Sinter Klaas

St Nicholas visited our house last night. Springy cleaned her shoes and she found a mandarin orange and a little poster on yoga in them this morning.  My  parents also arrived late afternoon.  It was the first time they have both seen her on her birthday (on the 8th) and they retired earlier this year which freed them to come along.  They brought Lebkuchen including a St Nikolaus one and Krampus (who is a rather scary figure from Austrian folklore!).

Napoleon

I've been dealing with the Local Authority for several months now, not a on a personal level but on a philosophical principle basis.  They have been able to access funding which could benefit older home education but until recently have sought to avoid accessing it.  Anyway, I approached the political hierarchy instead and they agreed.  It's been a rather interesting foray into the world of Government (yet again).

Dealing with the Government is weird. It's not based on common sense at all and it's extremely irritating. You can have all the law of the land laid out in front of you against someone  but the civil service will not back you up, even though they can tell you the information you have is correct on a factual basis.  The LA seems to have made it a criteria that if you want funding for your child in effect to leave home education and go to college, then you will need to have been registered with them for at least a year and under their scrutiny.  So now we're fighting this little piece of ultra vires caveat. I can understand that the LA need advanced notice in order to upfront the funding but there is a huge difference between a notification of interest and registration.  The rules they sent back also imply that they will want to scrutinise you and your child's education and abilities before they will fund.  Again, this is something they have no right to do - yes, I agree that both a college and a family should meet and interview, present a portfolio, discuss the involvement and responsibilities of the learner for the course.  None of this, however, should be down to the LA.

I do keep reports and notes etc but I'd rather share them with friends and family. I would also hate it if we had to do what teachers do as it would kill the spontaneity of home ed. Today for instance we discussed decomposition and mortuary gases on our walk because there is a myxomatosis outbreak in the area, with lots of dead bunnies lying about (sadly). We also talked about post-war farming and large scale agriculture (it came off the back of the discussion of the virus) and then discussed how raptors had been affected and why red kites numbers had fallen years back due to poisoning. Springy also made a pineapple, almond milk and fresh picked raspberries from the garden smoothie with her dad. I love that not having to plan every last detail towards some kind of tickbox approach. That said we are partially structured too but it would be soul destroying to work from 9 to 3 with a term plan etc.

 A few nights ago I read Animal Farm by George Orwell.  I highly recommend this book as a reminder as to why it is good to remind oneself to note one's own memories and trust in your own ability to work with democracy. It's been a few years since I last read it; the first time was when I encountered is as one of my set texts on my degree.

 This week has also seen us work on our German.  I'm starting a Certificate in German in a few weeks - I can't wait because I'm hoping at the end of it I will a) be able to teach Springy really well (and during the course too) and b) that I will be able to read German Waldorf websites and craft magazines/books.

We also have done a little bit on apostrophes and how they show an omission.  The one we really struggled with was I had - I'd because it's one we realised that we never say.  We say I'd for I would  and we often shorten she is to she's and do not to don't and many of the others but not I had.  I also got out the Yoga Pretzels cards - great fun.  Springy did the Turtle, the Fish and a few other yoga moves.

Gelb is alles was ich hab!

Gelb, gelb, gelb sind alle meine Kleider, Gelb, gelb, gelb ist alles, was ich hab. Darum lieb ich alles, was so gelb ist, Weil mein Schatz ein Obsthändler ist...

We made this up this morning based on a traditional German/Austrian children's song which has grün (green) as the colour rather than gelb (yellow). :)

Best in Show

Last week our dog Lily won Best in Show at a local pet show.  Yesterday she also won a Third Prize for Novelty Class, Child Handler.  Springy was her handler and it always amazes me how good Springy is with animals.  I hope that this will somehow be a passion that she takes into her adulthood.  I'm hopeful in many ways that her future career will involve animals and psychology, perhaps as a trainer for the police or for dog charities.  We were informed yesterday by some dog obedience teachers that Springy is a natural and that was a really good reinforcement.  University is a long way off but I'm hoping that animal sciences - zoology or biological sciences will be subjects that she wishes to study.  At the same time, I'm trying to be careful not to live my own dreams through her.

Springy's cursive writing has improved considerably this summer.  I sent her for a couple of tutorials with a tutor who is a school teacher.  However, it was Springy telling me, "Mummy, do you know why my writing improved? ... because I decided!"

We had a lovely day today.  It was sunny and warm. We went to an outdoor place for a walk and took two of Springy's friends along.  They were telling scary stories to each other (Halloween seems to be early!).  We found walnuts, beech mast and hazelnuts on our walk.   There were some adorable pigs in the woods - a mummy and 5 piglets.  She was a Tamworth - so they were all a beautiful bronze colour.  I always imagine that the reason there are legends of golden pigs is because in the sun, their bristles glint away.  I am so glad to be vegetarian:  they were skipping and running about and when we threw some beech mast in for them they ran away to their mother.  They were adorable babies and to think of them as sausages makes me so sad.

Michaelmas Story

The Story of the Harvest Loaf.

Once there was a fair and beautiful land. The people were happy and busy and their faces shone as they worked and the whole land glowed with a bright light. But a time came when darkness fell upon the land, for through its valleys writhed a mighty dragon, foaming and lashing its tail. It was not long before he laid everything to waste and disappeared to his cave, leaving the country barren and frozen hard with ice. All the people were frozen too. Now the Archangel Michael looked down from the heavens to this sad and frozen land, and his heart was full of compassion for its people. He stretched forth his right hand, plucked a handful of stars from the heavens and flung them down to the earth. With his left hand he gathered sungold from the sky and sent that, too, on a journey to the earth. When the stars reached the earth they became lumps of iron, and entered deep into the earth. When the sungold reached the earth the ice was melted and men once more felt the blood warming their limbs. Then the people began to work. The farmers ploughed the lands and sowed seeds. The iron in the earth gave strength to the crop as it grew, and soon the grain was ripening on tall, straight stems. When autumn came Archangel Michael spoke to the farmers. “Harvest the good grain, grind it into flour. Mix a dough and knead it well. Bake it in the oven. Place it in the middle of your table and share it with family and friends. For this will be the harvest loaf: each slice that is cut in friendship will warm your hearts and each slice that is eaten will give strength and power to overcome the dragon” This the farmers did, and when the Harvest Loaf was placed on the table, they sang this song:

“Earth who gives to us this food
Sun and stars who made it good
Dearest Earth and Stars and Sun
We will remember what you have done”

(adapted from a Waldorf story - unknown author)

Chocolate and Beetroot Cake

2 cups SR flour 1/2 tsp salt 1 tsp baking powder 1/4 cup cocoa 2 tsp grated orange rind 1/4 cup orange juice 2 eggs 3/4 cup sugar 1/2 cup vegetable oil 1 cup cooked grated beetroot 200g chocolate chips

Scrub clean and steam the beetroot. Leave to cool and then grate both skin as well as flesh. Mix SR flour, baking powder, salt and cocoa and set aside (dry mix). Beat  eggs and sugar together until fluffy. Add the oil, orange peel, juice and beetroot. Beat well. Stir in the dry ingredients, just enough to blend.  Gently stir in the chocolate chips. Turn into a prepared cake tin and bake at 180 degrees C for 40-45 minutes until done. Leave in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out to cool. Dust with icing sugar or ice with chocolate icing. Butternut Bake 1 medium size butternut squash 250ml single cream grated cheese (cheddar works well) yoghurt (optional) sprinkle of nutmeg Peel, seed and chop butternut rings into quarters (keep seeds aside to roast in salt and olive oil) Place squash in an ovenproof dish. Pour over the cream or  a 50/50 mix of cream and yoghurt. Sprinkle with nutmeg and cover with grated cheese. Bake in preheated oven at 180 degrees C for 45 min or until butternut is cooked through and cheese has melted. Fruit Cake Ingredients 250g chopped dates 300ml water 85g plain flour 85g wholemeal flour 3tsp baking powder 1tsp ground mixed spice 50g ground almonds 500g dried mixed fruit 80ml orange juice Method 1. Boil up dates with water and then cool. 2. Sieve dry ingredients together - the flours, baking powder and mixed spice. 3. Add almonds, dried fruit, date mixture and juice. 4. Mix well. 5. Pour into greased baking tin and bake for 45 mins at 170 deg C. Christmas Ring Ingredients 50g butter 2Tbsp olive oil 1 large red onion, chopped 1 large leek, trimmed and finely chopped 4 cloves garlic, crushed 500g cooked, peeled chestnuts 225g fresh cranberries 140g millet flakes or bread crumbs 15g fresh flat leaf parsley, finely chopped 2Tbsp fresh thyme 2 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary 3 medium eggs, beaten 550g Bramley apples, peeled, cored and grated (300g grated weight) 100g soft goats cheese (optional) Method 1. Line a 2-pint ring mould with baking parchment and brush with oil. Preheat oven. 2. Heat half the butter and 1Tbsp oil in a large frying pan; gently fry the onion; leeks and garlic until softened. Place the chestnuts in a food processor until most is finely chopped, but a few large pieces remain. 3. Transfer onion mixture to a mixing bowl. Return the pan to the heat and melt remaining butter and oil. Add the chestnuts and cook for 5 min until lightly browned. 4. Tip the chestnuts into the mixing bowl and stir in almost all the cranberries (saving some for decoration); the bread crumbs, parsley, thyme, rosemary, eggs, grated apple and plenty of seasoning. Mix well. Spoon half the mixture into the prepared mould, pressing it down with the back of a spoon. Dot with pieces of cheese, then cover with remaining mixture. 5. Bake for 40-45 min until lightly browned. Allow cooling in tin for 5 min. Loosen edges with a round bladed knife and turning out onto an oiled baking sheet. Discard baking parchment. 6. The ring can be refrigerated for up to 36 hours before its final baking. 7. On the day, preheat oven to 200°C. Bake for 40-45min. Remove from oven and slide onto a serving plate.

Fun Pet Show today

From downstairs comes the sound of the hairdryer. Two bold adventurers have sought to bathe the beast and take her to a pet show this afternoon.  Martha our guineapig won First Prize for the guineapig category (out of 4 piggies so not really a proper competition). Lily won first prize for dogs (albeit there were only 2 dogs there) and Lily with Springy won Best in Show for the array of tricks such as sit, down, wash face, bless you (Lily sneezes), stand and beg. There were loads of very cute animals there including some very sweet hamsters and an adorable baby rabbit.

 Lily spent most of the time being very disinterested apart from when someone came to pat her, at which point she did her tummy thing. She didn't notice the cats which is just as well as she's scared of them.

 9th September 2011 - Tawny owl outside window - one of the best sounds of early autumn. :)