The long awaited day finally came when the children were able to climb the stairs of the freshly finished tree house! I made a visit to the hardware store and found a pulley, rope and some sand paper. The children set right to work sanding the railings and the sills, and the ark like structure began to be filled with the fresh scent of cedar. They quickly worked out a system for using the pulley by calling “heads” to the children below and waiting for a response that all was clear, they began to haul all kinds of treasures up into the house! The perch was a wonderful retreat from the rain in the earlier part of the week, and even the lambs sought shelter below. The nursery children rested in this lofty nest one warm spring morning this week, and I imagine we will have many more permutations of uses for our new structure! Thanks again to all who helped with this project!
On Monday morning we were guided by a group of children who had participated in the Faerie House making workshop with Sally Smith of Green Spirit Arts last weekend. They led us to the Water tribes house by the stream and then to the various other Elemental houses tucked snuggly in the roots of tall pines or by old stumps and logs. The children who had not made the houses watched in wonder as roofs were removed to reveal the intricate details of the inside chambers, while the creators carefully shared their beautiful houses with quiet pride. I imagine those faeries are delighted by such fine quarters!
Stephanie set straight to work with the children planting kale, chard and spinach on a leaf day. The group divided in two and seeded in the greenhouse on a dripping wet Thursday. There will be potatoes to plant if the conditions are right this week, which brings back great memories of our potato harvest this fall, of potatoes big and small! The lambs returned back to their original home at Maple Wind Farm in Huntington Vermont (owned by my brother and his wife Beth). They had imprinted so well on all of their dedicated bottle feeders that they did not have the sweet reunion with their mother on Mother’s Day that I imagined. I am sure by now they have found their way into the flock and are enjoying the endless pasture of fresh green grass! They surely miss their days springing about the MayPole in our play yard with all the children.
The greatest highlight was our whole community coming together for the May Day Festival on Friday! I hope the pancake breakfast was as delicious as it smelled! We intended this to be a token of our gratitude to all of you who support the school so much! I hope many of you were able to meet Daryn Brennan our First Grade teacher. If not she will join us again for the Barn Dance in June! The children have never been more relaxed, yet excited about performing their favorite May Pole dances. With their heads adorned with fresh willow crowns and flowers it was a beautiful sight! It was a great picture of how this group does shine! They set the stage for the younger ones to experience their own May Pole dancing, after the crowds had dispersed. It filled me up to bare witness to the whole day!
We are entering our last month of school and we still have many things to look forward to ! Each Friday until the end of the school year I will be exploring an element! This week we will be discovering all the joys of the wind! We will make pinwheels from our paintings and silk wind wands and take a picnic to the meadow to fly kites if the weather is right! We will go to my house for our annual paddle to explore the Water! Hopefully the warm temperatures will heat up the lake for a dip after our paddle. I am researching where we may go for the Earth element day! I am hoping to take them to the base of the new slide between the Cascade lakes where there are wonderful semiprecious stones for this class of gnomes! Lastly we will have a fire and roast hot dogs and play by the stream on our last day of school!
I am looking forward to all the exploration and work ahead with the children!
Blessings,
Robin
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