Saturday (a bit early)

Sorry about this but I'm likely to be quite busy tomorrow morning and might not have enough bloggy time so here I am now.

It's been a great day.  As I indicated, we had two 'outside agency' meeting today.   They were very positive and helpful times and after each meeting we were left feeling most encouraged and satisfied.  What more could one ask?

This morning I sneaked (or, as our USA friends say, snuck) into family assembly as it was my class last year and it was their violin assembly.  I think I have mentioned before that all our infants are very, very lucky, as every single child has weekly violin lessons from a very talented music teacher who teaches her own system, called Stave House.  We have mini-violins on loan, plus violas and cute little cellos.  I was hoping to hide in a corner and not be noticed as I wasn't really supposed to be there, but there was no-one to play the piano for the hymn so I was pounced on.  At least it gave me a valid excuse to be there and watch!  It was all very, very enjoyable!  There's been considerable interest in Stave House and the work she has done at school from various Important People, such as Michael Gove, would you believe?  Watch this space!  :0)

And now we have a Long Weekend (nice) and a shorter working week next week.  It feels good. 

And now, just for Diane (and anyone else interested . . .)

The multi technique trees in blossom.

Painted tree skeleton, finger printed blossom and leaves printed using special foam 'brushes'.  And very nice they all look too!

Tuesday

Diane always seems to get the pinch and punch in before I do so I will come up with 'white rabbits' instead!  May has crashed in with more heavy rain here and flood alerts in many parts of the country: after a gloriously sunny day yesterday, the clouds gathered and the rain started in the evening and it's now raining hard again.  The iGoogle forecast has been changed from 'chance of rain' to simply 'rain'.  Ho hum!!!  Indoor play beckons!

Yesterday afternoon, inspired by the blossom along the main road of the estate, we started our multi technique pictures of trees in blossom.  As a starter we were talking about blossom.
Me:  Trees do have flowers but we don't always notice them (etc, etc, etc, blah, blah, blah) . . .  Who can tell me what 'blossom' is?
Slightly Scatty Little Girl:  It's flowers!
Me: And what happens to the flowers?
SSLG:  The insects come along and po . . . pol . .  polish them.
Me:  Yes they come and pollinate (said with emphasis) them.
(children explain what pollinate means)
Me:  And once the flower has been pollinated, what does it become?
SSLG: (triumphantly)  A BUTTERFLY!!!
Practical little boy:  Naaaah, that's cabbages!
Bewildered teacher: (speechless)

Once I had untangled this somewhat surreal conversation with an internal giggle, we painted the tree skeletons, and very good they were too!
(And you should hear them trying to remember 'photosynthesis'!)

Owly gift tag - they were all similar and very attractive.