HesFes 2012

Hesfes did not start well for us.  I realised I'd forgotten a whole host of things, not least my pillows.  Then I discovered the expensive double height queen mattresses, had yet another puncture and were going down, and the replacement the bell tent company sent me, also slowly released air and did not stay firm.  I was not a happy bunny.   Add in that I hadn't packed any boots because the forecast was for bright hot sunshine... forgetting the week before had been rain.  The site was pretty muddy when we arrived, so I was quickly covered up to my ankles in mud.

After a very uncomfortable night, I drove home and picked up everything I'd forgotten, plus replacement sleeping mat for the airbeds.  Honestly, I would probably have packed up and gone home, however, I'd also taken a friend's 12yr old with me to Hesfes, so I resolved to try and improve my mood, and not spoil the holiday for the kids.

 The new replacement tent, held up well, especially as folks kept tripping over those black guy lines!  Really, really must replace them!  And yes my mood did begin to improve; really hard to be fed up when the sun is shinning and Rye is happy as Larry.

 Rye really was in heaven, sleeping in a tent, getting up and having friends to play with immediately, oh yeah he had a fab time.   Oooh, and for anyone who camps a lot and is thinking about a shelter or gazebo, I thoroughly recommend the Coleman Event Shelter.  It looks cool, and is very sturdy and unlike most shelters or gazebos, can withstand wind.  The only downside is, that I have the smaller 12x12 one and it is pretty bulky and heavy! 

The new fire brazier and tripod sitting on top.  It was great and made cooking much easier, because I didn't need to sit on the floor to avoid the smoke.  Unsurprisingly, I had lot of admiring glances and folks coming over to ask me where I bought the tripod bbq.   The main downside of the bbq this time, was because we were so packed in, I had to put the fire out if I wanted to go down to the events area; just wasn't safe otherwise, we were too close to other tents.  So we did end up missing some evening entertainments, in favour of staying around the fire chatting.

 Rye and a few of the friends he made playing in the tent. 

 Ok, another gratuitous pic of the tripod, I love it so much!

The kids playing together, Rye was quite put out when his friends had to go to bed, or even during the day when they were doing working shops.  Amazing to see how much he has changed, not long ago he would have ignored pretty much everyone and played on his own, in his own little world.  I guess, my boy is growing up.

 Initially, Rye wasn't that fussed about workshops, so we'd go down each day and explore, see what was on, maybe stop at the cafe for a drink, or the coffee shack for a piece of fake cake (i.e. I mean bought cake that looks homemade but has fake cream, and is that horrible dry fluffy cake texture); alas Rye is not fussed if cake is fake or not.

 Shadows puppetry behind the event screen.  This day I moved the screen to block the morning sun, because it was really, really hot.  I spent much of the day laid on the grass trying to keep cool!

 Eventually, Rye  did join in some of the workshops, and here he made a pasta necklace.

 He really wanted to have a go at making a wood flower, however when I saw how it was made, and the sharpness of the tool - which he would have been pulling toward him, I decided it probably wasn't a good idea for Rye to try this year, and thankfully, he became bored of waiting to have a turn and wanted to go and do something else.

 Now the poi making workshop was a big hit.  We'd missed an earlier in the week workshop, much to Rye's disappointment.  We had a lot of fun, and it did occur to me, that this would be a great activity to do with my Home Ed group too.

 Twirling his poi.

 The last evening we went to watch the fire poi.  Very impressive, especially as it's home ed teenagers putting on these displays.

We really enjoyed Hesfes, but the venue was too small.  It felt cramped, and I felt the workshops were more aimed at children from 7 upwards.  There didn't seem a lot that Rye could be involved in; although saying that, there were daily Egyptian crafts etc that he could have joined in;  mostly he just wanted to play with his friends around our tents.  At night, the music was very loud, because we were so close to the events area and it went on until after midnight.  And OMG, if I never hear "Wild Things" ever again it will be too soon.  Every single day, several times a day the teens practiced that song... loudly on their guitars. 

Will I go again?  Hmm, honestly, I don't know, while I had a fabulous time camping and Rye did really enjoy it and has asked to go back, I was left with a faint sense of disappointment.  Even our 12yr old friend said she didn't think this year was that good.  She enjoyed herself, and really got involved, even holding her own drama workshop with her friends, for the older kids (there wasn't one for older kids this year), and it was very popular.  They also did an act in the carbaret etc.  It wasn't that hesfes itself wasn't good, I personally feel it was the location that wasn't really that suitable.  I also, wasn't that keen on the young teens near us that using exceedingly foul language, and the songs they were singing were exceedingly obscene; had Rye been near the tent at that time I would have had to ask them to stop.  I heard, someone did eventually say something to them, as they were hanging around near the workshop marquis singing their obscene sexually explicit songs.   There was pot smoking going on too.  The scent was rather overpowering at times.  Frankly, I couldn't give a toss if folks want to smoke pot, I do feel, however, that a festival that is for children is not really the place, although I only smelled it in the evening, so I suspect it was adults, not kids indulging.

Saying all that, the atmosphere was wonderful, folks were so friendly, the kids in the main were great, and all ages played together, especially during the water fights.   And I would recommend Hesfes, sure there are were parts I weren't keen on, and I really hope they change the venue; overall though, it is simply amazing to see so many home ed families, and to be in a safe environment for kids to be pretty much free range.  I barely saw Rye during the day!  I met several other families and made new friends.

Oh and I thoroughly recommend taking precautions against horseflies.  I was bitten about 23 times and ended up like this:

That was the night I arrived home, by the morning the lower 3 patches (9 bites in all) had joined together and the redness covered most of my calf.  Next day I went into the walk in centre and got antibiotics, which is clearing the infection nicely; however, it's made we rather ill, so I've had to close my childminding setting, and currently, because the infection got into my knee joints, I cannot walk very well.  Hoping that eases as the infection continues to abate.  I'll be making up repellent for future trips; apparently, vinegar and eucalyptus oil is very effective, along with eating or taking garlic supplements!





  

Annual leave.

And of course it's hammering it down, and according to the forecast will continue to rain all week.  Gah.

Before the rain hit, we had some fun in the tent:

Actually the tent is still up, and withstanding the rain beautifully.  I would rather like to take it down now though, but have to kinda wait for a few hours of dry weather so the tent is dry before I pack it away - I would be gutted if it got mouldy and unusable!  And it is providing a useful playroom for Rye and his friends, rather than everyone packed into my small lounge.

Rye is still very much into workbooks.  I sat with him outside at the garden table and we did a few pages from each of his books.  I confess to not quite understanding the logic of the alphabet one though.

I would have thought it made more sense to have a page showing lots of different items that began with the letter "a", "b" etc.  But the page doesn't, apart from the sticker to put on the page they have very little to do with the letter the page is suppose to be about.  I don't get that, I must confess.  Still Rye is enjoying doing the books, so perhaps he'll take soemthing from it, and if not, well he's enjoyed himself.

I am liking the Thomas handwriting book:

Rye loves this book, and it is pretty well done, of course the skinflint part of me, does keep thinking I could have easily created these pages for him without actually buying the book... but there again, I suppose to has saved me sitting down one evening creating this.

Rye sat for hours the other evening with his different sizes and shapes book; even without being able to read properly, he was able to figure out in a general way what was expected, I didn't bother getting all anal about him doing it "correctly" and just left him to explore, and offered advice, instruction if he asked for it.

I can't see myself buying many more of these though, there are plenty of free printable worksheets if Rye continues to enjoy doing this sort of thing.  I really must get some folders too, I do want to do some lapbooks with him based on the alphabet, and I think that will re-enforce his reading eggs practise more than doing these workbooks... and admittedly it appeals more to me too, the workbooks I personally find deathly boring.

Green Parent Meet - May 2011.

This weekend was the Green Parent meet in the Forest of Dean.

Lovely, lovely weekend, with lots of lovely people, quite a few I've not met before, and familiar faces too.  The weekend made just that little bit better because my wonderful friend and her husband, lent me their car so I could drive over rather than trek across country on train and coach. 

 This year, Rye played much more with the other children, which was so lovely to see.  And of course, he was very excited to see Alice again. 

 The BBQ,  I love how relaxed these weekends are.  We all brought some food to share as well as making some for ourselves, we sat, we ate, we chatted and laughed, I watched Rye nervously around the fire, lol, and had a sip or two of pear cider.  Steady the nerves, you understand ;-)

 I wonder what he was thinking here.  Something in Rye seems to have changed a little this weekend.  I can't quite put my finger on it, but he looks a bit different; hmmm can't really explain anymore than that.

 Playing cars with other children in our bedroom.  This is the first time he's invited people to come and play in "his" room.  I was really proud of him; another milestone reached.

 Woke up on Sunday morning to find Rye asleep like this, lol.   And wow, did he sleep late, ok very late nights.. but it was around 11am when he woke up!

 The children playing with Martin.  Beautiful to watch, Jack, the dark haired little boy, was telling Martin what movements to make; and Alice and Rye joined in..

 And of course, it was inevitable that Martin would become a human horse......

 And on our last evening, we sat in the common room, chatted, the girls knitted/crochet and the boys attempted cat's cradle, lol. 

 Speaking of crochet, I started a blanket for Rye on Saturday night.  A chevron stripe.  It's looking very blue/green at the moment, but I think I will add in other colours, Rye has said to me he would like it be colourful like the granny stripe.  Pleased with how it's progressing, although this isn't quite as mindless crochet as the the granny stripe, because I have to make sure I keep to the stitch pattern so the chevrons work.  But now I'm 18 or so rows into it, it's become pretty automatic.

 

Ahhhhhh yes, a grand weekend.  Tiring, but at the same time I feel shored up too; being around similar yet different mamas and dads is so wonderful; just things like women nursing their babies as and when they need to, the different slings, babies, toddlers and children enjoying freedom, sat on an evening, some kiddies in bed, some not, Rye was one of the children who stayed up and I took him to bed when I went.  We sat and crochet and knitted and chatted.  It was easy and it was companionable.  I loved it.

I think too the Women's Circle went well; I was mildly terrified, being that I've not led such a circle before, and I did find myself forgetting my carefully rehearsed deep breathing/relaxing speel... but I don't think anyone noticed too much...shhhh lol.  But anyway, I'll leave it there for that, as what happens in circle stays in circle :-)  Just to say, I for one, enjoyed the experience.

Break.

I am on leave now until next Friday.  Last night I deliberately left my mobile downstairs, so I have no idea what time we eventually crawled from our pits.  I suspect it was around 9ish.

Yoga was challenging.  Rye clearly isn't sure about this yoga business - and spends much of it sat on the floor looking grumpy and telling, "it's not working".  Patience and persistence, patience and persistence.  When he does forget to be grumpy he seems to enjoy it, and perhaps I just need to back off a little and do the various poses and wait for Rye to join in, rather than trying to jolly him along.

Breakfast was a delicious goats' yoghurt smoothie with banana and strawberry.  The yoghurt itself wasn't that successful.  Very runny, although tasty; hence smoothies.  I'll make more cows milk yoghurt lately - although I'm wondering if the runny goats yoghurt will work as astarter for the cows milk.  Ah well, just have to try it and see :-)   The rest of the morning was interspersed with free play, stories and cuddles.
Lunch, yum!

Delicious green juice; I love how the juice collects at the bottom, then the of chopped up leaf and then the frothy head :-)  Very tasty.  Rye asked for seconds.  Mmm and lovely tuna and sweetcorn with salad wraps, apple slices and a shared Dove's flapjack.  A very tasty lunch indeed :-)
And looked what arrived while we were eating:

But first the lunch things needed washing:

Bless him.  Astonishing that he's now tall enough that all he needs is a little step to stand on.
Afterwards out into the garden to enjoy the sunshine and flick through my magazines, while Rye  drove his tractor.

Hehe, and we're famous now too:

The dress I crocheted isn't featured in Inside Crochet though, I guess the photos weren't big enough in the end, for them to use.  Pity.  Anyway, Rye was soon asking to go to the park and I did so want to collect some Haws.  He had a grand time.  There was a lady there with four 7yrs olds, (go back to school on Monday apparently), and gosh did they fight.  I was quietly amused when a mum of one of the other boys joined her at the park, and she commented that one of the boys had been inciting the other's to fight and showing off, when it was her son that was the most aggressive.   Rye desperately wanted to play with them but they largely ignored him - or teased by taking the swing away from him and holding the other one so he couldn't use it; the mum did stop them, so there was no need for me to intervene.  Their play was far too rough for him to join in anyway.  I suppose he's so use to playing with older and younger children , when we go to the Home Ed group, he thought they would play and he could just join in.  Bless him.

After that we collected Haws and then came home.  I had planned to continue with our craft project; Rye had other ideas, and wanted to play out int he garden and then he asked to watch a dvd for a bit.  He was starting to look a little sleepy so I consented, despite the sky being beautifully blue and the sun lovely and warm.   He's outside in the garden again, chattering away to the plants etc.

No rosehips today.  Maybe tomorrow.  So now on the stove haws and eldberries are bubbling away.  I'll drain them in a minute and start the process of turning it into cordial. 

And gosh, I'm sleepy again; a sleepiness born of a productive and fun day, so that's all good.
I think a falloloping into bed with my new magazines may be order of the evening ;-)

St George's Fun Day.

Yup, he's become a bit of an icecream monster, now he knows what the icecream van is for.  (sigh)
Anyway, the Fun Day - brilliant.  A lovely completely free day organised by the local churches, which also included free (soft or tea/coffee) drinks and bbq.  Rye had a marvelous time.  He didn't play on the bouncy castle, which suprised me - seemed intimidated by it.  He did however, have a lovely time playing with the equipment at the school where the funday was held.

Roaring like a lion, inside the wooden wendy house.

Yup, another lolly - mind he lost most of it trying to join the bigger boys playing football.
I spent most of the day nattering to fellow childminder, we met when she took on Rye for me when I first moved down here - and before I gave up my office job. 

A lovely ending to a lovely week.  I hadn't quite realised just how much I needed a break from work.  There's being barely a cross word spoken all week - we've had fun, we've played, had lots of cooperation, and I feel, re-established a strong connection.   Additionally, I feel much more grounded and looking forward to seeing my mindee tomorrow. 

And the coming week promises to be full of activities and fun too.

I am also quite keen to see how using "Playful Parenting" with my mindee pans out.  It's been a wonderful success with Rye, he's been giggling loads, barely a whinge in hearing and when I've asked him to help with various bits he's done so happily.   

I even used it at the park with some older kids - a couple of boys, who are always polite and friendly with me, were picking on a young girl, calling her names - boardering on being racist.  Interestingly, the boy being the worst, has brown skin himself - sort of meditarian colouring, so I'm guessing he's had his far share of taunts.  Toward the end, they were all sat around the park while I pushed Rye on the swings, chatting to me & asking questions about Home Ed, their schools, what schools they hope to go to at secondary level etc.  Nice to see, as the young lass was starting to look quite upset.