Photo a Day....

Bit more week...

May 20th; Our Outside Learning session at school. Despite the rain we walked down to the woods where we are going to be having Forest School sessions next term. The ivy growing up these trees was amazing.

May 21st; I finished my Shalom cardigan....in just 4 days! Quite pleased it actually fits.

May 22nd; rubbish photo but this morning there was a family of fledgling sparrows hopping about on the patio, all fluffy and cute!

May 23rd; This oak tree is in the garden of a neighbouring house and it looked a real lime green against the heavy sky. About two minutes after this photo there was a terrific hail storm!

May 24th; Pirate Day at school! I wore my moustache ALL day and Ken wouldn't kiss me goodbye!

May 25th; I baked today....stem ginger cookies. They were delicious and all came out nice and even instead of my usual misshapen offerings!

May 26th; More baking today but this time Eliza made millionaires shortbread. I've never made it before but it was gorgeous, much better than shop-bought!

Photo a day

Another mixed bag of a week in pictures!

May 12th; another trip to the beach, this time in Littlehampton when we visited the in-laws. Freezing this time though!

May 13th; my dearly beloved daughter at Uni had a paper rose that I made ages ago that she had hanging about whilst she was working on her current costume project. Well her tutor decided she rather liked it and wanted some on the completed costume so I got a phone call...."Mummy, you know those paper roses......well I need 10 asap please!" Guess what I had to do then.....and they aren't quick to make either!

May 14th; my rhubarb is going mad so I thought I would give it a quick prune. I ended up with this huge bunch which was soon stewed and eaten with custard! Mmmmmmm!

May 15th; I finally needed to order more wool for something I want to knit to wear so I added the final ball I needed to finish this cushion and quickly did it this evening. It is headed to the Reception class at school.

May 16th; We had an owl visit school today. She was a real show-off but I didn't get a very good pic because I couldn't get very close.

May 17th; This is my apple tree....it's three years old but is still just a single stick! It SHOULD be an Egremont Russet but I am still waiting. I do have blossom though....

May 18th; I went shopping to Tunbridge Wells with Katy. She had a great day spending my money! Had to take a pic of the Hobbs window....how fab is it!

May 19th; Eliza has been baking. She saw these on Pinterest so thought she'd have a go! Not tasted them yet but they look purty!

Just 4 days later....

Yes this truly is just 4 days after our gorgeous (if windy) day at the beach with the school. This time we went to Littlehampton Beach....the children didn't take coats so borrowed a selection from Grandad.

It was soooooo cold and grey and freezing and yet again blowing a gale.

There was lots and lots of this sea cabbage. I tasted a bit....it tastes just like broccoli so I am going to look up just how to cook it and harvest some next time I find it!

Gotta love a beach hut....would you pick this blue?

Or do you prefer the green?

Or you might like this yellow more....loved the peeling paint on this one.
Our little walk certainly blew away the cobwebs!

Photo a Day

Another week whizzed by....

May 6th; Bank Holiday Monday and for once it was baking hot and sunny so we decided to go to the beach. Silly choice; it was freeeeeezing and blowing a gale so we came home again!

May 7th; Jasper played his cello in a little concert at the local school.

May 8th; Went to knitting group in Lewews where I finished off this mitred flower square from my new book. I just keep dipping in when I am bored of the current project.

May 9th; school trip to Eastbourne

May 10th; Jess posted Katy this T-shirt that she bought her....and Katy found another interesting carrot!

May 11th; I took the Guides to a canoe and raft day on the meanders at Cuckmere. Again another freezing cold day with howling winds. This is a view across the meanders towards the sea

A Day Out...

On Thursday we took the class to the seaside as part of our Seaside topic. We try and do this every year with slightly different focus. The weather was forecast to be wet with 50mph gusty winds.
Fortunately Mr Weather man got it completely wrong and we had glorious sunshine. The wind was very strong but no-one blew away! We had a great day and the children made some amazing art that I just wanted to share.
They are aged 6/7 and for the most part had little or no help. My group said I could collect white pebbles but that was my only input!

So first off we have a seagull with a fish. This was inspired by the sea-washed brick that is his beak.

Next an ammonite; we have just finished a topic on dinosaurs and there are often small fossils along this stretch of coast in the chalk cliffs.

This group were lucky enough to find this rusty ladder and built their lighthouse around it.

This crab had his own picture frame and little fish to catch!

And the ship had a seaweed sea to sail on. I love the anchor too.

I wasn't able to show pictures of all the art as some have the children in which I obviously can't post on here. This was just something the children had added to one of the groynes after they had finished their sculpture. I wonder if you can guess what beach we were at from this view?

Same place, different angle but I was after a good shot for my desktop! You can see just how clear the sky was.

I spent ages trying to get the crashing waves as it was so windy but they just didn't come quite high enough when I had my camera out. I was there working after all, so these all had to be really quick snaps!

Managed to capture this seagull coasting on the breeze...

....and his mate, eyeing up the picnic lunches.

I thought this sculpture summed up the day! A delightful group to take out and so nice to get them out in the world to learn rather than cooped up in classrooms. From the way some of them reacted when we said they could throw stones into the sea and run away from the waves, you would think they had never been allowed to do so. Maybe they haven't; if so I feel privileged to have shared the experience with them. Thank you Year Two!

....Part Two!

So I continue with Part Two of this last week and the beginning of another month.

May 1st; I was working in Reception Class this afternoon and they have all been bringing in flowers to draw. I spent the afternoon listening to readers in this delightful spot, definately much more fragrant than usual, surrounded by narcissus, lillies and "berget-me-nots"

May 2nd; Saw this book on amazon, it arrived today and is making me wish I wasn't in the middle of a knitting project!

May3rd; it has been an increasingly warmer week, day by day it has been sunnier and when I checked my blackcurrants there were these tiny fat buds, ready to bloom.

May4th; after my walk in the woods last week the bluebells are finally beginning to open. Still not the full blue carpet but definately some blueness emerging!

May5th; you know how it is, you decide to pull out a couple of nettles and before you know it you have filled the green bin with bits of pruning and lopping! Eliza and I hacked down some plants growing through from next door, pruned the holly tree and the bay tree and chopped down several blackberry suckers.

Photo a Day....still going!

Going to show you last week in two batches because I need to dash off to collect Katy.

28th April; our 23rd wedding anniversary and Eliza wanted to do her Cooks Badge for Guides so she cooked dinner. Roast beef, yorkshires, veg and roast potatoes followed by the Hairy Bikers ginger and chilli pudding with ice cream....tons of calories!

April 29th: Off to see Burnice and Linda in the cabin. Burn had had a rubbish week so we just knitted and chatted. I have started a Union Jack Throw for Eliza.

April 30th; Guides and Eliza was awarded some badges that were owed to her! Cook, Craft and Film Lover.
Rest of the week to follow tomorrow....