What do you get when you mix the intrigue of treasure hunting, a splash of art, some exploration of scenic sites, and possibly a compass for navigation?  Letterboxing, that’s what!

Letterboxing started in Dartmoor, England, in 1854 when James Perrott placed a bottle in a very isolated area along the boggy banks of Cranmere Pool. He left his calling card tucked inside so future visitors could contact him when they discovered his bottle.  They could also leave their own calling cards.  (You can click here to read more about the fascinating history.)

Letterboxing is in its infancy here in the United States.  It started in 1998 after the Smithsonian Magazine ran an article about letterboxing.  Now, there are over 9,000 letterboxes in the United States — and lots more hidden around the world (especially in England).

Just exactly what is letterboxing, you ask.  Well, here is a Reader’s Digest condensed explanation. First, make a personalized rubber stamp.  Get a stamp pad, too, while you are at it.  Then, get a small sketch book with blank white pages.  Get directions (otherwise known as clues) off the Internet to a locally hidden letterbox.  Jump in your car and head off to find the letterbox.  When you find it, stamp your log book with the stamp from inside the letterbox.  Then, enter your personalized stamp in the log book that is in the letterbox.  Jump back in your car.  Head home — or off to find another letterbox.  Warning, warning:  letterboxing can become addictive!

Once you feel comfortable with letterboxing, take it to the next level.  Create your own letterbox, hide it, and provide clues for others to find it.  My son and daughter-in-law told me about a letterbox hidden in a bookstore in New York City.  I’ve also read where a librarian hid one in a library.  There are some ‘rules’ (like not ruining the environment and not placing letterboxes in national parks) both to finding and hiding the boxes.  To learn more, check out these sites:

• Letterboxing North America
• Letterboxing Info
• Atlas Quest: a letterboxing community

Haven’t got a clue as to how to make a personalized stamp?  Look here for directions:

• Stamp Carving 101
• Create Your Own Rubber Stamp (VERY simple for young kids)
• How to Make a Stamp
• How to do Rubber Carving

There is also a rule about not posting pictures of stamps unless you have permission of the stamp owner.  I have seen remarkable stamps:  of an Indian face, of the Crazy Horse monument in South Dakota,  and of a Kokopelli golfer.  You can see some pictures of letterboxing stamps on Flickr:

• Winter
• Mouse with a balloon
• Barley
• Mermaids
• Ruckles Bridge

Here are suggestioned times to have a letterboxing activity:

• With a teen aged grandchild (because it’s hard to find activities that they would be interested in . . .)
• With the young’uns too (the younger the grandchild, the more simple the rubber stamp you make . . .)
• After a summer picnic (or a breakfast at iHop . . .)
• As a 4th of July holiday activity (or ANY holiday . . .)
• On a Saturday when nothing special is happening
• During a road trip with a grandchild
• At a family reunion
• As a birthday party activity
• As an end of summer activity before school starts for your grandchild
• Just because it is fun to do!

Have any of you, Dear Readers, done any letterboxing?  If so, please post a comment and share your experience here!

Spring is here . . . I think.  I hope no more snowstorms are in our forecast!  (Might even be summer because it was so hot yesterday!)

This activity lets you enjoy the beautiful weather while spending quality time with a grandchild.

The Alphabet Game
Invite one of your grandchildren over for an afternoon.  Grab your digital camera and take a walk around your neighborhood –or go to a park, the mall, a farmer’s market, or a yard sale.  Whatever.

Take a picture of something that starts with the letter A then something that starts with the letter B.  Continue until both you and your grandchild have taken a picture for every letter of the alphabet.

You don’t have to be ‘literal’ in your picture taking (e.g. a ball for the letter B).  Be creative!  For the letter C, your granddaughter could take a picture of an outfit that she really likes in a store window which would stand for ‘cute.’ A junk heap of a car could be ‘broken’ for the letter B.  Cookies at the bakery could be Y for ‘yummy.’  Or a bed (as in the picture here) could be ’sleep’ for the letter S.

When you are finished, print the pictures and put them in plastic sheet protectors and then in a binder.  You now have your own alphabet book.  Keep a copy so you can read it to your other grandchildren and give a copy to the granddaughter with whom you did this activity.  She could read it to her younger siblings or keep as a memento from spending time with you.

When you are finished, fix something yummy to eat.

Variation #1
If your grandchild lives far away, you could each still take pictures for the alphabet.  On the first day, exchange through e-mail your picture for the letter A.  The next day, send your B picture, and so on until you have shared a picture for every letter of the alphabet.  Send a picture of some cookies for a ‘virtual’ treat.

Variation #2
If you have several grandchildren that live close by, ask them to take their alphabet pictures and print them.  Then, have a family get together.  Have your grandchildren spread their pictures on the kitchen table with all of the A pictures together, then the B pictures next, etc.  Then, give everyone a paper and pencil.  Have them look at the pictures and write down what they think the picture stands for.  (If someone took a picture of a dog and it was for the letter P, they might write down the word ‘pet.’)  Give a prize to the person that got the most right.

Afterward, serve this Brownie Trifle.

Easy Brownie Trifle

1 package brownie mix
1 large package chocolate fudge instant pudding mix
1 package English Toffee Bits
1 (16 ounce) Cool Whip

Make brownies and cool.  Cut into one inch squares.  Make the pudding.  Place half of the brownies in the bottom of a large bowl.  Pour half of the pudding mix on top.  Cover with half of the Cool Whip.  Sprinkle half of the Toffee Bits over Cool Whip.  Repeat layers.  Cover and refrigerate.  Enjoy!

Grandma Karla sent me her recipe for perfect bread and I thought that I would share it with you.  This could be a great activity to do with your grandchildren when they come for a visit.  Everybody loves homemade bread!!

Do any of you have bread recipes (or any other recipes) that you would like to share?  Just send it along to digigram@grandmaideas.com and I would be happy to post your recipe!

Digi-Gram

Perfect Bread

Mix in a large bowl with a wire whisk or bread mixer for 1 minute:

4-6 cups whole wheat flour (freshly ground is best)
2 Tbsp. dry yeast (SAF-Instant)
¼ to 1/3 cup gluten
300 mg. Powdered vitamin C or 2 Tbsp. Lemon juice or yogurt
4 cups warm water

Let sponge (sit covered in a warm place) for 10 minutes, then add:

1 Tbsp. salt
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup oil.

Add white flour, one cup at a time, until the dough is soft, but not stick or until the dough pulls away from the bread mixer bowl. About 7 more cups. (You can also adjust the proportions of the whole wheat and white flour  to your taste and preference.)  Knead for 7-10 minutes.

Form into loaves, or dinner or sweet (orange or cinnamon) rolls, or pull-aparts or filled pizza pockets, etc. and place in greased pans as desired.

Place in oven preheated to 180-degrees. When double in size, turn oven up to 350 and bake until light golden brown; about 30 minutes for bread, or 20 minutes for rolls (adjust for altitude and oven). Yield 3 loaves, or 1 loaf and a big batch of rolls, etc.

Karla sometimes make “animals” out of this dough.  Her favorites so far are an octopus and a turtle. Her young grandchildren love that.

Use your imagination with the shapes you make.  Have fun and enjoy great bread. There’s nothing like it!

Our son and his wife told us on Mother’s day that they were having a baby.  What exciting news!!!  This means that the number of our grandchildren has tripled in one year!  (Going from zero to three!)

We are so happy for them and for our daughter and her husband who are expecting in August!