Month: April 2018

The holidays have ended. Our last week was a "home" one; seeing friends, preparing for this term's learning, just hanging out together. We had our precious, energetic godson for a couple of days; we all spent a morning in the field cutting the grass, strimming, digging up potatoes, picking apples. We planted twelve types of… Continue reading 6 September 2017

The summer holidays have flown by...can't believe there's only one week left. I love holiday time, especially days at home with no commitments...these are few and far between, but we've managed a handful. Sparkly Eyes had her birthday party in the first week. She kept inviting friends, plus their younger siblings, so we had quite… Continue reading 26 August 2017

I've not written about our menagerie of animals recently, so thought I'd put on a few photos. Not of the chickens, though. They are going through their annual moult and look pretty forlorn and bedraggled. They also lay less during the moult, so we have less eggs. Our ancient, grumpy but beautiful hen has hardly… Continue reading 29 July 2017

Well, term, and with it, our home-school year have ended. I so enjoy writing this blog, just recording and reflecting upon our life here in this tiny part of rural England; our family, our home-school, our friends and the seasonal rhythm of our activities. We actually finished a week or so ago. Rhythm Dude, with… Continue reading 23 July 2017

Term is gradually winding down. Lanky Dude finished weeks ago, I decided Dancing Toes was going to finish her final projects by Thursday (brief look at the Romans in the context of major world civilisations pre-Christ, and some basic geology, which she's loved...has an ever-expanding rock collection). Rhythm Dude is plodding on stoically finishing up… Continue reading 14 July 2017

"Mama, all your children are growed up!" Sparkly Eyes declared the other day. This revelation came following her birthday, though obviously her grammar hasn't taken a similar leap forward. It's certainly a party month, with Lanky Dude's birthday party followed in quick succession by her birthday. Lanky Dude had a nerf gun mega battle for… Continue reading 8 June 2017

A picture from our holiday in North Wales. I always get to the stage just before we leave, when I seriously wonder if it's worthy going on holiday...packing camping gear, food, wet weather activities....and Sparkly Eyes unpacking behind me. But, finally we set off, and it was definitely worth it. I'd packed for wet weather,… Continue reading 22 June 2017

Half term last week whizzed by like a ride on a helter skelter, with the balance of busyness and down time firmly on the busyness side. This is a photo of the girls and two of their Boy Cousins who stayed for a couple of days (my sister then has our kids, so we each… Continue reading 3 June 2017

We checked our bees last Sunday; mainly looking for eggs. On our first check, a week previously there weren't any, which meant we had a "virgin queen" i.e. one that hadn't mated. We had put a queen excluder, a frame through which working bees can pass but not the queen, underneath the brood box after… Continue reading 28 May 2017

It’s been a tough week. Our much-loved grandparent passed away peacefully. It was a long and full life, and I believe he is now at home in heaven, but there are tears and sadness down here. One of the girl's behaviour has continued to be particularly challenging. I've really appreciated the solidarity and sound advice… Continue reading 21 May 2017