Here is a snapshot of how we’ve worked and played since being temporarily exiled from the woodland.

The ‘giant nest’ introduced a new sort of den, and a sneaky way of supporting weaving skills and learning about fences. Hopefully, it also fulfilled its main purpose of engaging the children’s imaginations.

The feathers and eggs on birch twigs are a seasonal tradition in many countries, as is the wreath signalling the arrival of spring or summer.

Here is a poem, riddle or praise-song, which Class 3 were offered last week :

Can y Gwynt

unriddle me this, if you can

I was before God’s flood

without flesh or vein or bone

headless, footlessly I stride

nothing’s child, never born

when my breath stills, I am not dead

no older now, nor ever young

I have no need of beast or man

sea-whitener, forest-piercer

handless I touch a whole field

Time’s partner, Youth’s partaker

wide as the wide earth is wide

unequalled, masterless, never prisoner

landless, invisible and blind

solitary and brash of manner

gentle, murderous, and without sin

I am no repairer of disorder

I am wet and dry and weak and strong

what am I? that the cold moon fosters

and the ardour of the sun.

Taliessin

Taliessin (Tal-yessin) was the 6th century poet at the court of King Urien (eerien), in the kingdom called Rheged, The capital was the town now known as Carlisle.

From The Craneskin Bag (1989), Celtic stories & poems collected & told by Robin Williamson.

The spikes and flowers forming the bracelet were gathered onto double-sided tape, later forming a window decoration when snipped off the wrist.

Currently each class has a focus on a ‘useless, nuisance of a plant’ such as nettles, brambles, dandelions, sticky weed or cleavers (extremely nutritious). We started by making cleaver water.

Mandalas can be done anywhere and give a calm sense of focus on place.