Saturday, July 24, 2010

• there is nothing more important than us •












• when there is a moment when 2 sets of eyes look at the same thing .. then into each others eyes ... and then a warm wide knowing spreads like little ripples through your heart .. life becomes a little more delicious .. again ...





... milliande

Monday, July 19, 2010

• camp impressions 2 •




• we have had great fun locating a geocaching hide near to our homeschooling camp .. armed with gps coordinates, an ordinance survey map and accompanied by our new friends from Scotland we marched off in the direction of the treasure hunt excitement ...




• on the way we came across a lock on the river Medway where a motorised sailboat was trying to cross from one side of the lock to the other
... the kids got invited to help out moving the lock gates and were happy to have a go




• getting to know each other along our path, Maya discovered that Finn and Lachie loved lots of the same things that she does ... from Dragons, Drawing Creatures and Stop Motion Animations ... they had lots to talk about :)




• soon we needed a refreshing dip from the pier of another lock ... after we spent 3 hours walking through wheat fields, discovering dragon tree hideouts and adventuring over muddy ditches



... but soon we were getting closer and closer to our geocaching destination


• a big pipe invited whispered conversations :) along the way




• signs of summer

• camp impressions •

Our annual homeschooling / unschooling camp started in July this year and we were happy to return to this spacious campsite to have some summer fun


walking down to the river for a much needed cool down swim

• there is something about wild swimming that is quite magical ... the trees reflecting themselves in the water , the breeze gently motioning the water to and fro and our big toes breaking patterns and creating ripples as we play ...




• catching shadows

maya loves her net and catching all manners if creatures great and small for closer observation .. we spotted some beautiful butterflies in our path and had the chance to look at chirping crickets close up




• yeah ... rope-swing over the river

• i always love maya's exuberant spirit, at times it feels like she has been born into the water and accidentally ended up on earth .. she once shared with me what it feels like for her to be submerged in water " mama, only here can I feel my whole body " ... made me think how tactile stimulation nourishes a soul and how she craves touch and skin pressure that she can feel .. I wonder whether it makes her body REAL somehow ...




• making homemade bath bombs

• maya got a chance to try out making homemade bath bombs, which had been on her wish-list for a while ... using recycled film canisters and various kitchen cupboard chemicals she soon smelled of luscious lavender .. :)





• the finished bath bombs ready for drying


• the afternoon started with a wild food walk

• we enjoy gathering wild food and love learning more about it as we meet other wild food enthusiasts who are willing to share their favourite seasonal wild food finds ..




• taking a closer look at the hemlock family, some parts of which are edible and some lookalikes which are poisonous




• after a busy day off to a boat trip on the river with our new friends from Scotland

... more later
milliande and maya

Saturday, July 3, 2010

• homemade cakes •





Maya surprised us with some homemade cakes .. I love the way she embraces trying out new things.. no recipe just an instinctual use of ingredients ... apples , goji berries, rice flour, a dash of sugar and a few sprinkles of chocolate


yum... I struggle so much with baking in particularly following a recipe in a linear fashion does not come easy to my ADHD brain ... yet I got completely inspired watching her simply threw together a few ingredients a bake something delicious ...

...milliande

• surf is up •





babe had the most fun ever ... waves were eunning hi and she got to try surfboarding when we went out with a group of homeschooling friends.

A couple of boys had brought along their surfboards and were happy to lend them out for a while ... the wind on the incoming tide saw them bashing, jumping, curling about in the water .. what a sight




I can't believe how fast my little girl is growing up , I am so happy to see her grow up so beautifully free and happy




totally and utterly exhausted ... but sooo happy

Now we are going to research into how to choose a surfboard for kids as she has been bitten bybthe surfing bug ... :)




.. enjoying my view and a relax




a well earned rest and fun being covered head to toe in warm beach shingles ...

m&M