The Magic Faraway Tree

Before I start here I just wanted to say a heart felt thank you to all of you! I received so many comments, here, via email and on facebook about my last post. It was incredibly touching and empowering to receive so much support and love and to hear so many stories of similar struggles. Thank you :-)

About a month ago we borrowed Enid Blyton's The Enchanted Wood on CD from the library, and it has grabbed our hearts and imagination  Benny in particular spends his quiet times during the day with a cup of hot squash listening to the adventures of Joe, Beth and Franny and the Faraway Tree. 

We thought that it would be fun to make our own Faraway Tree...

Benny very carefully made ladders and doors using lolly sticks and lashings of PVA glue

With some (aherm) assistance I drew out a tree shape on some poster paper...

 Benny mixed us a gorgeous rich brown colour

 and we painted the trunk (the floor, the radiator, the walls, our socks...)

 A few days later (yes! we managed to keep the picture stuck to the floor, untrodden on for more than a day...I couldn't believe it!) we used potatoes to print on green leaf shapes and we used more glue to stick on some beautiful fallen leaves that we had gather from Andy's garden. We also stuck on Benny's doors and ladder and a squirrel Rebe had made at school.

I have to say it looks wonderful growing there in our kitchen and reminds me of my bedroom when I was a teenager. I had a good half-dozen such painted trees around the walls (although that was influenced by my love of the Where the Wild Things Are)
Finally I want to announce that the winner of the copy of Lucy Pearce's wonderful book Moods of Motherhood is Elizabeth who said:
 Oh Laura this post spoke directly from your heart to mine.
Being a mom changes and molds me in each and every moment of life. For me there is nothing else on this earth that has or will have to incrediable power to do that. Sometimes the constant changing and molding hurts so badly and some times it feels like my first morning stretch so very good.

If you email me your address I will get it sent off to you :-) (laura.whalen@yahoo.ie)