I don’t know how eco-friendly this really is. (I suspect these are the petro-derived sort of writing utensils.) But I feel proud that I finally figured out how all those soccer families write “GO TEAM” on the back window of their minivan. With these window crayons of course. (I feel I am stuck in the last century sometimes…so behind the times. I am not that old am I? Maybe it is just other things are more important in my life than keeping up with popular artsy crafty ideas. *wink* *wink*)

Actually now that I think about it, I think these are just glorified tire markers. We used these when I was a kid and they only came in white. Living up north, you need chains and snow tires to get around in the winter. 4-wheel drive and a couple of sand bags (or a plow) could also do you, or possibly your neighbor, some good too. So how do you remember which summer tire to put back on where when the tundra-country finally thaws and the red-breasted robins return? You use tire markers.

In the late fall, my sibling and I would help Dad change the tires on the cars. After napping in the basement during the summer, when the leaves were full color and autumn was plush, up those tires popped, out of the bulkhead doors. We’d roll them up the small slope to the unpaved sandy driveway and we’d push them on their side next to the car.  Sweat came off our little bodies all bundled in down vests and sweaters as we helped crank-jack the cars up into the cool air. Using the cross-iron, we’d pretend to loosen the bolts and Dad would lift off the summer tread tires. Then, we’d take that waxy white crayon and write “DF,” driver-side front, right there on that black smelly rubber. After, we’d roll those summer tires down the slop to the bulkhead to hibernate for the winter.

For the kids, who barely know what snow is, these window crayons are just fun. They clean up very easily, and they really look kind of cook when the sun comes through the window. AND, they keep my kids crazy busy for an hour on a lazy summer day.