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Thinking Dinosaur
BB got a new top today, a hoody with dinosaurs on the front. She does really adore dinosaurs, and it made me think of all the dinosaur resources we have, and decided to do a resource post! I realise from twitter that it is non-fiction day today, so really should have done this a bit earlier, never mind! [in my head friday is the resource post day!] So, where shall i start! Well, since it is non-fiction day, I guess that is where i should start 
So I have started with assorted fact books, all of which BB likes, and all have a slightly different angle on them. The dk book is very vivid, with lots of imagery, facts and BB particularly likes it because she won it! SHe can’t read yet, but she has memorised many of the dinosaurs, and their diets, ferocity, size and postulated behaviour, and the pictures in this book allow her to jump in her imagination, and she does sometimes let me read too! The usborne book is also v fab, with some overlap with the DK book, but is far more geographical, placing the dinosaurs both in the pangaea gondwanaland etc of jurassic/triassic but also the modern continents where they are found, leading us on imaginary dinosaur hunts. We have particularly taken note of the fossils in england section! Again a beautifully designed and illustrated book for your dinosaur mad child! [and lots of facts for the older child too!] the dinosaurium book i am not so fond of, tho BB is. This is because it has those little books in the middle that get lost round the house, and it seems to be too bitty for me! Clever tho! We do like the final book though, with the 3d pop out and dinosaur sounds
we also like some of the stories about fossilisation and dinosaur finding :). The monster stones book is ideally pitched at BB, with a very cartoon/graphic approach that she appreciates, often making her own story to go with it. The various Mary Anning books are lovely, and we enjoyed visiting Charmouth too. the next book is a little bit more gritty about dinosaur hunters and their rivalry. The last book is again ideally suited to KS1 learning, and is part of a much wider and great series of books, and takes you through the process of finding and piecing together a fossil. great
Dinosaurs books in story form – particularly astrosaurs as well as colouring and games books are also important to BB, and she has enjoyed all the books here. The colouring one does keep her pretty quiet as well! She also subscribes to the magazine dinomite for regular dinosaur updates
And she has loved these DVD’s too.
Thus ends my quick round up of dinosaur resources, tho it has to be said, we have quite a few more, these are our favourites!
Previous Resources Posts
Posted in Blogging, Books, Butterbean's HE
[ser]vile Victorians
we went on a fab home ed group organised trip today to Burghley House for a Victorian servant experience. it was fabulous. Le ciel rouge were also there. We had a blast! the girls all dressed up, and over half of the other children had too. I was partic proud of SB’s costume and BB wore her pinny. We did have to get up at 7.30 – which was a shock to the system!!
First we had an introduction and heard a bit about various different servants, their jobs and what they would earn. then we were shown around the main house [no pics] which was really good. partic loved the kitchens and all the artwork Was very proud of SB, going round, asking questions and showing things to BB, and to BB for being so well behaved A very interesting tour of a very interesting place. We then went to the second bit, which was looking at a variety of items commonly used by servants in the Victorian times. SB and BB keen to pick some up and show around. Z and i did wonder if t41 would have approved of the ‘that’s a good question’ training.
Lunch time and we were all gasping for a cup of tea and food! unfortunately no chairs to sit on! In fact, it was cold stone slabs!! eek! After eating we went to our first afternoon session which was making fab sculptures out of wire. Unfortunately the session was a bit too short, meaning SB didn’t finish, and BB got stressed until i made the correct [after some trial and error on my part!] design xmas tree for her to hang baubles from. i also had a go, a butterfly on a flower. A really excellent session from a v hands on sculptor. Wish it could have had another half an hour.
The final session was also great, doing some servant chores, tho many reproducible at home 
All the girls started with polishing saddles and shoes, then using lemon juice to clean copper, the bigger girls then wrote letters, and BB did all the rest and dictated a letter to me. The chap leading was v knowledgeable and it was only that we were flagging at the end of the day and requiring cups of tea that made us want the day to end Children also tired, and BB fell asleep in car on way home [ok and me]. BB recovered at home with some old dr who, SB has had brownies and judo and has done a short piano prac [broken cords and trudging, her worst things still, and she doesn't want to change piece - it will be fine!]
An Early Blog!
Mostly due to nipping out this eve, better to get it done and dusted!!
This am SB struggled to get up again, she has had a cough for over a month now, and apart from making her tired and not sleeping well, she seems ok otherwise. thinking, on and off, about going to docs tho, as it has gone on for soooo long! She did – in a very quick whizzy way – some grammar, galore park science and dk project book. can’t have taken more than 5 mins each ?? [btw, tick sheet last week <20, and anticipate same this week as loads of other things to do] . BB entertained herself with a rabbit game.
I [and here we need a drumroll!!] got out little Nanny’s sewing machine, with the purpose of making SB a pinny to wear tomorrow. i have never made any items of clothing before, nor used Little Nanny’s sewing machine [a singer 401 of some vintage] so slightly nervous! I was going to make more of a tabard look with frill – which does seem more of the era, but a combination of bits and pieces, and actual worry, has turned it into more of a maids pinny. oh well! I am just jolly glad with myself for actually making it. it ended uptoo big as well, so have had to nip up various bits, so it doesn’t look as good as it did… The sewing machine is a dream tho! i love Nanny, she even had in her kit prewound singer bobbins <3 <3 as one of the things i dread is all that bobbining. tho they needed diff tension. Tension on a sewing machine is one of my bete noirs, but that fab singer instruction book – yep, little nanny kept it, made it so easy, i sorted it!! It is a rather fab sewing machine. i might even sew more things
SB, BB and I went to Djembe Drumming, arranged by CHEF and old home ed friend T was there, so had a hug and a chat. Miss seeing her now her daughter has gone to school. We all enjoyed the session greatly, as we had before. Learnt some new rhythms and both girls v happy.
returned home and the girls have gone off to swimming. I have added buttonholes [badly] to ribbon, and tempted to glue the fraying bits! I don’t think i will try making the mob cap!! Did a good piano prac with SB tho, gradually getting there! She also started her galore park history, and i silently chortled listening to her explaining the rosetta stone to BB. That is good home ed
Posted in Butterbean, history, literacy, music, noises and sounds, science, socialisation, Stringbean's HE
Another Artetc
We gate-crashed Le Ciel Rouge and Merry’s regular art monday today following a piano prac for SB [i think she is fed up practicing for her exam tho 
] and we weren’t too late, even tho i was doing the classic home educators trick of answering so many questions in the car that I realised we had gone the wrong way 
. Today was focussing on Klee and Matisse, and one of the advantages of being a gatecrasher was that I didn’t have to organise anything, just enjoy
The first bit was tissue paper pictures, which were great. I was surprised to see how similar my girls pics were tho [photos to be added when have finished blogging, then flickring!] As BB did a pyramid, and SB a fab tent in campsite. Children then had a bit of a play and we had the traditional pasta lunch before we did the adapted djeco klee craft kit that my girls have done and found fab in the past. Since we have done this together, I suggested each of them used their imaginations with the colouring and blending to complete them this time. BB did one blend, then declined. She really doesn’t like messy hands
final craft was fimo, in a cut in shapes workshop from merry, slightly matisse inspired, but also using this book
which isn’t one of mine, but is very tempting as it has loads of fab ideas in it. It is hovering around my amazon basket at the moment – but very little is escaping it, having done the finances last week [eek and wail!]. both my girls did a very diff style, BB’s being a far more literal and object referenced approach, and SB really getting the hang of cutting and swapping the pieces a la matisse. The other children did some really fab fimoing too, so we adults felt the need to join in. Mine, far miore like BB, and not really in the right style [oops] but I did enjoy doing it. I *need* all those cutters – lol! [have just spent a happy time filling a basket on craftmerrily, but like the amazon basket...] yes, I know, photos!! I loved hearing all the chitchat between the girls. in partic P, M and SB as one giggly group, adn BB and J having loads of fun together as well. tho BB did have a few minor melts when the fimo didn’t behave I do love that SB thinks about it, and then gets on in whatever plan she has made in her head. She isn’t a less is more girl either
Bade a fond farewell to Merry and Z, and drove SB to her ballet lesson, where she was v proud to be at the front as the step shower BB insisted we went to the park, and it was COLD!! eventually persuaded her back home to the warmth. SB brought back not too much later and we played settlers of catan together whilst BB ‘watched something’ and then BB and I played bohnanza whilst SB read aquila. we watched the second part of the Merlin, and then, bedtime.
This is my last week off work, so had fun today, and plan to fill the week. trying not to feel the anxiety in my shoulders and spreading. ho hum!!
Watching the Seasons
One thing I love about living in the middle of arable land is the joy of watching the seasons change. i still think may is probably my favourite month, with mayblossom, elderflower, the grass verges blossoming, and the fields with their fresh green growth [well, apart from the bright yellow ones with oil seed in them]. But also watching the many wheat fields ripen and turn golden over the summer. It was such a hot summer, and viv complained so bitterly that she couldn’t get cool. She liked the Autumn, with the crispness in the air, the way the sun imparts a poignant golden glow over everything. A kind of enjoy this now, because this year is leaving you. My walking and driving over the last few days has showcased a ‘new England fall’ with the trees in the beautiful autumnal hues, set against bright blue skies, and brown, newly ploughed fields. I do like having seasons.
Posted in General
Super Saturday and Psychotic Sunday
The girls came home OK so i was very happy to see them
SB and I did some piano prac, I made starter and part of main course for the eve meal with friends. SB Painted her trick or treating bag, we snuggled and cuddled, looked at rabbits and waited for the manorborns to say they were ready for us
When they were we went geocaching together, meeting up at a charming olde worlde pub, where i amtempted to take the parents for lunch and then walking to first geocache – a multi. unfortunately, we saw our path was straight through a herd of cows, with bull and calves. We thought about it, but decided against it the next cache was far more straightforward, with no cows and a nice tranquil walk – once we had got off the main road.
Home then for dinner. We had lovely company, and the girls went off to bed without too much of a fuss, leaving us to giggle and laugh for the rest of the evening into the early hours. sometimes it is easy to forget how nice it can be to be grownups without visible offspring A thoroughly pleasant catchup.
Sunday, some more piano prac for SB, and then finished making her ‘headless cloak’ made BB’s little ghost costume, SB painted her papier mache head, and then i glued on [hot glue gun alert!] the golden locks and gobbets of blood she provided!! BB announced it looked a bit like the manorborn daughter! We did some great pumpkin carving, and then had lunch.
We had a surprise for the girls afterwards, and we went to the circus! [no animals]. We all enjoyed it, though was a bit nippy in the big top! Lots of tumbling, and gymnastics. I did love the lady and the cube, and the 3 tumbling lads. the clown was actually v funny – and i am not a great clown fan! it finished slightly later than anticipated, so by time home and girls dressed up, we were a bit late for trick or treating in the village.
In the village there is a strong pumpkin ethos, and most are finished by 7-7.30, and we set out at 6.15. oh well!! still a reasonable hoard, and ppl complimented SB on her costume, which she liked , and I love the convivial atmosphere in the village on halloween. Doesn’t feel at all an imposition.
Home for candlelit [some inside pumplins] halloween dinner in the conservatory – yes, pumpkin soup!! and a merlin to be scary before bedtime.
edited to add – this post has so many emoticons in it, it looks like yellow measles. I could weed some out, but…
Posted in General
A Stile, A Memory.
Down the hill from this stile (well ok, it’s now a kissing gate) is/was another one. Though I think that the one I am thinking of has gone altogether now.
22 and a bit years ago (oh how the years go….) at that stile I first told Mrs Haricot I loved her
Still loving her as much as ever xxx
Posted in General