Wow! To day was magic! A day that was unexpected ,blue sky and warmth and we grabbed it! In fact we had school outdoors and it was wonderful.We started with a walk down the lane,having fun kicking fallen leaves and observing the trees now that they have practically shed their leaves.  We gathered fallen beech,sycamore and ash leaves. We watched the horses and sheep in the field and listened to birds singing. Then we went into the orchard and had fun climbing apple trees! We gathered elderberries(high in vitamin c and wonderful for fighting flu virus)The raised vegetable bed needed tending so the children had much fun digging out the last peas,beans,lettuces,chard and beetroot! In fact, it was a great lesson on vegetables and the goodness that comes from what we grow. I was amused when Patrick came over to me ,a little upset because Harry had said “trees aren’t alive”and he tried to tell them they were! We spread an old tarpaulin on the ground,made a table from 2 upturned pots and a surfboard and all sat down and had a picnic in the orchard…. the tastiest food ever!We picked the last tomatoes and then brought the plants to the compost heap so that our friends the worms could make some nice compost for next years planting!A very busy and exciting morning and so special! All went home with vegetables to savour and I hope to bring the peas into school tomorrow morning and we will taste them at snack time!

The new children have settled into school and it was wonderful to welcome back Liadan,Trudy and Oisin as my chief helpers. Kingston and Lorenzo join us on Thursdays and Fridays and as  they have both celebrated their 5th birthdays ,they are held in high regard by the little ones!Once again,the weather has been kind which has enabled the settling in period by allowing us to spend much time outdoors. On the first day of school,I took the children to the stables to show them the swallows nests. We then went for a walk  and I pointed out the swallows flying above telling them how to recognize their flight . I told them how the swallow flies with his mouth open catching insects and how in a few weeks time he would be leaving for Africa as Winter would be coming to our country.  Each day after we went on a “swallow walk”observing them fly until    we saw them gather on the wires around September 23 rd and we waved goodbye!!Seb, in particular loved the swallows and each morning would pick up the swallow picture and bring it with him on our walk!

We have picked tomatoes,lettuces,beans ,peas and chard and today we planted bulbs. The children helped dig the little holes and tucked the bulbs in to keep them cosy during their winter sleep.We look forward to seeing the flowers in Spring.We have had some lovely walks down the field and brought apples to the horses,gathered leaves and watched them turning colour. . Observing the Seasonal change is a great way of allowing the child see the passage of time as at this age they really have no comprehension of time. Thus I draw their attention each day on our walk to the way the leaves are changing . One day, I pointed out some ferns and explained that these are very old plants,dating back to when the dinosaurs ruled the earth. Ever since, Harry gets very excited every time he sees a fern saying”here is dinosaurs dinner”!!! Every day is an adventure  for these little ones and I am so lucky in that  once again  I can share their excitement and joy at life’s simple miracles.

On Wednesday we went to Lissadell beach for our annual teddy bear picnic.The sky was blue,the sun shone and a gentle breeze blew as we arrived in Lissadell with buckets and spades,teddies and picnics.Parents relaxed ,children played,built sand castles and ran in and out of the water.We had great fun discovering the little creatures who live in the rock pools,found crabs,razor shells,cockle shells,mussels and oysters.It was another very special and lovely day and it ended with a little walk in the woods where we discovered a lollipop tree! Yes, the teddies were there before us and left a lolly for every little boy and girl!!

After a glorious start to this term,we felt so cheated and hard     done by when May(the loveliest month of the year) was   a wash out. Wind and rain persisted through out the month and we were once again confined to work indoors. We moved to South America and the children produced beautiful projects and we all learned so much about the very unusual animals that live there,especially those that live along the Amazon river. Because we have been discovering and learning about the animals from the different continents and how they adapt to their environment,the trip to the zoo is always very exciting.May left as wet and miserable as it started and I was very worried about our annual trip  as we had decided on June 5th . However,much to our delight Summer returned !A very excited group of children ,mums and dads,brothers and sisters left for Dublin on the 9 am train. For most it was the first time ever on a train and we had hardly got to the first stop,Collooney, before the children  wanted their picnics.The journey flew as parents chatted and children discovered the joys of being on a train. Taxis brought us to the zoo when we arrived in Dublin,another  new mode of transport! The children could hardly contain their excitement when we arrived…so much to see. Each year,the zoo unfolds new areas for me and I enjoy  this special day  as much as the children. Parents were relaxed,getting to know each other better and all were very happy.It was magical . One of the things that I particularly like is the way that the Zoo is laid out  now ….the African plains,South American house,Asian forest,the reptile house,penguin trail which was new,and very concise information everywhere about the animals and ongoing conservation projects.A truly wonderful day. One would imagine that the children would be so tired that they would sleep on the train on the way home, but no, this is one day that eyes never shut. However, it was a day that I hope they will always remember !

Last week was just amazing. The sun shone,the sky was blue and cloudless,the trees burst into blossom and leaf as we watched and Spring is truly here.The air is filled with birdsong and bleating lambs,the swallows are overhead,mouths open catching insects as they fly above us.The colour everywhere is green and fresh,one can smell  garlic in the hedgerow. On our little walks we note that sycamore is ahead of beech and ash in producing new leaves.  We see the fronds of the fern uncurl in the undergrowth, noting that it is the oldest plant we have,dating back to when the dinosaurs ruled our planet!We smell  the different herbs in the garden and prepare the raised beds for the vegetable. But most of all the children are having such fun from listening and recognizing each birds song.On a couple of occasions I gave my normal 3 period lesson on birdsong by using the little soft singing birds I have on our classroom tree.The children sit in a semi circle on the grass and I  then hide the birds behind my back ,play their song and they listen and say which bird it is . This is a great way to do the “silence game”and they love it. We then take our birds on a walk using the toy birds to call the birds as we amble down the field. …it is a real sensory experience and all agree that school outdoors is wonderful!!The child sees everything with wonder and with his  child s eye sees minute details.  I am very lucky in that these little ones are so open and curious to my knowledge of our natural world. Their awe and wonder is contagious and is the fuel that “eggs” me on!!

Snow was scarce this year but when it did come ,the children had fun.