clean fresh snow....

drizzle either directly from the pot or with a large spoon...does not matter shape or size

they will cool nearly instantly so eat them quickly....they also will get soggy so they can't be kept long so eat'em all up! Instant sugar high WOOHOO!

Crystal Snowflakes.....just for crystal shape comparison here are brown sugar crystals grown over a week or so....

Supplies--food coloring, 2 clean jars, pencils or sticks, pipe cleaners, scissors, borax....

while water is boiling drop food coloring (if desired) into your jars.....and cut and shape pipe cleaners into snowflakes--we also used pipe cleaners to hang them from the chopsticks but you can use string or yarn

fill the jars with water one cup at a time (water is boiling hot so watch little ones) and then dissolve 3tbs per one cup of water into the jars....swirl with a spoon until mostly dissolved (there will be sediment on the bottom of the jar) and Borax is not edible so wash hands and area after this experiment---put the snowflakes into the solution and try not to have them touch the bottoms or sides but really it is ok if they do!

the crystals start forming almost instantly and this is what our jars looked like afterwards...very pretty...like diamonds all over the inside....

Wait 24 hours and then remove, lay on a papertowel to dry.....Here are what they look like after they come out....the crystals grew so quick I had to gently pry them off the sides and bottom but it is just more sparkles

Secure them to a wire hook and hang them from a window for maximum sparkliness!

And that is how we do it....homeschooling style....not much sewing got done but LOTS of family time!