Our first day back, we welcomed new and vintage Elders to the woods.
We started our circle by evoking our most tasty seasonal food: Apple crumble with raisons soaked in whisky overnight, Victoria Plums, Rosehip Syrup, Bramley apple pie, Sloe Gin with grated orange, blackberry and apple, apple crumble, Cox apple, pears, apple plum and cinnamon.
Via the planets and Clarissa, we meandered through the wood to our favoured place, under the hornbeams for some Chi Gong, led by Naomi. Gentle today, with some reaching up to the sky, and bowing down to the ground. It was the time of year of the lung, ….
Around the cabin we heard of Rachel’s land, 17 acres just secured, and a project for our future. We were invited to be involved in planting hedgrrows, plan the field, grow trees. Beneath our feet we found acorns from the oaks around and Serena instructed us how to tell a fertile acorn to plant – it was the same as the old witches test: If they sank they were not a witch, but if they floated they were and would be burnt at the stake. No winning here. With acorns, those that sank were the ones to plant.
We gathered both acorn galls and acorns. The galls to make ink with, the acorns to test their validity in a basin of water back at base camp. We hoped Kally would be able to guide us making ink out of our collected galls. It was this ink that was used to write the Magna Carta.
Back in our closing circle, after scones and tea of course, with Nicky and her spelling bee at the blackboard, we said what we’d like to do this term: Here are some of our ideas: Ukulele and music, drumming, Hurdling, making banners out of natural dyes, puppets with Nicky, may be a Christmas drama, with Jo on make up, Poetry and story telling, making a xylephone out of wood, making a lathe, learning woodland skills, planning the new land.
Finally we said what we remembered of the day: the buzzard hovering above, walking and not falling over, the greenery, the little dog, pleased to be back in the woods, friendship and welcome, the witch acorn test, Chi Gong, comradship, watching a community form, being back, laughter.
Our Homework: to gather and bring next week, hips, haws, acorns, walnuts, and find out about galls
Kinda Forest School 