Woods, websites, wigwams and wierd fruit...

This is Will striding off to find the den they had built on a previous visit...he knew exactly where he was going. He is so confident in the woods. So very at home. This was a boys only woods visit as I was at work, so there are very few photos actually fit for public viewing!!!! Rob bought a rabbit from the farm shop to take with them for an authentic survival feel, along with a few sausages as back up! There are lots of photos of Jonathan skinning and gutting the rabbit, with a close up of the insides; a few of the rabbit, beautifully skinned, and the skin hanging up in a tree awaiting cooking by master chef Tom; a delightful one of Jonathan's finger with a slice taken off the top and various silly faces and poses.
This is Will loading his bow ready for action....

And this is David taking aim with the catapault at a pre fabricated papermache target. Apparently it worked really well and almost exploded as the ammunition hit it!

They all ate some of the rabbit that they cooked with a sauce made from cuppa soups I understand and the skin is now drying in the shed. I'm not sure what he plans to make with it but the lady from the farm shop has said that she will save all the skins for him, on the proviso that he makes her a coat!!! They are brilliant there. Really enthusiastic and keen to hear all that the boys have been doing. They have been instrumental in the incubating of our first hens eggs (Buffy and the original Cocky Locky) the 8 Guinea Fowl that we raised for meat, given freely in the name of education and the rabbit gutting, encouraging us wholeheartedly along the way with all that we do. Thank you Chris and Maureen!
Further to my thoughts on websites recently, Rob has gone a step closer to our own website and 'purchased' a domain name and web space from BT. Now I 'm not really sure how all that works but watch this space because he and Tom will have it all up and running in no time, and I will have no choice but to hop on fo rth eride and hold on tight!!!
David and I are planning a Native American Indian lapbook (Hands of a child), since our little prairie set up inspired by the Little House books, so we thought we'd start with making one of these.......

We all love wigwams/tipis. We nearly bought one before HE camp in May but couldn't afford a decent canvas one :-( They are very popoular these days so I'm guessing it is only a matter of time before they'll be out there as second hand bargains!

This one was knocked up very quickly (don't you just love it when a creative inspiration turns out well?) with the broken poles of the gazebo and Jon's infamous knotting skills. Tom is the real knot genius, but he was at scout camp so we plumped for one of Jon's granny knots that invariably do the job but with less panache!
And this is the fire that Rob made with them the other day as a taster to get the project juices flowing!!!...paper and good old acrylics on a sturdy wooden base with extra logs for effect. Pure genius.

Will isn't in that picture as he had whizzed off to find cooking pots and vegetables!! The fire is now in the centre of the tent with cooking pot suspended over it in Ray Mears pot hanger style! I am typing this in bed as the living room is still taken up with wigwam!

And what is this?!!!!!! Jon and I found this growing on a small tree/shrub along a pathway by some houses while out on Bob the other day. We took a shortcut (ahem!) through Blacksmiths lane that connects the two roads in the next village. It has vehicular acces at each end for the houses but in the middle it narrows to pedestrian access only with the use of bollards. Bob just loves a challenge!! Anyway, I digress. It is very hard so initially thought wierd apple, but the shape is slightly oval/lemony so could it be a whole tree of unripe quinces? Han and I think this the most likely choice...but all suggestions welcome. Answers on a postcard please...or I guess you could just leave a comment....