Uprooted

February has got to be the longest month. I know--it actually is the shortest, but what a time of contemplation and preparation. "Spring is Coming" and the songs are nearly bursting from my lips. I'm waiting for the right time to change over our Winter circle to the anticipation of Spring. Daffodils are on our table and our paperwhite bulbs have reached upwards and bloomed....filling our dining room with such a strong and musky fragrance. Although I prefer a later Easter, it seems fitting that Lent is here and now.

The children have been visiting an uprooted tree in our rose garden park for the past 4 months. Many trees were uprooted; fallen to the earth with their roots exposed for all to see-- like some sort of hidden secret now being told at full voice for the world to hear. Some of the children were taken aback by the magnitude of it all....seeing a part of something so familiar that they had never seen before. Over time, they've learned to climb upon it; their bodies sensing where to go-- where to place feet and hands....this experience, and any climbing or exploring experience where movements are unique (think of a tree versus playground equipment) proves to be a real body, mind, and soul experience. I feel they have really taken so much from revisiting this week upon week. Each day, they ask aloud, "I wonder if our tree will still be there...."

 

Muddy days are a plenty this time of year and we've been ankle deep in it. Some days, the mud room in our house looks like its been attacked my a huge bowl of chocolate pudding. I wipe many muddy faces; glasses caked with dirt and mud, wet socks, muddy teeth even. It's all a part of our day. The cold weather months are really a time for us to learn so much about personal care and dressing. Each child learns how to dress him/herself and to put their things away so they don't get lost. This is the most important part of our day, I think, our true life curriculum. 

I return to Sunbridge for teacher training March 18th. It feels like there is too much of a stretch of time in between and I crave some kind of artistic outlet, especially this time of year while yearning for the warm months. My new creative outlet was born out of this desire last Winter, but has truly come to life this Winter. I'm spending hours on the computer researching and planning (my eyes hurt. I don't like it.) and working a lot with my hands, too. It's been very rewarding thus far and I believe will continue to be even more fruitful in the months to come in so many ways. I'll describe everything in my next post.