autumn life

I really feel 'in' this season, that I am experiencing it to the full. I suppose part of this is being much more tuned in to the world around me at the moment. But everyday I find my breath taken away by the autumn colours and beauty around me. I am taking a lot of time to just 'be' in the moment, to enjoy the kids and the world around me.
We are doing lots of autumny things too...
dressing in warmer clothes,

even the 'specials' have been dressed up in warm, woolie clothes.

We've been doing lots of indoors painting and drawing.

This is a picture Benny did of himself. He is just starting to draw figures, another aspect of his development just recently emerged. The dark shape in the tummy is a bug and look, his shoes even have laces!

We have been talking of Halloween. I asked the kids what they wanted to be, so that we have plenty of time to get costumes ready. Rebe wants to be a witch, good that's simple. We already have a witches costume made by my mum. Benny on the other hand wants to be 'a piece of ham'!
Hmmm, big painted piece of cardboard and borrowed pink tights and top perhaps?! Any suggestions?

At the weekend we thought we'd make some broom sticks to go with Rebe's costume. As I mentioned before the council have been cutting back the branches around the paths in the woods so there are plenty good branches lying around.

We cut some thicker branches of hazel to the right length.

gathered lots and lots of twigs.
These we tied onto the hazel branch with strong garden twine.

Of course we made two brooms, after all I'm pretty sure pieces of ham have broomsticks as well!

We stopped off at the little beach on the way home. Look at Joa in the background, he looks as if he's flying, but he's actually on his tummy looking into a rock pool (or is he flying?!?!)

We've not been the only ones hard at work creating. Andy has a couple of weeks holiday from work, and typically is working harder than ever. He is already dreaming of next year's garden and is building a really amazing green house.

It is really beautiful, he is so clever. It will mean we can grow a hugs amount of fruit and veg here next year. A lovely, dear friend has also offered us a row in one of their fields so we can grow a good amount of hardier veg outdoors there. Oh yummy I can't wait.

This also means that we can fill the planters he made last year with herbs and flowers which will be lovely. Rebe is planning a 'Guinea Garden': a space where she will plant things for the guinea pigs to eat (including dandelions). I love the idea of a guinea garden, I can imagine it with a beautifully painted little signpost :-)

All of this has sparked a re-newed interest in the garden and the kids are playing lots of planting and farming games.

Yesterday Rebe asked me to make her a toy squirrel. I found a little scrap of brown corduroy and made this wee guy...

She was very pleased, although has probably lost him by now. I love being able to make up little things like this, and I hope that it inspires our kids to think if they want or need something that they can make it themselves instead of buying it.

We made some little cats too out of beads and pipe cleaners. This one is Benny's. He called it 'Pisswick'. I have to say Benny is brilliant at naming things. I think 'Pisswick' is a classic, his other greats are: for his first pet (which will be either a guinea pig or a duckling according to him) will be called 'Green-a-go-my-eyes-number-six', and for the new black cat who visits us Benny suggested the name 'Smack-bum-Gilly'. If you ever need anything naming just ask Benny :-)

Craft wise for me I have just finished this sweater. It's a Sidar pattern and knitted with 100% merino wool.

It is not for us though but for a friend's son.

I'm now doing another rainbow gnome hat for another friend's son and I have no less than 4 dolls on order :-)

So, lots of autumn goodness here, we're enjoying it all to the full :-)