It hasn't been such a good year for blackberries, but the zealous Very Young Friends found an incredible number in the Park this week. The difficult part is deciding whether to eat them yourself, contribute them to the shared pot of blackberry yoghurt, or put them in the mashing pan to make dye. Even more difficult is keeping little hands out of the yoghurt pot! But it was very impressive how even the smallest children managed not to touch the hot dye pan, but instead helped to blow on it and cool it down, hands carefully tucked behind their backs.
It was nice to watch bits of fleece turn pinky-purple in the dye, and hang them up on the line. We followed it up with the story of Tom Badger collecting paints from the end of a rainbow, and using them to transform all the houses in his village. Our rendition of 'I Can Sing A Rainbow' afterwards was (I thought, anyway) actually quite moving!
On another note, we are making an application for funding from the council for an arts project in the Park, along with the Friends of Rowntree Park and the Pine Trees day care centre. It would be something everyone, of all ages, could get involved in - not just the making of it, but also the design. The idea is to make a 'community map' of the park that would show everyone's favourite corners of it, where people used to play as kids, what their private names for this clearing or that mound are....if you are interested get in touch with me (catherine.heinemeyer@barkmail.com). We should find out by the end of September whether we have the funding.
All the best,
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Our beloved Queen Victoria
We sometimes bow to her before we set off into the woods!
No comments:
Post a Comment