We enjoyed our usual morning routine of warm up games, gathering and sharing what we are thankful for and then heading down to our holly camp to create a fire, snack and story.  After the story, about half the group headed off for a wandering day on the other side of the forest.  This was full of games, such fun playing wolves and deer in the bracken and heather.  We found a real sun spot for lunch and some of us even ventured down to the stream...

The other half had time to explore, build and create at our camp.  Those who chose to also had the option to engage with processing a rabbit that had been offered to the group to learn from.  The respect and gratitude they showed was truly beautiful.

Such a spacious, rich, joyful day full of learning, experimenting and feasting.  Vicky and Ed's group processed the acorns they had leeched since last month into a scrumptious acorn chocolate brownie cake. 

​Feathers and Jill offered a session to all the children who wanted to on honouring life and death through the gift of a few rabbits.  It was beautiful how respectfully they all engaged in this and how much gratitude was expressed for life and for all our relations that support our lives.

What a delight to go back to a place where we've been getting to know the land, the wildlife, the trees and the streams over the past 6 years!  I look forward to our first session back at Hawthbush Farm each year.  

Highlights from our time in the woods for Vicky and Ed's group included finding our camp that had been somewhat re-claimed by ferns and doing some tending of the space for our upcoming season here.  Much joy and exploration occurred after discovering bracken tunnels.  We gathered and shelled acorns to leave in a stream to cold leach for the month.  We also enjoyed cooking sweet chestnuts which were delicious!
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This Saturday was our last monthly nature mentoring session in our Summer camp and on arrival one of the parens greeted me saying "happy autumn".  I didn't quite want to accept it, but he said - look at the colours, they are starting to turn.  He was right.  The green somehow looks that bit less green in the oaks and the bracken and some of the birch had bright yellow leaves.

We decided to have a wandering session with my group and discovered that Daniel had that plan also for his group.  We made a goal - to get to the mini waterfall without the other group seeing us and snuck on our way.  After a while of moving ever so quietly along the deer trails we saw some movement up on over the little ridge and thought it must be Daniel's group.  We got in close to the bank of the little ravine and crept closer.  After a little welcome distraction of exploring a 'cave' we heard voices and then to our surprise heard the whispy tune of a flute...

"That must be the younger group," I said.  So we went up to say hello.  Sure enough they were having a lovely time making autumn necklaces with what looked like elder and rowan berry beads.

We went on our way and found Daniel's group all hiding around the waterfall.  I still love the moment when I catch the eye of some unknown hider glinting through ferns!