We have had a busy September and October here at Appleseeds. We pulled up the tomatoes in the garden and have planted arugula, kale, collards, turnips, beets, lettuce, and fava beans. In our front yard, the children also helped to plant a persimmon tree, which was quickly joined by another persimmon and three paw paw trees. We have been busy with seasonal crafts; making an autumn banner, pressing apples, making applesauce, making autumn crowns, capes and wands...
We've been enjoying the applesauce from our Apple Harvest Celebration, and we have enough to last for many, many more weeks thanks to all of the apples brought in by families.
We've been enjoying the applesauce from our Apple Harvest Celebration, and we have enough to last for many, many more weeks thanks to all of the apples brought in by families.
We have started taking our forest hikes now that the poison ivy is dying down. It is a tremendous challenge to children because there is no clear path, so they have to constantly either step over or around or under the vines or sticks. But they feel so proud when they have climbed a steep slope by climbing vines, or when they manage to get through a mess of vines to find a cozy little forest home tucked into the branches of some low growing vine covered trees.
Inside, we have added some new items that have enhanced the children's play time. We have some new autumn trees and a beautifully carved wooden boy, girl, and gnome, some wooden arches and a home made heavy baby doll. The children have really taken to doll play this year, taking turns being babies, mothers, fathers and siblings. Doll play is a wonderful way to bring out the nurturing side of children.
One of our stories in October has been about a little hedgehog who must search for a home when his leaf pile nest is blown away by the autumn wind. He meets an autumn fairy who is busy painting all the leaves on the trees, but who tells him to "follow the path of the sun". He finds a snug little pumpkin and makes his winter home there, blanketed by the falling leaves. The next story we've told is based on the story of "The Turnip" wherein a boy named Hugin enlists the help of his animal friends to pull a pumpkin from his garden so that he can make a jack-o-lantern for Halloween. The children tell the stories to one another in their play time, and I believe in telling the stories themselves, they begin to absorb the values inherent in the stories: a feeling of safety in the world, the help available from friends and loved ones, the beauty of the changing seasons.
One of our stories in October has been about a little hedgehog who must search for a home when his leaf pile nest is blown away by the autumn wind. He meets an autumn fairy who is busy painting all the leaves on the trees, but who tells him to "follow the path of the sun". He finds a snug little pumpkin and makes his winter home there, blanketed by the falling leaves. The next story we've told is based on the story of "The Turnip" wherein a boy named Hugin enlists the help of his animal friends to pull a pumpkin from his garden so that he can make a jack-o-lantern for Halloween. The children tell the stories to one another in their play time, and I believe in telling the stories themselves, they begin to absorb the values inherent in the stories: a feeling of safety in the world, the help available from friends and loved ones, the beauty of the changing seasons.
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