Category Archives: gardening

not quite there quick enough

well, we are NEARLY at a china chapter in SOTW, and it Chinese new year tomorrow, but not quite managed to co-ordinate them, having been a bit slow with SOTW recently. Chris had done some India in the week, and SB wanted me to read the Buddha enlightenment story again today, so I did, and then we read some stories from the Barefoot book of Buddhist tales. however, it being chinese new year [it lasts 15 days], i went ahaead and downloaded some of the little books from enchanted learning to do – and SB enjoyed that, and both girls made firework pictures. BB’s rather liberal use of glitter pens [as if a firework store had blown up tbh] has meant she pretty much used up a whole pack!

In the middle of all this, we had an outside play – in and out of the playhouse! And also football. Chris and I did a bit of garden tidying up to do, but it seems a bit like the forth bridge at the moment. Need to get an industrial quantity of the permeable garden weed mesh stuff.

SB has read to me and BB – apple tree farm books and books from the library. We have done a lot of building with the marble run, some internetting – nick jr and cbeeies.

BB has been absolutely in love with a galt alphabet thing, where it makes a long line, but the pictures are in little blocks cut in half. She was so excited doing it, clapping as she matched things up – very cute. Also she was having fun counting things – she is very keen to count, but just using 1,2 and 6 makes it tricky. Back in nappies though today as a weeing spree – sigh!

we finished with a rousing second half of the sing along sound of music [watched the first half last night]. and SB chose a book about seasons and time etc for her bedtime book, so we did that too.

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flooding

the road to work was closed for resurfacing rather than flooding, but the view3s over the water meadows were fab. shame for the houses built so close though.
work was work. Chris’s parents were here today whilst Chris finished off the base for the wendy house. the did Lego, and not really knitting, as Jane teaching sb, and she isn’t getting the hang of it. also lots of bob the builder inspired games with BB as well. when I got home, the Lego hospital had just collapsed, so helped rebuild it. Made cups of tea and SB read to ORT roman adventure to Chris’s mum while I drank it. minor riot act to SB as not done match and sort, even though I had left it out.

We then did a piano practice, which she did very nicely – good, as have bought next book from amazon in my amazon splurge, which now needs to be justified! As we were doing that BB wandered down from her sleep, and we some wandered back up to remove ‘poopy soggy botbot napnap’. SB was supposed to be doing maths with Nana, but I think the workings out had Nana bemused [we're now used to the Singapore scheme, but Nana would subtract as I would have done at school, none of this messing with loads of steps!] so SB then had to redo it when i got down. the subtraction was across the 10, so she was subtracting the 10′s ok, but then the smaller unit from the larger [ie the wrong way] . Ah well, got there in the end.

We played with the brio set altogether, and Nana and Grandad went home. then with the 3d shape maker polyhedron thingies which we finally gave to sb this Christmas. she made a pancake, I made pyramids and not pyramids – she could tell me which were right though. The girls then messed about with cbeebies website and numberjacks.

After tea and bath, SB and I played battleships until it was time for her to go to bed, and I finished my homework!! having finished it, i have just watched primeval? -a bit of a laugh!

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snow-free saturday

It didn’t last long did it? luckilly that meant that chris has done a lot more organising of the base for SB’s wendy house – coming on wed.

Hmm, I got up late, SB and BB were arguing over cbeebies. mostly charlie and lola. A laid back beginning, and I read some books then to BB, AB got dressed [and played with dolls house] and then lunch – see v laid back!

So in the afternoon we were going to do some baking. However, BB went and had a nap, so SB and did a violin lesson and a piano lesson – as part of my i really must do this. SB no longer wants a purple and flowered violin, but a clear on that lights up – i wonder where she got that idea from? Anyway, we mostly did holding and bowing open strings. i bought this book from amazon to start us off with, as well as the theory book recommended by sarah [oops and a few more things]

we then heard BB wailing – so a short nap only, and rescued her. SO we went to bake, but the decorating plates were out as well, so she and BB decided to decorate their plates instead. BB finished first, so to keep her enthusiastic whilst SB finished, I got her bug pots kit out from Xmas present. We did the bee one, and SB was desperate to do one too. BB kindly gave her the ladybird one. Unfortunately the glue in the kits wasn’t really up to the job. BB lost half the eyes, and peeled all the sticker backs off the spider one [which we weren't doing!] I kept counting to 10, and we sorted it out so that we all did enjoy making our 2 pots!

IMG_2919IMG_2927IMG_2928_edited-1IMG_2930mmm cake!

Onwards and upwards we finally did our baking – banana loaf. SB helped BB do all the stages and it was quite lovely.the smell of the banana loaf baking has also been quite lovely. We did some jigsaws – BB has just crossed into the knowing how to do them bit, so is getting lots of fun from our starter jigsaws. SB did a little of the english education city. They are going to add german as well as spanish – so sounding better and better really. SB and BB then went for a runaround in the garden

I did a bit of tidying up and fiddling, but BB soon in and covered in mud – so an emergency bath! we then played games together until SB also came in having had an accident with the wheelbarrow. Hot choc and snuggles on sofa watching little house in the prairie were in order. SB was hungry, so she has had an early tea. The girls are cbeebing again at the moment. However, we are going to read a book about the native americans and prairie life when BB goes to bed. Actually, we started with that, and have now made some more of her lego hospital set.

Every night so far, SB has read me part of a level 8 ORT book, and carried on reading it when I go down. She is really happy with her reading at the moment.

Calling in the Grandparents.

I need to crack on with preparing the base for the playhouse, so my parents came over today to look after the girls whilst i tried to get on with that. Though BB didn’t help much as she insisted on coming outside in the cold – she always wants to come outside whenever someone goes out there- pottering around until she got cold/fed up and then inssiting on me cuddling her- not really the point….

anyway, weather not the best for the job (cold -don’t mind that so much whilst working – but then it started to rain :-( ), and didn’t quite get to where I wanted, but reasonable progress made.

Whilst i was getting cold, various things where happening. Mot sure exactly, SB did some of the Cambridge Brainbox electronics kit, whilst BB played with maxi-hama. SB did some maths a bit later (getting through MPH2B – subtracting tens and units), and finshed off her enchanted Learning lion booklet. Played couple of games – Tummy Ache and something else, played with lego, some reading, then they both played loudly with the pop-up tent. after GP’s went home, both girls wanted to help me with dinner. so spent ages cutting up caulifower to make cauliflower cheese, so dinner was a bit later than it would have been…. which gave her time to do a bit of Explode the code

After dinner SB finshed off playing connect 4 with Helen.

BB cute moment: she is extending her size words. she asked for an orange. I asked her if she wanted a big or small orange (aka Clementine). she picked up the big orange:

“Big” pause ” ‘normous” pause “ginnynormous” – big smile and giggle :-)

What else?

Yesterday, we were supposed to go out earlyish to BB’s toddler-gym session, but decided not to bother as it meant going out in cold slushy stuff to drive into the nearest town. So, as seen, we played out in the snow (once we eventually got all the necessary clothes on, hunted down gloves etc. which seem to have gone into hiding since Melrose :roll: SB was happy, BB intrigued for a bit, but then decides she preferred having a cuddle after falling over in the snow a few to many times.Eventully I got tired of carrying her around the garden and we came in. SB played for a bit more , but then also came in. We warmed up with hot choc and crumpets whilst watching most of the program about migrating wildebeest that we caught a bit of pre Melrose. There was a good bit about lions hunting together, as well as lots of other discussion prompted about different predators, why some animals are in groups and some individuals etc. after lunch she did some maths, some colouring in a dot to dot book of gladiators, we sat a read some books. she read a bit on a printed out web page about lions – it was in normal size print which she normally says is to small, but read most of it fine. There was some websiting – EC and Poisson Rouge which she likes and it entertains BB

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Jax and co and catchup – edited!

came to visit for the weekend. we will flickr, but I was a bit lax with my photography. the children disapperaed, BB is desperate to be one of the gang. Sb and Small took a few adjustments as she had him pegged as a BB game wrecker. Big and SB raced around having fun and very late nights! Jax taught us to make the heat little wool dolls. And we nattered. lovely weekend!

will stuff in a flickr photo when I get it though

before her arrival, some friends from leeds popped by on their way past, which was lovely. We all used to be in choir together. Their son is similar in age to BB. Much fun was had with bubbles.

forgot to blog that I had played some lovely games of set and scrabble with SB, baked with BB and done a fair bit of ‘normals’ with SB.

from the garden we have even harvested a pumpkin! Loads of brocolli is ready now as well, as a bonus

The last quiet weekend for quite a while

Friday

got home to find the kitchen table covered in Fimo – had to explain to SB it was expensive, and stamped out houses and butterflies in the future would be done in playdough… lovely pig and mouse though modelled.

They had also been to another home educator in the morning for a playdate and to bake jam tarts.

Saturday

Basic explode the code and maths done. we are holding a while on adding and subtracting crossing a 10 until SB competently bored by it. She was so proud of her writing in explode the code that she asked me to take a picture of the page!

She spent ages on the latest webland - and that had a wild mushroom bit, so I got out our dried ones and looked at all their diff shapes, and also a nature book. This of course led me to make the mushroom risotto… We are prob going to go up to the webland 5-7 for a bit, and are still debating the education city. Oh for a bit more ready cash!

She coloured in a volcano page and we then looked a volcano book and then got distracted by the ‘universe‘ book we got from the book people. She’s getting good at UNO now. A fair bit of colouring in as well.
The rest of the day was spent playing outside and harvesting things, being ‘messed about’ – ie thrown up and around and using me and Chris as climbing frames.

BB and I played with the lego, did some pegboards and jigsaws, fuzzy felt and she really enjoys a good sing and dance, and also a tickle.

The evening ended with watching 2 epsiodes of ‘the trials of life‘ with david attenborough from the tesco’s rental [3 months for the price of 1 - not bad!]
Sunday

started of with very early cbbc dose, where i was requested to stay – aargh! BB brought me some toast though. both girsl did some playdough play after the glorious pancakes [second breakfast - turning into a hobbit!]

Out into the garden to enjoy the rays of sun when we get them. I did some pruning/hacking back whilst BB and SB ran about. SB did then help me with some de-ivying. Horrid job, spiders, dirt, dust and woodlice. SB enjoyed the woodlice though.

Lunch and BB having a nap and SB doing maths. Dding 10′s onto things – so easier than crossing the 10. Having basic conversations in French at the moment to spark an interest in learning. Still feeling we should be doing more with languages and music. [and perhaps even something!]. BB still napping so have struggled over origami and now we are jointly making up a story and enacting it with the origami animals.

BB awoke and the mayhem began! SB decided not to bake and went out to play, so i baked cookies with BB. When SB realised [despite being told] there was a mega wailing session, which didn’t really end, so she was quietened down with explode the code – I know, mean of me. BB and I jigsawed, built towers and steps with bricks, and then they both wailed! So I read some stories, and then popped them in the bath whilst Chris cooked tea.

om our return, Sb insisted on doing a bit more maths. then tea, and now she is screeching now into my ear for going up to bed, so so be it!

for the garden blog

way late blogging, but the host has been very variable so i hven’t had access either.

so in summary. we have done particularly well with butternut squash and the festival squash [or was it celebration?] and 1 courgett plant has been great, 1 ok and nothing from the other. the pumpkins don’t seem to have done anything at all. The festival squash has loved rampaging across a trellis that was supposed to have peas on it.

The sweetcorn was OK, but not brill, but have just harvested the now dried out strawberry popcorn sweetcorn, so will give that a go later on.

The runners have bean OK and a good crop of broad beans, given their late start, but nothing much from french beans and peas disasterous – but they did coincide with a lot of missed attention, so probably down to us.

the onions and shallot harvest was good, but the garlic non-existant – not sure what happened to that.

the brassicas are still doing well, as sequentially cropping. the romanescu is a particularly smelly plant, and since we placed in the fruit bed near the house, are garden has smelled of cabbages all summer, so won’t do that again! they have had both large and small cabbage white caterpillars. The younger daughter has happily called them snakes and fed as many as possible to the waiting goldfish in the pond – so organic control there.

Potatoes were put in late, and since no sign of blight yet are still growing, and we will do a harvest later.

We had a surprisingly good carrot harvest considering the overgrowth with weeds. Both daughters have been particularly happy with this, mainly eating them raw.

the figs had a good harvest, and we had a few fruit on this years planting apple [but didn’t let it do too much so establishes. Ditto strawberries. the grapes on our vine are just ready to harvest, and we are harvesting bunches as we use them.

care of the greenhouse could def be better, so no aubergines, few chillis but did get some toms.

A lot of things suffered due to pressures at work really, and these aren’t likely to let of much next year. I think we will concetrate on just a few things next year, and half the patch perhaps, covering the rest wiht cardboard to minimise weeds.

pictures to follow

Tabblo

Tabblo = Tableau (I guess), geddit? Helen thinks it’s a bit chav :-)
I came across this site in the summer – probably when it launched properly, but never got into it. Was reminded about it again the other day, and have whiled away some time there today. Basically it’s a way to create collages of photos and text that tell a story or just look good, or whatever. Potentially a nice little adjunct to Flickr. You can get the finished products printed asprints and posters – unfortunately they ship from the US at the moment with rather high Fed-Ex shipping charges. Maybe it will change. Works prety well, and is all simple enough, but interface is sluggish at times and has some rough edges , but it integrates nicley with Flickr, though you need to give it a little time to pull in the photos.

I made a couple of simple ones to start with:

TRYING HARD

Lilypie Trying To Conceive Ticker

not to be shouty and grumpy with the girls, and to actually engage – easier with BB who just loves and cuddles. Not so easy with SB who has picked up on my stressiness, and is whiney, whingey and just on edge too. ‘mummy, I just feel angry and sad’

so I am not pushing home ed in anyhting but a lets read lots together – her choice. Chris can do the ‘normals’.

so today she did jump ahead year 1 for ages [got 2 reading caps and a time cap], we read about apollo 13, some general space stuff, and a book about the tudors. We also did some egg decorating – worked out how to blow out the middles, and then she painted. we might even do it one easter! She picked up a scrabble card game from the library without instructions, so we worked out a satisfactory game with that and had fun. SB’s sunflowers are flowering.
BB had lots of cuddles and ran around. also did some painting. Mum and dad made a flying morale visit. I hemmed SB’s ballet skirt. this eve I have watched 2 west wing – leo died :( . however west wing is whats keeping permanent jitters at bay at the mo.

Anyone who fancies a visit here before we move…