Life is a Highway - it’s the journey, not the destination

but not necessarily together

Both kids, but particularly A, have been interested in a bit of photography lately and A has entered a couple of pictures in the Woodland Trust Nature Detectives photography competition. I saw that there was a wildlife photography afternoon at Potteric Carr which is a Yorkshire wildlife trust reserve in Doncaster so decided to go along. We’d never been there before and it’s a nice place, with lots of walks.

In one of the first hides we saw something swimming but it was too far away to see what it was. We took some photos anyway and tried to zoom in and on getting home and seeing the pics we think it was a Roe deer! Seems they have them in that part of the reserve and it had a vague resemblence!! I was impressed anyway

We had lunch before the photography workshop which was quite good, nothing too in depth, but enough for the kids to be getting on with. They spoke about the rule of thirds and macro and just looking for interesting things. M had such great fun, he was so enthusiastic it was great to see. He wasn’t going to join in but decided to in the end.

One of the mums there was really helpful to him and gave him ideas to get really low down to take a pic of some fungi which I think produced one of his better photos. These were my 2 faves from him:

and my faves from A

which looks like it has an owl face on it!

They both really enjoyed it and at the end they gave them some little frames and asked everyone to choose a scene, using the tips they’d learned, and show the leaders what they’d ‘photographed’ as a competition. M came 3rd in this and, oh my goodness, I’ve never seen such a happy little guy! They all came away with a prize of a wildlife trust bag and leaflets/magazines/bumpf.

A made friends with a boy there and it turned out he’s home educated! We’ll hopefully see them all again on Monday when they have a bushcraft event

Yesterday I was feeling oh so very tired and so we blobbed about for the day. A had badgers in the evening and we decided to go for a walk to Steel Henge while she was there as it’s just down the road a bit. We went a few weeks ago and liked it, and also met a couple who said they’d seen a kingfisher so I really wanted to go back. Unfortunately it rained as soon as it was time to go, but we still went out. James was a bit grumpy but M and I had a fab time even in the rain. I am pretty sure I heard a kingfisher too on the river, and did see a bird fly under the bridge, but I’m not completely sure it was one. Must go back and spend lots of time there.

So the rain kept coming down and I was sure the bat walk wouldn’t happen. I said we’d leave it till 8.15pm and decide whether to chance going out. As it happened the rain stopped about 8.20pm and so we all bundled into the car and decided to rush down to the nature reserve. It’s the local one again so not far to go. I was convinced it would be cancelled, but the kids were so excited and wanted to go so we did. James stayed home as cold and damp aren’t a great combination for his joints

There was a little talk before hand in the visitor centre so actually even without the walk it would have been worth it and someone from the local bat group had brought a rescued bat in too so we saw a little Pipistrelle - awww!! We headed out in the rain with the bat detectors and didn’t have much luck to be honest, it was just too rainy. Towards the end some people said they wanted to go, but my 2 and some others decided to stay on another 5 mins and were rewarded with a bat sighting! So only the one found, but they loved every minute of it and want to get a bat detector and do more. I’m tempted to get this kit and build our own as they are quite expensive. Maybe in time for next year I think the kids will enjoy putting it together too.

we’ve had a bit of a busy weekend. I don’t normally like being busy, especially if it involves way too much driving, but this weekend didn’t need too much so it was quite enjoyable.

Saturday morning was work for me. The kids came along too and watched a film with my brother while I worked. The weather was changeable and I was hoping that it would calm down for the afternoon as we were going along to A’s first Wildlife Watch group.

So after lunch we headed to the nature reserve, which is just down the road M was thinking of joining in, but in the end went off on a walk with James, he says he might do it next time. We know the woman who runs the group as she also does the home education group once a month too. The group was only little, 6 kids this week including A, 2 other girls who seemed to know each other very well (seems they go to school together) and 3 other boys (1 home ed ). I was a bit worried that A wouldn’t break into the girl twosome, but she managed fairly well and by the end had made firm friends The activity this time was orienteering, so not much wildlife, but this months was a special one where they got to choose what they did themselves. The girl who led the activity was also only 14 and had been in the group since she was 8 and was too old to join in anymore and so is staying on as a volunteer helper She did a great job of it, helped by giving out lollies to the group that found all the letters and unscramble the anagram (the girls won ). They also did some observation of a tree that they’ll do every month. A chose an Alder tree This will be part of the challenges that they can do towards the Watch Gold Award and I think more stuff they do in the group can go towards it too. A bit like the RSPB wildlife action awards I think (which reminds me, I need to look at that as we’ve done a few bits for it).

After the group there seemed to be a bit of a whirlwind trip around the local Tesco’s as James was looking for something. I was exhausted and just wanted to go home (as well as work and group had also been up early for a run - phew!).

Sunday started a bit late, but once up we headed for a bike ride around our local country park. Was good, A needs lots of cajoling to get round as she gets tired easily. We stopped to take some photos of the watersports going on and saw some fab little stripy caterpillars, which from a quick google looks to be a cinnabar moth larvae

After we got round so far James and M headed off ahead of us and went home and A and I stayed together. She had a bit longer play at the park there and we headed back too. Managed to spot a little woodmouse crossing our path on the way back too. A tried to catch it but it dissappeared.

In the afternoon there was a bee workshop on at the nature reserve we’d been to the day before and A was keen to go along. The man was from Sheffield Honey and he did a good talk, honey tasting (was annoyed I didn’t bring enough money to buy some though), some candle making and other crafts.

After, we had a little walk. The day before some people had seen a grass snake so we thought we’d go exploring. No snakes to be seen, but M spotted a rabbit which stayed still long enough for us all to get a decent photograph.

A good end to the day and the weekend

I have to say, I struggle with the school summer holidays. There aren’t so many HE activities on and everywhere that seems like it would be nice to visit is full of other people!

What I do like though is free things to do! Unfortunately these things sometimes attract the hordes of people so it’s a bit hit or miss as to if it turns out to be a successful day or not. One such busy day was at the start of the holidays when we went to the local RSPB reserve at Old Moor. Every wednesday in the hols they do some kids activities, and as we’re on a bit of a nature kick I thought it would be worth a go to see what it was like. After struggling to park (my worst nightmare!) we made it in and made a start on some pond dipping. It was a bit rainy but we’d come prepared with rain jackets so all was well.

We found some interesting stuff, a caddis fly larvae which was buried in a bit of reed/twig, a dragonfly larvae and some type of beetle things that I can’t remember. They were really fast though and the dragonfly larvae was having a good go at eating them as they flew round. We spent ages watching it, I loved watching the larvae’s jaws moving - really like something from a horror movie! One of the guides showed us a leech too - yuck!!

After this we headed off to do a bit of craft and have lunch. Then there was some bug hunting going on in the afternoon. the weather had improved by then so off we went with a catching net, bug jars and tried to find some stuff.

We found common blue damselflies (M was very smug that he knew that they were not dragonflies like a lot of other people nearby - we’ve done a bit of research on them recently!), a burnet moth, and other assorted bugs. There didn’t seem to be anyone too knowledgeable to ask about stuff which was a shame, but we had fun anyway. I’m not sure if there is different things on each week as we’ve not made it back (the busy-ness has put me off!) but we might try for one more session soon.

On Monday we had a trip to Hillsborough Park where there was a free Ranger activity on. We had a nice play and a picnic before heading up to get started with some orienteering. I’m sure I’ve done this before, but I don’t remember too well. A good job the first trail was easy! A took on the role of map reader mostly and M ran about like a loon finding the markers. They both really enjoyed it and I have to say it’s so nice now that they are getting to an age where you can explain what to do and they do it!! After the easy trail they both wanted to do the bigger one. They were a bit tired and whingy by the end though!

M doing the map reading of the bigger trail.

I’ve got a few more freebie events on our calendar coming up which we’ll try and make it to, always weather and mood dependent though!

before the holidays started

Just a quick post to say about a couple of nice days out we had before the start of the holidays.

We’ve been very interested in nature recently, it’s a big interest of A’s, especially if it involves cute things. M really likes bugs and although it’s not a passion of his, he’s really enjoyed our nature filled days. Our local RSPB reserve had a ‘Mammal Day’ event advertised and I decided it would be worth the early start to see what it was. We had no idea of what the day would involve so went along with an open mind. It turned out to be about small mammals and the woman leading it had set traps the night before and we were to empty them and see what we could find. The schools (except perhaps private schools) hadn’t broken up yet, and it was just a general event, not aimed specifically at kids. There was another young boy there, older than my 2 though, but the rest were adults. I’m afraid I forgot my camera which I was so annoyed about so no pics.

The leader started off emptying the traps and spoke a bit about the mammals, the first thing caught was a common shrew. She then asked for volunteers to empty some. I was very brave and did it. I figured if I did, then maybe A might have a go too. My trap had caught a woodmouse and the leader showed me how to pick it up (by it’s very small scruff of it’s neck!), so tiny and soft! A emptied the next one but she didn’t want to pick anything up. In one of the traps was a bank vole and the woman said that they don’t jump about so much so if A wanted to have it on her hand before letting it go then she could. A was so happy at this, apparantly it stayed still for just a second or so before jumping off. All in all we found a vole, lots of woodmice, a common shrew and a water shrew, plus at the end a dead water shrew too As a bonus, one of the helpers found an owl pellet and before we set off they dissected it to see what was in it (field vole). All in all a fab day - so gutted no pics though!!

I’d been meaning to go to the Tropical Butterfly House before the holidays too as our member pass doesn’t include school holidays until after 2pm. Managed it by the skin of our teeth! We had a full day out there, and managed to fit in all the demonstrations including milking a goat!!

Apparantly the meerkat there has had babies, so I suspect we’ll be back there again as soon as the schools go back.

M was 3 when I started blogging (way back in this blog), he’s just turned 10 in the last month and is getting ever so grown up. He’ll be overtaking me in height soon (not hard I know!)

This is us at the Festival of History which we went to last month. M loves history, especially World War 2. It’s his thing really. He knows an unnatural amount about guns from the era! Now that his reading has improved he’s been managing to read some easy novels about ww2 too, I must see if I can find some others that will interest him. He loved The War and Freddy, must not get tempted by amazon and search the library records instead!!

M is really interested in survival and bushcraft things lately. He wants to build fires and likes to whittle away at branches. I’d love to get him to a forest school type thing, but not sure he’d join in if I found something. Might be worth a go though.

M has always struggled with joining in groups, ever since he did football training when we were in Scotland. Something affected him there, I think it was that one time he didn’t know what to do and everyone was shouting at him, and he never wanted to go back. Since then he never wanted to join or try anything and goodness knows we tried to get him involved in things! The hard thing for me was watching him watch A at her first Badgers session and seeing that he wanted to join in, but couldn’t let himself. I’ve always wanted to give him space to sort this out himself but at the same time it’s really hard to watch as I feel he misses out so much. A started a sports session at the beginning of this year but M just wanted to watch. He went for the swim after lunch with everyone and seemed to enjoy that at least. I wanted him to at least try the sessions and he agreed to try when they changed to a new sport - trampolining. I was worried he’d back out when it started but he gave it a go, enjoyed it, and even got so far as to pass his award 4 in it. I was very proud of him

Now that M is 10 he seems all of a sudden to want more independence, wants to stay up late, wants to be left in the house if we pop to the shops, wants to go to the park alone. We’re working on making most of this but he needs to learn to tell the time before I’ll let him go off to the park!!

He can spend a lot of time indoors and needs some encouragement to get out and about, but when he does go out he is such a different person. It’s like it lights a spark in him. I’m going to try and get us out and about much more.

M is such a lovely boy, we do clash a lot though. He’s thoughtful, caring, happy, interested, interesting, loving. He’s such a daddy’s boy too, they have such a great time together.

I’m really looking forward to the next year and watching him grow and mature more. My little boy

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

Now

I couldn’t find the camera yesterday so this is from then. We are busy on Thursdays doing sports and swimming and then A has badgers so prob not much coming today!

today’s theme is outdoor living Kids spent all day in the tent in the garden, reading, playing, painting cars (M) and playing with the football. Photo’s don’t really show what a lovely day it was though.

A took this one - think she’s better than me at photography!

Thought I’d try turning this into a photo blog and forget the writing thing

some pics from a nice trip to the park this morning, gorgeous day but a little bit breezy.

I will not give up. I believe wholeheartedly in home education and letting my children learn as and when they are ready and interested in things. I have seen it happen. Ticking boxes and having plans are not going help our process unless we decide that it suits us. Not the other way round. I will not have what my children learn about be dictated to them by someone who has never met them and who doesn’t know them. I will not have someone else decide what is more important for my kids to learn.

I believe wholeheartedly in the quote :

“Learning can only happen when a child is interested. If he’s not interested it’s like throwing marshmallows at his head and calling it eating.” - Barbara Lamping

These are my children and I do my duty to keep them safe and to bring them up to be responsible and good citizens. The state cannot parent every child and should not attempt to do so. There must be trust in our abilities otherwise we cannot prosper, we cannot have faith in ourselves. I expect you to trust me to make the right decisions for my children. I expect you to trust me to be a good parent to my children.

With thanks to the many people who inspired me to write this - all linked from Jax’s post here. Afraid mine is not as wordy or shows as much knowledge about the current situation. Well worth a read of the other letters too.

for anyone with an interest in history. Looks kid friendly

history cookbook

I haven’t had a good look yet, but will do once I’m back online, we’re hoping to do rations for 2 weeks if I don’t have too much resistance from the troops!

had a lovely week away in Scotland and around the border. Just what the doctor ordered really and James and I came back really relaxed.

It was a tiny village right on the sea front just over the border. It was so rocky though that sometimes it looked like you were on Mars or something!! James and the kids had fun rock pooling most nights and skimming stones when the tide was in. Good old fashioned fun

We went to the National Museum of Flight one day which was really good, with an excellent interactive zone with flight simulators and loads to do.

Most days we had gorgeous weather and we spent 2 fab days at the seaside. One day we went back over the border to Bamburgh which had the most gorgeous long beach, I loved it there.

The other day we headed only a couple of miles north to Coldingham which was the most lovely little bay. Had a nice walk into St Abbs that day too, very pretty and quaint.

We took James to Melrose. The kids and I have been probably 4 or 5 times now but always without J. We walked lots around, down to the chain bridge and also did a couple of geocaches in the area. He loved it as I thought he would.

Had a great, but tiring, day trip to Edinburgh. We drove to the P&R and got the bus in. We stayed mostly round the Royal Mile and did touristy things, but kept to the free things like the museums. We really liked the Museum on the Mound which is all about money and is housed in the HBOS headquarters. The kids cracked a safe and got 2 choc coins so they loved it too Went to the Elephant House cafe we went to last time we were in Edinburgh and which we loved, such gorgeous views. I was a bit mortified to see a film crew and even more so when they appeared to film me ordering LOTS of chocolate cake. Oh dear!!! No idea what they were filming for or even if I want to know!! Everyone was a bit overtired that day which made it not so fab, but nevermind.

Overall we had such a lovely time. The sun shone almost constantly and I was just so amazed at our luck with the weather. Can’t wait to go back to Scotland

I’m going to be offline this next week though as we’re doing our 1940’s week and I’ve said no TV or computers. Eeek. Hope I’ll be able to do it!! I have our rations bought and a plan of what we’ll be eating. James is being a bit grumpy about it all, as is M, but A is really enthusiastic. Hopefully will be back with a full rundown next week.