branch border

spring is here and it has been quite warm already! we have been digging in the earth at school and planning some extensive playground improvements. we had a parent work day this past week and will have another this coming weekend. one of the projects we completed recently was this lovely flower bed.
some of these bulbs were already here when we first moved in. some we have planted over the past couple of years. they spring right to life when the weather begins to shift despite the fact that they are rooted in firm red clay. i have wanted to give this bed a proper border for some time now.
one of our dad's built mini sawhorses and came to class to saw some maple branches with the children to get us started. there wasn't enough though and i squealed with delight when i found the perfect branches to complete the project on the side of the road in someone's discarded brush pile. i am not sure what kind they are (a type of birch??) but the bark is so, so smooth. matt came over and sawed them down to size for us (thank you doug and matt!!).
some mamas brought some grape hyacinths and some blooming ground cover to add to the bed and put some sweat equity into the project. a few of the children (including my own, given the many hours we spent here over the course of two days) enjoyed helping out, too.

to make the border sturdy took some serious work but the end result is charming. we dug a trench to embed the branch pieces, pounded them in with a mallet, pounded the mud back in on both sides, and then pounded some more! there is almost the same amount of each branch under the soil as there is sticking out. i added some clay soil conditioner in as mulch and to help break that clay down.
of course a sweet little gnome and fairy moved in right away! this colorful little gnome i found at the thrift store a few weeks ago and i was just itching to get this bed done so that he could find his new home. today was our first day back in class since he arrived and it was so fun to watch the children discover him and go over to greet him. ;)
this border mimics the sandbox on the other side of the playground. soon we will have more of the larger ones throughout the yard for walking and balancing on!

dandy back to school

we returned to school this past week. what a week it was! we have a vibrant and energetic group this year!

there has been a bit of shifting in the program. one more area of my life where i am learning to *let go*. when joy and i co-founded dandelion hill last year, we shared responsibilities 50/50. we had a partnership in the business and we were co-teachers in the classroom.

when she decided to leave dandy, i was not up for finding another person to fill that same role. i opted to take on the role of director, handling all of the administrative tasks and to hire a lead teacher. having young children of my own, i have energy for only so much else and i did not feel that i could take on both at this time. rather than hire an assistant as i had once planned, i decided to remain in the classroom as the assistant myself.
enter ms jessica. she is a delightful young lady and i am thrilled to have her leading the classroom! she has such enthusiasm and passion and has brought with her an inspiring energy that we needed. she does not have children of her own (yet) and i find that to be a bonus honestly. it can be exhausting to work with children this age when you are with this age group 24 hours a day (ask me how i know).

part of our original mission for dandy was to have a place for teachers to grow. providing continuing education funds is a priority for us as well as giving teachers (like ourselves), working toward their waldorf certification, an environment to continue their work in. i am excited for jessica as this is an excellent opportunity for her growth as a teacher.

it has been interesting to step back from classroom management and let her take the reigns. especially considering that this program is one of my babies. i am able to do this because i feel completely confident in her abilities. we are adjusting. learning our new roles (she was previously an assistant herself). it is an interesting relationship in that i am both director and classroom assistant and we are but a two woman operation.
this sandbox was a new addition to our classroom this year. jessica acquired the stumps for us and split them. matt and another dandy dad dug them in and unloaded a truckload of sand (thanks matt and doug!!). it has been a tremendous hit!! all summer i have been collecting *toys* for the sandbox from various yard sales and thrift stores. they are all metal and consist of enamel cups, vintage funnels, mesh strainers, slotted spoons, various buckets and containers, and shovels.
i love to see them engaged in play here. this is but the first step in bringing some more natural elements to our outdoor space. much more to come!
jessica has such a sweet and tender way with the children. we are all blessed to have her and i am so excited about the upcoming year!i was actually there, too, making silly faces apparently! ;)

joy and i see each other regularly as she is now teaching at sienna's new school and our daughter's are in the same class. interestingly enough, she became an assistant this year, too.

speaking of sienna's school, in case you are wondering, we have not made any firm decision yet. i am leaning toward keeping her in first though still not feeling 100%. this is one of those parenting decisions that feels like you can never be sure of the answer. you just have to make a leap with what you think will be the best for your child and hope it works out favorably. i'm pretty sure those kind of tough decisions we parents continue to face aren't ever going to stop, are they? ;)

here's to new beginnings, embracing change, and learning to let go!