Moments...

...this week of...

...happiness a lovely weekend doing things with my family, sunshine, sowing seeds, talking to someone who I wasn't sure about and finding out that we have so much in common

...sadness at bumping into a old colleague and hearing that she left because she was the victim of a witch hunt at our old place of work, the two colleagues responsible (senior managers) were later sacked

...creating the last few rows of my Shalom, the start of a cardigan, a plan for a new project

...reading The Making of the British Landscape by Francis Pryor and The Lie of the Land by Ian Vince and to the children 18 Mulberry Road  by Frank English

...learning about building space probes, Mercury, Venus, Pluto, dwarf planets, St George, fire and fire safety, brushing hair

...thinking about a canoe expedition

...wondering if the seeds I sowed over a week or so ago are going to germinate or should I sow some more

...hoping to get started on some presents for Alice

...enjoying this

...looking forward to starting a few new ideas

Moments...

...this week of...

...happiness spending time with my parents, catching up with friends I haven't seen for two years, sunshine 

...sadness at the tragic death of migrants off the coast of Italy

...creating a storysack, some fabric baskets, rows on my shalom, the front piece of a cardigan, the start of a cardigan, lots of peg people, 

...reading The Making of the British Landscape by Francis Pryor, to the children 18 Mulberry Road  by Frank English

...learning about planets, fractions, the Buddhist and Sikh New Year Festivals, wool, sheep, knives, whittling, leaf cutter ants

...thinking about plans for a camping trip that Alice has requested for her birthday

...wondering if I am trying to fit too much into my weeks

...hoping to start planning a new learning project

...looking forward to sowing more seeds in my garden

Moments...

...this week of...

...happiness the first seedlings of the year, sunshine, going outside without a coat, a beautiful family walk

...sadness at the tragic skiing accident in the French Alps

...creating two bags, a fabric basket, a knitted dog, piglets and cow, rows on my shalom

...reading The Making of the British Landscape by Francis Pryor, to the children 18 Mulberry Road  by Frank English

...learning about comets, asteroids, meteors, meteorites, meteoroids, shooting stars, nests, eggs, sound waves

...thinking about present making

...wondering about how to fit in everything I need to do before I go away

...hoping to move some plants this week to make way for an exciting new project

...enjoying this

...looking forward to seeing my parents

Moments...

...this week of...

...happiness sunshine, watching my children play, a lovely day out birdwatching as a family, sowing the first seeds of the year

...sadness my husband being ill for most of the week, the longest since I have known him

...creating a knitted cockerel and cat, rows on my shalom, the front of a cardigan, lots of picnic food

...reading The Making of the British Landscape by Francis Pryor, to the children Trouble at Rose Cottage by Emily Bearn, The Angel and the Dove by Sophie Piper and myths and legends about the stars

...learning about blood, refrigeration, cooling, insulation, constellations, star brightness, April Fools Day, Maunday Thursday, Good Friday, Normans, fractions, numbers

...thinking about my garden

...wondering about spirituality and beliefs

...hoping to get a few more presents made this week

...enjoying this

...looking forward to turning a few ideas into reality

Moments...

...this week of...

...happiness tidying and cleaning the house, a quiet weekend at home, a Spring equinox celebration at Forest School

...sadness at the events in the Alps

...creating a knitted sheep, the front of a cardigan, the start of a dress, a rainbow storysack, a plan for my garden

...reading The Making of the British Landscape by Francis Pryor, to the children Trouble at Rose Cottage by Emily Bearn and The Story of the Root Children by Sibylle Von Olfers

...learning about stars, black holes, density, galaxies, paper, lighting fires, Equinox, owls

...thinking about plans for the Easter weekend.

...wondering about and being frustrated by enthusiasm for ideas and folks actually committing to them

...hoping that a present I have posted is well received.

...enjoying this

...looking forward to a Maths course I have signed up for.

Moments...

...this week of...

...happiness a wonderful walk on a snowy hill, watching the eclipse through the clouds, a weekend with friends

...sadness friends in debt who take lots of expensive holidays, buy things when they want them rather than need them, scrimp on food quality and complain that they never have any money

...creating a front piece of a cardigan, a sewing pattern, a knitted piglet and sheep, lots of cake

...reading Secrets of the Sea House by Elisabeth Gifford, and to the children A Circus Adventure by Emily Bearn and several myths and legends about the sun.

...learning about the sun, friction, adding up, reading maps, contours, equinox, eclipses

...thinking about my garden

...wondering about presents for my niece and nephew

...hoping to give the house a bit of a spring clean and declutter this week

...enjoying this

...looking forward to a quiet weekend!

_________________________

The photo is not the moon but the sun during a partial eclipse!

Moments...

...this week of...

...happiness a beautiful sunny day spent outside, meeting and making some new friends, catching up with some old friends we haven't seen for months, 

...sadness a friend who is really struggling right now, she has not been far from my thoughts this week

...creating more wee gnomes, the back of a cardigan, a knitted pig, a bender for Forest School, the beginnings of a new sewing pattern, watercolour paintings

...reading The Day without Yesterday by Stuart Clark, and to the children A Circus Adventure by Emily Bearn and several myths and legends about the Moon

...learning about the Moon, Drovers, Pilgrims, Queen Elizabeth I, gravity, Moonraking legend/myth

...thinking about the sun and hoping that it will shine this week for our project and the eclipse on Friday

...wondering about our rhythm and whether we are too busy

...hoping to take the children up a big hill this week

...enjoying this

...looking forward to a play day with several local orchestras 

Moments...

...this week of...

...happiness sunshine and blue sky, my sourdough starter, a lovely day out on the train, an evening with friends

...sadness at the difficulties a friend is having right now

...creating some wee gnomes, a shawl, two cardigans, two lavender hearts, paper

...reading Sensorium of God by Stuart Clark, to the children A Circus Adventure by Emily Bearn, the Story of Esther, several myths and legends about creation of the sky, the stars and the solar system

...learning about telescopes, bugs, sky, atmosphere, astronomy, Purim, Chinese Lantern Festival, Holi

...thinking about our solar system project

...wondering about presents to make for all the birthdays in April/May in our family

...hoping to have clear skies at night this week so that we can observe the moon

...enjoying this

...looking forward to a busy but fun weekend - we hope!

Moments...

...this week of...

...happiness sharing dinner with friends, finding a new home for some books that we didn't want anymore, finally making it to a new home ed group and loving it, hearing owls calling

...sadness at the 'news' this week concerning three teenagers, on the one hand I admire their passion on the other I can't help wonder if it is misguided, we only know what we hear in the news.....

...creating a shawl, unravelling a project and starting something new with the yarn, ideas for a cardigan

...reading Gone are the Leaves by Anne Donavon and The Sky's Dark Labyrinth by Stuart Clark and to my children The Railway Children by E. Nesbit and a fable about Chinese New Year.

...learning about Shrove Tuesday, Lent, Chinese New Year, archaeology, Romans

...thinking about a home ed camp 

...wondering about how to celebrate the many festivals in the next few weeks

...hoping the sourdough starter I am making works

...enjoying this

...looking forward to helping to build a bender at the weekend in our Forest School woods

Moments...

...this week of...

...happiness creating with friends, making things happen, a play in the woods, shared stories

...sadness words from a friend*

...creating peg people, bread, trousers, a skirt, some more coasters, rows on a sock and a shawl

...reading Letters to the Midwife and The Language of Others by Clare Morrall, and to the children The Railway Children by E.Nesbit, stories about hares, deers, mice and stoats

...learning about knots, mammals, mice, animals tracks, ropes, clouds, adding

...thinking about a project for next month

...wondering about organising a home ed camp in the summer

...hoping to celebrate some festivals this week

...enjoying this

...looking forward to making it to a new group this week.

_________________________

* I have made peace with this now.

Moments...

...this past two weeks* of...

...happiness a weekend with an old friend, a lovely walk in a local wood, catching up with friends over lunch, quiet time at home

...sadness illness in our house, again, it's an auspicious start to the year

...creating rows on a sock, scarf and a shawl, a pair of trousers, ideas for future learning projects, Imbolc seed cake

...reading A Handful of Straw by Mary Rensten, and to the children The Railway Children by E. Nesbit a story for Candlemas and the Greek Myth of Persephone and Demeter

...learning about snowdrops, aconites, knots, new birds, seagulls, Romans, sea urchins, the Mary Rose, underwater archaeology, numbers, materials, Imbolc and Candlemas, Spanish

...thinking about my Mum who has been really ill for over a month

...wondering about seeds, I should really place an order.....

...hoping to make it to our groups this week

...enjoying this

...looking forward to getting back into our rhythm this week

_________________________

If you would like to join me you would be most welcome, either using my headings or you own, let me know you have written a post and I will link up to it..........

_________________________

* I posted something else last Monday

Moments...

...this week of...

...happiness fun in the snow at Forest School, a day out birdwatching, a weekend with my brother and partner

...sadness at over eating

...creating rows on a shawl, rows on a scarf, bird food

...reading The Making of the British Landscape by Francis Pryor and to the children The Pirates' Treasure by Emily Bearn and the tale of the Sparrow and the Tug of War.

...learning about animal tracks and poo, birds, squirrels, bird food, new songs

...thinking about festivals and traditions for February

...wondering about a friends recent behaviour and whether I should be worried about it or not

...hoping to get everything done this week that I need to before we go away

...enjoying this

...looking forward to visiting a old friend for a few days next weekend

***************

If you would like to join me you would be most welcome, either using my headings or you own, let me know you have written a post and I will link up to it..........

Moments...

...this week of...

...happiness a tidy house, watching snow falling, achievements

...sadness my eldest being really unwell, he is never ill and has really struggled with being ill this week

...creating rows on my cardigan, a birthday present for a friend, rows on a sock, snowballs

...reading The Old Ways by Robert MacFarlane and The Journey by Kathryn Lasky and to the children The Pirates' Treasure by Emily Bearn

....learning about castles, perspective, marianas trench, plough monday, wassailing, snow, 2 and 3D shapes, volcanoes, evolution, gravity and mammals

...thinking about future projects we can incorporate into our learning

...wondering if we might see friends this week as everything we had planned last week was cancelled!

...hoping my eldest will be well enough to do some of the lovely activities I have planned for this week

...enjoying this

...looking forward to seeing my brother at the weekend

***************

If you would like to join me you would be most welcome, either using my headings or you own, let me know you have written a post and I will link up to it..........

***************

One of my lovely moments this week has been to join with Rhonda and her pantry challenge.  I wrote a Do list at the beginning of the year, jobs that I need to do at some point, one of those on the list was to tidy my pantry.  I knew what was in there but not exactly where everything was, it was organised chaos.  So the gauntlet having been thrown I waded in..........

My pantry houses most of the food, we have a few bits and pieces stored in the kitchen, one small cupboard and some wicker drawers for fruit and veg.  It is actually a cupboard under the stairs and was not originally part of the kitchen at all.  When we bought the house the wall between the kitchen and the hall had been taken down, we have extended our kitchen into what was the hall by utilising this cupboard as a pantry.  My kitchen is very small and there is no way I would be able to store what I want to if I didn't have this cupboard.  So without further ado, some before (left) and after (right) pictures.

Most storage is in wicker baskets, the top shelf is a stone slab which keeps food cool for most of the year:

Behind the baskets is where I store food that I buy in bulk:

I decant this into containers stored in the baskets:

On the other side of the pantry is the shelves for my chutneys and jams (homemade of course!) and a herb and spice rack this was all in order already :).

(sorry about the not very good photos, this cupboard is dark unless the light is on and it receives no natural light being in the middle of the house............)

Moments...

...this week of...

...happiness a quiet week setting back into our rhythm, reigniting fires and passions, my new diary which keeps all my planning in one place

...sadness at misunderstandings (which thankfully have resolved themselves now)

...creating the beginnings of a felt horse, a coaster and some trousers, rows on a sock, scarf and cardigan, Galette des Rois

...reading The Old Ways by Robert MacFarlane and to the children The Great Escape and The Pirates' Treasure by Emily Bearn, The Feast of One Hundred Camels and the Dinner of Smells for Mawlid al Nabi, Story of the Tree and Baboushka for Twelfth Night

...learning about solar and lunar calendars, mawlid al nabi, muslim months, twelfth night, origins of old hedgerows, old lanes and footpaths, wolves, incas, pharaohs and gods, dinosaurs, letters

...thinking about a visit at the end of the month to see an old friend who has recently moved

...wondering if I have already said yes to too much in June

...hoping to make some bird feeders this week

...enjoying this

...looking forward to my first orchestra rehearsal of the term

***************

If you would like to join me you would be most welcome, either using my headings or you own, let me know you have written a post and I will link up to it..........

Moments ...

...this week of...

...happiness seeing in the New Year with old friends as we have done so for the last ten years,  cooking and sharing food with friends, a quiet day at home with nothing that I had to do the first day for weeks

...sadness at the lack of respect some parents have of their own children

...creating a few more fabric baskets, a sock, rows on a cardigan, a plan for January, lists of things to make, do and read for the coming months

...reading The Old Ways by Robert MacFarlane and to the children The Great Escape by Emily Bearn, and Father Frost a Russian New Year Tale.

...thinking about projects we can do together during the year

...wondering about a request my eldest has made which doesn't sit well with me but is that a reason to say no?

...hoping to find some colour in the grey that is often January

...enjoying this although it was nothing like my memory of the books!

...looking forward to being at home and settling into our rhythm

***************

I had considered stopping these posts at the end of last year but reading through them to put this post together made me realise how wonderful they are to look back on so I am going to carry them on.  

If you would like to join me you would be most welcome, either using my headings or you own, let me know you have written a post and I will link up to it..........

Moments...

...this year of...

...happiness...
the moments that made me happiest at the end of last year were happy moments this year too, but one of the reasons I love to write these posts each week is to find beauty in those ordinary moments, the small things that could pass me by if I did not pause to consider them, quiet time, time with family, time at home, celebrating festivals, meeting with friends, our garden and the veggies we grow, spending time outdoors each week are but a few of them.

...sadness...
the horrendous accident which my brother had this year.  He cycles to work every day come rain or shine a distance of over five miles one way and has cycled thousands of miles without incident.  It was still dark on the morning of the accident, too late to avoid an unlit skip parked illegally in the road he hit it bounced in and back out onto the road.  He moved it four inches.  He suffered multiple injuries and has one uninjured limb, it could be July before can get back on a bike.  We are so lucky to still have him with us.  He was saved by his helmet, please if you are a cyclist and don't wear one start to today.

...creating...
amongst many things Viking Costumes, a King Winter for our seasonal table, a shawl for my mother, a fulled bowl, a Mother Earth for our seasonal table, an Owl Storysack, a Gnome, clothes for a dolly, Fabric Buckets, a lined shift dress Tutorial, Strawberry Peg People for our seasonal table and many Christmas Presents

...reading...
I have read more books than I ever expected to this year,  I have made time for reading in my life going to bed early and reading until I feel sleepy.  I am also sleeping a lot better for it too.  A few books I have really enjoyed are Consolation by Anna Galvalda a beautiful story about second choices, Gossip from the Forest by Sara Maitland, a charming look at the link between forests and fairytales, The Still Point by Amy Sackville a woman attemping to tidy her ancestral home makes an unexpected discovery about her past, The Beautiful Truth by Belinda Seaward set in Kraków in World War Two and modern day UK, Kith by Jay Griffiths an examination of childhood, a four part fantasy by William Horwood each book set in one of the four seasons, the last two books in the MaddAddam trilogy by Margaret Atwood a highly believable story set in the future, Citadel by Kate Mosse set in World War Two in occupied France, The Summer Garden by Paullina Simons the final book in The Bronze Horseman Trilogy, The Secret Life of Trees by Colin Tudge and The Luminaries by Eleanor Caton a very long and intriguing story set in New Zealand during the gold rush.

...learning..

about so many wonderful things which I have written about each time I post about our moments, it has been a year of steady, slow changes this year.  The sort that if you don't focus on them they get lost in the busyness of life.  I am glad that I pause at the end of each week to think and reflect on what we have been learning about and record that here on this blog, I had been thinking of stopping these posts but I will continue as it is wonderful to look back over them.

...thinking...

about many things including the future of my eldest's education, the monoculture of grass, the abstract concept of time, what deschooling means to me, a temporary community, contacting old friends, our home ed rhythm, recipes and writing

...hoping...

in 2015 to stay true to what I believe in and to look after my family to the best of my abilities.

...looking forward to

another great year, full of moments, how about you......

Moments...

...this week of...

...happiness a lovely Winter Solstice celebration with family, getting all my presents made and wrapped, feeling relaxed

...sadness at the events in the world this week

...creating angel peg people, a glasses case, a scarf, a sock, houses out of cardboard boxes

...learning about castles, planets, numbers, geometry

...reading Mrs Sinclair's Suitcase by Louise Walters and The Lightkeeper's Wife by Karen Viggers, to the children Tumtum and Nutmeg's Christmas Adventure by Emily Bearn, but no new picture books 

...thinking of all those that alone at this time year.

...wondering if the weather will be calm for our journey

...hoping the mice don't set up home in our home whilst we are away like they did a couple of years ago at this time of year!

...enjoying this

...looking forward to spending a week with my extended family

Moments...

...this week of...

...happiness seeing my brother and how he has improved in the month since his accident, a quiet week at home hiding from the Christmas madness, a walk in the woods in less than good weather we all thought it was great fun!

...sadness at the insidiousness of advertising

...creating bunting, rows on a scarf, a finished vest, a sock, Lussekatter

...reading The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt and  Mrs Sinclair's Suitcase by Louise Walters, to the children Tumtum and Nutmeg's Christmas Adventure by Emily Bearn, and these picture books you can read a short review of them here, 285. Anthony Ant's Creepy Crawly Party by Lorna and Graham Philpott, 286. Anthony Ant's Treasure Hunt by Lorna and Graham Philpott, 287. Sparkle Street: The Daisy Disaster by Vivian French, 288. Where in the World is Bob? by James Bowen, 289. Polly's Pink Pyjamasby Vivian French, 290. The Gift by Carol Ann Duffy, 291. Otto the Book Bear by Kate Cleminson.

...learning about Castles, how to identify trees in Winter, St Nicholas, St Lucia, a fairy house and garden, gnomes, angels

...thinking about all those who do not have a warm house at this very cold time of year

...wondering if I have time to make some bunting for our house

...hoping to get all my Christmas makes finished by the weekend

...enjoying this

...looking forward to finishing a scarf this week which it feels like I have been knitting for months (I have!) the end is now in sight......

Moments...

...this week of...

...happiness getting my Christmas cards made, finding a lovely way to celebrate Advent with the children, a quiet week at home, orchestra rehearsal

...sadness at the tragic death of a young woman and her baby in the news this week

...creating a toddler vest, a slowly growing scarf, Christmas Cards, an Advent tradition, stars, fabric storage baskets, fabric trivet/hotpads

...reading The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt, to the children Tumtum and Nutmeg's Christmas Adventure by Emily Bearn, and these picture books you can read a short review of them here, 278. Nat the Cat's Sunny Smile by Jez Alborough, 279. Pip and Posy: The Big Balloon by Axel Scheffler, 280. The Crocodile Under the Bed by Judith Kerr, 281. Walk with a Wolf by Janni Howker, 282. Suddenly by Colin Mc Naughton, 283. Use you Imagination by Nicola O'Byrne, 284. Angelina's Christmas by Katherine Holabird

...learning about Castles, Dinosaurs, Advent, St Andrew, St Nicholas, minerals and rocks, how to tie shoelaces

...thinking about presents!

...wondering about casting on a pair of socks

...hoping that I can finish the last few bits on my Christmas present to my brother and his partner

...looking forward to seeing my brother at the weekend, he is recovering well from his accident

Moments...

...this week of...

...happiness finally making it to an orchestra rehersal, both my children enjoying the singing group we go to, watching my children play with their friends, dividing my rhubarb plant a job that I have been meaning to do for five years!

...sadness at the reaction by some local shop owners to my browsing in their shops but not buying anything, they weren't selling what I was looking for!

...creating more fabric storage baskets, a hat, rows on a scarf and a jumper

...reading The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton, to the children  The Hut-Man's Book by G.D. Fisher and these picture books* you can read a short review of them here, 273. Sugarlump and the Unicorn by Julia Donaldson, 274. Bluebird by Bob Staake, 275. Happy Birthday Jamela by Niki Daly, 276. Ella Bella and Cinderella by James Mayhew, 277. I'm Katzenzirkus by Gisela Buomburger

...learning about medieval castles, road signs, soil, volume

....thinking about a friend whose little girl is having a major operation this week

...wondering about a winter rhythm and fitting in time outside on these shorter days

...looking forward to a weekend with friends we have not seen for ages