The Summer event weeks were a fabulous success. Firstly I'd like to thank all the parents and children who have supported us and given us a fabulous time. It is such a great thing to be entrusted with other people's children, and allowed to spend long summer days having fun, baking, playing, building, painting.. the list goes on and on. 
The last day was gloriously hot. We all felt that despite the heat, everyone was chilled. We played games, hung out in the woods, ate lemon curd, made a teepee tea party and invited some parents (the last of whom left at midnight...!!). 
There were 3 birthdays to celebrate, and as you can see from the picture, they all shared the limelight very well!
Maisie celebrated her birthday on the 11th, Roger on the 12th and Theo on the 13th of August. So we had to have a table full of cupcakes and candles, and a very loud rendition of 'Happy Birthday'!
Other news, we found a lovely little frog living in the stream, we nearly all ran out of the kitchen in terror when Theo and Luca brought in 2 giant spiders and we named the last nameless chick Custard!
I do hope that we see our old friends again at 1/2 term - we already have so much support that there are only 3 spaces left on each day. New friends are welcome too - the days are allocated on a first come first served basis, and we should be Ofsted registered by then so hopefully I'll have worked out how to accept vouchers. 
Until then, I bid you goodbye and a HAPPY SUMMER! Keep looking at the website for news of dates, chicks and Ruby! The garden changes every day, it waits for the time when yet again it will hear the sound of happy voices and be filled with smiles and laughter. 

When we saw this, just the weekend before our first event of the summer, we knew that we had been blessed and that we would be making many happy sunny memories, some of which are recorded in our gallery for you to see.
We filled the garden with children, paint, teepees and laughter and chased trails and bugs all week long.
The camp fire was lit for what seemed for the first time this year, and when it was cool enough we sought the shade of the giant teepee for stories and workshops.
We had a range of children visiting, aged from 5 to 12, and it always amazes me how they all get on, help each other, work together and make the most of whatever we offer.
Lunch was either hot sausages cooked over the camp fire, cooling salads around the huge kitchen table or pitta pizzas prepared by the children and cooked in an oven outdoors. Drinks of the blackcurrant and summer fruit varieties flowed throughout the day, but Roger and I had to wait until dusk for our well earned glass of Pinot Grigio!!
We are so looking forward to the next week - 6th - 10th August. If we are not blessed by as much sunshine this time, we'll make the most of our shady sheltered places, we'll hang out in the giant teepee and we'll bake up a storm in the kitchen with Gracey purring in the background and the smell of Summer cookies wafting through the house.