Petits Haricots

this was a wierd group of subjects tied together by their order in story of the world! Aboriginal australians and dreamtime, maori, frankish empire with cathedrals. We had lots of fab crafts brought again. I love the historyetc days as we get our children of different ages and ability moving between different crafts, aided by different adults and giggling and laughing with friends of all ages.

Starting with my craft, as first out of the bag We did aboriginal stencil art. instead of blowing around hands, we used cut out stencils. I made a variety of australian animals , some hands and some stick people, and various children made their own stencils. We ground down our rock/ochre – mostly colour chalks! we prewetted the paper, applied the stencils and then blew the chalkdust through straws. I did have some natural straws made from rolled eucalyptus bark from a ghost gum that some of the children had a go with. We discussed aboriginal art, colours from rocks, marking of important sites etc as we went on. We got some great results.

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I wasn’t the only one having fun! Jax had brought a kingdom plan, each child to mke up their kingdom and draw it on paper, then make some rules with it and if time draw a family tree of rulers. This was a runaway hit! my girls had a molly fish kingdom and a toad [mario brothers] kingdom. I loved that M made factory kingdom to provide other kingdoms with goods. and all through the day they were making and breaking alliances. V V interesting! Jax had thought this would be an ‘if there is time’ filler activity, and i think it was one everyone crowded to do. Obviously the pictures can’t show how this activity panned out!

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Zoe did some maori face-painting – lots of hands and a coupke of faces that were fab. Also made for snack some traditional australian fried moths!!! except these were popcorn and peanuts in honey – phew In the pm she did maori bone carving [since michelle couldnt come] using soap. Also worked brilliantly, and had the added advantage of making the conservatory smell nice

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Meanwhile Gina had brought beautiful dreamcatchers to make, with wire hoops and different wools, beads and feathers. i didn’t get to take so many pics of this as was keeping the majority of blown chalks on the table as a losing battle! Sb made a really gorgeous one all by herself, but I helped do BB’s as the wool winding took longer than her attention span – she did do 3/4! Ginal also brought a stained windows craft that i managed no photos of at all, as i was engrossed in fimo!

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Merry brought the fimo, and we made dreamstylish pictures of a variety of australian animals. I found this very therapeutic SOme great animals made, and lots of chatting whilst fiddling – always good. Ultimately of us competitive adults, think Zoe did the best!

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Nother pictureless craft is the sword making with katy, which BB did very happily and has been waving hers around – should be able to grab a shot at some point! and then a play and discussion of frankish laws and the fairness of them. [or not!]

overall a fab day.

finished with a surprise stay by jax et al due to their house having a flood scenario , and also zoe and family, but just for tea SB was succesful in her judo grading.

My lovely and charming husband arranged for us to go away for the weekend, found a lovely B and B at not to far a distance, and gave the girls to M-I-L.

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We went pretty much straight out to a great Thai restaurant and had a lovely meal. the next morning we had a fab cooked breakfast and then made a lazy start to the day. we went geocaching and did a really fab series around santon. Most were cunningly disguised micros, so particularly good for adults that like geocaching! this , i guess, is in the nature of being spoilers, so look away!

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After a lovely walk and found all we looked for, we made it back for toast and a free standing bath soak before going out to a tapas. another lovely meal. a cooked breakfast the next morning before going to inlaws to pick up the children. Thankyou for a lovely weekend

BB had had a bit of a wobble earlier in the weekend, but both had had fun, and were happy we stayed for roasties at sunday lunch before coming home! we cuddled a lot, and when home did some wii playing, crafting and then snuggling watching Merlin. I was way way behind on work, but had had a lovely time!

I am so far behind in blogging that I am not sure where i got to or how to catch up!! However, I will at least type some of it! There has been a great arts award with oil paints, i worked all weekend , a reasonable home ed week, with wodensmeet on weds, and then a knex home ed group on the thurs and the woodcraft meet on the fri. SB has been signed off from hospital dentist who has rebuilt her tooth . She had a fab sleepover with her friend G from guides, which they both v much enjoyed, and have also been to spymaster together with guides – again v much enjoyed. SOme v expensive boots have been bought. SB took her grade 3 music theory, and thought it went OK. BB’s fish died, and so she got a replacement molly, and then we bought 2 guppies, so we currently have 4 fish in the tank. Work has been v busy, and lots of stuff to do in the evening. General home ed has happened. BB has finished level 3 books and has had a bit of a breakthrough really.

Anyway, having done that very quick potted history, wodensmeet was fab, so deserves a bigger bit of a blog. Unfortunately, for variety of reasons it was just us and le ciel rouge. not that i object to spending time with them on their own but it was sad to miss the others. We started with a poppy craft to think about remembrance day, and what this meant. It was a mixed media craft/art, making poppies by painting various papers red, texturising them, or using red wool etc, having a textured black background. It took quite a long time but they did a fab job.

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As the older ones got to then end, they helped us catch up a bit with story of the world by reading between them a chapter. I like listening to our children reading out loud, though it can be difficult with wierd names! they all did very well at it. Yummy snack and then set up for science.

I had been going to do a spit experiment but instead, due to the shortage of people, thought we would do some scary science again, so got out the 3 gas experiments to remind us all about how we can tell experiments have happened, what diff kinds of chemical reactions there are, and then, how to test for 3 gases.

1. calcium carbonate [chalk/eggshells/marble chippings] ground or cut small and 5 mls of dilute HCl [you can use acetic acid if being more cautious] and a balloon quickly popped over the top of the test-tube/flask. There were clear gas bubbles, and the balloons dilated we then tested the gas with a lit match, and it went out.
2. manganese dioxide and then 5mls of hydrogen peroxide. there was a disagreement here about what gas might be going to be made here! but it was a v v quick reaction, and hard to get balloons on quickly enough. However, we did manage to test for gases. the lit match perhaps slightly popped sound, whilst it flared brighter. the glowing spill definitely relit. this was v popular, and we did this one a couple of times each
3. but i saved the best till last… for the final, we had an inch of magnesium ribbon and added 5mls of dilute hydrochloric acid. [i should say that we do have all 'the gear' with coats, gloves, flasks, test tubes and holders etc, and it is all done with stern safety advice at the start, and any warnings or advice required - including having sodium bicarb avail...] . The pops were resounding!! we didn’t try putting balloons on, but instead we had the lit spill or match ready for when we saw the bubbles from dropping in the magnesium ribbon. This reaction is particularly exothermic. We did this a number of times too.
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We had lunch and then got out some sewing. we had planned to do some french, but no-one seemed that enthusiastic, so the girls all had a play first and then we made owls. These were brilliant. Lots of nattering whilst we did them, and P turned hers into a cat.

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finally we had a bit of music, with all 4 girls doing a short piano practice, cheering each other on and being really positive about each other’s skills. I was really surprised that BB happy to join in, but not about to turn it down!!
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on the way back we got a replacement molly for BB’s dead one. they gave it to us free. it is a halloween molly apparently, being mostly black with some orange. we also got the photos done for BB’s judo passport. she is ambivalent about judo. partly as she hates not being able to do something, worries that she has it wrong. we negotiated with judo that for now, SB will go to BB’s session and be her partner and she can stop at next grading if not comfortable.

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click and it should play [i hope!]

less dramatic than it sounds probably! my parents came to visit for the weekend. School run for my sister’s kids means that they are tied to weekends only for visiting as well. We were very pleased to see them though. We are trying for a do something one day, rest one day kind of weekend. Partly so I have done something with the children, yet had time enough to recharge before startng a new week back at work! I noticed that West Stow had some saxon re-enactors there and we are currently lookng at saxon with our history so it seemed perfect We didn’t quite get going as early as we would like, but reassured mum and dad there was a lovely cafe there. I was utterly mistaken the cafe has shut!! there were 3 vans – ice cream, funfair stuff and farm foods with loveling home slaughtered pig products. i know, most ppl woudl love, and dad did! luckilly they did have a veg butternut soup [in a polystyrene cup!] and that is what we had, in the cold on picnic benches. it was delicious, but…

However, once we got in and got started we had a fab time. we went to watch the DVD and saw the little museum first and then wandered to the animals. Loved the saxon scarecrow .

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WE had booked onto the archaeologists tour. She was very enthusiastic, explained things well, answered questions, and there was only us and a couple, so just was great. found out far more about west stow in the 1 hour + she spent taking us round. did i say she was very enthusiastic??

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We then chatted to quite a few of the re-enactors – actually we had spoken to the blacksmith before the tour, and he had talked about apprentices, costs etc and the huge importance of the role. Afterwards we spoke to the dyers and weavers, someone about the clothes worn, and the woodturner. Fabulous ended with an icecream by the play area.

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We took a ‘unique’ route home, that dad was not impressed by as in convoy – oh well i had loved spending the day with my parents. It was noticeable though how much less energy they have currently. Mums walking not so good due to foot probs, and i think they are both shattered by having parental roles for my nephew and niece. We got home later than expected so had a chippery tea and bedtime for the girls. we chatted whilst I sewed

The next day was a games day. BB demonstrated her ladybird game to nanny and grandad, who were duly impressed SB did some music theory [good girl ] SB then played ticket to ride with nanny and grandad. We have the nordic version, so only for 3 players. She was a bit over confident, so got -8!! [and took it very well - far better than grandad might have, and he won!]

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They were in the conservatory, so could be sociable with BB and i, who were carving halloween pumpkins. SHe was pleased to carve one for yoshi and pteri from the mini squash and pumpkins we had grown, as well as from her own gourds she had grown that had done very well we did lots of carving together. I, obviously, did the messy part!!

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We carried on for most of the day on and off the girls also did the crazy-but-fun wii family trainer [recommended!] and SB played her clarinet for nanny, as with a filed off tooth it is more bearable. Best of all they did some lovely duetting with the jazz book

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A fab weekend spent with my fab family

do you know it was half term! so lots of things didn’t happen. However, I really can’t think of what actually might have happened! I think DH and the girls chilled a lot of the week. SB did a lot of music theory prac as her grade 3 exam coming up. Some socialising, Monday with friend G who used to be in guides, and a sleepover arranged for a fortnights time SB v happy about that. Tues went to DH’s parents. Weds was wodensmeet, thurs I think had shopping and dentist in it, and dunno re friday – prob getting house tidy as parents coming

Anyway, for me the exciting thing was getting some fish [and for the girls ] we have bought 2 mollies, BB called hers ankie [short for anchor apparently??] and SB called hers shimmer. Both supposed to be small mollies, but SB’s does look v different. Hers is a girl, and on close inspection BB’s a boy. hoping not to breed to readily i must say.

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OOh, tues eve we all did some marbling, as BB had been v keen to use the special paints. Unfortunately, as i found out, she hadn’t realised this was a technique of painting, rather than an alchemistic way of turning paper to stone She was somewaht disappointed, but the results were great.
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Not sure if that really will stay the group meet name, as I did it to tease Merry, but i might keep it as the name for the blog :). it has already been blogged elswhere and elsewhere, but I am running quite behind with blogging/life etc. Am tempted just to link and run!

However, the day was rather different for us because SB had decided she would like to cycle there – all 16 miles! I did tell her that is a long ride to do to a set time… SO we all got up nice and early and she and DH did indeed cycle there He took a few photos with his phone, but these are mine at the setting off
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it took them 2 hours So proud of her, because at 14 miles she really thought she had had enough, but did manage to keep going. BB and I dropped some linen and a nearly tudorish recorder at the deependers and were then early to zoes and started on the day of the dead colourings

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SB and DH arrived, as did merry and family and Em and family, so all set for a fun day the kids all coloured, chatted and were generally happy. We did a quick french round of saying hello and some basic questions round whilst they coloured and will hopefully build a bit on aural french as we go along. I am prob not the ideal person, being not fluent myself but a no stress version of french anyway.

We then divvied the group into mixed age halves. Half went to do poetry with Merry, she read the witches from macbeth and talked a bit about it, and then helped them each to write their own poem or list and illustrate it. BB and J shared theirs, as neither of them write, so Merry the scribe and then each decorated. SB spent a long time doing hers, and was v happy with it.

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With the other half we made some small amount of black powder. Last time we did this it wasn’t particularly successful, so this time i changed the ratio a bit and we used wood charcoal. we also added iron filings, tinfoil and copper sulphate to them [not everything in each!] so the flames might have diff appearances. This time it was v v successful. we did use safety precautions and close supervision! we were within the law for amount made, and all was ignited in small batches at the end, so none stored.

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SOme leaf gathering and some made a nature art whilst others played. SB finished off her poem, BB had a cuddle and did some of her recorder [and had a minor eek over learning some new notes!] Then Em got everyone going who wanted to with bells. SB and BB loved it

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We had a great day, and finished with tea alltogether, lots of chat and play before leaving. Thanks Zoe

prehistory was fab, and we did a fair bit of playing and chatting afterwards. SB and I did some music practices together, she is enjoying viola, even if doesn’t do it regularly, and has liked also a mediaeval simple recorder tunes book. She can play them v easily, but was going to suggest to Em that we might arrange some for tudor/kentwell kids easy playing. [especially if we can get our recorders to 'pass' by a bit of sanding and planing!] . SHe spent sunday morning catching up on some ‘normals’ – particularly music theory as the exam any minute now! BB also did some reading prac and much bouncing on the trampoline. We read some of a street through time together, as she likes doing the spotting, and she got out the calligraphy pens to do some writing – in her ‘own language’ tho!

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today was supposed to be getting new fish day, as having come back from prehistory we cleaned the wter and added plants, however it still hadn’t settled enough to be able to add fish hopefully later in the week! It is warm water aquarium, so we are thinking to choose from guppy, danio, platys, molly [?too big], tetra fish but will start with 4-6 fish. Can prob have at most 12 smallest fish of approx 1 inch, or 8- 10 of a mixture of 1-2 inch fish. all of these fish like to have more than one of them, tho platy can be fine on own, so we can’t have many types of fish, and apparently can breed, but may eat the little ones. hmm!

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Then we crafted – decorating heart pots. BB has hers mario themed, and SB plans to give hers as gifts, so fitting with the person they are going to. Nice and relaxing all together, with some hugging, snuggling, contemplating thrown in for good measure in the lovely conservatory. I also started making a shift – in fact pretty much finished it. I think it could do with being looser, so will adjust that for the next shifts! If it is too tight next summer i have a plan to add an extra panel along the side. that ought to do the trick!

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SB and I did some piano duetting together with our Jazz book, which we both enjoy – DH took a pic which i should add here and BB mostly pretended to be a dog! then we read a bit together, watched a dvd about volcanos, but more specifically the hawaian islands, and i learned about basalt and runnier lava. girls played a wii game together.

Finally snuggling up to watch the week befores merlin, from being in hastings and have this weeks to watch at some point. A lovely chilled and relaxing day . However, didn’t play a wii game with them, or a board game . Must try harder!!

BB has got to that bit of maths where a strong knowledge of hundreds, tens and units needs to be consolidated. SB seemed to race through this stage, and although we heard lots of friends being v positive about base ten blocks, we just didn’t need them.

BB is a very different girl tho, and things visual really suit her, so as well as just doing lots of work on numbers and their placements into HTU, DH has bought some baseten blocks and uses this regularly with her maths. She really likes them, not only for helping visualise the maths, but playing number games. All in the name of consolidation . SO here as a recommendation [completely not a sponsored blog, just a happy home-edder blog]

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the festival of ideas runs annually, and has some great drop in and prebook things. This year, tho very tempted by the prebook, we were hoping my nephew and niece would be up so didn’t. They didn’t make it as their dad still in china and could have arranged with my parents if we knew differently, but didn’t. SO we went to the drop ins. I am having enough stressing at work that i needed a lie in on sat come what may! so we were all late up, and by the time i had got sarnies etc made i was eeling v sick, so we were delayed whilst i decided whether really was sick or just stressed and tired. Decided stressed and tired, so we went out far later than planned! and instead of going to 2 diff activities we concentrated on the prehistory.

It was great, as normal, tho both girls were initially a bit lacklustre at joining in and being enthused. A poke and a prod and we got going. had a great chat with the smelters and bronze makers, and also with the skin preparers. Both very enthusiastic about passing on their knowledge. Got shown the cave with a student with BB, and then a prof with SB, a very clear difference! Was strongly tempted to apply to be a mature student in archaeology. She mixed facts and figures with descriptions and enthusiasm that held us The student in charge of the patineting was simlar tho, and we discussed ochres and natural pigments, and both girls did some cave painting.

Whilst we were there, also caught up with various home educators in the region, which was fab. I don’t get to see them currently, and definitely miss them! Have had to accept husband is the home educator wish he would blog though!!

ANyway, some photos [iphone still, oh where oh where could our camera be!]

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