NinnyNoodleNoo

When life hands you yesterday's chicken stew...

2012-02-14T13:04:00.000-08:00

Make soup.

The day didn't start off like this. The day didn't start that well at all. I rushed getting up, I didn't really feel like getting up and was not in the most gracious of moods this morning (I'm blaming hormones). Small children got up, but clearly from the wrong side of the bed too as no matter what, they were LOUD! They squabbled and fought and bickered. No they were not interested in a story, or making anything, or playing quietly (in any way) and certainly, more than absolutely ANYTHING, they did not want to eat yesterday's chicken stew for lunch.

"But we ALWAYS have stew!"

This is a direct parrot of their (rather belligerent at present) eldest brother from last night, annoyingly in front of his younger siblings (because at the moment he couldn't care less what he says in front of them). He still sat and ate it though (and I would like to take this opportunity to point out that we do not always have stew, we had a roast the day before and do eat things like stir-fry etc, stews happen to be very easy and economical to make - especially in a slow cooker when you're spending the day doing other things, oooh, like spending time doing activities with small children...)

Small children declared they would rather starve than eat stew for lunch and it was at that point that I must've started to look like I was about to blow a fuse as John marched them up to their rooms and they were told to stay there until they would calm down.

In somewhat of a foul mood, I, determining most stubbornly that my children (and adults too) would bloody well finish the leftovers from yesterday, bunged the stew in the blender with some cream and water and blitzed it up to be eaten as a soup that evening.

Children re-appeared, were told that they were going to eat stew that evening as soup because in this house we are thankful for the food put on the table and indeed, people that don't finish their dinner clearly are so full that they don't have space in their tummies for plum crumble. Nin pointed out that we didn't have any plums and I reminded her that we had picked lots of plums in the autumn, de-stoned and cut them up and frozen them to be used later.

As the stew was now re-purposed for dinner, I gave the children some cheese crackers and fruit for lunch and they then helped make cheese scones to be eaten with dinner and crumble topping for the plums and apples I pulled out of the chest freezer (which is getting decidedly empty of the frozen bounty of fruit foraged in the autumn).

Composure (mine) restored, they also cleared the chaos created in the dining room and helped me re-arrange crocheted squares (whilst I tried to decide what to do with them) as I had emptied a bag full of various knitted and crocheted UFOs, determined to get some things finished as I needed a break from the Cassia I've been knitting for Nin (reams of stocking stitch start to give me double vision after a while).

Nin arranged some stripes from some of them:

However, I will be using them to make cushion fronts (we have a severe lack of cushions in this house!)

So the day ended with children happily eating chicken ~~stew~~ soup with cheese scones, followed by plum (and apple) crumble and home-made custard (we never buy packaged custard here, it's so easy to make at home) with the promise of more stewed plum and apple for breakfast tomorrow and meringue making (we have to use up the egg whites leftover from separating the eggs for the custard).

Time enough for looking through a book of animals with John and to welcome their other brother home (he's home for the half-term break).

Oh and I haven't forgotten - Happy Valentine's Day to you all - it may not always go to plan, but love is what binds a family together, even if some mornings it doesn't feel like it very much! ;)

Snow snew

2012-02-11T06:02:00.000-08:00

There is a weather verse associated with Candlemas that goes:

If Candlemas day be fair and bright,Winter will have another fight.If Candlemas day brings cloud and rain,Winter won't come again.
If Candlemas day be dry and fair,The half of winter's to come and mair.If Candlemas day be wet and foul,The half o' the winter's gone at yule.

Well, Candlemas was certainly dry and fair here, so what came next (within a couple of days)?

Of course, snow.

The view from the front window:

The fields:

And some snow lanterns were made:

It looks like the snow is here to stay for a little while longer yet, so I'm keeping tucked up in the warmth with my knitting (I'm now snow's biggest fan).

Would blog...

2012-02-09T12:15:00.001-08:00

BUT have been having some computer issues and can't find the discs for my photo editing programme. I don't suppose anyone can recommend an online photo editor?

A very quiet Candlemas/Imbolc

2012-02-02T11:08:00.000-08:00

As Ted had been running a temperature of over 103 yesterday (up and down for most of the day), I put our story of St Brigid on hold till today (along with more work on the painting and drawing of the bear from A King of Ireland's Son and anything else remotely organised). I was up till the early hours of the morning keeping an eye on him and when I got up, naturally didn't feel too brilliant - although Ted felt a lot better, but stayed in his nightgown all day.

Nin made some porridge and sliced banana for breakfast (with just a little touch of maple syrup) and after breakfast she helped slice onions and apples for the evening meal (pork in cider cooked in the slow-cooker - it had cream in it, which is my tenuous link to St Brigid as dairy would be traditional).

We then had our very short main lesson - because my poor head isn't really up to much today (and indeed I'm off to bed very shortly). I told the story of St Brigid today (which makes a change from the usual stories I would tell at this time of year) and we did some crayon work on the bear and then some candle decorating.

Cutting wax can be quite a challenge for small children, but he was very determined to do it himself. Here are the finished candles (Nin's on the left and Ted's on the right):

Aside from some child-led science experiments with the marble-run, that was about it for today, aside from a bit of knitting. I'm chugging along with a Cassia for Nin - size 10 for a bit of extra 'grow-room' - it is a lovely looking dress/tunic, but reams of stocking stitch do bore me rather. I've also been using what I have already and am not entirely convinced by the colours I'm using together (I've striped the yoke), but hey, we'll see. I've had a hankering for some time to streamline the children's (and my) wardbrobes and keep to a few colours and whilst she likes purple, I'm not convinced it's the best colour on her (I think lighter lilacs, pinks, blue and greens suit her better).

Anyway, I'm off to bed to rest this poor head of mine in the hope that I feel far brighter tomorrow!

Exploring

2012-01-27T11:54:00.000-08:00

Although we've moved back to the village that we have lived in before, it's a large village and we've moved to a part that I don't know particularly well and certainly I haven't walked the fields at this end. John took the little ones off for a first exploration. Hopefully the first of many to come.

Of course there was climbing trees to be done.

By small...

and big kids.

We will have to return, regularly, to see how the countryside changes with the seasons (I love rhododendrons in flower, so will have to find these again).

A Little More of St Francis

2012-01-26T12:11:00.000-08:00

Yes, of course we finished our block on St Francis a while ago, but it has been a busy couple of months!

I wrote before, both on this blog and also on a couple of forums/lists about my concerns and reservations about doing Main Lesson blocks with Nin about the Saints. It can be very difficult as an adult, to set aside personal baggage/bias when working with a Main Lesson that has (on the surface) very religious connotations which may clash with the personal beliefs that one may have. Add to that, I know very little about any of the Saints (St Francis being about one of the only Saints I had heard of, plus St Nicholas - I spent part of my childhood in Belgium, rather hard to miss St Nicholas there - and St Valentine) so I was rather concerned about my ability to put together a Main Lesson that spoke to Nin and engaged her (and, tbh, me, as unless I feel inspired and interested by the material then I'm really not going to be particularly good at presenting it).

A lot of stock is placed upon personal development within the Waldorf community and indeed upon reflection/meditation. I have to say that I'm not the most meditative of people at the best of times, let alone with the relative chaos that has been the past couple of years, particularly the past year, so I really had my work cut out when considering whether or not to cover this Main Lesson block that is so very central to Grade 2. Whilst I realise that I could've perhaps looked at doing a block on 'inspiring people', I really wanted to get to the bottom of WHY it is the Saints in particular that are presented at this stage.

Now, I really cannot improve in any way on the writings that exist (both in books and on the web) regarding the whys and wherefores of the Second Grade Waldorf curriculum and I have no real interest in trying to add to such wise words, but I did want to write a little about the fact that I did have some *issues* with the idea of the Saints and that it has taken time and effort to try to understand the whys and wherefores.

Having come to the end of a block on St Francis, and indeed, having also read stories of St Nicholas (Christine Natale's excellent - as always - series of stories on the St. Nicholas Centre website) and St Lucia, I can honestly say that having put my own personal baggage regarding Christianity aside (temporarily atleast), I have really enjoyed the stories we have read and it has been an absolute joy to see how much Nin (and indeed Ted, who has listened to some, not all, of the stories - he wanders in and out at times) have soaked them up.

I'm not saying my Christianity dragons have been laid to rest, I still (sporadically admittedly) seek answers to the questions that I have about elements of Christianity (and indeed, I think that is perfectly healthy and right, because I want to learn more, I want to understand) but to anyone out there who is approaching Grade 2 and is questioning whether or not they will cover the Saints with their child, I say YES! DO IT! Put aside your issues and come to the stories fresh and open-hearted, as your child will. You will not be disappointed.

We've moved!

2012-01-26T07:35:00.000-08:00

We're safely into the new house :0) We've been here for just over a week and already such a change! I'll be back with photos and some more writing soon.

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T13:10:00.000-08:00

To all - far and near. May 2012 bring you many blessings, happiness and joy! x

It's been a rollercoaster of a 2011 (and 2010 and 2009) here - but finally, it seems, things are settling down. The beginning of 2012 will see us moving into a lovely new home and will also bring a further surprise, my 5th child, due 18th June.

Hopefully when the dust has settled a little, I will *finally* (because I know I've kept saying I will...) get back to blogging regularly. It's been a very, very difficult year here and it has been hard to blog, because there's been so much 'else' that seemed to get in the way.

Thank you to everyone who has been so very supportive, friends both near and far, some I've met, some I've only had the pleasure of knowing here, in the internet ether. It has meant a lot to me, knowing that there were people, some of whom I've never met in person, willing me on each step.

I really don't know how to thank you enough for your kind thoughts and indeed, I had a real surprise when a parcel arrived from a wonderful group of ladies on Homespun Waldorf who sent us the most beautiful gift of handmade decorations and gifts that really brightened up a bleak day just before Christmas (this was the first Christmas in 17 years that I've not had small children here and it felt very strange!) To know that we had been thought of from so very far away really touched me.

I feel very blessed to be a small part of such a supportive Waldorf home-educating community online - the warmth, support and friendship I have met with over the past 8 (almost 9! where does the time go?) years is truly wonderful.

So a big group hug to all us mamas (and papas and grandparents and many others) who are following this special path with our children - may 2012 be an amazing year of love, laughter and discovery.

Blessings and thank yous to you all! x

Another pause

2011-11-14T13:01:00.001-08:00

I've been struggling with my health and ended up in hospital again, so things have taken a bit of a pause of late as I've been told to take the next few weeks very easy.

Circle Time has consisted of me mostly sitting on the sofa - Nin LOVES singing and dancing, so it quite happy to prance around in front of me. Ted joins in, occasionally, but it's harder to expect him to when I'm mostly sat down.

I've spent quite a bit of time lying down, but at least from this position I can still listen to Nin practice her reading (she reads from Cecily M Barker's "Flower Fairies" compilation from the relevant books for the season) and we sing times tables and practice mental arithmetic.

We have a very small space downstairs - you can see between the sofas, above, and yes, the room is on a diagonal at one end, narrowing to just a doorway up the stairs and a doorway into the kitchen - a really strange shape! Behind where you can see there's space for a table in the window and some cupboards down the walls. That's it. It's rather a challenging space to organise and it is the only room downstairs (save for the kitchen) so has to serve many different purposes, but as you can see above, children will make use of any space - and the sofas make very good cliff walls for the 'castle garden' they built above (they added rather a lot to this and rebuilt and 'improved' on it for a couple of days running).

We didn't do anything for Martinmas (save for singing songs) and I feel bad for that, but I had an appointment that afternoon and it took over an hour and a half and after going round to my friend's (who had looked after the children) and staying there for a bit of a chat, I was so shattered I didn't get much else done. We will have a belated little celebration, though, as I've made jam jar lanterns with my children every year for the past few years and I feel bad we haven't done this yet, this year.

I've been lacking for energy of late and typically am in bed and asleep before now, but hopefully I *will* get some more of Nin's MLB pages scanned in a posted up and will also get our current Circle Time up too.

Here's hoping my energy levels stabilise again soon and I start to feel a bit better!

A catch up

2011-11-05T05:56:00.000-07:00

I'm still feeling rather 'bleurgh' - headaches and sickness and fatigue and I'm fighting the urge to basically whinge and moan about this instead! The blog is looking rather sparse and lacking, so I will try and get it updated (scanner isn't talking to the laptop, which is a bit of an issue for scanning in MLB pages that Nin has done.)

In the meantime, however, we have had things happening. Nin was 8 just over a week ago. In the morning we went for an activity morning with the Forestry Commission Ranger at Bentley Woods, where we followed a spooky trail, then had a relay to get pieces to build a skeleton.

It spent the entire morning raining and it was only myself and two friends and their children that turned up (it was a public activity - but I guess some people don't really do rain...) The only other people to be seen were a small group of cheery hikers who stopped to chat (pleased to see children out and about in all weathers: "It's good for them!") and a boy with his horse and buggy doing laps.

We made clay sculptures in the rain.

It was rather cold, but certainly no danger of the clay drying out!

Nin and Ted made heads on sticks:

Nin had a small get-together in the afternoon, but unfortunately my camera is working, so I'm stuck with only taking photos on my mobile and well, my mobile doesn't have a flash, so once it starts getting darker, I struggle to take photos. It was a little challenging having more than a few children in such a small space (although there was only 7 children invited), but they all enjoyed themselves :)

A spanner in the works...

2011-10-26T11:27:00.000-07:00

I had wanted to get the last couple of ML pages scanned in and write a post about wrapping up our block on St Francis. Post up some pics, some bits about what we've been up to.

But I ended up in hospital, under observation, having needles stuck in me, after 4 days of recurrent migraine aura and chest pains.

So, erm, stuff didn't get done.

Hopefully I'll get around to updating the blog tomorrow.

Ho hum.

Brrrrrr!

2011-10-18T11:34:00.000-07:00

Hard to believe that this photo was taken just a couple of weeks ago and it was still warm enough for shorts and t-shirts. We went to Sandall Beat Wood for a stroll and ending up hunting for chestnuts, but also came home with pockets full of beechnuts and acorns (we really should bring a bag out to the woods in the autumn).

Now? Well, it's freezing! The first frost came on Saturday morning and I'm sitting here in two jumpers (the boiler hasn't been working for days and I'm waiting for it to be fixed). I'd be in full-blown knitting mode if my hands didn't feel half frozen (it's hard to type).

After unseasonally warm autumn weather, the cold has taken me by surprise and there really can't be enough warm socks in the house (I'll wear two pairs!)

I really hope the boiler is fixed soon!

The Little Monkey and Papa God

2011-10-11T15:01:00.000-07:00

I recently told this lovely story to my children and thought I'd share it as it never fails to make me smile.

Come gather round and I will tell you a tale from far, far away.

Once upon a time, in a land of warmth and sunshine, with years of heat and rain, there lived an old woman. She was very poor and her clothes were ragged and and her tablecloths and curtains were torn. She lived simply, in a small hut, with broken windows and door, with little to provide comfort. Her life may have been hard in many ways, but she loved the land. She grew beans and sweet potatoes; mango and watermelon; and many, many other things. She kept goats and chickens. But her favourite of all the plants and animals that she looked after, were the bees and the honey that they produced. Because she was good to the land and to all the creatures, the land was good to her and her harvest was bountiful.

She had honey. So much honey. She filled jars and bowls and jugs and cups FULL of honey. She kept some for herself, gave some to her friends and neighbours and what was left she determined to sell at the market so that she might have money to buy cloth to make the clothes that she so needed. So one bright morning, she packed her honey to sell in a large bowl and set off, carrying the honey to market.

Well, the road was long and the day was warm and the bowl was heavy. It was hard work for the old woman to carry the weight of the honey and as she was walked she tripped on a stone in the road and toppled forward, the bowl of honey falling for her hands, CRASH to the floor. The bowl smashed to pieces and the honey oozed out all over the road.

And then oh! How she did wail! "Oh Papa God! Papa God! Misery! Oh Misery! Why have you done this to me, Papa God? Why do you give me so much misery? So much misery, Papa God?"

And with that, she began her sorry way home, wailing as she went.

All this time, a little monkey had sat in the tree above, watching, and being a curious little monkey he climbed down from the tree to see what all the fuss was about. He stuck his finger into the oozing honey and stuck it in his mouth to taste.

"Oh my!" Thought the little monkey. "This tastes so good! Is this misery? Misery is the sweetest, most wonderful thing I have ever tasted."

Again and again the little monkey stuck his finger into the sticky mess and licked and licked until the honey had all gone.

"This misery tastes so sweet, so good. I want more misery. If Papa God gave her all this misery, perhaps he will give me some too."

So off the little monkey sprang back up the tree and from here he looked out for the very tallest tree that he could see. He then climbed and climbed and climbed and climbed until he came to the house of Papa God.

"Little monkey, what are you doing here? Why have you come to my house?" asked Papa God.

"Oh, Papa God! Papa God!" Cried the monkey, "I want misery. Please give me misery!"

"Little monkey," replied Papa God, "There is much misery in the world. I thought that I had given everyone enough misery to bear?"

"Oh no!" Exclaimed the monkey, "I have tasted misery and it is SO sweet. I want more misery!"

"Little monkey," replied Papa God, "Are you sure?"

"Oh yes, Papa God! Oh yes, yes, yes. I want MORE misery!"

"Very well, little monkey," replied Papa God, "If it's misery that you want, then you shall have it, but you must do exactly as I tell you."

"Yes! Yes! Papa God!" Cried the monkey and he was so excited as Papa God handed him a leather pouch and said:

"Little monkey, take this pouch out into the desert, far away from any living thing. There must be no animals, no flowers, no trees. Nothing but sand and dust for miles around. Once you get there, then and only then may you open the pouch. Then you will have all the misery that you will ever want."

And with that, the little monkey took the leather pouch and left for the desert.

He walked and walked until he found a place where there were no animals, no flowers and no trees. Where there was nothing but sand and dust for miles around. Then, weary and with tired feet, he sat down and opened the pouch.

From out of the pouch poured dogs. Huge black dogs with shining sharp teeth and slavering jaws, growling and snapping! Dogs such as a little monkey would never want to see. Dogs such as terrorfied the little monkey and he began to run.

But there were no flowers and no plants in which to hide and no trees up which to climb - for a monkey will always retreat to the highest boughs when there is trouble. There was no help for the little monkey! He ran and ran and ran and always it seemed that the dogs were just behind him, snapping at his heels!

Poor little monkey was exhausted. He could not run for much longer! Suddenly a tree appeared: a large, tall tree in the middle of the desert. Monkey scrabbled up it, high, high, high he went, up away from the dogs with their shining sharp teeth and slavering jaws. High, high, high to safety.

The dogs snapped and snarled at the base of the tree, but try as they might they could not reach the little monkey and one-by-one they slunk away and after a little while, little monkey climbed down and went home. Never again would the little monkey ask Papa God for misery.

And now I ask you?

Why was there a tree in the middle of the desert where no flower and no other trees grew? Who could put such a tall, strong tree in the middle of the desert?

Why? Papa God, of course! That's who! For Papa God knows that there is only so much misery that even a little, simple monkey can take.

I love this story, it never fails to cheer me. My children love it too, BUT, there is one loose end, one thing that troubles my daughter from the original story. I know it is best to let the wisdom of such traditional tales sink in, to let the child internalise the story in their own way, but the following thing worries my daughter:

And what of the poor old woman, whose precious honey was spilt on the wayside on her way to market?

Well, she went home, empty-handed, lamenting her loss of her honey to sell, worried for what the future months would bring. But when she arrived home she found a parcel on her doorstep, a parcel filled with cloth, thread, needles and ribbons to make clothes, a note with a promise to fix her windows and mend her door. Her friends and neighbors, thankful for her kind gift of honey to them had come together to make her a present of thanks, full of everything that she might want to fix her ragged clothes and mend her torn sheets and curtains, to provide comfort and shelter to her.

And the old woman lived in comfort, tending her land and her animals and caring for her friends and neighbours with her gifts of vegetables, fruit and honey for many years to come.

I think, for Nin, injustice really matters, for her, "IT'S NOT FAIR!" is a common complaint, but she extends this beyond herself and things have to 'be fair' for everyone, everyone has to do The Right Thing (in her eyes - and sometimes The Right Thing is a little *interesting* in the world of Nin, because it has to be HER IDEA of what is right....)

So, for those children who notice and are really bothered by the old woman's loss, I added the addendum. It may not be kosher story-telling, because tbh, story-telling really ain't my forte, but well, it satisfies something for Nin and that's what matters to me (and her ;) )

A St. Francis Beginning

2011-10-07T12:29:00.000-07:00

October 4th was (is) the day dedicated to St. Francis of Assisi, so what better day to start learning about this particular Saint? I have to admit that of all the Saints, I was looking forward to learning more about Francis, after all, he seems so very dear to so many people (including a very good Pagan friend of mine, who was brought up Catholic, but still thinks of St. Francis fondly).

The story I've been using is: "God's Troubadour, The Story of St Francis of Assisi" and very enjoyable it's been too (I've even surprised myself!) Nin is really enjoying the stories and is eager for the next one each day (sometimes I've been reading two of the stories in a row to get through them at a fairly decent speed, e.g. Francis' child and young manhood.)

This is from when St Francis was young. He was a rich merchant's son, so we thought he would be brightly dressed and happy. Nin drew a border of grapes because we guessed that as he liked to party with his friends, he probably would've drank a lot of wine!

He wanted to be a brave soldier and went off to fight. But, in truth, there is nothing wonderful about war, it is ugly and cruel. Francis started to think that perhaps fighting wasn't as noble as he once thought it was.

We have now come to the part of his life where St. Francis has given up his worldly goods, but not as far as the recall, etc. Today Nin drew a picture of St. Francis kissing the hand of a leper. The write up of that will come tomorrow. She is so very enthusiastic for this block (even with all my concerns and worries about presenting it, because I've always struggled to find a handle on Christianity - predominantly because I have struggled to see the divine feminine within the religion, although I know she's there *somewhere*). It really is so heartening to see how the material really resonates with Nin and it gives me the confidence to continue bringing what I can genuinely see as real 'soul food' to her.

Despite all my reservations, I'm am really enjoying this block!

A follow-up to Michaelmas

2011-10-07T12:07:00.000-07:00

A write-up from Michaelmas.

The next day we read the wonderful Michaelmas story by Christine Natale, "The Strong Boy" from her book "Fairy Tales". Although admittedly this story is also available online if you search for it. Nin took her continued write-up from a sentence from this story:

"The Strong Boy" really seemed to resonate with both Nin and Ted. They really enjoyed the story and have spoken of it since.

September - October Circle Time

2011-10-07T12:00:00.000-07:00

I change our circle times (and Main Lesson Blocks) by the Moon Cycle. The below is what we have been using since last week. Some of the verses are repeated from the last circle time (indeed, some feature in every circle time for a while), some are expanded upon, others are old favourites and still more are completely new:

Come to the circle where dreams are found,
Take my hand and we’ll dance around.
Round and round and round we go.
Hello, hello, hello and hello.

Good morning dear Earth and good morning dear Sun.
Good morning dear stones and dear flowers everyone.
Good morning dear beasts and dear birds in the tree.
Good morning to you and good morning to me.

(this is sung - I'd be happy to record a .wav if it's helpful)

***

In small green cup an acorn grew,
On tall and stately oak.
The spreading leaves the secret knew
And hid it like a cloak.
The breezes rocked it tenderly,
The sunbeams whispered low,
“Someday the smallest acorn here,
Will make an oak, you know.”

The little acorn heard it all,
And thought it quite a joke;
How could he dream an acorn small
Would ever be an oak?
He laughed so much, that presently
He tumbled from his cup,
And rolled a long way from the tree,
Where no-one picked him up.

Close by him was a rabbit hole,
And when the wind blew high,
Down went the acorn with a roll,
For weeks in gloom to lie.
But one bright day a shoot of green
Broke from his body dry,
And pushed its way with longing keen
To see the glorious sky.

It grew and grew, with all its might
As weeks and months rolled on:
The sunbeam’s words were proving right,
For, ere a year had gone,
The shoot became a sturdy plant,
While now the country folk
Can sit beneath the spreading leaves
Of a mighty forest oak.

(The Acorn – Anon)

(This is also sung with some actions)

***

Yellow the bracken,
Golden the sheaves,
Rosy the apples,
Crimson the leaves,
Mist on the hillside,
Clouds grey and white,
Autumn, good morning!
Summer, good night!

(sung to the tune of “Rock-a-bye Baby”)

***
Ten little squirrels (finger play - I already have this written down on the blog from the last circle time)

***
October gave a party;
The leaves by hundreds came -
The Chestnuts, Oaks, and Maples,
And leaves of every name.
The Sunshine spread a carpet,
And everything was grand,
Miss Weather led the dancing,
Professor Wind the band.

(George Cooper, "October's Party")

(sung)

***
John had great big waterproof boots on.
John had a great big waterproof hat.
John had a great big waterproof mackintosh
And that, said John, is that!

(AA Milne)

(spoken)

***

On Monday I will LEAP up high,
Then STAND and STRETCH UP to the sky.
On Tuesday I will CROUCH down low,
Then like a flower SLOWLY GROW.
Until on Wednesday, I’m so TALL,
That I can CLIMB right up the wall.
On Thursday I will SKIP around,
Then slowly CURL UP on the ground.
On Friday I will BEND MY KNEES,
Then GALLOP off among the trees.
On Saturday I’m going to HOP
Then SPIN AROUND just like a top.
On Sunday, I will NOD my head –
A day of rest, it’s often said.

***

One step to the LEFT I readily take,
And one to the RIGHT I also make.
A step to the FRONT I take with great speed:
To step to the BACK more courage I need.

My arms I stretch UP high from the ground,
And make a half circle by SWINGING them round.
A straight line I make from hand to hand,
Then DOWN to the ground where I do stand.

***

We then do various maths 'games' - including singing, clapping or hopping out times tables. Sometimes we'll use percussion instruments too.

***

Open them, close them
Stretch them in the air.
Open them, close them,
Place them on your hair.

Open them, close them,
Give a little clap.
Open them, close them,
Place them on your lap.

***

We then move to be seated and on to the main lesson content of the day.

***

An owl sat alone
(Hold up one finger)
On the branch of a tree.
He was as quiet
(Hold finger to lips)
As quiet could be.
It was night
And his eyes were round like this.
(Make circles over eyes with thumbs and index fingers)
And when he looked around
Not a thing did he miss.
(Look from side to side)

I've been using this fingerplay to transition to the story of the day.

***

I have to admit, Circle Time is one thing I really wish I had more of a talent for - I've seen some beautifully written ones (although for Kindergarten) that follow a far better integrated theme than mine, telling a story woven through the verses - they really are works of art! But I stick with verses and songs I know that my children will enjoy, including a few that get them moving and dancing around (although we also move around during the maths portion of the Circle Time.)

Nin also does daily written maths practice, reading (typically a short poem), art and craft. She is currently knitting a bag, that will be knitted and then felted.

Music has been a little sporadic as really I want her to learn to play a Choroi flute, but till they can be afforded (as I will also need one), I'm a little concerned that recorder-playing will confuse her if we go with the Choroi-fingered flute.

Of course there is so much else, from baking, to gardening, to the very many stories she writes outside of 'lesson time'.

I really should write something more of what Ted gets up to. That will have to wait for a later blog post.

{this moment}

2011-10-07T10:00:00.000-07:00

{this moment} - "A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember."

- Amanda Soule

If you'd like to take part too, please visit Soulemama.

Give a five year old a camera...

2011-10-04T11:49:00.000-07:00

Get a child's-eye view as to what they find important (and a lot of very blurry additional photos too)

Plus a few of us searching for acorn caps.

All to get supplies to make a conker gel, acorn cap jewellery and a

few hazelnuts and very many conkers for the seasonal table.

Exploring Whitby Beach

2011-10-04T09:48:00.000-07:00

Who says the beach is only good for a warm and sunny day?

Another kitten picture

2011-10-02T12:42:00.000-07:00

Because I just can't help it, they're growing so very fast! All of them have their eyes open now.

Michaelmas

2011-09-29T05:56:00.000-07:00

Michaelmas came in a rush of warm weather - beautiful sunshine!

A picture of our autumn seasonal table - complete with a cat of many seasonal colours - oh and a random mini jam jar with a plastic fish in it *sigh*

After breakfast we started the day with the wonderful Circle Time "Michaelmas in the Kindergarten" written by Barbara Klocek and available here. What with trying to get my head around the Saints and reading and reading and reading, it made sense to use this Circle Time, speaking as it does to Kindy children and more importantly to a certain little boy, who has been really excited by the thought of swords and dragons!We then made some dragon bread (the dough had been made in advance and only needed a quick second kneading).

We read the story of Archangel Michael leading God's army and the explusion of Lucifer from Heaven, before the painting and drawing of Archangel Michael and the dragon, whilst waiting for the dragon bread to bake and then cool.

We then enjoyed the eating of dragon bread together (including additional teenagers who happened to turn up at the door for my eldest).

Nin's dragon (with horns)

Ted's dragon (with wings)

So the morning was rather lovely!

The afternoon got a little less so in that we went down to the allotment, even though it was very unseasonably warm, as I really needed to clear some further space and the plants were desperate for water. This led to me getting rather hot and bothered and tired (I tire easily).

We met on my friend's allotment for a group meal, I'd made Butterbeans in Cider and Nin had made a wonderful cake with buttercream icing, entirely by herself (save for the putting it in the oven and getting it out again.) To this was added some lovely bread made by my friend's husband and a good meal was had by all. I managed to cheer up a bit.

But then the tiredness hit me rather hard and Ted was also overtired and grumpy and had to be carried home kicking and shrieking. I'd promised popcorn and hot chocolate, but burned the popcorn, we realised we'd accidentally taken my friend's allotment padlock with us and John had to take it back down (so they could lock up), in this time I burned a SECOND pan of popcorn. How I managed to not collapse in tears at this point, I don't know, but my grumpiness had rather exceeded everything else at this point.

Hey ho! Sometimes it's best just to take yourself off to bed as tomorrow's another day!

And it was.

The next morning was spent recapping Archangel Michael and an additional lovely story, but I'll write a bit about that tomorrow (hopefully).

Saints Main Lesson Block

2011-09-28T06:02:00.000-07:00

We've moved into a new moon yesterday and, as such, we started our next Main Lesson block on Saints - well 'ish', as my plan is to look at specific Saints around their actual 'day' as a small celebration. A very sharp learning curve for me, because, I have to admit, I don't know much about the Saints, save for the more well known ones.

As it's also Michaelmas tomorrow and I'm planning on spending a little time on the life of St Francis of Assisi next week, yesterday was a case of doing a short bit about the particular 'Saint of the day' (it way a bit pot-luck).It was Saint Vincent de Paul - who is, coincidentally, rather a good choice to look at for small children, being patron Saint of charities and there's a bit of drama in there as he was kidnapped by pirates and sold into slavery before escaping. So a fairly short story, just enough drama and a good archetypal image of the Saint holding a baby and with a small child to draw.

Reading the story also gave me pause for thought that I have some clothes bagged up for charity that really need to be taken to the shop.We have already had a small celebration for Mabon, having gone out to the park to collect acorn caps and conkers, followed by some leaf rubbing and a shared meal with friends and will be having another small celebration for Michaelmas tomorrow.

The new week will start fresh with stories of Saint Francis, using: God's Troubadour, The Story of St Francis of Assisi which is available for FREE at: The Baldwin Project aka mainlesson.com which has a wealth of titles available that are very useful for Steiner/Waldorf and Ambleside approaches. I shall also be using "In God's Garden" and "Stories of the Saints" and "Our Island Saints" as we look at further Saints throughout the year.As Nin reads and writes sentences well, we will be moving towards identifying nouns and verbs using colour whilst writing sentences for the Main Lesson (although I will probably not introduce them formally until next year as I like the way of doing this put forward in Eric Fairman's Path of Discovery Grade 3 using Old Testament Stories).

New Additions to the Family

2011-09-27T07:19:00.000-07:00

Three very small kittens under the bedroom cupboard.

All my cats are speyed/neutered, save for one, Rosie. She was supposed to go to the vets, except the bleurghness hit and we had to move and she was overlooked. The result, of course, are the above, who, all adorableness aside, will see their mother (and themselves) off for the snip when they are ready to do so!

A Circle Time and some Maths

2011-09-17T07:25:00.000-07:00

We've started back with lessons and trying to get back into the swing of a new daily rhythm. This new 'academic' *cough* year has brought its new challenges already. Nin is all fired up and ready to go, loves singing and dancing and playing the recorder and learning new things. Ted... well, lets just say that Ted likes bouncing around a lot and making quite a bit of noise, typically whilst Nin is trying to concentrate.

So it's been a case of re-evaluating, constantly, trying to see how to balance the needs of both of them and this has led to Ted being given a bowl of gemstones and his own (very basic) sums on a slate to look at whilst Nin is working, because he's adamant that he should do it as well and very well he is doing, too, although I wouldn't think that it was particularly ideal, but for him, in his final Kindergarten year, it's a game and he does it for a little, quietly and it seems to soothe something within him before he wanders off to do his own thing (leaving Nin in further peace).

I've noted the Circle Time, below, although it has changed from the one I originally wrote. Some verses/songs just didn't seem to flow 'right' and I ended up dropping them after a couple of days.

Late August/September:

Good morning dear Earth and good morning dear Sun.
Good morning dear stones and dear flowers everyone.
Good morning dear beasts and dear birds in the tree.
Good morning to you and good morning to me.

(sung)

***

Here is a tree with leaves so green, (stretch out arms like a tree and wriggle fingers)
Here are the apples that hang in between, (ball hands like apples hanging from the branches)
When the wind blows the apples will fall. (sway from side to side and drop to the ground)
Here is a basket to gather them all. (cradle arms like a basket and stand up)

(sung to the tune of "Rock-a-bye Baby")

***

Ten little squirrels sat in a tree (wriggle fingers and thumbs upright)
The first two said, "Why, what do we see?" (wriggle thumbs)
The second two said, "A man with a gun." (wriggle first fingers)
The third two said, "Let's run! Let's run!" (etc)
The fourth two said, "Let's hide in the shade."(etc)
The fifth two said, "Why? We're not afraid."(etc)
Then "BANG!" went the gun and away they all ran! (clap hands on the 'bang' and hide fingers behind back)

***

In small green cup an acorn grew,
On tall and stately oak.
The spreading leaves, the secret knew,
And hid it like a cloak.

The breezes rocked it tenderly,
The sunbeams whispered low,
"Some day the smallest acorn here,
Will make an oak, you know."

(Sung with actions, too)

***

Oats and beans and barley grow.
Oats and beans and barley grow.
Do you or I or anyone know
How oats and beans and barley grow?

First the farmer sows his seed,
Then he stands and takes his ease,
Stamps his feet and claps his hands
And turns around to view the lands.

Oats and beans [etc]

Next the farmer waters the seed,
Stands erect and takes his ease,
He stamps his foot and claps his hands,
And turns around to view his lands.

Oats and beans [etc]

Next the farmer hoes the weeds,
Stands erect and takes his ease,
He stamps his foot and claps his hands,
And turns around to view his lands.

Oats and beans [etc]

Last the farmer harvests his seed,
Stands erect and takes his ease,
He stamps his foot and claps his hands,
And turns around to view his lands.

Oats and beans [etc]

(Dance in a circle for chorus. Act out actions in the verses)

***

On Monday I will LEAP up high,
Then STAND and STRETCH UP to the sky.
On Tuesday I will CROUCH down low,
Then like a flower SLOWLY GROW.
Until on Wednesday, I'm so tall
That I can climb right up the wall.
On Thursday I will SKIP around,
Then slowly CURL UP on the ground.
On Friday I will BEND MY KNEES,
Then GALLOP off among the trees.
On Saturday I'm going to HOP
Then SPIN AROUND just like a top.
On Sunday, I will NOD my head
A day of rest, it's often said.

***

One step to the LEFT I readily take,
And one to the RIGHT I also make.
A step to the FRONT I take with great speed:
To step to the BACK more courage I need.
My arms I stretch UP high from the ground,
And make a half circle by SWINGING them round.
A straight line I make from hand to hand,
Then DOWN to the ground where I do stand.

***

Clap up, clap down,
Clap behind, clap before,
Clap up, clap down,
As you did before.

***
We now generally play some maths games, currently times tables. This involves clapping, hopping, using percussion instruments, etc, to mark out the times tables, eg. 1, 2, *hop*, 4, 5, *hop*. Sometimes I'll do one times table, whilst Nin does another, thus showing how tables relate to each other.

This then leads to:

Open them, close them
Stretch them in the air.
Open them, close them,
Place them on your hair.
Open them, close them,
Give a little clap.
Open them, close them,
Place them on your lap.

***
After this we move on to 'sit down' work with maths. Then we'll move on to playing the recorder and then a story follows and our Main Lesson is done.

Of course we do plenty of activities outside of this, but that is how our morning looks after breakfast, sometimes preparing bread, washing-up and putting a load of washing in the machine.

A trip to Brighton and Hastings

2011-08-05T02:24:00.000-07:00

In early August we went to Brighton and Hastings to visit my mum and brother. Bestemor (my grandmother) was also visiting from Norway - so a very special chance to see her!

My parents with Erik

Myself, Bestemor and Ted

My brother with Nin and Ted

My brother's girlfriend, Nin and me.

My brother and Ted

Richard and Erik

A lovely few days break :)

The Festival of History

2011-07-25T07:21:00.000-07:00

When we went to the Festival of History - my eldest took loads (literally 100s) of photos, but predominantly of old army vehicles which I would not be able to name!

There's been walks in the sun:

The usual every-day things:

And bathing in the sun (admittedly in a friend's bathing suit - I'll be keeping this one to embarrass him in future years ;) )

A Couple more from Potteric Carr in June

2011-06-29T07:46:00.000-07:00

Looking at bees.

And pond-dipping:

And then it all went pear-shaped...

2011-06-27T07:50:00.000-07:00

I was going to blog regularly, really I was, but then we found ourselves faced with impending homelessness and had two days to find somewhere to live and move.

We did it and over the past few weeks I have learnt the infinite value of the love and support of good friends and family, without whom, the past few weeks would've been absolutely awful and we may well have found ourselves truly homeless.

Well, so naturally there has been no internet access till now and the flurry of packing and then unpacking has calmed somewhat (shelf-space pending). The rhythm of the day has begun to settle and we have been slowly getting back to normality.

It hasn't all been awful the past few weeks, we've been on a few forays out, one of which was an open-day at Potteric Carr Nature Reserve (more photos to come, but I need to sort them out first):

There are more pictures to come, but I thought I'd post a few just to brighten the blog a little - really there are always rays of sunshine!

Fairy Hunt

2011-05-29T07:44:00.000-07:00

I'm finally getting around to posting up pics of bits and pieces we've been doing the last few months, including a trip for the Fairy Hunt at Brodsworth Hall:

This little fellow was snuffling around in broad daylight.

We went to Cleethorpes on one of the most possibly grey days of the year, but Nin and Ted still insisted on getting wet!

We've been continuing to volunteer down at Chase and also work on a friend's allotment (there will be more photos to follow from subsequent months).

And a trip to Cusworth Hall where the children dressed as Victorians and experienced some activities of the day, including wash day.

I'm going to try to spend the next couple of days bringing the blog up to speed so that I can then post regularly about what we've been up to, including the songs and verses we've been using and what we've been studying :)

Hello!

2011-05-28T07:57:00.000-07:00

Hello. It's been a while, hasn't it?

There have been a lot of changes here. It's been a bit of a rollercoaster of almost 2 years - but then, after a relationship of 14 years has ended, there's going to be a lot of getting used to a new way of being.

I started the Foundation Degree in Steiner Early Childhood Studies, but ended up leaving, as I just wasn't in the right frame of mind to continue with studying. Any course of study on Steiner Education is going to be challenging on very many different levels and I really wasn't in a very 'good place' to be able to do that.

Having been left with a mortgage I needed to find work to keep a roof over our heads. The small ones started school and I went out and got a job. It didn't work so well. It was chaos. Children weren't used to me working outside of the house. Teenagers basically ran rampant :( I was exhausted. I left work, pulled Moo and Ted out of school and tried to continue with self-employment.

I was recently diagnosed with Hypermobility Syndrome, which has explained a lot of the pain and tiredness I've had over the years and it has been affecting my ability to be able to craft much, which has had a knock on effect on being self-employed for the time-being whilst I wait for physio and occupational therapy.

It's certainly been 18 months or so of a lot of learning and there's been plenty of good stuff too (although not many photos due to lack of camera!)

There has been lost teeth.

Curly hair.

Teenagers getting older (and much bigger)

Erk moved down to live with his Dad a couple of months ago.

We got a house rabbit (Inka) and another cat (Rosie).

We've been helping out down at the allotment project, Chase

And making things, of course.

I'm hoping to getting back to blogging regularly, including bits about lesson material and circle times. Good things are coming into place.

Pitter Patter Raindrops

2009-07-19T08:51:00.000-07:00

As the rain keeps on falling here I thought I'd bring a little sunshine to my blog and upload the pics from our trip to the Yorkshire Wildlife Park a couple of weeks ago (whilst my mum was visiting). It's only a few miles away (cycling distance if I had a bike) but I'd not been before.

We were able to walk through the wallaby enclosure, getting right up close.

We were also able to walk through the lemur enclosure (which was one of my favourite parts - the Black & White Ruffneck lemurs were *very* friendly)

There were also some Ringtailed Lemurs

The African Hunting Dogs had a rather nice enclosure with trees and ferns for them to skulk in, but they were more interested in lazing in the sun (naturally that was one enclosure people weren't allowed in ;) )

One very snoozy Raccoon Dog and possibly my favourite of the day - Meercats!

Thank you!

2009-07-11T08:56:00.000-07:00

To everyone that posted their good wishes, both on here and through Facebook (I forgot my blog fed through there). It means alot, thank you.

Little Furry Rabbits

2009-07-11T08:53:00.000-07:00

We have rabbits on the field behind us. We grow vegetables. This is rarely a problem for our vegetables as we have Gilbert. Sadly this means we have a season of dead small rabbits, but for once, a few weeks ago, we managed to rescue one.

When I caught up with Gilbert, this little one was lying prone, but otherwise looked ok. S/he spent some time in a box on my kitchen table just to keep him quiet. He soon perked up and was released back on the field (hopefully) to never return again.

I managed to record "The Little Furry Rabbits" (still haven't worked out how to convert to MP3 yet - sorry Mac users, but I will get there). You can listen to it here: Little Furry Rabbits

The little furry rabbits keep very, very stillThey peep at me across the grass as I go up the hill.But if I venture nearer to watch them in their playA flash of white and they are gone, not one of them will stay.

I can't remember where I got the poem from, but will keep on looking to credit the author - sorry! In the meantime, if anyone knows, please let me know and I'll amend the poem with a credit

Yes it's been a while...

2009-06-14T08:58:00.000-07:00

Time has a funny habit of slowing to a crawl and then speeding up and slipping away through your fingers.I know I've been quiet, I've sort of wanted to blog but couldn't quite get up the impetus to do so.My husband is moving some 2 hours away. Without the rest of us.I'm not really that sad.

Sigh, sigh and thrice sigh!

2009-05-08T08:59:00.000-07:00

Was up late trying to catch up, had just gone midnight so I closed the laptop down, went to wake dh up from the sofa and pick Ted up to take to bed (he'd woken up earlier in the evening).Picked Ted up, my laptop case and my handbag, went to walk into the hall and Ted threw up all down the inside of my top, then over my handbag (my nice one) and then all over the floor, just as Nin cried down the stairs that she'd wet the bed.

Why? Why do these things all happen at once?

Had to admit I was laughing by this point (so much so I had to repeat asking dh to help Nin, whilst he looked at me very confused and bleary-eyed from the sofa) and then had to put Nin on hold as dh is like a witch and water in folklore (except in his case it's running sick rather than water that he can't cross).

So had to clear the sick up from Ted and in the hallway before dh would venture upstairs to strip the bed and sort Nin out whilst I tried to clean my bag and rinse out sicky cloths.

Oh the joys of being a parent...

Having weighed up the possible pros and cons of waking up in bed covered in sick in the early hours of the morning (Ted sleeps with us), I'm now downstairs on the sofa with Ted on a mini mattress on the floor. I figure sick is easier to clean up from the carpet than it is to wake dh up again and convince him to move (he's not very good at waking up unless a very loud alarm clock is involved), sort Ted out, strip the bed, clean it and then have to sleep in dampness...

Happy Beltaine!

2009-05-02T09:05:00.000-07:00

Yes it's a little belated, but we were very busy yesterday! I've been having some health issues for a while now and was back at the hospital having various tests done and I'm back again on the 22nd. We then went off to the woods for some play and pond dipping. There were a huge number of tadpoles, more than I've ever seen before, the water was black around the edges with them!

So with Erk off to a Beltaine camp with friends, Nin, Ted an I went to the annual Faery Hunt at Brodsworth Hall with a couple of other families (no photos of faeries I'm afraid).:

Ted & a friend and a tree full of beautiful blossom (there were many trees laden with blossom and some Japanese tourists were busy snapping photos).

A herd of bullocks who ambled over to say hello. The pale one to the fore came closest (much closer than he is in the photo above), but then got a little frightened and stood, knees shaking a little, unsure as to whether to come even closer. It was strange to see such a large animal really not sure of such small children. I did feel a slight pang at the thought of where they're going to end up, they looked so peaceful lounging in the sun.

The Rose Gardens (above and below) - give them a couple of months and these will be absolutely beautiful! I'm planning a trip back for the smell!

Wishing at the little waterfall in the Brodsworth Hall Grotto.

Brodsworth Hall Grotto

Some very unusual trees (they almost look 'false'). I have no idea what the flowers are above and below (they remind me of fuchsia - but I don't think they are them)Â but I was really taken with them - little hearts hanging in a row.

Ted doesn't look hugely impressed - but he had a wonderful day tearing around :)

So all in all I think the day was a success for all concerned. All faeries were found and the children collected a sticker and chocolate at the end. Nin loves the Faery Hunt - she remembers it and I think now waits for it to come around when we reach a certain point in the year.

Whilst I'm on here, a few photos from a recent trip to the park at the end of the village. We have a few different parks here, I have to differentiate between them somehow, so there is the "park at the bottom of the road", "the Horsefields park" (because it's by fields with horses in), "the park next to the Children's Centre" and the aforementioned "park at the end of the village". There is another one in the village, but I've never visited it, so haven't had a chance to name it yet.

The photo above is taken from the same location (roughly - the house in the photo below is also above, just not as easy to see) as the one below (taken in September last year). It still amazes me how much the colours change from season to season.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Spring has sprung!

2009-04-19T09:05:00.000-07:00

And as a result I've been rather busy.We have a new seasonal table stand on the seasonal table. We have a very nice wooden stand, but I fancied a change. This painted wooden one is from Erzi and injected a bit more 'spring colour' into the table. The candle is handmade from Brighter Blessings. I knitted some eggs, but most went to the Seven Hills Steiner Initiative Parent and Child group, I only made a couple for here, in a little knitted dish with some wooden and a marble one:

I made a purse for Ted. I don't do very much sewing and on reflection the mouse's tail could be a little longer, but he really likes it:

I also made a little knitted and beaded rose for Nin, but she squirrelled it away before I could take a photo and now can't find it *sigh*. Doubtless it will turn up and some point.

We've done some cooking - Erk making a salad for lunch) Yes he lives in Clash t-shirts (he's wearing a different Clash one in the photo further down - it's becoming a bit of a standing joke here):

Some digging. We now have 2 blackcurrant and 2 redcurrant bushes in, plus broccolli, radishes, lettuce, carrots, spring onions and various flowers. I've been given a rhubarb plant by some friends, so I really need to get that in soon too. All I'd like now are some raspberries and gooseberries and I'll be set (give me bowlfuls of raspberries over chocolate any day!)

We continued making papier mache shields - these aren't happening fast, but one day they will be done. Erk has been busy making a papier mache model of a geyser (he's been learning quite a bit about volcanoes and geysers I now know more than I was ever really that interested in knowing ;) ):

Attended the Easter egg hunt and various crafts at Longshaw (my youngest children are now convinced that they could possibly find a chocolate egg *anywhere* if they look hard enough). Erk peeled one of the eggs before dye-ing it blue, then tried to eat it (yuck) and very quickly spat it out (but not before having dyed his teeth blue). I think I might suggest a more natural approach to dye-ing next time around!

Below Ted has a peeled dyed egg (just the shell dyed on this one) with complementary bit of egg stuck to his lip. T'other Erk is doing a 'bored teen' pose whilst helping Nin and the other little boy isn't one of mine (hence the back shot).

And Ted found out what happens when you go upstairs to play with your sister: she insists you are a princess and must wear a dress (whether you want to or not...) Note the blue ink stamp on his forehead as well. He was not impressed and ran downstairs to escape the attention.

I've also finished the lace scarf (it needs blocking) and have nearly finished the knitted and crocheted top (was going to be a dress, but will now be a tunic) for Nin - it seems to have taken forever with the various other projects I've done inbetween. I also felted a few bowls ready for the new kindergarten and have also worked on a shaped knitted head for the little bendy dollshouse dolls I make.

I also had a birthday (yesterday), I'm not a big birthday person, so enjoyed a quiet day finishing the aforementioned scarf.

When this cold has subsided I will record a few more songs that we have been using in our April story time. One about Spring and one about rabbits.

The other fairly big news I have is that I have now officially applied to do the Foundation Degree in Steiner Early Years Education at Plymouth University. I should hopefully hear sometime in July whether I have been accepted or not.

So, in two years time I could be a qualified Steiner Kindergarten teacher, with the option of doing a third year and either doing Steiner teacher training or going for Early Years Professional Status. I am really excited about starting the degree (especially the craft and music side, plus the opportunity to learn something about Eurythmy).With Spring it seems quite a lot of change is in the air and life seems pregnant with possibilities :)

I know I've been quiet

2009-04-11T09:14:00.000-07:00

I don't know where the time goes!

I've been so very busy recently, knitting up Easter Eggs for one of the local Steiner Parent & Child groups, finishing my spring lace scarf (still not finished), knitting a cardigan for the doll, crocheting bowls to felt, knitting a little flower as a present for Nin and sewing a little felt purse for Ted (pictures after I've given the presents to them tomorrow).

I've also been working on a website for a group I'm involved with (when it's finished and the group is happy with it I'll post the link up).

I've had to deal with dead baby rabbits courtesy of Gilbert - who may look like butter wouldn't melt, but is a stone-cold killer given half a chance. I really don't like having to clear up dead rabbits, but he's only being a cat and he very dutifully presents me with his gifts (and I have to admit, they less offensive than the half eaten dead fish he left in the dining room for me to narrowly miss stepping on with bare feet as I pottered off to bed *sigh*).

We've been on 2(!) Easter egg hunts (well one was for little chocolate rabbits). One in the woods at Sandall Beat - and the sun shone down and we were joined by some teen girls who just happened to be hanging out at the park.Â They were very helpful in supporting the little ones to find chocolate - really lovely!The second at Longshaw, where we decorated eggs and Nin and her friend ran off to her friend's 'den' and found some chocolate eggs in a nest in there that had been hidden in advance of the hunt. Nin and her friend came rushing back, so excited because something had 'laid' chocolate eggs in the nest ;) We had to distract them from finding any more before the hunt began!

If you are celebrating this weekend, I hope you have a wonderful Easter-time.

Lazy blogging

2009-03-26T09:15:00.000-07:00

Because I don't really have the energy to write much, so instead I'm posting some pics of a visit to Sandall Beat Woods (last week).

We went on the bus whilst Erk cycled (the daftness of this trip is that Sandall Beat Woods is only around 5 miles away, but the easiest way to get there, if you're not driving or cycling, is on 2 buses. I wish I had one of those lovely Dutch/Danish trikes that carry children, I'd save quite a bit on bus fareÂ *sigh*)

We walked into the woods, seeing lots of squirrels as we went, usually too fast for me to catch on camera, but I did manage to take a photo of this little chap:

We met up with Erk and played on the wind pipes (you have to stand on the wooden beams in different places to make sound):

And then we discovered a roly-wheely-thingy which for some reason we'd never noticed before (which is a bit bizarre as it's only just down from the playground, etc.)

It was a bit of a challenge for Nin to get up onto.

Feeling confident now...

And off! And straight back on again.

You can make little bells inside the wheels ring when you moved your feet, Nin thought this was fabulous and spent quite some time on it.

What you can't see on the ground beyond it is the wonderful daffodils and irises.

And on the way out, just as the weather was beginning to turn, we saw a peacock in less-than-auspicious circumstances (next to rusty old baths in a farmyard):

Quite a bit else happening atm, so will hopefully have some time to blog it tommorrow (also trying to get some knitting done as I've had a lace scarf *for me* on my needles for a while which keeps getting cast aside for knitted easter eggs and making clothes for dolls).

Knitted Waldorf Doll

2009-03-14T09:18:00.000-07:00

I finished my first entirely Knitted Waldorf Doll (well, ok, he does need some clothes, I'm working on that).

He is predominantly knitted in Riihivilla Aarni (a naturally-dyed Finnish rare-breed yarn) from Ecoknits and his hair is from Spectraspun.

March Circle Time

2009-03-08T09:19:00.000-07:00

Please note this photo isn't one of mine - far too good ;)

Now I have a spare minute (before I go off to bed), I thought I'd type up the Circle Time we are currently using. I know it would probably help to have the melodies, so I might have a fiddle with the PC and see if I can record the melodies I've now started adding some recordings - erm, I have to lean over my PC to sing (I don't have a separate microphone) so they sound a bit strained ;)

You'll need to save the file to your PC and then open to hear it (sorry, at some point I'll try and work out a player for on here, there must be some way of doing it).

Come to the circle where dreams are found
Take my hand and we'll dance around
Round and round and round we go
Hello, hello, hello and hello.
Come the the circle, we'll dance in a ring
Jumping like lambs to welcome the Spring
Round and round and round we go
Hello, hello, hello and hello.

Audio: come-to-the-circle

***

There piped a piper in the wood
Strange music - soft and sweet
And all the little wild things
Came hurrying to his feet.
They sat around him on the grass,
Enchanted, unafraid,
And listened, as with shining eyes,
Sweet melodies he made.
The wood grew green
and flowers sprang up
The birds began to to sing;
For the music it was magic
And the piper's name was Spring!

Audio: the-piper

***

Five little mice fast asleep
One by one, out they creep
Five little mice, wide awake now
One-by-one they take a bow

***
(to the melody of "Frere Jacques")

Are you sleeping? Are you sleeping?
Little bulbs. Little bulbs.
Springtime is a-coming.
Springtime is a-coming.
Time to wake.
Time to wake.

***
("Flowers Growing" by Jean Warren - sung to melody of "Here we go round the mulberry bush")

This is the way we sprout our roots,
Sprout our roots, sprout our roots.
This is the way we sprout our roots,
When spring time is here.
This is the way we stretch and grow. [etc]
This is the way we open our buds. [etc]
This is the way we bend in the breeze. [etc]
This is the way we smile at the sun. [etc]

***

Two little feet go tap, tap, tap.
Two little hands go clap, clap, clap.
One little body, twirls around.
One quiet body sits back down.

***
I then tell the story of The Three Billikin Whiskers (or Three Billy Goats Gruff)

Splurge!

2009-03-07T09:35:00.000-08:00

Because it's been a while since I last blogged.

I don't know what's happened recently, but life seems to have gotten a little bonkers on the busy front and by the time I have a minute to blog I'm too tired to actually do it.

So, a short recap of what's been going on:Nin has been back to hospital. She has been having some blood tests which have shown anaemia, but also high allergy antibodies. She will be having further allergy tests to try to pinpoint what's causing this.

We've been attending the Steiner Initiative in Sheffield once a week, but things are rather up-in-the-air atm (regarding location, number of children attending, etc.) Myself and a couple of others in the local area are working towards a Woodland Parent and Child Group and Steiner-inspired co-op (more info. on SYHEC under Doncaster)We are looking to gather a minimum of 6 6-8 year olds for this, at which point we might be able to bring in a teacher to lead a Class 1.

At present I'm going to be leading the simple co-op (unless any other parent would also like to be involved, which would be more ideal), but my preference would be for it to be teacher-led to enable me to have more input into a Kindy/Parent & Child thing. I do have quite a bit more to say on this, but need to have a think about it.

I attended an interesting talk by Dot Male about Setting Up a Steiner Initiative last night in Sheffield, although it covered more, the setting up of a Steiner Kindergarten, but it was lovely to finally meet her (I've been trying to get to her "First Three Years" course for around 3 years now ;) and to also meet other people involved in the Steiner Initiative in Sheffield (or just interested in Steiner Ed.)

Erm, aside from that the days have sort've blurred into one and we've been doing the 'usual stuff', including some felting of hearts and Ted finding a tiny, tiny snail in the playhouse (which he went on to carry around the house for the majority of the day - the snail survived and was later released back into the garden ;) ):

Long time, no blog

2009-02-16T09:44:00.000-08:00

I've had a dead laptop which has refused all attempts to switch on or charge. It's back now and working and I have alot to catch up with!

In the meantime we've been up to:

Ice carving - including what happens when you pour water on and then chip away at ice.

Ted helped Rik in the shed:

It snowed (whilst it might seem rather pitiful to some, we've not seen this much snow for a while):

Gilbert was very far from impressed:

Monty, on the other hand, loved it. We let him off the lead on the playing fields and pelted him with snowballs which he thought was fabulous, but sorry, no pics, the snow was really coming down and I was worried about the camera getting wet.

Something you might miss if you were at school. A lorry had come to clean the drains, needless to say the children were fascinated.

And Nin made an apple and blackberry pie (English Bramleys from the market, blackberries from home-made blackberry jelly in the autumn, stirred into the apple mixture). She decorated the top herself and was very pleased with it:

I ordered some Riihivilla Aarni from Ecoknits:

I'm currently knitting up the flesh tones, working on a pattern for a knitted Waldorf Doll. I've finished one large doll's head (photo to follow soon) and have started on a second, smaller head.I also received this lovely sketch from Creative Mother:

Thank you so much Creative Mother! I'm so pleased with it!

Teddy is 3!

2009-01-10T09:48:00.000-08:00

Yes, my little man has turned 3 today.

No trousers, because he hasn't always quite got the no-nappy thing down yet and would he put on a pair of trousers? No, of course he didn't want to, he wanted to see his cake.

Happy Birthday Ted!

Dh was taking the photos, so this time I can claim exhonouration from the blurriness (I really have to have another look at the manual for this thing though *sigh*). Cake made by Nin and me (she does a much better job than me - that's a snake on the top).

Time flies!

2009-01-09T09:50:00.000-08:00

Such a flurry of activity! It's almost 10 days into the New Year (so nearly Ted's birthday) and it seems to have gone by so fast!There's been quite a lot of things like this:

And finishing off things like this (R, my 14yr old son, made the cake):

And I started this (must be mad):

The playmat is 1x1.2m. I'm chain-stitching the water (as you can see), with embroidered then needle-felted pebbles in the stream (with scrap bits of Noro left from the hobby horse which I'm *still* to get a decent pic of to post). Once I've finished the base colour of water I will chain stitch or embroider a variegated (blue/green/purple) yarn on top for some added 'movement'.

I plan to crochet the lane (coloured in beeswax crayon as a guide for the time being) and will then knit various fields, latch-hooking verges and bits around the pond for a bit of height (I can't face latch-hooking 'grass' into an entire field).

I'm also knitting a cardi for Rosie (Nin's doll) in matching yarn to the stockings I've recently made for her and am *still* crocheting the blue and purple knitted dress for Nin (which is likely to be a long top at this point).

I've also got the hem to add to the stripy dressing gown I've been making for Nin, but had to wash it (due to a cat wee incident, of which I will probably post more later - had one of those awful, but comical, days yesterday *sigh*)

Happy New Year!

2009-01-01T09:52:00.000-08:00

Thank you to all those who take the time to read my blog and to those who have supported Ninny Noodle Noo during the past year. It means a lot to me to have this opportunity to connect with like-minded people the world over and to know that there are people out there who share my interest in a more 'natural' approach to family life and an appreciation of traditional and handcrafted toys.

I've spent many enjoyable hours reading other's blogs, learning about their day-to-day lives and admiring the wonderful things they do and/or have made. The inspiration is immense.

Thank you all for that.

I really enjoy reading people's comments and the kindness shown by people in the more difficult times I have experienced during the past year is much appreciated.All the best for the New Year to you all.(and a group cyber-hug ;) )

I'm still here

2008-12-31T09:53:00.000-08:00

Been a bit busy, y'know how it is :DWe've had a lovely quiet festive season with quite a lot of biscuits and some marzipan dipped in chocolate (made by the children - yes they were covered head to toe in chocolate, I couldn't take photos as I was too ;) ).

Here are a couple of bits and pieces I've made, although I still need to take a picture of the hobby horse, coat and hat and scarf set.

I'm not a confident photographer and I just couldn't get half decent photos of them this morning.I have, however, finished Ted's doll's cardigan, some dungarees (couldn't get a decent close photo of them) and socks to match the cardigan. For Nin's doll I finished a pair of stockings:

Aside from that it's been brisk cold walks with the dog (and some extra teens, I seem to collect them in this house...)

The last photo is where we do most of our blackberry picking in the autumn, it looks so cold and bare now. The camera ran out of batteries at this point (which was a shame as we went to the playground and Erk took off his hat and put it on the ground next to the swing and the dog grabbed it and made off with Erk in hot pursuit, much to everyone's amusement - the dog was really, really pleased with himself).

Oh and guess what? Ted did the whole walk with NO NAPPY! Yes, my little boy is now wearing pants in the day :)

Anyway, hopefully I'll get some photos of the hobby horse and other bits and pieces I've made soon (I'd also like to also get them posted up on Ravelry).

Biscuits and a wet dog

2008-12-23T09:56:00.000-08:00

We've been busily making biscuits and the mutt had a bath:

A bit of an icing and glitter fest for the children!

As you can see he doesn't find a bath a traumatic experience (which is handy considering he's quite long-haired and generally needs a good brush and trim every now and then). He had a great time chasing the water from the shower and even sat and stood nicely to be hairdryered afterwards.

To all those celebrating this evening

2008-12-21T09:58:00.000-08:00

Silent Night
Silent night, Solstice Night
All is calm, all is bright
Nature slumbers in forest and glen
Till in Springtime She wakens again
Sleeping spirits grow strong!
Sleeping spirits grow strong!

Silent night, Solstice night
Silver moon shining bright
Snowfall blankets the slumbering Earth
Yule fires welcome the Sun's rebirth
Hark, the Light is reborn!
Hark, the Light is reborn!

Silent night, Solstice night
Quiet rest till the Light
Turning ever the rolling Wheel
Brings the Winter to comfort and heal
Rest your spirit in peace!
Rest your spirit in peace!

Author Unknown

Things that make me smile

2008-12-14T10:03:00.000-08:00

Going out in the garden just as one of the male neighbours is belting out:

"When it's cold outsi-ee-ide, I got the month of May."

Followed by him bellowing, "Eh? Y'What? Ba side of t'elly yull see where carpet's oop."

I went back inside chuckling.Guess you had to be there...

Resurfacing, slowly.

2008-12-11T10:05:00.000-08:00

I'm getting there. The funeral went well, after rather a comedy of errors getting down to Birmingham on public transport with two small children (dh joined us on the day of the funeral with the two older boys). Nin became ill and I followed her on Saturday and have been rather bogged down with a bad cough and fever, but steadily I'm coming out of that.It still hurts. I imagine it will for a while.But there are still everyday things to be done.

We've done some crafting.

Erk's done some sewing.

Nin and Ted have painted some beads.

And everyone has been making some bobbles.

This required quite some concentration from Ted, he's not quite 3 but really wanted to do what everyone else was doing. There aren't any photos of the resultant bobbles as they haven't been finished yet :)

So, I'm getting there (and will probably feel a damn sight better when this bloody cough has gone!)

Sorry I'm so quiet

2008-12-02T10:07:00.000-08:00

My gran died and fairly unsurprisingly I'm rather upset. I will be back soon, but can't quite get my head around blogging atm.

More knitting, crochet and brrrrr

2008-11-22T10:08:00.000-08:00

Along with the felted hobby horse and dollshouse cowboy I'm working on, I'm plodding along with a knitted and crocheted dress for Nin.

It's going very slowly because there's just so much of it to *do*! At this rate it may stay as a long knitted top.Â I still need to add a band and tie at the back as it's made loose to easily go over Nin's head. I'll be adding some sort of purple picot edge to the sleeves, hem and also edging for the band.

A pic of poorly Ted (although he's much better now). Poor little mite curled up on the living room floor on a small cot mattress. He was really so ill!

I've also finished a cardi for Nin's doll and am now working on a cabled version for Ted's doll. In addition I've just finished crocheting a cover for an old plastic head band which I'm now going to embroider with a vine, leaves and some flowers. So much to do, so little time if I want to get them finished as presents.

We also had a trip to Sandall Beat Woods for the HEDG (Home Education Doncaster Group) meet yesterday. I met a couple of families from Sheffield at the bus station to show them the way, which was a nice addition to our small group.

Again I took the camera, but shortly after arriving it began to rain, then hail, sleet warmth, shelter and a shared meal of home-made cheese scones, and finally snow, so we all retreated inside the Visitor's Centre for jam sandwiches, carrot cake, pumpkin pie, carrot sticks, raspberries, bananas and satsumas, washed down with either water, herbal tea or traditional lemonade).

No chance of a circle time in the slight chaos of a change of routine and the craft activities I brought (saws and a drill for the older ones to cut up fallen branches to either make buttons or for later whittling) and weaving on twigs (gods-eyes) went by the wayside as the weather wasn't conducive to collecting what was needed.