The Fence

Melilla Border Fence Photo Gallery

The Fence

The wall was long and high
10 meters and more
Doubled, then tripled; a dusty moat in places where the city edged too close
Separation, held apart
Families, sisters, aunts, brothers in arms

Most of the world unaware of this country within a country
Not nearly so famous as the Berlin wall, but with a story; intriguing should one know, or bother to read about it
Colonial history
Human walls, built to keep people in, built to keep people out

When will we learn?



The Melilla Wall surrounds Melilla a piece of Spain in North Africa. The Ceuta Border Fence and its razor wire encircles Ceuta, another piece of colonial Spain in Africa. I am fascinated that I knew nothing about these fences until I read the intriguing novel A Handful of Honey, by Annie Hawes - an entertaining read by the way if you like armchair travel!

prompt: fence

Again thanks for the triggering our imagination,
check out other Fences this week at Theme Thursday!

Dragon Bread

Infinity Dragon by T Moore age 13

Dragon Bread

1 c water or milk
1 Tbsp honey
2 tsp yeast
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 c white flour
1 1/2 c spelt flour (or any whole grain)
beaten egg plus water

Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Warm water to wrist temp and add honey
Add yeast and allow to flower (bubbles - about 5 mins)
Mix salt and flours
Add oil to yeast mixture and to flour mixture
On well floured surface knead - add flour as necessary
Form ball and rub with a little olive oil
Place in bowl and cover with tea towel
Leave in warm place to rise 30 min (to about double)
Shape as dragon
Decorate with beans, dry fruit, pumpkin seeds etc
Brush with a beaten egg for crust colour
Bake 20 minutes at 400 degrees


Of course any recipe works, but this recipe is single rise and really easy! The fun is is the building of the dragon! Our children love any excuse to make bread!

Warren Lee Cohen in Baking Bread with Children suggests that bread baking provides life lessons; work, alchemy, nurturing, waiting, kneading, watching, magic!

"Home is where the hearth is and few foods remind one of this more than fresh baked bread. Common wisdom says if you want to give guest a warm welcome, bake bread before they arrive."

"Let us sing with joy as we work
Let us work with joy as we sing"

traditional Hebrew

Baby Pig-Dragon by C Moore age 10


We will share some other easy festive bread recipes
in future as he seasons turn.

Now all we need to do is convince dad to build us a bread oven in the yard! Oh what a fun project that would be!

More on Michaelmas

left in our Wonder Book one knight by the Elvin folk
(more on that another day!)

"In autumn Saint Michael with sword and with shield,
passes over meadow and orchard and field.
He's on the path to battle against darkness and strife.
He is the heavenly warrior, protector of life."

we got this years ago from preschool - author unknown to us

Dragon's Head by T Moore age 13

Good vs Evil by T Moore age 13

We are still considering the upcoming celebration of Michael - Michaelmas (see previous post for more) drawing dragons and knights while considering on our own personal strength,
courage and goodness and will.

..and yes we will still be making dragon bread this week,
Michaelmas is September 29th so we have time..
watch for it and join us for a slice!

more Dragon Practice by me

and more..


We see in St. Michael the knight in shining armour that we can be,
the absolute of good over evil.


..and yes we will still be making dragon bread this week,
Michaelmas is September 29th so we have time..
watch for it and join us for a slice!

The 3 Requirements for Making a Wand by C Moore age 10


This is not a sword but my daughter's wand!
She was so excited about her story to post for the Practical Magic Blog Party yesterday (and it is a sweet story of the wand her grandfather made her) that she is posting her wand once again and asking if you might like to read (if you haven't already) the true story below or click here.


Many thanks to all who participate in Sunday Sketches and inspire us to continue to doodle away some hours together!

Practical Magic Blogparty 2010

How to Make a Magic Wand

When making a Magical Wand there
are 3 requirements:

1) The wand must be made of 3 types of wood, 3 being a magic number.

* Wood must maintain it original characteristics in the finished wand so the wand remembers the spirits of the forest and tree from whence it came, and so that this spirit remains strong in the wand.

- to meet this requirement Granddad used wood from a big-leaf maple for the blade of the wand. This maple, with the help of the wind , arranged that it fall exactly where Granddad would find it.

* The wand must use one wood from an exotic land and of exotic colour so that the wand has knowledge of wonderful places and things.

- to meet this requirement Granddad made the handle of the wand from amaranth, a tropical flowering tree from South America. Amaranth is purple, the colour of royalty.

* One wood must be from a place where a miracle occurred, so that the wand has a prior experience with magic.

- to meet this requirement Granddad made the hilt of the wand from Oak which was part of the floor of the room in which our daughter was born. At the time Granddad did not know why he saved the wood, but he does now.

2) Between magic use, the wand must be kept in a cloth bag made especially for it. The cloth must be soft, warm and green, this protects its exotic colour and helps the wand remember the forest from which it came, and thus renew itself.

- Nana made a bag for this wand from a soft piece of green cloth from one of our daughter's baby clothes.

3) The Magic Wand and its bag must be made by someone who loves the Witch or Magician very much.

- our daughter's wand was made for her on her 10th birthday by her Granddad, the bag by her Nana, so it meets this requirement without question!

owl, spell book, magic treats, alter photo
and wand sketch by C Moore age 10

Many thanks to Granddad and Nana for making this wand!



Check out more Practical Magic here!

The Bear

We haven't yet seen the bear, but we know she's been here..

the scat on the lawn; filled with blueberries

the black course fur she left in our neighbour's paddling pool;
the pool slightly crumpled - a new shape

the perogie bag roughly wrenched, stolen from the neighbour's patio fridge, door left hanging

the bag in tatters, shredded and holed - hangs, way too high on the fence post,

I stretched to reach it, laughed, one soggy perogie left..

she'll be back.

written together at breakfast by myself and my daughter age 10

(This is a true story)


Prompt: Stretch

Again so much fun, thanks to Brian and Megan
of Theme Thursday for hosting!

Pandora's Box / Πιθος Πανδώρα

Reveal

Pandora's box
of fools gold
our deepest, darkest, secrets hold

naive beauty
woman's grief
verdant garden, sister, Eve

Demeter, Mary
divine bastille
paradise lost, judgment revealed

by Lenora September 2010

I am fascinated with stories that appear and reappear throughout history, with no concern for border, century or denomination. The lesson of Pandora / the story of Eve. Demeter and Persephone / Mary and Jesus. Each account different. Each truth the same.

As a woman I wonder at the burden of grief history places squarely upon our shoulders as if somehow we are responsible for the sins of all mankind. The suggestion that beauty and allure are evil, the womb incumbent of the mystery of creation.


This is a lot fun - many thanks to
Brian and Megan of Theme Thursday!

Though we will not be able to do this weekly,
we will approach it whenever we can make the time!

Michaelmas

With September comes Michaelmas. Michaelmas celebrates the story of St Michael and reminds us of our personal strength.

Courage by T Moore age 13


Knights, swords, dragons..
First in a season of celebrations, and symbol of courage to do right.

Honour by me (hmm, looks suspiciously like my husband :-)


As the days darken we turn inward to our own personal light.

Sir Foggie by C Moore age 10

This is the beginning of a wonderful time of year for families. Cozy reading by the fire. Candles and lanterns. The excitement of coming festivals. Hot chocolate. Harvest foods. Baking.

"I have a cape of golden light
to give me courage, strength and might"
~author unknown to me~

One of our favorite times of year - watch for our Dragon Bread!

Halloween Party Oct 16 2010

Spread the word
we just love Halloween!

Meet you in the Graveyard!

Owl Tutorial - Hoot Hoot!

Pigwidgeon by C Moore age 10

Our daughter has been creating owls for years, ever since her brother had to make an owl in grade 4. Look around the house, we are all artists and an artist can make an owl out of anything as our children repeatedly demonstrate!

For this owl you will need:

feathers
air dry clay
fleece
paint
a paperclip
a pipe cleaner.

Glue and paint some feathers together
using acrylic or other paint to create wings,

and a tail..

Needle felt a fairly stiff body from sheep fleece and then paint. The paint will make it more sturdy too. Glue wings and tail to body.

Make a ball from your air dry clay. Add 2 smaller balls of clay for eyes and poke in a paperclip where the beak will be. Add a clay beak above the paper clip. Air dry clay glue on some feather bits dry and paint.

Cut your pipe cleaner in half and shape into 2 feet. Paint feet.

Glue feet and heard to body. Ta Da! For any grade 4's who need other ideas we will be psoting other owls my daughter has made in future!

Enjoy!

September Beginnings

my doodles are Mothers, Daughters, Sisters..

We have all finally started out sketch books
for The Sketch Book Project! Yippee!

Homosapien by T Moore age 13

Maybe we should have saved this one for Halloween but it was this sketched this week, of course the children are already non stop about Halloween and I am all too happy to join in!

Patchwork but do you see the frogs legs? C Moore age 10


If you care to join the fun check out the Sketch Book Project button on our side bar. There are also more sketches at Sunday Sketches hosted by Sophia.. so click on over and check them out!

Backyard Harvest

September harvest, have a peek..

in our garden..

What have you found?

Lunch!

Little Frog

Merriman 2010 by C Moore age 10

On the log,
little frog,
Singing, chirping,
poly-wog

poem and Hawaiian Frog by T Moore age 13

Sometimes life gets in the way, as it has for me this week..
however, my children have sat together and sketched..
their theme; Hawaiian frogs. Poem by my son, age 13.


Please enjoy checking out the other sketches at Blue Chair Diary, here you will find a variety of interpretations and styles, and a lot of talent! Many thanks to Sophie for all she does! Also, if you haven't already have a look at the Sketchbook project listed on our sidebar and at Blue Chair Diary - interested, there's still time, check it out!