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Outdoors

A family garden

children's garden

Each afternoon the children play outside until the sun goes down.

They jump on the trampoline, slide down the cubby house slide. They happily mix dirt, water and flowers in the mud kitchen.

backyard

And between all these parts of the backyard are the parts that bring it together as a garden. A family garden. A place for adults and children to enjoy.

We have been busy transforming this space, since we moved to this home of ours, a little less than eighteen months ago (and we are not finished yet).

paving

We’ve pulled up old paving and reused it as a path around our grassed area. And although many pavers broke, we used them to make a sort-of mosaic (which I happen to love).

We’ve moved around lots of tan bark and laid a lovely lawn (I always think that as soon as you add grass a backyard feels entirely different).

steps

Little rock step paths have been created, many a stump seat placed {some complete with mushroom hats!} and a slightly Alice in Wonderland paved area *grin*

toadstools

We have chooks who are such good little ladies ~ giving us four or five eggs a day! And some lovely flowers. Because what is a garden without flowers?

chooksPoppies

Next we hope to set up a veggie patch and proper compost. Then maybe an earthen pizza oven area. And then we will see!

But I think a garden is never done it just shifts and changes with us.

Happy gardening, Kelly

A knights’ quest

dragon

This is the story of seven brave knights who went on a quest that required courage, wisdom, kindness, strength and beauty.

These marvellous knights worked together to follow the clues to slay a dragon, to win a handsome reward.

By reading these words, I brought together the boys who had come to celebrate my son’s 7th birthday.

sandpit

Listen closely for the first of many clues…

First clue ~ to slay the dragon to win a handsome reward the brave knights must dig deep in the sandy desert.

In the ‘sandy desert’ of our sandpit, the knights dug to discover small gems and their next clue.

rock walk

Second clue ~ to slay the dragon to win a handsome reward the brave knights must walk the rocky path.

The knights balanced their way through a rocky path in our garden, discovering at the end some packets of seeds and the next clue.

seeds

Third clue ~ to slay the dragon to win a handsome reward the brave knights must use something to hand to make the world more beautiful.

It was lovely to see their excitement grow as they completed their quest tasks. Happily yelling out answers ‘we need to plant the seeds! Let’s do it here, they will look good near these rocks‘.

bubbles

Fourth clue ~ to slay the dragon to win a handsome reward the brave knights must create something that floats in the air and reflects the light.

This clue gave them pause, but then they saw my husband blowing bubbles for our little one and cried out ‘bubbles!’ After they filled the air with lovely bubbles I read the fifth clue.

ride

Fifth clue ~ to slay the dragon to win a handsome reward the brave knights must work together to all travel from one end of the kingdom to the other using four vehicles.

Working out how they were to travel took a little more thinking and prodding, but they piled onto the bikes and trikes, working together to ride to the other end of the kingdom (otherwise known as the mud kitchen *hee hee*).

dragon

Once they arrived at the other end of the kingdom, I announced they were ready!

You brave, courageous and kind knights are now ready to work together to slay the dragon to win the handsome reward.

They lined up and took turns to slay the dragon with a wooden sword. It took many hits (which they were happy to deliver!) Before their handsome reward (a lollipop and small packet of smarties each) fell to the ground!

loot

Happy days, Kelly