Autumn evenings

Everyday is a sunday

The difference between a weekday and the weekend sometimes blur to the sense of everyday is THE day. Anders has been out sailing at a Sail conference in Florø this weekend leaving me alone to do whatever i devise since Thursday. Hence, everyday has been a Sunday, today being wonderful indeed. Amazing that the sun shines one day, and the weeks on end with greyness and rain are instantly forgotten and utterly forgiven.

We spent the day mostly outside, did a quick circle time, with disruptions, and leaf imprints to follow up on our leaf period.

I have been telling Jasmin the story of the Anxious leaf everyday now, from the Live education books. Saturday we did wet-on-wet painting, WITH the little ones. This painting is a learning process for me as well. Getting the right paper, the right wetness and the right time of day.

I told her we were to paint what the little leaf was dreaming as he fell to the ground in a deep sleep.

The Anxious Leaf

Once upon a time a little leaf was heard to sigh and cry, as leaves
often do when a gentle wind is about. And the twig said, "What is the matter, little leaf?" And the leaf said, "The wind just told me that one day it would pull me off and throw me down to die on the ground!"

The twig told it to the branch on which it grew, and the branch told it to the tree. And when the tree heard it, it rustled all over, and sent back word to the leaf, "Do not be afraid. Hold on tightly, and you shall not go till you want to."

And so the leaf stopped sighing, but went on nestling and singing. Every time the tree shook itself and stirred up all its leaves, the branches shook themselves, and the little twig shook itself, and the little leaf danced up and down merrily, as if nothing could ever pull it off. And so it grew all summer long, till October.

And when the bright days of autumn came the little leaf saw all the leaves around becoming very beautiful. Some were yellow and some scarlet, and some striped with both colors. Then it asked the tree what it meant. And the tree said, "All these leaves are getting ready to fly away, and they have put on these beautiful colors because of joy."

Then the little leaf began to want to go, too, and grew very beautiful in thinking of it, and when it was very gay in color it saw that the branches of the tree had no bright color in them, and so the leaf said, "O branches! why are you lead-color and we golden?"

"We must keep on our work-clothes, for our life is not done - but your clothes are for holiday, because your tasks are over," said the branches.

Just then a little puff of wind came, and the leaf let go, without thinking of it, and the wind took it up and turned it over and over, and whirled it like a spark of fire in the air, and then it dropped gently down under the edge of the fence, among hundreds of leaves, and fell into a dream, and it never waked up to tell what it dreamed about.

The four year old is a great age, loving the finger plays and repetitive songs. I love it when i sing and sing and sing to what i think are deaf ears, then suddenly she is reciting the same verse to her dolls over in the corner, when she thinks i am not listening.

Five Little Leaves

Five little leaves, so happy and gay (hold up five fingers)
were dancing about on a tree one day
the wind came blowing through the town
and one little leave came tumbling down

Four little leaves, so happy and gay (put one finger down)
were dancing about on a tree one day
the wind came blowing through the town
and one little leave came tumbling down

Three little leaves, so happy and gay (put another finger down)
were dancing about on a tree one day
the wind came blowing through the town
and one little leave came tumbling down

Two little leaves, so happy and gay (put another finger down)
were dancing about on a tree one day
the wind came blowing through the town
and one little leave came tumbling down

One little leaf, so happy and gay (put last finger down)
were dancing about on a tree one day
the wind came blowing through the town
and one little leave came tumbling down

(from Little Acorn Learning)

Early morning musings

Kindergarden at home has begun for full, and it is great, for all i hope. The day flies by so quick when it is broken down into times for everything, breathing in and breathing out. Wednesday was bright and alive, not TOO much rain. Just trying to make a normal day run smoothly is quite a challenge, and i feel the need to stay MORE home, then on constant drives to interesting places all day.

Pictures from baking dragons for lunch, a quick try for the Michaelmas bread on the 29th, popcorn for snack is VERY popular, and Jasmin's constant constant building using all the furniture, bringing all the dolls on ferrys and boats going to far off lands like... Lebanon. Reassuring me she will be back for snack time.

Been using the curriculum I got from Live-education, and mixing it in with my own thoughts, the extensive daily guides by Little Acorn Learning and alot of playing around. Last week was Apple week, and we are doing Leaves this week.