Woodland Camp with FoCAL

Cooperating fetching water from the river with a pulley system

Making Pewter trinkets

Evan helps make a stool

Using the Bill hook and a mallet to split the wood

Blob making

Tree adorning

Sparkly potion making in the mud kitchen

Forest bathing

Just the most idyllic way to spend 30-40 minutes I can imagine.  This wasn't my actual view, but it was a view from the camp as I looked up.  I was excited at the prospect when it was introduced to me... especially the fact that the woodland camp leaders wood take charge of the children, so I could have uninterupted time just me and the woods.  So I lay there without a book, phone or even my camera to distract me.  A beautiful little spot had been set up on a warm sunny afternoon next to a small stream out of earshot of the main camp.  My first thought was, what am I going to do to make the most of my time and really fill myself full of the forest as much as possible?  

I decided to start with looking, really looking at what I could see above me.  I looked at the branches, the twigs, the buds and the tiny little thread holding a small bit on. I meditated on these for some time.  then I focused on the shape of the branches;of the differences in the branches, and the Y sections that are created at each junction. I've seen them before of course, but I don't think I really saw them before this moment.  

I moved on to what I could hear at this point so to concentrate this sense I closed my eyes.  I noticed how comfortable I was at this point, that there was a beautiful stillness in the air meaning that I could fully relax my body onto the soft grass beneath the blankets.  Then I began to notice the birds around me.  I listened out for more, they came.  After a while I began to notice a conversation between two birds.  My questioning mind, now thinks how nice it would be to study the different birdsong so I could differentiate further.  At the time though, I was simply noting the sounds for what they were, without need for labels.  I think you can really truly say, I was in my element.  

After a while I decided to draw my attention to other sounds in the space, the first of which I noted was the stream.  It was small and close-by, so I heard a lovely gentle babble and glugging.  An immense feeling of joy welling up inside of me.  I really felt like I might cry.  During this period of having my eyes closed I was in deep relaxation and found it immensely peaceful and powerful at the same time.  

After a while I drew my attention back to my sight, and this time, when I opened my eyes I decided to look back to where I was looking previously, and noticed that the tiny thread holding something onto the tree that I saw before was still there.  I wonder what that thread was made of.  I turn to one side and looked from a bugs eye view at the luscious grass, my attention was taken by a flying creature which seemed like a dragonfly, though I was sure it was too early in the year for dragon flies.  Then I noticed little midges in a clump.  I watched their movement, to see if they moved off, and gradually they did.  Even with my concentrated attention I didn't notice the subtle shifting they must have done to move away from their first spot.

I began noticing outside things at this point I believe, a few shouts from the camp made me think of the children.  I thought how wonderful it would be for Evan to enjoy this space, but perhaps he is still a little young, to manage this activity.  Perhaps with support... My mind began to get back to the day to day of educational experiences and children, I drew it back to the environment again.  The sky gained my attention this time.   The subtlty of the wispy clouds, again I was filled with gratitude for this overwhelming and simply magical experience.  Not easy to capture when I have 24h responsibility for children, or am working.  I wonder how I could capture some of this magic in my life on a regular basis.  Better for relaxing than a massage most definitely, but I have to say I would have found forest bathing a little more tricky had the weather conditions been a little less perfect.

I emerged later,I must have been bathing for about 45 minutes to an hour, though I didn't time it.  I felt at peace and found it a bit weird dropping back into camp and interacting with it rather than passively experiencing it.  Thank you, thank you to Emma Conder and her team for introducing me to, and facilitating me in this amazing experience.

Exploring pipes in the river

Do you think the hen wood like to see my stone in a jar of river water?

My mini stool

"I'm under here!"

We've been on a bug hunt 

Autumn's bug

HUGE thank you to all the wonderful Woodland campers and leaders.  We had a wonderful homely time and felt very welcome.

Our Mini Forest School

We seem to have staked a claim on the spot in the woods behind our house. We have a 'making' tree, for our creative projects, and are looking at developing a seating area, inspired by the brilliant forest playgroup we've been going to. This afternoon we made a scaredy caterpillar of enormous proportions, a smiley face, a mini den, and a downhill slide complete with flags like in the downhill skiing! We attempted a large den, but the surrounding trees were not great at facilitating this, so we decided to do this elsewhere. The sun was shining, it was quite warm, and plenty of birds were singing. I feel so much gratitude for this wonderful afternoon, and all the wonderful things that have happened to make it so carefree, easy and so scrumptious with my very amazing children. On returning home we let the guinea pigs have a play outside whilst autumn enjoyed the swing.

Frosty sunny day

Today,  I was looking after a friend's children,  and decided to take a trip to the local park to buy eggs from the animal park there,  and take advantage of the gorgeous warm and sunny day we had.

Whilst walking through the park Evan loved noticing the magical affect of the frost on the surroundings; from the whiteness and shining of the path providing an immediate I've skating rink,  to the drips from the bench where the sun melted the frost,  the crunch of the grass,  the circle of ice found in a manhole cover and to the puddles which could be ice rink for the faeries.  Autumn was fascinated by little things on our journey too,  though a little peeved at having to walk.

These captured moments made me realise that since we now have a second car we walk far less,  and live a much busier life than before.  Perhaps we should cut down our car usage and have outings on car free day once a week.  So we can chat and smell the roses again.

We met our friends in the park, fed the animals,  with one super hungry or greedy llama,  played in the playground,  encountered and was chased by a giant chicken with blue,  red and green feathers, who seemingly followed us home,  and called to his friends to visit  too!

Later me and the girls had a nice time cuddling the guinea pigs,  I ended up with both of them very settled on me whilst I drank tea and read a book.  Bliss!

Fun was had by all throughout the afternoon,  topped off with a bit of outdoor play.

Thank you magnificent weather,  thank you wonderful children,  thank you brilliant park,  thank you industrious chickens for our 2 dozen eggs,  and thank you to home education for this marvellous opportunity.

Mid august and this is what is going on

Pat is sort of on holiday but is actually running summer school for y6/y7 s as they transition into the school.  Literacy week over,  games and outings next week.  Much more fun!  Though he did manage a trip to the national space place in Leicester,  which he has recommended to us.

Evan lost his tooth on my birthday after a week of wiggles...  Feeling that it might be a bit of a special moment.  Currently he has begun a tiger project. Inspired by Tom's lapbook on whales.  We have lots of great books from the library,  and making ideas.  He managed to earn enough money for the gup-x last week,  so both these things are pretty central to his life right now.

Autumn was really angry last night that Momo came and went home in 24 hours  (she was retrieving her car)  autumn continues to be strongly emotional about everything,  and love knee sits,  and exploring her strength whilst there (back bends among others) Storying and fully embodying the characters and story is one of the core features of where  she is a a presently.  It is fascinating to watch her.  We love her adult type phrases which add he is full of presently,  especially when slightly out of context.

I have been working on the magic,  inspired by Rhonda Byrne.  It is all about feeling gratitude for everything from the water we drink,  to the money /things we were given as children and finding things to be grateful for even in the most challenging of circumstances.  It is putting a lot of the things I've been working on with my self development together,  in a really meaningful and practical way.  It has seen me speak much more nicely to my husband,  find the joy in jobs which I previously saw as chores and negatively,  as well as feeling more powerful,  and sharing it with the kids too. I start each day with a list of 10 things I am grateful for,  and end the day on the best thing from that day while holding my magic rock.  I dill the say with the daily project too. All done alongside what I am doing anyway.  I am so grateful to Rhonda Byrne,  Chris Ojari,  who have inspired to go on this journey,  and my family,  without whom none of this would be happening.