Our Visit to the Art Studio

We have all come home tired and happy after our very successful visit to Filipe's art studio. 

There were so many interesting sculptures to look, feel and learn about. Filipe was a wonderful teacher and at times when the girls were involved in hands on exploration of the sculptures, the adults were listening to all his stories that weave such a rich tapestry of the sculptures. 

We are so grateful for all the time that Filipe and Hillary put into our visit. The wonderful 

morning tea was so appreciated by us all.

Thank you SO MUCH!

We then visited Filipe's sculpture that is

outside the Onehunga Library

What a perfect day for a picnic lunch at Cornwall Park,

for meeting friendly dogs and their owners...

...playing in the woods, climbing trees and collecting sticks and treasures,

... and feeding the sheep was an unexpected highlight!

Many thanks to Rosie and Martha who joined us. Without your help

our trip wouldn't have been possible.

Drama on the Mountain

When we stopped at Turbo's house today, he wasn't at home. The girls decided that he was probably up on the mountain waiting for them. 

At morning tea time, I told them a story that was about a witch that lived up in 

one of the trees and she had turned Turbo into a sheep.

The story went on to include the fairies who sprinkled fairy dust all over the witch and then 

magically, Turbo turned from a sheep back into a cat. 

Just in the knick of time before the witch ate him up!

They girls were totally enthralled in the story.

A little later, I pretended to be deeply asleep.

The drama unfolded. 

The girls came up with their own story about how the witch 

had cast a spell on me and made me go to sleep. They decided that the only 

way to wake me up was to get the help of the fairies from the fairy grotto.

So they left me at the bottom of the crater and ran off to the fairy grotto.

Once they got to the fairy grotto they whispered to the fairies. They knew that if they

shouted the fairies wouldn't like it and wouldn't be able to help them.

They explained to the fairies that Mrs Bayes 

was asleep and that they couldn't wake her up and they asked the fairies to help them wake her up.

As in any fairy tale, good won out over evil and the 

fairies were able to wake me up!

We are wondering what stories you have been told about

the adventures on Mt St John today?

Harvest Festival

You would have been very proud of your daughters today at the Harvest Festival.

After sitting so quietly during the service, they eagerly took their 

gifts up to the front of the hall.

 

What a lovely array of gifts for the families.

After the service the girls came out onto our verandah and noticed that the 

gifts were being loaded into vans and they were keen to take a closer look.

 

When we went over to the vans, they immediately started to help

load the gifts into the van. You wouldn't believe the enthusiasm for the job.... 

some perhaps more than others!

 

 

They didn't give up helping until all the gifts were loaded in the van.

They were a tremendous help and their efforts were really appreciated.

Fires, Meteorites and Turbo! A great morning on the mountain.

Our first visit to the mountain for the term was a huge success. Olivia and Rachel had a wonderful time and took it all in their stride, while the other girls reconnected with past experiences.

Our first stop was at Turbo 's house to ask his mum if he could come with us. After receiving lots of cuddles and attention he followed us along the road and up the steps and stayed the 

whole time we were there. 

His tree climbing skills astound us. There was a little concern about whether 

he would be able to get down again!

When we walked through the gate the girls were excited to see that someone had built a fire. They ran down into the crater and the fire became the focus of their play for the next hour.

"Maybe the sun made it for us" said Féline

"I think that the sheep made it" said Jacqui.

At first the girls thought someone had built the fire for them. They were delighted to see Turbo walking in and out of it and it didn't take long until they decided that the stick 

structure was actually Turbo's house.

Dakota and Féline tried to make Turbo another house and rallied the other girls to help. They tried to make a structure like the fire they had found, but it was all a bit too tricky.

When the girls made a fire last term, it was Féline who had organised the girls to collect stones and put them around the fire. At first she used the stones as seats and then changed that idea into using the stones to contain the fire in a circle. Today she was so excited to 

find lots and lots of stones near the fire.

"Look, there are meteors. This is big; the big one is the daddy one and there is a mummy one and these are all the babies". 

We find it interesting that the girls often 'family- ise' their play. Turning the rocks into family figures seemed to be another example of this. Here is Féline making a meteorite family.

The girls also spent a lot of times turning the rocks upside down and looking 

closely at all the creatures underneath the rocks.

After morning tea, in which Turbo joined us...

... we went off to the fairy grotto.. This is the place the girls play their games around the large roots of the tree on the bank. Their imagination really takes off. We can see friendships developing and as we all know, friendships need a lot of talking things through, rule making (and breaking), 

 negotiating and planning. Skills that are vitally important at any age, 

and better to learn earlier than later.

 

To finish off our lovely morning, we played 'The Three Little Pigs'. Some of you will know what happens in this game from stories your daughter has already told you.

 

The highlight is always Mrs Bayes' bottom getting burnt with the 

boiling water that the girls prepare on the fire.

The girls love collecting treasures and they took great pleasure bringing lots of different things back to the classroom.

 

Then it was time to go home again.

Rachel had spent a lot of time with Turbo during the morning, so it was wonderful to 

see her making sure he could get out the gate and that he didn't get left behind!