We returned to our magis spots to start the session and noticed lots of difference – lots more flowers, greenery, bees and insects. It really feels like our woodland is alive with such luscious green colours.
We then heard to story of the Elder mother; the Elder Mother is thought to be the guardian of the elder trees, and it was said, until recent times in various parts of England and Scandinavia, that to take wood from the elder tree one would have to ask the Elder Mother first, or else ill luck would befall the person taking wood. That is exactly what happened to the 3 sons in the story – they took some elder to make a whistle without seeking permission first. Then we went into the woods to identify different trees but keeping a very close eye out for some elder. We managed to find 2 elder trees.
After talking through how to make an elder pencil, it was time to gather some thin hazel to turn into charcoal for the lead for the pencil. We use both the loppers and secateurs for this. The thin hazel was put inside a metal syrup tin with a hole in the top and was then put on the fire. This was then left on the fire for the rest of the session.
After cutting some elder (asking permission first after hearing of the folklore) , we whittled the end to a point and made some intricate designs using the butter knives.
We then dug out the soft pith from the middle of the elder to make room for our lead – the charcoal. By the end of the afternoon, the charcoal was ready and then the pencils were completed. Here is the finished product!
There were lots of other fun, creative and interactive activities going on all afternoon. The activities encouraged team building, social interaction, developed physical skills, build resilience and also helped us learn about our natural world around us and how to care for it. The tadpole numbers are down a bit and we are hoping that is because they have swum deeper as froglets – the stage between a tadpole and an adult frog when they have legs but still have a tail. Tadpoles, once hatched, take about 14 weeks to transform into tiny frogs.
Today was Nia’s last day with us. She has been a dedicated volunteer at Forest School since September but has a very busy time coming up involving revision, exams, travelling and then off to university. She really has been a wonderful help and we will all miss her but wish her the best of luck. Thank you, Nia!