A Box Full Of Memories // A Touchnote Print Box Review

Anyone who stops by this blog with any kind of regularity will know that I have a bit of a thing for photography... it's always been a bit of a passion of mine; at uni, my friends never bothered taking their cameras out, "Oh, Claire will have hers!" was the common refrain! Photography has always fascinated me, and capturing moments in time holds a very special place in my heart.

The problem is... while I'm good at capturing memories and taking photographs, I am really seriously bad at actually getting them printed. I have grand visions of scrapbooking all our memories, or at least creating a photo book, but wading through my literal thousands of photos just seems a bit overwhelming sometimes...

The Homemade Museum // Nurturing Creative Minds

There is something about the vivid and creative imagination of children that I just want to bottle up. Honestly, you could make a fortune if you could sell that stuff. I was listening recently to the infamous TED talk by Sir Ken Robinson in 2007 (over 10 million views people!) called "Do Schools Kill Creativity"... He has some really interesting thoughts - some of which I really agree with (although I do think teacher's work seriously hard to wean creativity out of a sometimes stagnant curriculum), but I digress... the whole point of the talk was that we teach children to follow the line, to fit the mould, we view intellectualism as one linear path, when in fact the greatest creatives in history have been people who have not fitted the mould at all...

A couple of weekends ago, Ava did a bit of a self-imposed "Nature hunt" in the garden. Our bog-standard garden, with the normal bog-standard garden bits in it ...  grass, shrubs, an apple tree and a few sticks and bugs around. Not exactly the ideal location for a nature hunt, but she got this idea in her head...

A bit later on, after a fair bit of coming into the house to collect masking tape and pens and suchlike things, Ava announced our invitation to come and visit her Museum...

And low and behold, there, on the garden table, was a sign stating...

"The Mozeen" (The Museum)

Her little creative imagination had made all these little displays... she had labelled everything..

* "To leavs"
* "Ston"
* "Woen leef - do not tuch"
* "A drokn leef"
* "and gras"

I caught myself wondering at this little four-year-old mind... appreciating nature, wanting to display it for all to see, thinking creatively about a bog-standard nature hunt in a bog-standard garden with "bog standard" nature...

And then I realised, since when had nature ever been "bog standard" to me?? Somewhere along the line, have I lost the wonder? The appreciation? The awe at the littlest intricacies of God's masterpiece?

I have in my mind an idea of what a nature hunt should be... A little girl, armed with a bag and a list of things to collect, probably wandering round some National Trust Property somewhere.

But here, my little girl used her own vivid imagination to create a little awe and wonder of her own in our back garden.

We have so much to learn from our littlest people... Let's nurture that creativity all we can!

A Trip Down Memory Lane // On Our Bookshelves...

ONE FOR THEM AND ONE FOR ME...

Bare feet and bonnets run giggling around our garden, horses are ridden, milk is churned, babies are put to bed to the sound of fiddle music and folk songs. It's when I watch our children absorbed in independent, imaginative play that I know the girls have been won over by a particular book, hook, line and sinker.

And I can honestly say I am thrilled we have finally entered the world of the Laura Ingalls Wilder books together.

As an adult (as you'll see in a bit), these stories still totally capture my imagination. Perhaps its the memories of my own trips out to the mid-west in my teens, perhaps its the honesty and accuracy of the stories... perhaps its that deep down, we all dream of living in a little log cabin in the wild, making a life for ourselves and being completely self-sufficient.

But there is no doubt about it... Ma, Pa, Mary, Laura and Carie have captured my children's hearts as much as they did mine 25 years ago...

So here's whats on the bookshelf...


One for them... (or make that two...!)
Little House in the Big Woods and Little House on the Prairie
Laura Ingalls Wilder

We have whizzed through the first two books in the series, devouring a chapter a night and immersing ourselves, first in the Big Woods of Wisconsin, and now on the open prairies. As I read aloud to the children, sitting across from them, I can't help but sneak a look at their expressions now and again. You know a book has hit a cord when they feel what the protagonist feels. They have been laughing, grinning, clinging to each other right along with Laura and Mary, and truly, completely engaging with every chapter.

The books are based on the true life experiences of Laura Ingalls and her family and really do tell the story of a genuine frontier family. You can't help but be totally gripped by the beautiful scenery described, be amazed by the bravery and adventurous nature of the family, and be charmed by the tales of every day life... Both the ordinary and the exciting. All three of us girls are absolute loving it and I suspect, over the course of the summer, we'll go most of them if we keep up with our current hunger for reading them!

Of course, there is something very cute about your children wandering around in bonnets all day too...

One for me...
Laura Ingalls Wilder: A Writer's Life
Pamela Smith Hill

But my children aren't the only ones gripped by Wilder fever! My parents returned from the USA this month with this gem for me. I guess they know really I'm just as obsessed as my girls are, but honestly, there is something just so appealing to me about this stripped back, simplicity of life. Yes, it was tough ... I realise that, but Laura speaks some real gems of wisdom, the kind that's only learned in trial and hardship, and I'm keeping a little book of quotes as I read this one.

I highly recommend this biography of Laura Ingalls Wilder's life!

Now I'm off to find my bonneted babies!

If you've written a post about what you, or your little people, have been reading recently, please join in with the Linky below and Carie (Space for the Butterflies), myself and Katie will pop round and take a look!

   

    An InLinkz Link-up

   

This Funny Old Hobby of Mine...

It's a funny old world, the world of blogging. A world where people wear their hearts on their sleeves, where friendships blossom between people who've never met, where creativity runs rife. The blogging community was one I landed in accidentally. I'd been blogging away for about 5 years before I realised there were a whole bunch of other bloggers out there who were like-minded, super-friendly and hugely creatively inspiring. I have learnt so much from women all over the country sharing their lives, sharing their expertise, sharing their friendship.

Gathering together, last weekend, with hundreds of bloggers from all over the country, was a wonderful opportunity to pick the brains of some of my blogging heroines who have now become firm friends. It's lovely to realise that the people behind the blogs are just as genuinely lovely in real life as they are in the world of social media, and I had a great time having fun and picking the brains of some of the most inspiring bloggers I know. I was sad that the lovely Rachel from The Ordinary Lovely had to pull out at the last minute, but Lucy from Dear Beautiful, Katie from Mummy Daddy Me and others made sure I wasn't hovering around like a lost soul for the day!

Aside from the ground-level conversations that took place, the highlight for me was Jennie Maizel's Sketchbook Club... a whole session set aside for learning the tips and tricks of sketching from a hugely talented illustrator. I'm not sure how it will really help me on the blogging front, but it was such a fun and inspiring session, and I'll certainly use it in journaling, scrapbooking and another little project I have under my belt (more on that to follow!)

The session was so much fun... and while my sketch was nowhere near as good as any of hers, I felt kind of proud of it!

It was a great day... my second time to Britmums Live and such a different experience. It was so nice to walk in and recognise a few faces and not be meeting people for the very first time, it was lovely to be able to relax a little bit more and not feel I had to go to every single session. It was lovely to get plenty of baby cuddles, and meet new people.

So here are some of the lovely ladies I had the pleasure of hanging out with last Saturday, and their blogs in case you're after some new reads!

Lucy @ Dear Beautiful
Katie @ Mummy Daddy Me
Jenny @ Lets Talk Mommy
Kerri-Ann @ Life as Our Little Family
Esther @ Inside Out And About
Lucy @ Capture By Lucy
Natalie @ Little Jam Pot Life
Sophie @ Mumology
Fritha @ Tigerlilly Quinn

and so many more! It's a funny old thing, this blogging hobby... but it has enriched my life in so many ways! Here's to blogging friends!

Words and Silence // Reflections on the Referendum

"I've begun to realise that you can listen to silence and learn from it. It has a quality and a dimension all its own."

- Chaim Potok, The Chosen -

Words have always come naturally to me... They flow easily off my tongue, out of my pen or scribbled on a scrap of paper. They are my friends... They help me to understand the world, to process my struggles, to preach truth to my heart. They are my best form of expression, and I suspect they always will be.

But words have failed me of late.

I have struggled internally, externally... In every sense... As I have watched events unfold on the national stage this week.

I want to have words... To give voice to my fears, my disappointments, my struggles, in a way that is robust and has authority.

But I don't have them. 

I just feel a little bit broken and sad. Sad for what might have been.

You see, we are a multicultural family. In our home, three European languages are spoken fluidly and fluently. Culture is embraced, diversity celebrated, unification cherished. Our home would probably not be a multilingual home if it wasn't for the EU... That's because without the EU, my German teacher would probably have never ended up in a little English school, telling stories of the nine languages she spoke and inspiring us to follow suit. Of the nine languages, 8 of them were European, and most learnt in the native country... One of the perks that freedom of movement brought. No visas necessary... The ability to move and work across a number of countries. I would not have pursued a languages degree without her.

Freedom of movement made it easy for me to go out to Austria and spend eight months working in a Kindergarten. I could have got a student working visa for those eight months.... Except I didn't stay eight months in the end, I stayed eleven... The extra three months possible without needing to extend visas or place applications. I felt welcomed and at home, not a stranger needing permission to stay. Those last three months were what cemented my language, and bore the dream of one day bringing my own children up bilingual.

These past few days I have felt much more self conscious of my German language. As I have walked the streets with my children, their chatter, my chatter.... German words flowing out... I have felt aware. Aware of myself in a way I have not felt before. Do people wonder if I'm allowed to be here? Do they wonder if I'm going to head back to Germany where they assume I belong?

You see, here in our little house, leaving the EU feels a bit more personal.

So I have needed to pause. Take stock. Draw away from my initial reactions on social media and get my head around this seismic shift that has left me feeling uncertain and sad for my children's futures.

Of course, I'm worried about the economic implications, I'm worried for the funding that will disappear for some of the most deprived areas of our nation, I'm worried for all the things that "Project Fear" predicted, and which are now increasingly looking like "Project Reality"... I'm devastated at the news of racist attacks seemingly on the increase... I'm anxious about the political future of our country with party leadership which seems to be imploding. But I'm also sad for the smaller things... The missed opportunities...

You see, it's now quite possible that my children will not have the same freedom to go and work abroad with the same ease that I had. Despite their three languages, my children will perhaps now be viewed differently by their European counterparts... Brits are perhaps more to be carefully handled than treated as friends...

I have many friends who voted leave... And though I disagree with them, I respect their right to vote for that which they believe is best for our country. My sadness about the events of Thursday and Friday is not an attack on anyone else's viewpoint...

It is just a mourning. Of what I have known and loved, of what will now not be... Of the opportunities my children will miss... And of the relationships with many dear friends on the continent who are disappointed that we have abandoned them to sort out a system which isn't perfect, but which is seeking to make our continent a better place.

God is sovereign. I am thankful for that... I am thankful that I can hand all my fear and uncertainties over to him and know that my identity is totally secure in him. He holds the whole world in his hands.

But deep down, I can't help thinking that we've made a dreadful mistake. 

These words...they don't convey what I want them to... They are confused and weak and a little lost.

And so I step out of the silence, and take my confused, broken words to THE Word... The one who speaks his perfect words over a broken world.

And pray earnestly, Lord, help me trust you...

On our Bookshelves // One for Them & One for Me

Except that its not quite one, because as far as we're concerned... despite the crazy manicness that was May (read all about that here!) we had a ridiculously productive month on the reading front.

Seriously not sure how that happened!

So here's what we've been reading!

One for Them (or make that three!)

The Children at Happy House // Enid Blyton

                   

This was one of my childhood favourites growing up, and before that, it belonged to my own Mama when she was growing up... how cool is that?! I love Enid Blyton for this age. The children adored the little idyllic story of three children who move from the town to the countryside, and I also love that Blyton books are always full of moral lessons and dilemmas too. We actually had some pretty good discussions about feelings, and decision-making, and kindness with our siblings which made for pretty good discussion material! Level wise its spot on for my girls. Simple little stories, the perfect length for a bedtime read aloud, and there is something special about reading a copy that's been in your family for 50 odd years!

Milly-Molly-Mandy's Friends 

& Further Doings of Milly-Molly-Mandy // Joyce Lancaster Brisley

There is something quintessentially English about these gorgeous little stories of life in an English village in the 1920s. The tales are so beautifully innocent and imaginative and fun, and whoever I have read them with the girls, they have been totally inspired by them. I read these stories last year with Ava, and this year we are revisiting them with both girls. These books have inspired us to make paper dolls, to eat lid potatoes, and learn all about thatched rooving! Honestly, if you have little girls between 3 and 7 years old... these little stories are gorgeous! Short and sweet and so very lovely!

                  

One for Me (or two!)

Home Education // Charlotte Mason

               

I'm just finding the whole "theories of education" thing so interesting right now. So ironic, as at university, it was the bit of my education study that I found the most dull. Suddenly, now I have children of my own, I find it all utterly fascinating. I've been reading a bit of Charlotte Mason (and no, I'm not actually planning on homeschooling - though we have fun with our own little version of Homeschool sometimes!) and I love her thoughts on how children learn best... bringing education to life through living experiences - nature, what she calls "living" books... honestly, I'm just eating up every word of this stuff, and think it'll definitely shape how I organise some of our summer excursions... watch this space!

A Love That Never Tires // Allyson Jeleyne

                  

OK... so I'm actually still only halfway through this one, but gobbling it up. I just needed a light read, really, a good old-fashioned fiction book to get my teeth into. It's the story of an unconventional explorer's daughter and a high society gentlemen, who really shouldn't hit it off, but do, and I'm just enjoying a few pages before bed every night! Something easy to unwind to. I got it free on the Kindle, so if you're after an enjoyable freebie, then look it up!

So what are you all reading? If you're a blogger, link up below, and if not, leave me some recommendations in the comments!

Cowgirls, Classics and Constitutional Days #littleloves

We have a busy little week behind us, and an exciting one ahead... So I'll get straight to it!

READ
Do you know what made me laugh?! I flipped back to my #littleloves posts from this time last year, and guess what we were reading?! Our favourite: Milly-Molly-Mandy! Only this year, instead of just reading it with my big girl, our little lady is joining us for all the quaint little english adventures. It is just one of the classics as far as we're concerned!

I love watching their faces light up at the stories... honestly, there is something so delicious about watching the girls get totally sucked up in a story. I'm pretty sure they'll be dreaming about tea-parties outside nice white cottages with thatched roofs tonight...

LISTENED

I am all about the podcasts at the moment... I've been listening to the "At Home" podcast, a collection of conversations about motherhood, homelife and education, which is basically me in a nutshell! Six women having honest chats about contemporary issues. So I'm loving all their discussions... I feel like I'm being hit hard between the eyes by all this "Screen time" stuff that seems to be doing the rounds at the moment, and they had a really interesting conversation about the pros and cons, challenges and dangers of that too. Basically, I'm just seeping in all the wisdom on this motherhood thing I can get, because sometimes, it feels tough.


WATCHED

The last episode of "Indian Summers" which was pretty gripping/thrilling/scary stuff! I don't quite know what we're going to do with our post-Church Sunday evenings now. We might actually have to be SOCIABLE! Shock horror! Any good recommendations on the TV drama front at the moment?!

WORE
Well, I've been in and out of my bridesmaids dress, getting it fitted like theres no tomorrow, so I'm leaving it be now until my sister's big day TOMORROW! Eeek... all three of us girls in our house are super excited about walking down the aisle with my little sister, while the boys are remaining cool, calm and collected. Jonas looks adorable in his little suit... I may just have to link up some pictures next week! None allowed just yet!

Ava, however, donned her Cowgirl gear at School yesterday for her Wild West Day. I think she makes a great little rodeo girl, and she was in her absolute element!

MADE
A Norwegian celebration breakfast... OK, the food was anything but Norwegian. I had all these grand plans for Norwegian Waffles and fresh bread rolls, but it was a school day, and in the end we had croissants, which although not remotely Norwegian are still a special treat round here! But we were all flags and fun, and listened to the national anthem and a whole lot of celebration music while we ate!

And Lastly...
Tomorrow we are all donning our finery for my sister's wedding... The girls are super-excited to be flower girls, and we're all so thrilled that the big day is finally here! We're looking forward to catching up with friends and family, and seeing Paddy and Kristin make their vows before God! What an awesome day it's going to be!

Hoping that you all have a wonderful weekend too... We're praying we get some dry weather! Eek!

Hipp Hipp Hurra!

We'll take any opportunity for a little celebrating in our house, and celebrating Norwegian National Day is as good a reason as any. While the rest of the family out in Norway were off school and celebrating with parades and national costumes, we were packing our little rabble up and getting ready for school in the usual way, but we still made breakfast a little bit special!

Two girls waited expectantly on the stairs while Mama made the finishing touches. There something about a special occasion that has these two up and dressed by 7.30am! I'm not going to complain!

Their brother, the early riser, was up an hour before that, but at least it meant I was up bright and early to get everything ready. Big thanks to Bestemor and Bestefar for the provision of all the Norwegian goodies!

The whistles and rosettes were a particular hit with the young ladies!

Celebrating "17. Mai" is something we started last year (our celebrations last year fell over a weekend and allowed for a little more extravagance!) and its ready to become a tradition now... its so important to teach our children about their heritage, and make them proud of their international roots. We're keen to give them a world view that shows that life is about more than this particular little corner of London... to teach them about different languages and cultures and to appreciate difference and diversity

So here are a few little pictures from our special celebration breakfast!

And to all our Norwegian friends and family...

GRATULERER MED DAGEN!

HIPP HIPP HURRA FOR 17. MAI!

Little Loves // playhouses, sunshine and blasts from the past

Do you know, it has been SO LONG since I stopped by over here... and I have missed it! There is something so lovely about recording those little bits and bobs of the ordinary days that go by, but the problem is, these past two months have been anything but ordinary... we have had birthdays galore - 3rds, 60ths and 21sts, hen dos, stag days, holidays and an impending wedding... we have been so super busy that the blog really has gone on the back burner, and I've missed linking up with the lovely Morgana and the "Little Loves" crew...

So here's the deal... I'm hoping to get back in the habit of heading over here every week!

READ
The girls and I have been racing through books this month... For all of us, the fifteen minutes I spend reading to them, curled up in the (mini) armchair in the corner of their room while they peer over the edge of their beds is one of the highlights of each day. I have always loved to read, and I'm loving passing that on to my kiddos... So much so, that I'm basically not really reading any adult books at the moment, but instead filling up on childhood classics like "The Magical Faraway Tree", "George Speaks" (pictured) and "The Children at the Happy House". Having these literary 'blasts from the past' every night is so much fun!

HEARD
Have any of you come across the Read Aloud Revival podcast?! Seriously, it's awesome, and has been a total gamechanger for me and the way I approach reading with the children... I am absolutely loving it, and listening to at least 2 episodes a week at the moment! I will add a link in a bit... Basically as soon as I get access to a laptop this morning! But if you can't wait, just search it on google, and you'll stumble upon a real treasure trove! Fascinating, inspiring, easy listening... I highly recommend!

WATCHED
The Durrells - I'm watching it on catch up as we missed the first few weeks, so I'm only one episode in, but loving it already - the quirky characters, the beautiful setting, the 1930s attire! I have just loved the constant flow of dramas this year!

WORE
Sockless shoes! Goodbye boots! I have packed them away for the summer, and it has been so lovely, this week, to actually get a little bit of sunshine! And oh, the joy of just slipping a pair of shoes on your feet as you head out the door - no boots to pull on, no jackets to do up, no scarves to tie! Bliss! It's literally halved our preparation time for getting everyone out the door in one piece!

MADE
A pretty little home for the girls... They haven't played in their Hütte much over the winter, and the place was a tip from copious play dates, so I pottered in there yesterday afternoon and gave the whole place a good springclean!

They were so thrilled when they went out... Beaming and cooking up a storm, and Jonas was excited to experience the "Hütte" for the first time! He was served lemonade, cups of tea, cakes, biscuits and was even allowed a go on the till! Utterly spoils by his sisters!

And lastly...

These two... They bicker like old biddies sometimes, but really? I think this picture is one of my favourites! My little ladies snuggled up on the sofa watching Pippi Longstocking!

Happy weekend everyone! I hope it's a good one!

If you'd like to follow along on Instagram, you can find us at @Clarina1985 !

May in Books // One for Them and One for Me

One for them:

George Speaks

Dick King Smith

Ahhhh... Readaloud time! My favourite time of the day, and this month we have kicked off with Ava's choice of "George Speaks" by Dick King Smith... I was rummaging through the attic last week and stumbled upon a rucksack full of books - my childhood favourites. This one ranks right up there! It's my very own copy from when I was a little girl, and such a joy to share this exact same book with them!

 "George Speaks" is the tale of little girl Laura and her baby brother George, a baby with a rather unusual gift. The story is so ridiculous and funny, and there were constant little giggles from the girls as I read it. There is so much in it that they, as big sisters, could relate to, though sadly, our own Jonas has yet to say anything beyond the realms of "mama" or "papa"! It's a fun-filled, short read (we read the whole thing in 3 sittings aloud to them) and one I highly, highly recommend!

And on to what I've been reading...

I'm going to be truthful, I've done very little reading of my own the past few weeks... Truth is, I've been up to my eyeballs in busyness, and also, I'm enjoying the girls books so much that I'm happily reading away in the children's classics and not too fussed about my own stuff! However, I did start the following book two days ago...

One for me:
What is a Family?
Edith Schaeffer

I've always been an Edith Schaeffer fan! I love some of her other books, and so this one really caught my eye! I'm literally about 10 pages in, so it's hard to say what I'm enjoying about it so far, but I just love her style, her creative outlook on life, and the way she celebrates home making and caring for children.

I'm looking forward to see what the rest of the book holds, but will have to keep you posted, though I will admit, the chapter headings have me a little bit excited!

Don't forget to stop by my co-hosts Carie and Katie, and also to link up what you've been reading! We'd love to encourage you to keep going and find some joy in that little love of ours; reading!

   

    An InLinkz Link-up

   

April in Books // One For Them And One For Me...

I am SOOOO late with this post it is officially ridiculous! Honestly, life is crazy right now. Lovely, but crazy... and I feel like the blog's on the back burner. I'm OK with that though - a time and a season for everything and all that, and I know this place will be resurrected properly as soon as things calm down a little.

We are just in super whirlwind mode with 60th birthdays, holidays, hen dos and weddings at the moment!

But however busy things get, there is one time of the day which I know will be calm and quiet and a haven from the action, and that is our read aloud time. Honestly, for us girls, I think its one of our favourite times of the day, and I have LOVED, literally loved watching my girlies play out all this lovely literature in their play. Last months book, The Railway Children, has featured in so much of their imaginative play and its been lovely to see. Of course, their trip on a real, live steam train last weekend only added to the fun!

And now we've started a new book adventure...

One For Them:
The Magic Faraway Tree
Enid Blyton

This month we've been loving the wonders of Enid Blyton's "The Magic Faraway Tree" (Our German copy: Der Wunderweltenbaum) and every night, as the girls snuggle down under their duvets, wide-eyed with anticipation, and as I've settled myself into the little armchair, cup of tea in hand (thank you David!), we've all been loving the adventures of Silky, Moonface, The Saucepan Man, and the four children - Jo, Fanny, Bessie and Dick. Each day, the children climb the Magic Faraway Tree to discover a new land in the clouds - so far we've enjoyed exploring the Land of Topsy Turvy, The Land of Dreams, The Land of Do-As-You-Please and the Land of Toys amongst others... and each night the girls are excited to find out where we'll be "going" next! As usual, the reading time is punctuated by questions... "what would you do in the land of Do-As-You-Please Mama?", "How are they going to rescue Saucepan Man?", and I'm learning that these questions are good explorations of the stories, rather than unwelcome interruptions (I'm always learning!) I never read this book as a child, so its been fun to read it for the first time with the children, and they have been loving it!

The illustrations are particularly cute in our copy too, and perfectly spaced out with one illustration per chapter... its the first thing the girls say when I close a chapter; "Can we see the picture now Mama?!"

One For Me:
Simplicity Parenting
Kim John Payne

I have been tackling the epic "Simplicity Parenting" and highlighting and underlining like there's no tomorrow. This book speaks into our busy culture and challenges us to slow down the pace and simplify for the sake of our children. It's an interesting mix of psychology, case studies and common sense, and considering the topic, is surprisingly readable...

I have really enjoyed this book so far (I haven't yet finished, so can't give a full review), so I'm going to let it speak for itself...

Some favourite quotes...
"To have moments of calm - creative or restful - is a form of deep sustenance for human beings of all ages. Relationships are often built in these pauses, in the incidental moments, when nothing much is going on."

"We're all living too big lives, crammed from top to toe with activities, urgencies, and obligations that seem absolute. There's no time to take a breath, no time to look for the source of the problem" (quoted from Sarah Susanka, "The Not So Big Life"

"Little ones "graze" on our emotions. They feed on the tone we set, the emotional climate we create"

"Time in nature calms and focuses; for most children, it takes only a few minutes for them to begin to explore. Watch as they seek out places that feel particularly right to them, as they gather symbolic objects - leaves, sticks, bits of moss - that they discover. You can't manipulate nature, it must be delved into; its a vibrant but neutral canvas onto which a child can pour their creativity"

Good, isn't it?!

Don't forget you can link up your book-love this month in the linky below! Carie, Katie and myself will be doing the rounds!

   

    An InLinkz Link-up