Autumn escape to the North

We've just returned from a few days rest in the North of England. Jee whizz how I longed for and needed just a few short days away from the hustle and bustle of everyday routine. I longed for this little break at the end of the Summer and dreamt of the beautiful heather on the moors....arrr! That was the pull. For some reason I had to see the heather in flower!
Well, our dear (usually very reliable) little Blueberry car let us down back them at the end of the Summer and swallowed up the funds set aside for such an adventure, plus once the dear little motor car was fixed, the Summer and all our days of freedom had gone and the new term with all its commitments was right there upon us once again. I was disappointed but knew that our time would come. To cut a long story short, I got browsing 'as one does' and stumbled across a lovely static caravan between the North Yorkshire moors and the Dales, it was perfect and amazingly was available for three nights this week for fun and adventures (of the family kind ;-))!!

I love Yorkshire! I've always loved it! Tim and I used to holiday there often. I recall well those days when we would drive up onto the moors and just marvel at the views...of course some of those views included the rather scrumptious Nick Berry during the filming of 'Heartbeat'. I used to love the innocence of that programme, plus the vintage era in which it was set.

For this trip the heather was the draw. We left on Tuesday morning and trundled up the M1 North. It didn't seem to take that long (three and a half hours passes quickly when you jabber on)!
It was peeing down with rain upon our arrival. In fact literally once we had ventured out of sunny beautiful Oxfordshire it seemed to start and persistently continued for the entire time we were away.
We kind of guessed that might happen and although it could easily have completely destroyed our plans, it did in fact make us laugh and laugh some more!

All the rain brought mist too, so upon driving out to see the spectacular views we saw this......

This was in fact a pretty clear view! Much of the time we actually couldn't see more than about twenty feet in front of the car! No views!!

Once the mist did finally clear usually later in the day.......WOW!!! The views were indeed breath taking.

Our static caravan was nestled up close to a farm house on a 200 acre sheep farm. You can see the details here. For just £136 for three nights and an extra tenor for the hound, I thought that was a pretty good deal and a whole lot cheaper and cosier than the Youth hostel or camping barn I initially looked at. It even had a bath!!

We had planned to venture out for some grand walks around the reservoir that lay in its glorified beauty at the foot of the farm. As I already mentioned on that first day we couldn't even see it! But my oh my, when the mist cleared........

The first day we just bumbled around the local area trying to find our bearings. I love to escape house just occasionally, to run away from the distractions of the many things that need doing and dare I say it?......'The internet'. Oh the joys of not being able to surf and check emails! They did trickle in occasionally as we hit wifi hot spots but the pure bliss of not having that constant persuasive pull of Facebook and work......arrrr!

We visited the lovely old market town of Skipton on our second day. Skipton was just sooo quaint. Lovely little independent stores and a busy street market, plus the serene canal. I am always drawn to the inland waterways.

The oldest sweet shop in England in Pateley Bridge

Little Jenny dog came too. She was thrilled I could tell, to be allowed to join us on our family adventure. Yorkshire was very doggy friendly :-) Not sure what she thought of her soaking though. None of us remembered to bring waterproofs and I was very reluctant to purchase more when I have a bag full at home!

Day three was a day of railway adventures. We drove a good hour east to the very picturesque market town of Pickering and spent the day 'train hopping'...on a paid ticket of course!
Jenny had to have a ticket too and felt sure that entitled her to a seat, naturally!

Our first stop was Goathland or Aidensfield as it is known in Heartbeat land. The kids loved the sheep on the road. I drove through this place very quickly way back in 2012  on our 'Trip to the North' back then following our disastrous event. I remember we had the threat of snow on the moors back then and had been advised to get across the moors as quickly as possible. We did just that and luckily made it with hot chips in bellies from Whitby at the same time!
It's funny how sometimes memories seem so good and when you attempt to relive them or in my case  introduce your children to something that was special to you, it doesn't always seem to have the same effect. Tim and I holidayed in Goathland several times during our formative years. We camped and explored and it was fun. Times change and move on and I very much felt that although still a lovely place, it was the TV show Heartbeat that brought people to the area. My children don't know anything about it, it isn't even shown anymore, yet all the gift shops were packed with souvenirs and postcards of the characters. Filming can do a lot for a place but as the memories slip, then what becomes of them? This place had become commercialised as a result of its TV connection but what now? What is the future for such a place that prior to the show was just another pretty little village on the map?
We had a bite to eat and hopped back on the train bound for Grosmont; just a ten minute further up the line.

Each of the little stations has been restored to a different era of railway history. I'm not a train spotter but there is something rather lovely about the slow pace of the engines, the smell of the soot and steam and the noise of those whistles!
Our homeward journey back to Pickering was most enjoyable. The children are so grateful for everything I do for them and always thank me profusely for all they receive no matter how small.
The rain eased to a spit and the mist cleared giving us incredible views across the moors. That heather was BROWN and .......sleeping! The bracken was stunning though in its orange/yellow hues.
You can discover more about the North Yorkshire Moors Railway here.

Looking out of the window 'selfie' pose!

Evenings were spent playing board games by the heat of the fire and snuggled up on the huge sofa crocheting my latest Winter blanket (I've finally started my Attic 24 Harmony blanket!) and watching the World gymnastics championships from Glasgow - in my element!!

I've had my fill of Yorkshire for a while now. I do love the area but as always am eternally grateful to return to the place we call home.

Autumn bumblings

Finally, I have happily come to accept that the Summer is well and truly over and Autumn is fully in its moment. I find it hard sometimes when the seasons change, mainly from Summer to Autumn; especially if you don't feel that the season has displayed its beauty to the full extent. This year the colours of Autumn are totally amazing! It's easy to imagine that each of the seasons is very clear cut and distinctively the same. They share similarities but if you take the time to observe, you will see very obvious differences.

This year the colours seem more vibrant somehow. The large sycamore tree en route to our house is a blaze with a rainbow of colours, I love driving past and admiring how striking it is against the back drop of buildings.

Last weekend, I was invited to take part in a worship at The Sanctuary - a corner of a farm field near Stow in Gloucester. My lovely friend and I spent a day in a beautiful area of the country in the company of a very inspiring 'wise woman' who knows everything 'herby'. She's been using herbs in everyday living for years and runs her workshops to pass on her knowledge- I do love that idea!
We started the day tasting samples of tea made from stewing various freely available herbs; marigolds, rose hips...to name just a few.
Following the tea we were shown around the 'plots'. My knowledge of herbs increases every year just a little. There really are so many plants out there growing wild that can be harvested and eaten or used to help people. I do find it amazing how nature knows best how to keep us well. Allopathic (or modern medicine) is a chemical mix of ingredients that aim to mimic the natural effects of herbs, some still contain herbal derivatives. In years gone by herbs would have been the only way of treating the sick.

So the plots.....the lady who runs this affair with the help of a very enthusiastic team of inspired women, plant and tend many herbs throughout the year which they then harvest and make into tinctures, salves, balms, teas, elixirs etc etc all very interesting!
I've spent hours in the past, collecting, drying, infusing and much more to make concoctions to treat my family when they succumb to everyday ailments. Then either they don't get sick (which is obviously great) or they become sick and in my haste I reach for the nearest thing available (not always my lovingly created herby concoction) to treat them; if I treat them at all!
After being shown around the plots, we were encouraged to do a little harvesting. It wasn't the warmest of mornings so I opted to wield the spade in an attempt to warm up. I drew the short straw and ended up among the nettles trying to decipher the nettles from the elecampage; a root which is used to treat respiratory problems. It was actually easier than I thought to relieve the soil of the roots and I managed to refrain from being attacked by the vicious nettles that were taller than me!
Roots extracted and they needed washing. Cold water is a no no for me these days. As a sufferer of Raynard's disease I'm not a fan of plunging my hands into cold water. The damp alone is enough to shut down the veins to my fingers and it takes quite some time to regain feeling in my little digits.
It was rather lovely to stand back and leave the root washing to someone else who doesn't suffer with the ghastly 'circulation shut down'. It turned out she was a police officer re-training to do Holistic massage. I'm considering this field myself as a means of making ends meet (that's the massage and not being police officer!), so we had much to talk about and I was able to draw on her experience. I do love the company of inspirational people!
Following lunch we were told to make a connection with one of the sanctuary's trees. Yes i know, this is where things do get just a little bit wacky! However, I do actually believe that every living thing has energy and so to be in the company of a large tree that has graced the earth and undoubtedly experienced far more than me was actually rather pleasant and a peaceful affair. I opted for the most enormous oak tree that had an incredible trunk that wound up and than turned at an angle. I was fortunate that there was a bench around the base so I took the opportunity to lie on  it and look up at its splendour. If you've never laid under a tree before and looked up and the amazing sight above than give it a go. Trees are incredible!
This one was no exception, it was so healthy and strong and didn't even move just a little in the wind. It stood there like solid rock. We were told that it takes 3-400 years to reach full size and a similar amount of time to die. I could only look on with admiration.
Secondly I took to exploring a hawthorn tree. This one seemed wispy and fragile in comparison yet at the same time had energy. I likened it to the wise woman who had knowledge to impart and thus gave it my respect.
It's funny but about five years ago I discovered a spinney of beech trees on a hill in the park near my home. One of the trees had fallen and had come to rest in the perfect position to enable me to lay on its trunk and gaze up at the splendour of the trees that towered above. It was a very significant place that I loved to visit. Sometimes I would walk the dog up there, other times I would take the children and most often I would visit alone. That fallen tree was the perfect resting place to sit upon and breathe in the fresh country air or to gain the perfect view across the valley. It was also the perfect balance beam and when no one was looking I would dance and cartwheel on that log. One day when the estate was sold. The new owner had that trunk sawn up into large pieces and moved around the field to become horse jumps. That place was never the same after that.  

So our day of inspiration from herbs and lovely people continued and was concluded with the sharing of the days harvest bounty. We each got to take home roots, apples, flowers and even a few quince! (I shall give quince cheese a go :-)) Not sure what the plumber thought recently when he came to fix my immersion heater and found my airing cupboard fully of drying roots and marigold petals??!!
          

A typical/non typical day in the life of our home schooled family

I am often asked what we do all day? When you say that you 'home school/home educate' is is often assumed and expected that 'school' is somehow replicated in the home environment.
Q visions of children working away at the kitchen table with mum scribbling complex equations on a white board. 
Wrong!
This sounds very idealistic and perhaps what some folk out there dream of and aspire to but in our household, this is certainly many miles away from the truth of what actually goes on.
So how does a typical day flow?
Well firstly there is no such thing in our world as a 'typical' day. No two days are the same, even the best plans never come to fruition!

Let's take today for example:

7.20 am alarm goes off, snooze button is hit!

7.45 am peel back the bed covers and enthusiastically call to the sleeping beauties that are still drifting in the land of nod!

8 am The first child emerges in the kitchen ready for breakfast, ten minutes later a second child joins the party.

8.50 am the third child rushes to get out of bed and dressed as we are about to leave the house! There's always one!

9 am We're in the car about to embark on our hour long journey into Oxford for Miss P's Environmental Management lesson.

9.45 am We arrive at the lesson 15 minutes early!

10 am We drop Miss P off  and venture off into Cowley centre in search of Lidl. Lidl is nowhere to be found so find selves wandering aimlessly around the shops in search of birthday gifts for family members. Passing elderly folk comment/talk among themselves about the fact that it should be school today! Note that The Little Lady has come out in 'normal' attire (her onesie!) which we are so used to seeing but recall that others won't see it in the same way!

11 am Sit in shopping centre car park trying to pick up wifi signal on Kindle in an attempt to have both children engage in maths lessons. Wifi works on phone but will only allow us to watch the lessons and not carry out the exercises. Decide to have an early lunch and head back to pick up Miss P who doesn't finish for over and hour.

11.45 am Return at lesson site to await Miss P and sit in the car reading 'Sky Hawk' by Jill Lewis, whilst children make cards for grandfather's belated birthday. Story captivates children's attention well. It's not long before we embark upon a sad scene. I struggle to hold back the tears and end up a blubbering mess struggling to get the words out!

12.30 pm We venture into lesson venue early and pick up wifi in order to complete maths questions. I note how the Boy becomes a writhing fish when any mention of 'work' is assimilated. He works his way through an entire yoga workout within the ten minute maths question period!

1 pm Miss P finishes her class and we head off to visit grandparents.

1.30 pm Catch up with news from Grandparents, children stimulated with sugar ridden food and chemical filled drinks (there goes my good intentions...), fill bags with endless magazines and old drawer finds before heading off.

3 pm Arrive back to sanctuary relieved that the days rush is over.

Rest of the afternoon and evening is spent....Miss P working through physics homework next to me on sewing room floor, The Little Lady catching up with her friend on the phone and then creating the most delicious baked cheesecake for pud and Small Boy initially creating a 'beehive' which he hopes will attract resident bees (he's even filled lined egg boxes with cling film and filled them with sugared water) and then.......well as I put him to bed I realise that he's been working away creating a 'man trap!' I have a full demonstration of how it works and which string operates which part of the trap. Gee whizz! So glad not to have been captured buy that one!

So you see, no formal sitting down stuff at all. The beauty of our days are flexibility and freedom :-)

I wonder what joys and challenges tomorrow will bring?

                         <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 XXXXXXXXX <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

Back in routine

It's funny, by the end of term like most, I sooo look forwards to the holidays; the break in the old routine. It's the change I suppose, a change is as good a break as any.

As always, the days and weeks literally whizzed by...how does time do that? We had very good intentions and plans at the beginning of the season but so much had to change as the weather dictated. So here we are, somehow we've arrived in September with a whole new academic year ahead of us.
September always seems like a new beginning; a time to step back and reassess what we're doing.

The children are growing up fast both physically and mentally. They definitely have 'hollow leg syndrome' like their father and myself. Spindly bean poles that eat like they've never been fed!

Miss P is embarking on three IGCSE's this year (English, Physics and Environmental Management), she took Geography earlier this year and passed (:-) :-) :-)) so one 'token for the future' in the bag. She currently rather fancies a course in Fashion Design at Banbury College (in two years time). They have the most incredible and well equipped design suit. I wouldn't mind going there myself!
The Little Lady is ten now and if in school would be in her final primary year! She wants to be a midwife when she grows up and continues to have a very keen interest in babies and dolls. I'm stepping up the work load which she has reluctantly agreed to!
Small boy having just turned eight, is happy just plodding along. He spends much of his time pottering about outside bothering (sometimes caring for) wildlife. He grows more like his father daily in every way :-)
Yes, I know I said previously that we work mainly autonomously! It's the beginning of term......this sequence of events happens at this time every year. We start off very focused with strong intentions and then we realise that it's okay to relax a little and that children don't have to be taught to learn!

On the family life front, I am pleased to announce that after two weeks of solitary confinement on Ditchley Island, I am finally free once more. Poor little Blueberry car decided to snap it's cam belt one Tuesday evening after a short afternoon trip to visit friends. After being abandoned on the drive jacked up for most of the duration with a plastic green house erected to protect my dear Dad from the elements whilst he worked; looked more like a crime scene than a garage scene, little Blueberry is up and running once more and was more than ready after her long rest to escort us faithfully once more on life's little adventures! Yeah to daddy!! And yeah to the lovely lady who gave me some money at the beginning of the Summer for emergencies (or for treats). Shame that I had to spend it all on the emergency!

So onwards and upwards into Autumn! We had an 'end of Summer' gathering earlier this week; one of those lovely sunny evenings with a shared meal and bonfire.....mmmmmm. I'm reluctant to leave Summer quite yet as it does seem our sunny days were rather limited but it seems we have no choice. The early mornings and late evenings definitely have that feel of crispiness. It won't be long before the coats are out and the heating is turned on, then there are log fires to enjoy and cosy nights in playing with the children, not forgetting those lovely blustery walks on windy days swishing the fallen leaves as you go. Oh I do love Autumn....in fact, I actually love all of the seasons, even Winter!

Happy Saturday to you all!! XXXXXXX

Waiting.......

Waiting........

It does seem that we spend rather a lot of our lives waiting.......

I had always thought of waiting time as time spent being bored, frustrated, a waste of time; that was until recently when I was waiting for a shower at a festival waiting in a queue. A fellow waiter was talking of the amazing conversation and experience that can come out of waiting.

'The best things come to those who wait'.

It occurred to me that waiting can indeed be a frustrating and boring time but it can also be a time where we step back and look in, a time for contemplation.

I bought this beautiful rose earlier this year. The early buds died whilst waiting for me to plant the little darling so I was thrilled to take note of this perfect bloom earlier this week.

For the past ten days I have been waiting patiently whilst my Dad has been working away trying to fix my broken car. No car, has meant a complete change of the usual routine. Apart from on foot, via bike and three very short trips out offered by willing friends, I haven't been able to get out of the village (off the island). Being marooned on the island could have driven me to insanity; and at times I guess I've been close; my children have certainly complained more than usual. I've tried very hard to embrace the moment and use my time wisely. Luckily I've not had any commitments to uphold so the pressure of that has not been upon me.
Waiting has actually been rather exciting! Who will rescue our souls today? What wonderful adventures will occur whilst we remain in the same spot?
Friends have been to visit us....24 to be exact graced our home surroundings on Tuesday all bringing surprising and delicious food to cook and share :-)
On other days, lovely people have popped in for the morning or afternoon others to drop off provisions and work. Never a dull moment!

I've pretty much finished decorating the girls bedroom. That was a serious waiting game for them and one definitely spurred on by the added 'home time' we have gained. Decorating is not one of my favourite jobs! Everything seems to have come together and thank goodness - they like it!

The excitement on the estate has been brewing all week. The sounds in the air, the dust rising in the distance......tonight the combine harvester is cutting the fields surrounding the house. The waiting is over for the farmers, the crop is mature and luckily the weather conditions are right.

They dare to stand just two meters away from the buzzing blades!

I love to be in connection with the cycle of nature........it's exciting but also a blessing!

Yesterday, Small Boy and I dug up our first handful of potatoes. He's been helping in the garden since he was teeny weeny but still the excitement of planting the wrinkly tubers, watching and waiting for the leaves to develop and grow, the flowers to bloom and die and finally the actual physical act of unearthing the beautiful potatoes......It's amazing how the things we grow ourselves taste so much nicer than those we buy from the supermarket. It was a surprise also that the potatoes are pink! Again those little tubers are often just 'brown' in colour and of no specific significance, yet deep inside they know exactly what they will become. It's all just a waiting game!

When my best friend and soul mate left earth side almost four years ago, waiting was for me a time of healing. I knew that as the days, months passed I would once again be able to live a fairly normal life and that I would be okay.

Waiting.........

We've been stripping the lavender this week. I love having pretty purple lavender growing in the garden, it's a real pleasure to brush past it and inhale its sweet relaxing scent. I enjoy watching the bees who visit too and listening to their soft therapeutic hum.
This years crop is almost ready to harvest. I always leave it until all of the flowers have gone over as even in the final stages the bees still visit.
Once cut on long stalks, I hang it somewhere warm to dry; usually in the kitchen or in the utility room. A year later we all help to strip the stalks and bag up the scent of loveliness for lavender bags or lavender shortbread mmmmm!

A special person gave me these delights last week. They didn't look that amazing in their tightly curled state but Wow! I never expected them to be so vibrant and gorgeous.

Whilst watching and waiting for a canal boat to arrive into the lock last weekend, we were thrilled to see a family of familiar faces driving the boat (not those in the picture!!). We hopped aboard, had a little chat and a short jaunt along the canal. A moment of adventure :-)

You know, that person was right about queues and waiting......since hearing that I've actually had some really fun times and engaged in some great conversations whilst waiting. Be open minded........

Right, time to extract my son from the piles of straw!!!! Perhaps I'll just wait and let him meander back on his own accord :-)

The innate traveller

I have this little urge to travel right now. Not sure why but something within seems very much drawn to explore. I don't think this is a long term something, my innate traveller seems to be saying 'a year' not even sure where? or how? It's just there....an idea popping into my mind.

As a teenager I did have a little taste of 'life on the run'. I ventured off to the US to work on a Summer camp for eight weeks and then took off with two newly found friends for fun and adventures along the South coast of the USA for four weeks. It was a great time; free from exams, free from institutionalised education, free from parental guidance :-) Oh yeah! It was good!!

Ever since the Summer of '92, I've always had the desire (mainly in the Summer months) to just get up and go. This year has been no different to any other. Following our recent week at Hesfes in the cold and wet of Wales, I did develop 'Camper envy'. It was a funny sort of envy....I wasn't envious of the plastic moulded, finely decorated interior...more the thought of the element of freedom that such a vehicle allows. I've been drawn to horse boxes and beaten up buses...yeah I know, others think I'm crazy too! Narrow boats have crossed my mind too :-) but again not luxuriously fitted ones.

I'm putting my thoughts out there..........

I had actually planned to escape to the North this week. A little trip roughing it with the children in hobnobbed tents equipped only with the bare essentials, that was until the untimely breakage of my cars timing belt which has left me rather stranded in Ditchley. It's amazing how you feel like your on an island when you live in such a remote place; it has its disadvantages!

At the beginning of the season, I thought it would be a great plan to buy an old caravan (thinking rounded front - pre double glazing and pouffe seats) and to site it on a small site or even on a farm somewhere, so that we could just get in the car and escape for a couple of nights of adventure when we fancy. I was totally shocked by the amount that sites want just to have your vehicle stood there (nearly £2000 a year - shocking! Especially as I was hoping to pick up a van for around £500!!). So until someone kindly suggests a suitable place for a lot less money, that idea is out!!

I've looked at camper vans. There are some lovely ones out there but just not quite what I'm looking for and once you have one, there's the question of where you are going to store the beast? (when you're not out having wonderful adventures of course)!

So a car and tent trip it was to be; a little Northbound trip heading for the area slap bang in the middle of the Moors and Dales. I have been promising the children a day on the North Yorkshire Moors railway for several years now...yes, we've recently watched the Railway Children (and yes, I cried!!). I also long to view the beautiful sea of purple as the heather flowers....arrrr delight at the thought :-)
Oh well, fingers crossed that my wonderful father will have little Blueberry up and running around and perhaps, maybe.....we might be off next week.

Until then....

I am left caring once again for baby birds as my son's curiosity got the better of him and he poked a pigeons nest which came down with two rather ugly chicks in it! If anyone has read 'Boris the Vulture?' you will know the look I am referring too! How on earth that unattractive beak develops into the sleek sculpted feeding tool it becomes in adulthood, I do not know. Feeding them scrambled egg from tweezers is not my idea of a great pastime (especially not as they are covered with mites which seems to get into all the wrong places and they keep viciously pecking me!). If I had the use of a car I would take them to the rescue centre but until now my own efforts will have to do.

Hey you know what, sometimes being stuck on an island isn't too bad...things actually could be worse :-)

Ed note: A friend of mine is touring France right now and writing a lovely little blog about her adventures, do pay her a visit www.womanonabike.blogspot.com

Stuffocation

I've been reading again.......
Way back during Lent when I decided to de-clutter my life, I came across a little book in Blackwell's bookshop appropriately named 'Stuffocation'. I jotted down the title back then as I had little time for extra 'stuff' or time to read but knew as some point I would try and navigate the pages to see what it had to say on the subject.

Well, back then my 'clear out' went pretty well and I shifted the 40 bags in 40 days (plus more) of unwanted junk that I challenged myself to remove. However, reminding myself of this I stood back at the beginning of the holidays and took a look at my house and some how, it seems....once again.... I am surrounded by THINGS. How could this be? Quite clearly, my good intentions have not  morphed....the storing habits of the children haven't helped!

'Stuffocation' has been a real eye-opener. It quite literally looks into how we have become a nation of people surrounded by such an excessive amount of belongings that we are literally being suffocated by them, they are taking over and consuming our lives. It seems that our problems may well have begun way back around the time of the Industrial Revolution when industry created a means of mass producing objects in less time. Mad Men and the advertising crew of the 1950's didn't help either where objects that were once built to last suddenly started to be replaced by objects that had a short lifespan and that needed replacing. The bottom line is related to money. People like having the latest new thing and companies need to keep profits up by creating items that need replacing and updating in order to keep the profits rolling in. I had always thought perhaps our need for things developed as a result of the war years when things were harder to get hold of. People held on to more 'just in case' they should need a spare.
The book goes on to look examine cases of people who have felt so suffocated by their belongings that they have got rid of virtually everything (tempting) and gone off to live in very remote areas living the simple life. In such cases, it seems that most do not stick out such a radical change in lifestyle for long (average of two years) before returning to their former ways.

The buying of 'stuff' does seem to only have short term benefits and doesn't necessarily lead to improved happiness. The new dress for a party never to be worn again, a fancy new bike to replace the old one that just needed a polish. What the book suggests is that the best type of investment is in experiences. Hearing friends talk about a new gadget is far less appealing then hearing someone talking about an amazing experience, plus the lasting memories are more valuable too.

So this week I've been head down once again trying to clear out further unwanted 'stuff'. The motivation has been that the children have swapped bedrooms and I have promised them a make over of sorts. So far the girls are being really rather ruthless in their clearing :-), the boy on the other hand is a different story. I've quite literally had to sneak stuff out when he hasn't been looking and be totally mindful of the fact that on several occasions he's been right behind me sneaking stuff back in again. Whilst trying to locate the TV control yesterday, the girls made the rather disturbing discovery of household rubbish being stored behind the sofa! Shock horror!!!
I was understandably mortified! His explanation.....he's been collecting things to build a space rocket!

The book I've been referring to is available from here or borrow it from the library so as not to add to your belongings!

Educational overview

I often find myself at the scrutiny of others for the choices I make especially with regards to diet, child rearing  and the main one; educational practice. I don't go out of my way to go against the 'norm' but I do go with what I believe to be right.

I am often told that I must be mad wanting my children at home all the time. To be completely honest that may well be the case. Perhaps I am mad! It isn't the easy option but it is the one that works for us.

I've been home educating for nine years now. What started off as one child out of the system for a year or so has become three children full out! I can honestly say that apart from in those first few months when I was finding my feet, deciding what to do and an approach that worked for us. I really haven't looked back. Not at all :-)

I love having my children around, I rise to the challenge of stimulating them and providing for their needs and most of all, I relish the fact that I have the opportunity to educate them and expose them to so many wonderful opportunities that schools couldn't possibly provide.

We're all in total 'holiday mode' right now....late nights, late mornings, relaxed days.....arrr blissful wonders! Apart from the annual 'clear up' of the past years educational stuff (which is filed away just in case we should one day feel the need to look back). We do very little during the Summer, it's fabulous! Life at its best!

In those early days, I was quite structured in my approach to educating but these days apart from Miss P who has started working quite seriously towards 'exam stuff' we're really rather relaxed and tend to be more autonomous. I have to admit that many years back when I first heard about autonomous learning I was very slightly horrified at the thought. You see, 'autonomous' quite literally means allowing the child to find their own way. In those early days I wasn't at all confident and had to follow the traditional system of ridged subjects that I myself had been subjected to as a child. It didn't occur to me that it was possible for someone to learn without actually being taught. Over the years I've witnessed first hand how this autonomous approach actually (dare I say it?) 'works!'

I don't suppose I even considered an autonomous approach until my disaster of 2011. Understandably, following such a traumatic event my head was in no clear space to think about anything other than survival and getting through each day. This became the pattern for well over a year until such a time when I was once more emotionally available and in a strong enough place to consider the educational needs of the children. I am grateful for our togetherness at that time, we needed each other at a time where in reality no one else could really help. Amazingly enough, although we did very little 'school' work, the children didn't regress but actually progressed. They learned a lot about death (not so cool) but also about each other.

On my journey so far I have encountered many children who have been autonomously educated and......have gone to university! Yes, it's true....you don't have to go to school to make it to uni!

Last year I was fortunate enough to meet a lovely family with five children, all of whom were and are autonomously educated. They were amazing! Delightful children and a truly inspiring family. You can find out more about them here Christian Unschooling. 

Well after realizing that these children were actually okay and others I know who had traveled a similar path, I began to research the idea further. Last Summer everything seemed to be pointing towards an even more relaxed way of approaching learning. Structure was not welcome by my youngest two. They moaned and groaned when I suggested 'educational' activities and unless I (almost quite literally) tied them to the ground, they disappeared to escape the bore of the whole affair. I don't blame them. Can you imagine being forced to learn something that is of no real interest to you? We learn at our best when we are free to chose what we want. There is a 'right time' for most things; sometimes perhaps a little later than might be considered 'the norm' but nether the less if it is meant to be, it will.

This year at Hesfes; our wonderful home educators Summer festival, one of the many talks that took place was on the subject of autonomous education. I can honestly say that I was blown away and totally convinced by the approach. There on the stage sat around ten teenagers all very different in looks and all with a story to tell. One talked of a typical days as 'get up, play X box, go to bed'.....he's studying Physics and Economics at Uni and was incredibly funny, literate and intelligent and a totally charming and inspiring young man. Another young lady recalled the years her sister and her played with Sylvanian families probably way beyond the age that those exposed to peer pressure would use them as they lived in a remote area in France. Once again a knowledgeable and intelligent young lady. In fact, everyone of those young people very confidently sat there bombarded with questions and all very confidently answered. I felt so proud of each and every one of them :-)....does make you question the system!

Quote taken from The Natural Child Project:-
'Unschooling does not mean that parents can never teach anything to their children, or that children should learn about life entirely on their own without the help and guidance of their parents. Unschooling does not mean that parents give up active participation in the education and development of their children and simply hope that something good will happen. Finally, since many unschooling families have definite plans for college, unschooling does not even mean that children will never take a course in any kind of a school'.

Fresh outlook

It never ceases to amaze me how much we take for granted in  our daily lives; the things we have, the friends that surround us and our general feeling of safety and security.

We've just returned from our annual pilgrimage to HESFES our home ed festival which this year happened to be located in South Wales. There was much excitement in anticipation of this years festival as the site was literally located right next to a beautiful eight mile stretch of the softest sandiest beach you could imagine.
I work at the festival so intended to 'be there' regardless of the location, but many were drawn to the idea of the beach and the delights that brings. The event this year was an early sell out, however, no one could predicted the weather. I suppose I should be grateful in many ways; arrival day was perfect for tent pitching; the few days that followed were less impressive and to me more of a campers nightmare!

HOME

FOOD

Having looked at the forecast ahead of time, I thought I was well prepared for all eventualities; and in many ways I suppose I was. I remembered our wellies and raincoats, I even thought ahead and planned a 'cooking station' as my tent isn't really suitable for cooking in.

FRIENDS

The kids made willow lanterns which we carried around the site to the beat of drums.....

WARMTH

When you are there in the midst of things, you do the best you can under the circumstances. We wore our warm clothes many more times then we normally would. When the showers spit, go off mid flow and spurt freezing cold water at you, you learn that baby wipes work as a jolly decent alternative for washing your bits!
When you are freezing cold, you don't worry about what people think as you wander around in your rather funky odd hotch potch mix of clothing.
When you wake up in the morning and your tent is still standing, you are eternally grateful that you survived the night under shelter!

LEISURE

Final day 'tug of war'.

It wasn't all doom and gloom. We shared some wonderful time with friends and met some fantastic and truly inspiring people and we laughed and played as we always do. We went to the beach and felt the soft sand spill through our toes and the warm rays of sun on our skin; we even developed a warm glow to our faces!

Practicing circus skills 

FUNHesfes

What I realised upon our return home was how much we take things for granted. After the usual drudgery of unpacking and finding home again that concludes 'going away', we relaxed in our warm/hot bath and snuggled into our cosy beds happy (and fairly certain) in the knowledge that the shelter we call 'home' would still be there supporting us and protecting us in the morning :-)

Grubby feet!

Friendship :-)