Merrymoot, End of Term Party with Tails (2013-07-15)

On a very hot evening it was nice to hold the session in the Willow Dome and the shade of the big trees in the playground.

We held the Merrymoot in the curve of a playground bench.

First was Magnus and Nia, with the now traditional Loud shout of Quannong competition, complete with silly names for the contestants and the compère winning!

Jago showed us his Diabolo skills.

Dylan and Ivo showed Karate.

Flora played Frere Jaques on the clarinet.

We saw a sun bow (if it is on wikipedia it must be true).

We sang Blue Lake and Rocky Shore.

Pip showed Wrestling Monkey.

Tessa played When the Saints come marching in on the recorder.

We sang Come on Down to the Front of the Bus.

Millie-Maye led us in singing a song she had made up to celebrate her mum making Flapjacks because she likes them so much (to the tune of Black Socks)

Flapjacks they never get eaten
The longer you leave them the better they get
Sometimes I think I should eat them right now
Something keeps telling me
Don't eat them yet!
Not yet, not yet, not yet.

We went inside to hear Molly play Five little spotted frogs and Xanthe play Rag Mobile.

We then played Tails outside before having our party food.

We held our closing circle.

Leaders: Tim, Tegan, Debbie, Rana
Helpers: Richard, Zoe, Louise
Elfins: 26

Trails on Shotover (2013-07-08)

Whilst we all arrived we played in the new mown hay. There was a nice breeze above the stuffy city.

Pip suggested that we play Coloured animals for our circle turns: I am a green ferret called Tim and then a biscuit.

We planned to walk to the sandpit, back up and then play tails however we did not have enough time left, hence the change in the name of this post.

We walked through the wood.

We played in the trees at the sand pit.

Louise had brought some home made cake which we shared, by numbers.

We all got into a tree.

We walked back and held a final circle.

Leaders: Tim, Tegan, Rana
Helpers: Louise, Zoe, Brian, Kiara, Ruth
Elfins: 18
Woodchips: 1

Games and Singing (2013-07-01)

We played Dead Ants until everyone had arrived.

We had a circle, with raisins to chase the speakers. Dylan had watched his dad's band, Michael has a birthday this week, Hazel, Tegan, Molly, Richard, Tim Jo and Ivo went to District Camp, Lena is going to a splash park, Pip had found a screw, Katie has got her two boy rabbits, Flora is looking forwards to the end of term in three weeks, Nia and Magnus have written a rude story, Jay went to the White Horse, Jago went to Brighton, Iona is looking forwards to being looked after by her dad on her own, Xanthe is in the Elves and the Shoemaker at the Pegasus (as is Jago), Izzy is going to a splash park, Ivo had his first wobbly tooth on camp, Tim made the fire at District Camp.

We played snakes in the pit, there were a few minor accidents so the injured stood out and took photos, too many to post all here.

We then sang songs: Charlie was a pigeon led by Flora and Katie, Axes led by Jo, She'll be riding six white horses led by Tegan and Red River Valley, in a welsh accent and We are the Woodcraft Folk to cheer everyone up again.

We ended with our Circle Song.

Leaders: Tim, Tegan
Helpers: Richard, Elizabet
Elfins: 19

District Camp 2013

We had a good turn out from Iffley Fields; seven adults: Tim, Debbie, Rana, Liz, Richard, Louise and Zoe; thirteen children. Tegan came for Sunday.

The weather improved from dizzle and showers when we arrived to blistering hot on Saturday afternoon.

All tents were pitched in time for the first Circle, followed by hot chocolate.

On Saturday morning we went on a walk.

At the end of the walk we found a Palmate Newt and a Common Toad.

I spent the afternoon preparing the Merrymoot space and building the fire. I got a lot of help and supervised the making of some wands and miniature broomsticks. The sun was very strong so it was nice to be near the trees.

The Merrymoot was great, some great performances superbly compered.

The fire was lit by Heather and someone from each group brought greetings and put a stick on the fire.

We sang songs and were joined by the cubs and scouts. They taught us Charlie was a pigeon.

We had hot chocolate around the fire and then went to bed.

On Sunday we got up less early and started to pack.

The Wide Game

It was explained to us that to enter story land we had to have a magic facepaint.

The fairy godmother had need of a magic spoon which had been lost in the magic cold porridge.

Little Red Ridinghood needed us to play Grandmother's footsteps.

but the wolf came and chased us anyway.

We arrived at the three little pigs house, where, sadly, my camera battery ran out.

We made a house of Elfin Bonds, the strongest material , and the fierce wolf could not break it down.

We encountered a beautiful mermaid, a troll, rumplestiltskin and a surprising dwarf.

We finished packing, had lunch in time for final circle and pickup.