Frost Giants

This morning Springy was working on spellings (with pre-fixes and suffixes) and also she had a story by Reg Down on the lifecycle of salmon. Lots of play inbetween and then this afternoon we had a restful story time with Odd and the Frost Giants by Neil Gaiman. In all a satisfying day but the weather has most certainly changed. There is a definite feel of autumn about. The tractors have started ploughing up the fields; their chugging down the roads is comforting and yet a reminder that the evenings are drawing in and that the freedom of summer light is fast disappearing. The leaves on the cherry tree out the front look drooped and are about halfway to being fully tinged. The Michaelmas daisies are opening and in the sky there are grey to lavender clouds and a line of red to the west. It's apple season and the swallows were not about today. The sun has definitely passed from the brightness of Leo into the hands of the maiden.

http://www.tiptoes-lightly.net/storage/stories/the-salmon%27s-tale.pdf

23rd August 2011:  

Young Embroider's Guild was great. They did wet felting and then used pre-felts to sew on to the main piece. Springy did a sheep scene. Some of the ideas were so creative - the 2 pieces turned into handbags, the vase of flowers, flowers, poppy field, the autumn pears, the fish...

 18th August 2011:  

Springy just conducted an experiment. She cut a plastic drinks bottle up (with Daddy's help) and placed chicken grit in the funnel (which was the top half of bottle). Her hypothesis was that if she placed dirty, muddy water in the filter, the grit would either help filter the water or not filter the water

I love it when she comes up with spontaneous things. I did have to ask her not to drink it though (ick).

 

August 2011 so far...

Today we went blackberry picking, got some local apples and plums and then had a birthday lunch. Washing is out, hens are out, piggies are out and the 2 'baby piggy' hamsters are fast asleep and so is C.

The baby piggy hamsters are in fact just hamsters.  We're hamster sitting at the moment.

This morning I woke up to breakfast in bed (our little hen eggs scrambled and toast) and a hanging basket of flowers outside. C also got me a Motorhead t-shirt for my birthday. You're never too old to rock n' roll.

On Wednesday we went to our local outdoor museum. Springy and her friend had a great time doing skip rope jumps, playing jacks and talking through tin can telephones.  They also had a great time with soapwort and a bucket of water. I'm hoping to grow some. I also found out that the ground elder that I haven't poisoned (my garden is organic) is edible. I just thought it was animal fodder but the Romans used to have it as salad. If only a Roman legion would march through I could get them to eat it all.

Today we returned our Viking hoard to the museum.

I've been reading up a bit on some of the 'Viking' tax systems, especially under the Christian transfer, which resulted in some raids occurring on other villages/places. Basically you were told your tax bill by some official ruling author...ities which you couldn't pay, you then, in order to save your own village, had to go off and raid somewhere else to get the payment and you needed extra to build a church too. It had nothing to do with Christianity but some bright sparks realised that it was a very effective way of lining their own coffers.

Hamster at thevets

Snuggle went back to the vets today and was given an anti-parasite treatment. The vet understood my request not to do skin scrapes on her. I said she'd been through enough already - her skin looks red raw and she has scurfiness and so he treated her. He was really pleased with her recovery from wet tail. Also she has put on some weight.

Norse Myths and Man and Animal

I have to say that so far I'm really enjoying learning with these as our focus.  The Norse Myths have always been stories I enjoyed.  I love the capricious nature of Loki and the stubborness and honourable mix of the other deities.

We picked up a box on Tuesday of Viking replica artefacts from our local museum. There is a linen shift and a woolen tabard type thing. There is also a replica Thor's hammer pendant and a drinking horn. 

Today, in the oven are 2 fimo Thor's hammer Mjolnir pendants and a piece of very fetching turquoise fimo with the imprint of the Viking comb in it. We also had a bit more of our Norse Myths and earlier in the morning I read the chapter on seals from Charles Kovacs' book.

Yesterday I wrote "Fields have been harvested, chickens are out making lots of squawking noises and there is a tinge to the leaves that says Lammas has been."

Last week Springy got her dream.  She got a pet hamster called Snuggle.  It is unfortunate though that said hamster has been unwell with 'wet tail' and also seems to have skin mites!  However, I complained to the pet shop and their vet has been treating her. 

The activities I recommend other than listening, writing summaries out on the board and popping stuff in the MLB are:

- using a lucet/knitting fork to make braid (handwork)
- getting a Scandinavian recipe or two - e.g. cinnamon buns and maybe something on rye bread 
- discussing how the length of night and daytime differ in Scandinavian countries
- dressing up in a linen shift and wear a woollen over Viking tunic
- making a Thor's hammer with Fimo modelling clay or beeswax
- asking your nearest museum if they can help you with a box of replica artefacts
- looking at Viking patterns for braiding and bookwork (so either try and make them or draw them)
- Read some runes - make some puzzles up by writing messages in runes and get your child to work them out


With the Charles Kovacs book I'm reading directly out of it.  I find he has a jolly style that is engaging Springy really well.