Week Three: Lightening Bugs

Week three was yet another great week. The honeymoon period is over for sure and R and Curtis have settled into the routine. Both children know what to expect and R is very keyed in to what comes next. She anticipates the next phase and often asks, "when are we going to have story?". She asks this just before I get the puppets out.

This week was all about lightening bugs. The story by Phillip Rhoades and the accompanying puppets I needle felted were well-received. You can read a PDF of the story at this link http://www.ungab.com/files/The_First_Lightning_Bug.pdf

I made a lightening bug with a removable brown bottom that hides it's light, a lady lightening, and a cloud that represents Brother Wind. I was so thrilled to find a story that had Brother Wind in it by name because we often use the term Brother Wind at school....mother moon father sun, etc. R really loved this one and enjoyed playing with lady lightening afterwards. Curtis must have liked it too because he was very quiet all week during story time. I also delivered this one to them as a lap story...where I lay the silks on my lap and tuck them into my collar and use my own self as a stage...this seemed to work very well.

On Tuesday we had midsummer's day. A beautiful warm day it was. We sing songs as we walk out of the woods which correspond to the season. (when we walk in I don't speak much as I want them to hear the birds). Anyway, starting on Monday we sang two new songs

"Oh welcome to you , oh beautiful sun, when grass is so high and children will run.". This is in three parts and I go through all three.

The other is a nursery class favorite:
"Dandelion, yellow and gold. what do you do all day? I sit and I wait in the tall green grass til the children come and play
Dandelion, yellow and gold, what do you do all night? I sit and I wait in the tall green grass til my hair turns long and white.
Dandelion yellow and gold, what do you do when your hair turns white and the children come and play?
They pick me up with their dimpled hands and blow my hair away."

They hardly even know they are walking up a hill! These songs go well with summertime. On Tuesday I also read a midsummer theme story to the children at rest time. We always read one short book before rest. This one was from A Donsy of Gnomes..and it was called Mossy. This story is about an actual gnome midsummer party in Limindor Woods.

On Monday in our own Carpenters Woods, Curtis and R were able to play with some children from Summit Day Care who visit the same spot we do every Monday during the summer. So this is a nice added rhythm to our week...meeting up with the Summit children at the bridge.

On Wednesday, we got into my car to head down to the woods And lo and behold..the battery was dead. So we walked instead. The children loved the walk down . It was wonderful to see all the beautiful flowers planted along the way...and to see various trucks and worker vehicles. The children didn't even complain that day on the way back. I was surprised as it is about seven long blocks...half of them uphill. They ate very very well when we got back and slept very soundly.

Well, AAA came out and replaced the old battery, but I wanted to try the walking experiment again. This time I took the wagon with me. There was a lot of complaining even though I pulled them on all the downhills. Well I got great exercise, but upon asking them if they enjoyed their walk that day, they answered in unison, "it was too long! When will your car be fixed?" So now we drive down to Weavers Way and walk from there. That seems to be just the right length of walk for them. Two and half blocks. I point out all the beautiful flowers and plants along the way..purple cone flowers, black eyed susans ferns, hosta, lilies..and we get to see many bees busy at work.

By Thursday, the children had such good color and energy from all their excursions that week...when we got to the woods and our special place, they asked to hike some more...so I took them through the loop and made our way back to the meadow. We stopped along the way on a downhill run that had a lot of large flat rocks .. r and Curtis enjoyed lying across them on their backs and looking up at the trees. I did this too...so lovely...until a fellow hiker started coming uphill..then I got up...I had a dress on.

On Friday we stayed and played as is our usual rhythm instead of trekking to the woods. It was overcast...so we went to the back yard. ( R and I got a little too much sun though...more sunscreen is called for even on overcast days..I'll make sure of that!) I filled up our pool and R and C loved it. The sandbox was in full use and Curt even made one of the smaller slides into a pirate ship...complete with a plank to walk...he weighted it down with a grill and many many bricks..it actually supports him and allows him to jump off it to the ground. In the meantime...our silk squares were basking in the sun inside their warm mason jars complete with hot water and turmeric. Curt left before lunch with his father to go camping at Cape Henlopen...I was to join them later... R and I got to rinse out the silks after rest time and hang them to dry. They are very beautiful. We will do this again next week with purple beet juice. I read somewhere that turmeric is used by the monks to dye their yellow sashes..cheaper than saffron I suppose..and the added bonus is that it doesn't require a mordant...perfect for dyeing with children.

R and I went to the trolley car for ice cream as usual on Friday after rest time..she had vanilla this week..no sprinkles.

But where are the pictures she promised? After many phone calls to Cricket my cell carrier..seems I need to upgrade to a web service plan and email myself the photos...this can be accomplished after July 2nd. So look for added pictures in these blogs after then. There are so many..I can't wait to add them.

Next week...week four..is still lightening bugs...if the children catch any with you at night...they can whisper a wish to them and release them...just like it says in the story...and though they are wee bugs..they will still try their hardest to make those wishes come true. Curt keeps wishing for a new kitten.. And then wonders why it hasn't shown up yet. Hmmm mm. I wonder.