It was a day of Guests and H’s. With our Toddler group, and encouraged by Sage, we made a Hedgehog Hibernation Home, complete with Leaf Kebabs for when the Hedgehog came back late at night after a few hedge-lagers and felt a bit peckish. (Thank you Holly for this ingenious sport). The actual hedgehog home was chosen by John Esling – our hazel hedging visitor with us today – a well selected rotting trunk which will provide plentiful nutritious value. We all gathered sticks and leaves to layer it up.
We ventured into the woods and came to the ponds to walk around them freshly framed by John’s fabulous hazel hurdling weaving. Supporting the children to meet the risk, Mell gathered us all around the black board. They were so on it, said Mell afterwards. Not running. Look after Sage. Don’t go close to the edge. They got it all.
The Home Eds got the WORMS. We’d been given a womery by Michael Imison, and naturally named it Wallace the Wormery. Eloise researched it’s layers and workings, and fulfilled each one with soil and food waste. Then she got the worms (over internet) by post. By the time they’d had various car journey’s to arrive at Kali wood, they were a bit slow, lethargic, perhaps even a bit dead we wondered. But Mell put her hand in the bag, and pulled them out. Yes, a definite wriggle.
‘Would any one like to feel the worms?’ she invited. ‘It’s like holding wriggling spaghetti’
And T said – ‘Can I try just one?’ And do you know, soon he had a hole handful in his hand, the first time EVER.
Later he held 2 snails. ‘Can I take them home?’ T asked
‘I think best not as his family are here’, said Mel diplomatically.
‘Did you see his eyeballs go in?’
How do worms eat, asked T. This becomes our homework.
Another guest arrived, another Rachel, the healer Rachel, who came and watched and walked with her stick, and spoke to our third guest Jadzia, who came as a volunteer, and who we hope will be joining us again.
Molly drew a Funnel Fungi Clitocybe. Very common. With faint odour of almonds (some say of new-mown hay). Generally considered to be an acceptable edible mushroom, although not in the top rank.
Instructed by John, Home Eds got to weaving the hazel, making the 6th type of fencing around the pond – all six listed by the Worm holder T. 
Finally at the end, at the twilight session, after we’d made camps, laid on our backs and looked at the stars, after Ryan had cooked something surprisingly pleasant, and we’d all eaten baked apple, after all that and right at the end, we looked at our worms. THEY WERE JIVING.
Kinda Forest School 