Tag Archives: elderberries

Autumn art and another walk in the woods

After our successful Leaf Hunt on Sunday, and outdoor Leaf Art on Monday,  we were feeling inspired and in the mood for a bit more Autumn Art on Tuesday morning.  Monkey was unwell, but the other three drew pictures of their Autumn treasures, and then we did some leaf rubbings.  I say “we” because I did it as well – and it was very satisfying and therapeutic!

Leaf drawings and rubbings 1

The yellow, green and blue leaves in the picture above were drawn by Tiddler.  In the photo collage, they rather blend in with the leaf rubbings, but I was very proud of his observational drawing skills – well, they are a good leaf shape, even if the colour is not so accurate – we did not discover any rare blue leaves!

leaf drawings and rubbings 2

On Tuesday afternoon, we wanted to take the three children who were well enough out for some fresh air, but Monkey needed to stay inside and rest as he was very poorly.  So first of all, Tiddler and Rabbit went with Granny to pick some apples in her friend’s garden.  Later on, I asked Owl to come and pick some berries with me in the woods, and Rabbit decided to come too.

Berry walk 1

We set off through the village, and as I turned to take a photograph of Rabbit I noticed that Owl had brought one of Daddy’s old phones with him so that he could take some pictures of his own.  Rabbit, therefore, featured in quite a few photos, but I don’t think she minded the attention!  We walked up to the green, and then across to the woods, past the allotments where we admired someone’s amazing pumpkin and squash harvest.

berry walk 2

We had a lovely walk, and managed to pick plenty of berries.  There were a lot of rosehips, and we were surprised (and pleased) to find a reasonable number of brambles too.

berry walk 3

After being out for quite a while, we reluctantly turned back as the afternoon was almost over.  It was beautiful and peaceful, and we could have stayed longer, but it was nearly supper time.

berry walk 4

The children enjoyed squelching in the mud with their wellies, so we paused for a little while in a particularly good muddy patch.  Rabbit took a turn with the phone camera, and thought it was very funny to take a picture of me taking a picture of her.

berry walk 5

As we left the woods, we picked some haw berries and a few more brambles at the roadside, and then went back across the green.  After a very quick play on the roundabout, we walked back to Granny’s house, stopping to pick some elderberries on the way.

berry walk 6

We arrived back in time for supper, and had stewed apple and bramble for pudding.  I brought the rest of the berries home with me, and made another batch of elderberry, rosehip and haw berry syrup.  It was a lovely walk on a beautiful Autumn day, and it’s nice to have something to show for it too.

Country Kids from Coombe Mill Family Farm Holidays Cornwall

Autumn Leaf Hunt

We have been staying at my mum’s house for a few days, and I was looking forward to the opportunity to go out for a walk or two, so on Sunday afternoon we went up to the village green, ignoring the prospect of rain.  We took our Autumn Leaf Hunt Checklists with us.  The printed list was perfect for Tiddler, but a bit easy for the others so they made their own additional lists before we set off.

Leaf Hunt 1

When we got up to the green, the children spent some time playing on the roundabout before starting their leaf hunt.

leaf hunt 2

When we started looking, we found plenty of acorns very quickly, and then some conkers, and lots and lots of leaves of all different colours – beautiful but rather wet.

leaf hunt 3

Rabbit was very pleased to find a feather as well.  Tiddler just enjoyed showing me the leaves one after another which kept him busy for quite a long time.

leaf hunt 4

All the children completed their checklists.  As you can see, Monkey was particularly proud!  By this time, it was raining but we didn’t want to turn back just yet, as we really hadn’t been very far.  So we continued for a little way, in the direction of the woods.

haw berries

We found some haw berries by the roadside which Owl helped me to pick.  (Daddy later made some delicious haw sauce, which we ate with roast chicken that evening.  it was gone so quickly I didn’t get a photograph!)  Then we walked up to the edge of the woods, but had to turn back as the children were in their trainers and it was too muddy (we had left the house in rather a hurry to try and beat the rain!)

leaf hunt 5

On the way back across the green, we saw lots of mushrooms, which Rabbit and I decided must be a fairy garden or a fairy village.  And as we walked back along the road, we stopped to look at the cows in the field half way along.leaf hunt 6

Just before we arrived back at the house, we stopped one last time to pick some elderberries.  Despite the rain, it was a very enjoyable walk, though rather a short one.

elderberry syrup

On Monday afternoon, after a morning in the house the children were needing to get outside for some fresh air again.  This time we didn’t get any further than the garden, but we managed a bit of leaf art (Rabbit did the face, and Owl the rocket), Tiddler rode his bike and all the children played with a frisbee which kept them outside in the rain for quite a while!  In the meantime, I made elderberry syrup with the berries we had collected the day before.  I had enough to make one jar, which Owl and I are working our way through, and I don’t think it will last very long.  We are just getting into our stride with collecting and producing it – I hope next year we will start earlier, and be able to make enough to give some away too.

I’m linking this post up with a new linky I have just discovered, Entertaining and Educational, which asks “What have you and your kids been learning about?”  I like the emphasis on learning together.  I may have been a little over-excited about foraging recently, but I hope the children will see that learning is not something that happens at certain hours, during term-time, or only while you are a child.  I hope they will grow up knowing that learning is just something you do all the time, and it’s a lot of fun.

 

Highhill Homeschool

An afternoon with the cousins

After our morning at Junior Scholars on Saturday, we spent the rest of the day with our cousins in Watford.

watford 1

After lunch, the children played together in the garden for a while, and then we went out to the park.

watford 2

The children played really well together with their three cousins, and it was lovely to watch.

watford 3

On the way back, we indulged in a bit more impromptu foraging!

watford 6

After a quick dash back into town to visit the Lego shop (and Junior Scholars again) we went back to their house for supper (and baths!) and the children played together while the adults chatted until it was time to come home.

watford 7

We came home with just enough brambles to add to some apples from our garden to make a crumble for Sunday evening…

watford 8

…and elderberries, rosehips and haws which I have finally made into syrup this evening.  Tiddler was very proud of his acorn collection so I have to mention that too!

 

Country Kids from Coombe Mill Family Farm Holidays Cornwall