Found Fairytale Friday - Helios and Clytie (and Heliotropic Flowers)
Have you ever noticed that some flowers seem to turn towards the sun as they grow? If you have ever grown a flower on your windowsill, you might have observed that the flower tends to grow towards the light (and you might find yourself giving the pot a turn every so often). Many flowers and plants are 'phototropic': they grow towards the sun.
But did you know that there are some flowers that actually turn their heads towards the sun during the day, and follow the sunās trajectory through the sky? These are known as 'heliotropic' flowers.
In Issue 10: Sun, we include the story of Helios and Clytie.
Clytie is a sea nymph, who is only allowed on land for a few moments each day. But during these moments, she falls in love with Helios, the sun god, who travels across the sky.
She is so desperate for Helios to notice her, that she stands on a rock for nine days, simply looking towards Helios. A sea nymph cannot survive out of water, and eventually her feet grow roots, and her skin is hardened by the sun, and she turns into a flower. In the original story, it is though that Clytie turns into a purple flower called a 'heliotrope' but over time the story changed and depicted Clytie turning into a sunflower.
Dai OāBrien, Associate Professor in British Sign Language and Deaf Studies Programme Lead at @yorkstjohn university kindly created another beautiful visual interpretation of the story in BSL 'visual vernacular.' We hope you enjoy it. Try watching before finding the written story in the comments.
PS. We have started to include a letter to parents in our magazine. In this letter, we include some thinking points about the traditional stories use. Where the story of Helios and Clytie is concerned, we wondered if it would make any difference if Helios was female and Clytie was male? We include this letter as a jumping off point for parents to think about how they want to present the stories we i
Found Fairytale Friday - Floating on AirNext Thursday we celebrate Ascension day in the @eskvalleycamphill. This usually involves a big community picnic, followed by getting up to high ground and doing a spot of cloud watching.To get into the mood of this festival which is so connected to the element of air, we played with some simple tissue paper parachutes. Simply get a square of tissue. Make a small hole in each corner. Take four pieces of thread at the same length and thread through the hole, securing with tape. Bring the unsecured ends together and tie. Then use a bit of plasticine as a weight (you can simply squish a blob around the tied ends). Get somewhere high (you donāt have to climb a tree!) and let the parachute go! #simple #slowliving #natureplay #simplepleasures #play #craft #kidscraft #stem #stemeducation #air #woohoo #joy #waldorfinspired #montessori #alternativeliving #ecofriendly #ecokids #learn #imagine #create #consciousparent
Found Fairytale Friday - The Magic of April Foolās Day (and Happy Birthday to Seonaidh - sheās nobodyās fool!)
Have you ever wondered why people play tricks on April Fools Day? According to some sources, it is related to the time when the calendar switched from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar. In the Julian calendar, the new year began with the spring equinox around 1st April, and those that continued to celebrate new year during this time after the switch became the butt of othersā jokes.
Iāve been wondering this week if playing pranks on children (or encouraging them to do so on others) is ever harmless if it involves deception of some kind. Can we encourage children not to lie on the one hand and then model the opposite, even if it is in the name of fun? Maybe itās good to think of tricks of a different nature, ones that make children feel a sense of wonder instead of feeling gullible or stupid.
When my partner happened to see me filming this 'appearing ink' trick, he was actually impressed! He wanted to know how it worked. Itās really easy (but donāt tell him): simply paint a picture or words with lemon juice onto paper, let it dry (so you can no longer see the juice), then place it close to a heat source, like a candle, being EXTRA careful not to set the paper alight. The lemon juice turns brown and the message is revealed!
Today itās Seonaidhās birthday. Co-creator of A Year and a Day Magazine, sheās someone who firmly has their head screwed on. Itās hard to believe someone so young could be so wise (and clever, and talented and beautiful, inside and out). In todayās world it is all too easy to be taken in by fakery in so many forms, and by trying to be something weāre not. One thing I always admire about Seonaidh is her ability to be fully who she is, and to own it. Happy birthday, dear Seonaidh!
Found Fairytale Friday - Equinox (and a sense of equilibrium)
When the spring equinox happened this week, I realised I didnāt really appreciate the meaning of it - 'equi' (equal), and 'nox' (night), the equinox is the day when the length of the day and night is exactly the same (well, almost exactly!). Itās a time of equilibrium of light and darkness. Evidence suggests that humans have found ways to mark the equinox since the neolithic period. Just look at how many people flock to 5000 year old Stone Henge on the equinox to watch the sun rise.
I had a bit of a realisation this week. I love this time of year. It really feels like winter is behind us and all potential life is stirring in the earth, ready to blossom. I imagine long days in the garden, the sun warming me after the damp and cold of winter. But now I also wonder if my love of early spring is actually to do with a sense of balance. Balance between death and life, between light and dark, between what has been and what is to come.
We hear so often that balance is 'hard to find' in our busy lives. But this week, I heard a phrase that I found really helpful. It was something like this: balance isnāt about reaching for something, or 'trying to find' something, itās about coming home to yourself and the innate balance that exists inside you. (I attribute this to @adrienelouise as Iāve been following her āHomeā 30 day yoga journey).
I really like this idea. Finding balance can be in the simple act of getting back in touch with yourself each day. Forgetting the phone, the emails, the washing up, the cleaning and giving yourself five minutes to just be. I find doing this 'being' in the natural world easier to achieve.
This week we experimented with making a candle seesaw. Itās an interesting experiment that got my children wondering about the nature of balance. Simply shave off the 'blunt' end of a candle to expose the wick. Get a paperclip and straighten it, then heat up the end and insert
The Snowdrop - A version of a story in visual vernacular.
The snowdrops here are really at their peak now, even though they are getting a good battering by the wind.
Our friend Dai at @yorkstjohn is responsible for showing us the British Sign language signs for key words in our magazine. He very kindly created for us a beautiful visual interpretation of the story of The Snowdrop (you can find this in Issue 8: Snow).
Dai explained that this interpretation veers towards VV, or visual vernacular. In Daiās words:
'VV is an art form in which a lot of the lexical items are dropped from how you sign so it becomes much more visual, more like creating images in the air with your hands, body and face. VV is often much more accessible for people who donāt sign than a pure BSL translation.'
We were going to add subtitles and imagery to this video, but the more we watched it we felt that it really stood as a piece of art and expression in its own right. You can find a pdf version of the story on our website and the link is in our bio.
Thank you, Dai!
Dai is Associate professor in British Sign Language and Deaf Studies Programme Lead at York St John University.
https://www.ayearandaday.co.uk/issue-8-snow
āļøāSnowā, āsnowflakeā, āsnowballā, āsnowmanā and āsnowdropā in British Sign Language āļø
At this time of year in North Yorkshire it seems like we can feel spring in the air. Then, all of a sudden, we have a kind of second winter and get some snow!
Our friend Dai from @yorkstjohn university has kindly shown us some snowy British Sign Language signs. We had a lot of fun learning these at home! If you practise the signs at home and fancy sending us a little film weād love to share it! Or tag us in your post.
Dr Dai OāBrien is Associate Professor in British Sign Language and Deaf Studies Programme Lead at York St John University.
#britishsignlanguage #signlanguage #language #languagelearning #communication #inclusion #snow #snowdrop #waldorfinspired #waldorfparenting #waldorfeducation #homeeducation #homeschool #montessori #charlottemason #forestschool #primaryteacher #childrensbooks #beautifulbooks #raisingreaders #naturejournal #natureplay #naturelovers #learning #learningthroughplay #craft #naturecraft
Dai OāBrien shows us the British Sign Language signs for āHedgehogā, āRoseā, āRosehipā and āBlackberryā.
Can you sign along at home? If you can, and youāre happy to film you and your children singing along, weād love for you to share with us!
Dr Dai OāBrien is Associate Professor and Programme Lead in BSL, Deaf Studies and Linguistics at @yorkstjohn. Thank you for teaching us these new BSL signs!
#britishsignlanguage #signlanguage #inclusion #communication #languagelearning #languagelearningforkids #waldorf #waldorfeducation #homeeducation #montessori #primaryeducation #earlyyearseducation #learningthroughplay #learningathome #learnsignlanguage #hedgehog #autumn #magazine #kidsmagazine #childrensbooks #beautifulbooks #naturalparenting #ecoconscious #raisingreaders
Found Fairytale Friday - A black currant tie-dye and a tale of banned black currants
Weāve been making a gorgeous purple-pink dye from black currants this week, trying out a few tie-dying techniques. (See comments for how to make the dye). Weāve been really inspired by the beautiful @rebeccadesnos account. Check it out!
The flavour of black currants is one our culture knows well. Although apparently they are only truly native to Yorkshire and the Lake District, they are an easy to grow fruit, rich in vitamin C - one reason that their cultivation was encouraged during World War II. The popularity of well-known black currant cordials may also partly be due to the traditional use of black currants as an elixir for cold-prevention. I even read a lovely account of someone remembering their grandmother keeping hot water mixed with a blob of black currant jam on the stove all winter long, and grandchildren arriving at the house were made to drink a cup of this black currant ātea.ā
Iām sure at one point in our lives weāve all had a glass of black currant cordial. So imagine never having experienced the taste of a black currant. Black currants were once popular in the US until their growing was banned in the early 1900s. The black currant was a vector of a white pine bluster rust and therefore posed a threat to the logging industry. It wasnāt until one hundred years later that this ban began to be lifted, and the black currant is starting to make a comeback stateside.
One of my favourite forms of black currant is as Cassis, the sweet and aromatic French liqueur. It was first made by French monks in the 16th Century and was used as a cure for both snakebites and āwretchedness.ā Anytime Iāve indulged in a little cassis, I do feel a certain wretchedness ebbing away.
#tie-dye #naturaldye #dyeing #plantdye #naturecrafts #naturecraftsforkids #naturegram #plantbased #plantsofinstagram #blackcurrant #harvest #childhoodunplugged #waldorf #waldorfeducatio
British Sign Language with Dai OāBrien. For our summer issue, Issue 6: Bees, Dai has shown us the signs for bee, honey, pollen, flower and beehive. Thank you Dai, we love learning BSL signs!
Dai OāBrien is senior lecturer in BSL and Deaf Studies at York St John university @yorkstjohn
#britishsignlanguage #signlanguage #languagelearning #communication #inclusion #learningathome #learningthroughplay #invitationtolearn #waldorf #waldorfhomeeducation #waldorfeducation #waldorfinspired #montessori #montessoriinspired #homeeducation #homeschool #childrensbooks #beautifulbooks #raisingreaders #childrensactivities #magazine #kidsmagazine #fairytale #folktale #stories #craft #childrenscrafts #naturecrafts
Very excited to give you a sneak preview of the new magazine... you can order yours now at www.ayearandaday.co.uk
The Cuckoo
Cuckoo, cuckoo!
In May his song was true,
And the world was new
For me and you.
In May
He sings all day,
All the long night thatās sweet with hay.
O, Love!
Blithe was the May, blithe was the May!
Cuckoo song in āBallads and Lyricsā (1891) by Katharine Tynan
We were really excited to hear the first cuckoo a few days ago. For many people itās simply a sound associated with spring as it moves into summer, or jolly little cuckoo clocks, or the image of a fat bird imposter, nudging a few eggs out of a nest not its own.
But in different cultures the sound means different things, as I discovered via the wonderful @folklorethursday website:
* In Scotland, France and Germany: itās bad luck to hear a cuckoo before breakfast.
* In Germany, the sound of a cuckoo during a meal signified a year of hunger to come.
* In Denmark, on hearing the first cuckoo of spring, women would ask the bird, āWhen shall I marry?ā. Each call in response represented one year.
* In Norway, if a cuckoo is calling from the west it will grant your wishes, but if heard to the north it is a ādeath cuckooā.
Thereās more information about cuckoo folklore on their website.
There seems to be a connection too between the cuckoo and the fairy world. In the 15th Century verse story, 'King Berdok,' by William Dunbar, the king falls in love with the daughter of the king of fairies, and he affectionately calls her the 'golk' (cuckoo) of fairy land. The Frances Brown story 'The Cuckoo and the Merry Tree' also bestows magical powers on the cuckoo, who brings leaves from a laurel tree at the worldās end every spring.
The beautiful ballad by Katherine Tynan (which I have put in full in the comments), sets out a different meaning for the cuckoo, one very much connected to love and loss.
What does the cuckoo sound mean to you? Let us know in the comments below.
Koinobori Flag Flying
Playing with air. Find out how to make a koinobori style flag over in our friends group:
@friendsyearandday
www.facebook.com/groups/friendsyearandday
Lately weāve been moving through seasons in one day. Wind, sun, snow, rain - it feels like the elements are jostling with one another for attention. Moving into Ascension, creating objects that play join in the play of these elemental forces seems appropriate. And thereās something so calming about kite flying, or in this case, a koinobori inspired flag. We made these in anticipation of our Ascension day celebration in the Esk Valley Camphill Community. Go to our group to find out how to do it!
#air #elements #waldorfinspired #waldorf #nature #waldorfcraft #forestschoolideas #forestschool #craft #montessoriathome #raisingreaders #beautifulbooks
š·Happy May Day everyone! š·Hope youāve been up gathering the dew this morning! Please join us at the @outdoormumsuk May Day festival. Itās being streamed over on their page all through the day. Our slot is at 6pm and includes games, songs and an original May Day story based on an old legend that is written in the stars, including some beautiful illustrations by our very own Christine Reid. Photography by @fionnreid
#mayday #beltane #festival #kidsfestival #festivalvibes #waldorfinspired #waldorfcraft #waldorfhome #montessoriinspired #montessori #forestschool #forestschoolideas #homeschooling #homeeducation #homeeducator #nature #naturechild #wildlings #freerangekids #storytelling #storytime #raisingreaders #invitationtoplay #invitationtolearn #naturalplay #folklore #fairytale #wildflowers #northyorkmoors
Can you spot the fairies hiding behind the trees? We had such fun yesterday doing some filming for our slot in the @outdoormumsuk online festival. If you want to see more, tune into the festival on 1st May. Our slot is at 6.30pm - the fireside evening circle. You can find more info on the @outdoormumsuk Instagram and Facebook feeds.
#fairy #festival #festivalseason #may #celebration #folklore #mythology #legend #onlineactivities #waldorf #waldorfinspired #waldorfhome #montessori #montessoriathome #montessoriinspired #forestschoolideas #forestschool #nature #forest #trees #family #childhoodunplugged #childhood #consciousliving #consciousparent #kidsart #beautifulbooks #outdoorcrafts #draw #explore
Springing into Monday like...
#spring #springsports #farmlife #barn #cowsofinstagram #waldorf #waldorfinspired #waldorfathome #headhearthands #activekids #physicaleducation #olympictraining #hurdles
āMagic Fairyā in British Sign Language. Bring a bit of magic to your Sunday!
We absolutely love the BSL sign for āmagic fairyā - we keep watching it and feel full of the joys of spring each time we do. Weād love to hear from you if youāre learning these signs as we post them or if you use British Sign Language at home. Happy Sunday!
Thank you again to Dai OāBrien at York St John University @yorkstjohn
#britishsignlanguage #languagelearning #communication #waldorf #waldorfinspired #waldorfeducation #waldorfhome #fairytale #storiesforkids #booksforkids #magazine #inclusion
āAppleā in British Sign Language
If you have our āStarsā winter issue, youāll know that apples also feature in the magazine (and the stars hidden inside them). Hereās Dai OāBrien, senior lecturer in BSL and Deaf Studies @yorkstjohn, showing us the British Sign Language sign for āAppleā, and āApple Redā and āApple Greenā. The adjective usually comes after the noun is BSL.
@britishsignlanguage_
#bsl #languagelearning #language #primarylanguages #homelearning #homeeducation #learningathome #learnsomethingnew #waldorfinspired #waldorfeducation #magazine #subscribe
āļø Snow glitter! The eco friendly alternative to plastic glitter! āļø
#ecofriendly #ecoart #outsideisfree #outdooradventures #freerangekids #waldorf #waldorfinspired #forestschool #homeeducation
Video credit: @this1930sproject
![[TW: alcohol consumption] Hereās one for the adultsā¦Confession: I am not a jam maker. My jam always turns outā¦ funny. Wh...](https://img4.medioq.com/328/757/821791503287571.jpg)
