Michaelsmas

The much anticipated Micha-els mass came and went. I was really looking forward to the day, since it has been so long since we have had celebrated a festival. Despite that the preparations have been so sporadic, yesterday turned out beautifully. Joshua and Ramona left us early this morning to fly to the States for a few weeks (to return, I told a very worried Lea, "don't worry, they will be back!"), so it was also a little combined Bon Voyage, and a Harvest Dinner for Autumn. I put the two of them to the task of making the centerpiece for the table. They dove into the mission with gusto. Beautiful.

Hardanger Autumn- apples, nuts, berries, leaves and pumpkins. And a kohlrabi. Oh and oranges.

We have been singing two songs the last month, which of one has been a perfect Autumn song, as we walk up in the mountains, we have been really experiencing the decent of Fall. Lea has been the most avid singer, bringing the songs into her play during the days and early mornings.

It's golden in the treetops, it's golden in the sky,

it's golden, golden, golden, September passing by.

rolled beeswax candles.

Sct. Micha-el  giving strength and light to Georg the Knight, on the Nature Table.

In the late nights of Autumn, on long September nights,
Micha-el sends falling stars, showing strength and light.
In the late night hours they fall, showering his starlight on all.
Falling stars, falling stars, shoot across the sky.
Falling stars, falling stars, bring to earth your light.

Dragonmas bread. 

Baking dragon bread was something we did right before making dinner. I had read this beautiful little story to tell while mixing together the ingredients, found in the "All Year Round" book. Starting with

"the fair land (mounds of clean white flour), which became dark and desolate as the dragon lay it to waste ( emptying the yeast mixture into the bowl).
The darkness fell on the land, bring ice and snow (salt and suger).
Micha-el saw this from above and had great compassion he drew stars from the firmament and threw down (raisons) which became burrowed in the ground, and then he took pure sun shine and let fall to the earth (an egg yolk).
He then lets seeds (sunflower seeds) fall, and urged the people to come aout and plant the seds in the barren ground, and harvest the grain, make the dough, mix and mix, and bake the bread in the oven til it is done. Then to eat it, around a table with friends and family, with love int their hearts and a song on their lips."

Our song we sing before every meal was given in English after this story, which I sang, and then we felt so much more connected to the Norwegian one all through the baking, dinner and after.

Here the harvesting and good defeats evil is all combined, so I opted to not tell any other story this year. I have be been reading several versions, trying to decide how and which one, this short one was hands on, in-motion, rhythmical, and fit Jasmin just fine. And sometimes it is better not to have too high ambitions, or expectations, but take a few elements, and simply realize and accept this is not a  Waldorf Kindergarten, I am a busy student, they were in Kindergarten earlier in the day and all is as perfect as one wishes it to be. Though next year I would like to do a a small puppet show, then Noa and Lea will also be closing in on four years old.

We sang around the dinner table together with the whole family, Ramona, Joshua and Jon Kristian included. It was a lovely experience for the all of us. 

The children all were shining in their crowns and capes, smiling and red-cheeked by all the warmth from the candles.

Jasmin's french braided festival hair, by Ramona.
And homemade rose-hip/ hibiscus marmalade to go with the bread seen here.

Lea sweeping after dinner, before cookies and dragon bread.

silly girls.