Buddies~ Blackberrying

***In September 2011 6 families got together and started Buddies Home School. Each week we meet in each other's home and follow a simple rhythm: movement and music, craft/ baking, snack time, free play and story time. Each part of the session is led by a different family. We are sharing this week's session with you here...***

Oh it is so good to be back at Buddies again. We all slipped with ease back into the groove. 

Actually, we did meet last week. The weather was glorious so we spent the session on the beach. We didn't have a structure and the children just played beautifully and at peace with themselves,each other and their surroundings. I didn't blog about it here because I have not been in the 'place' to want to blog and also all of the pictures would have contained nudey kids ;-P

So today was our first 'proper' Buddies session and our theme was Blackberries. After our welcome song we tugged on our shoes and headed off up the road to a quiet lane with a wild hedgerow.

 We walked down the lane in glorious September sunshine looking for blackberries ripe and ready for picking.

 There were some, but we were quite disappointed at how few were ready for us to pick.

 Still we did find some to put into our buckets and containers...

 but they didn't stay there long...

In fact most people's (some mummy's included aherm) buckets were rather on the empty side as we headed back to base.

We did come back with this meager little amount...

 but with gorgeously purple fingers to show that there had been some berries picked!...I wonder where they all went!

 Amanda lead our next activity and after washing the berries and adding a few chopped strawberries and blueberries to bulk out our lack of berry, she made the most gorgeous muffins with the kids...

 While the muffins baked then cooled the kids had their snack in the sun, out in the garden,

 Then settled down to a long and peaceful game together pouring gravel into cups and containers. I was too far away to hear what exactly their game was but it lasted for a long time and there was not a single row.

 I have to remark here on the amazing closeness all the Buddies have with each other. It is so wonderful to compare how they are a year on. They care deeply for each other and they play so peacefully and imaginatively together. I am so thankful time and time again that the boys and I are part of this wonderful group!

 All the girls were princesses for the story...which was a Milly Molly Mandy story all about blackberrying.

I was a little unsure if we would manage it as there are very few pictures, but they all sat through it beautifully and I think enjoyed it.
It was so good to be back at Buddies again and I am already looking forward to next week's session.