Spring in the seasonal book basket

 This past Winter we introduced a seasonal book basket to the nature table (otherwise known as the windowsill), around the time of the Spring equinox we replaced the much read and loved Winter books with Spring books, some old and some new.

 

Mama, is it Summer yet? by Nikki McClure

I've included this book first as it's my personal favourite, Nikki McClure writes and illustrates the book inspired after her son asked in Spring if it was Summer yet, throughout the story she shows him the wonders of Spring as he waits in anticipation for Summer. The story is set in nature and provides a good talking point comparing the stages of Spring in the book to what stage we are at now, we've discussed the budding blossoms, sowing seeds and nesting birds. The artist uses a cut paper technique (described by the author/artist in the back of the book) that is like nothing I have seen before, I have even considered buying another copy so that I can cut some of the pictures out and hang them up.

 

The Story of the Root Children by Sibylle von Olfers

 

Written and illustrated by Sibylle von Olfers and first published in 1906, The Story of the Root Children tells the story of Mother Nature and The Root Children who live under ground all Winter and now must prepare for Spring. They sew flower dresses, wake the bugs and wash and paint the ladybirds and beetles before leaving to venture into the Spring sunshine, the story then follows them through Summer and Autumn before they return once again underground for Winter.   



 

 

Spring - Nature activities for children by Irmgard Kutch and Brigette Walden

 

One of a four seasons series, nature activities for children takes you through the month with seasonal activities from sprouting seeds and making natural dyes to keeping bees and building willow structures, it is suitable for all ages and I can tell that we are going to get a lot of use from it over the years. The book also includes seasonal poems, songs and short stories and has a brilliant introduction that discusses the importance and benefits of children having the opportunity to connect with nature. This is the first of these books that we have bought and I will definitely be getting the next one, the instructions make the activities easy and simple to do and it inspires and motivates you to make the most out of  and really immerse yourself in nature.

 

 

How a Seed Grows by Helene J. Jordan and illustrated by Loretta Krupinski

 

How a seed grows is part of the American 'Let's Read and Find Out Science' series of books and this one is part story, part activity, it starts by telling of the different kinds of seeds and how some grow quickly and some grow slowly to make all different kinds of plants, then continues on to an activity where the child plants seeds in 12 egg shells and unearths one each day for two weeks to examine the growth each day and at the end they are planted, we haven't done the activity yet but Seth enjoys looking at the illustrations of the different stages and comparing them to the seeds in the garden. The only thing I don't like in the book is that, as I said being American, it has some American language in it and I wish that they could produce a British version to prevent confusion, other than that it is a good age appropriate educational book and is enough to convince me to try a couple more in the series. 

 

Spring by Gerda Muller

 



This is our third book of the four seasons series so it's safe to say we are big fans here, it is a picture book of beautiful Spring scenes that inspires discussion and story telling... much story telling. I never expected that when I got our first one of these books last Summer that it would be such a hit, but we can spend ages looking through it at all the little details in each picture, telling different stories about what could be happening on each page and imagining what the characters are saying, thinking and feeling. It is most definitely a favourite and will be hanging around for some years to come.

 

Spring - A collection of Poems, Songs and Stories for young children  

 

Spring published by Wynstones Press is a collection of poems, short stories and songs with accompanying music collected from Steiner Waldorf schools around the world, it is packed full with something for every aspect of the season so there is always something appropriate and fitting to read and enjoy. After purchasing the Winter version I wasn't sure whether to get anymore as it had a lot of Christian content so much of it we weren't able to relate to or needed a bit of explaining but I'm glad that we gave it another go because this book has much more in it for us to use and enjoy.

Did you see it?

 I think Spring may have arrived here today, we woke to a dusting of snow that had cleared by mid morning and we were then treated to an afternoon of sun and dare I say a little bit of heat, at one point it was a T-shirt and bare arms affair which felt completely naked compared to the 6 layers I wore to the carboot on Sunday. So to make the most of it and get some much needed vitamin D ,we sprung into action and got in the garden planning, shuffling and dreaming and with that we added a little bit of Spring life to the nature table with an old milk bottle of daffodils and a jar of peach stones collected from my mums tree, soaking ready to be planted in a few days. Has Spring reached you yet? Has it really reached anyone? Or am I getting ahead of myself, only to be yet again woken by snow that appears overnight as if by magic and disappears just as quickly as if it were just a pre first morning coffee illusion?

 

Drawing on the positive and looking forward

We’ve had a rough time recently, on Valentine’s Day we found out I was pregnant, but it wasn’t meant to be and two weeks later I miscarried. Physically and emotionally we are all OK now and we are starting to look forward and part of that looking forward has been drawing on the positives and finding the silver lining, for me that has been realising how supported I am. Matthew has been amazingly supportive and this has helped me heal emotionally and really strengthened our relationship, without his help I don’t think I would have coped so well, and my mum has also been so helpful with Seth, taking him out and entertaining him when I didn’t want to leave the house.

Some weird things have happened as well, the day after my first hospital visit but before anything had been diagnosed or confirmed, Seth came over to me with an imaginary package and put it on my tummy and told me to open it, I asked him what was in it and he said “powder (he means flour) and a tiny, tiny baby with wings flying away”, now, we hadn’t told him anything and he doesn't even know I was pregnant so this really took me back, I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, I don’t really know what I think about souls and spirits and that kind of stuff but he’s got me thinking, that’s for sure! Another weird thing, or probably less weird but of a more primal, instinct type thing is that I really felt the need to stay at home, not just because I was sad, but because I felt protected and safe and now I am so desperate to get into nature, get my hands in soil, walk through woods and smell the dirt so that’s the plan, tomorrow on the Spring equinox I’m getting out of here before coming home for a Spring meal to talk of the season ahead. Gently turning the page and looking forward.

Happy Valentine's Day

Winter light box activity

 The days are becoming longer and the light is returning, Winter is fading and making way for Spring, so we make the most of the last of it, being mindful not to wish it away in favour of the warmer seasons to come.

 

 The evenings are still dark and this provides us with lots of time to spend indoors and the perfect opportunity to use the light box, we decided on a Winter theme and collected bare twigs, evergreen leaves, seed heads and ice and snow from the freezer (doesn't everyone keep a jar of snow in the freezer?). We didn't put anything on it that specifically did something, so Seth had to use his imagination, he dusted with the seed heads, made stew with the leaves and ice, scrambled and scratched the snow with the holly and by the time he had finished he had eaten all of the snow and ice! Seth really enjoyed this and it's made me think of how we can use the light box more often, I can definitely see a Spring, Summer and Autumn version and maybe some Solstice ones as well. 

  

 

 

This week we've mostly been...

 

 

This week we've mostly been...

• Inspired by this post at Organic Family Love to make some homemade mascara out of burnt almonds, it was quite fun to burn something in the kitchen purposely for once.
• Making family footprints, it tickled.
• Trying to convince Seth that ginger, lemon and honey tea is nice after we all came down with a cold.
• Spying snowdrops everywhere, welcome spring!
• Baking, baking, baking. We've made flapjacks, jam tarts and a huge Bakewell tart.  
• Huddling, cuddling and resting under blankets whilst we all get better.

This week we've mostly been...

 

 

This week we've mostly been...

• Digging up over 2kg of oca that was planted way back in spring, just look at the colours!
• Wondering what lives in that hole.
• Considering what to do about our friendly cockerel who has taken a sudden severe dislike to Seth in the past week.
• Slurping blueberry and banana smoothies.
• Surprised at winning a personalised planter crate from yeo valley, Seth says he is going to plant roses in it to give to me (my heart melts!).
•  Eating wholemeal scones made by Matthew, with clotted cream and a taste of last summer.
• In the garden, planting a huge sack of reduced daffodil bulbs, pruning apple trees, taking blackcurrant cuttings, planting bare root strawberry plants and raspberry canes and digging, too much digging, ouch.