Greetings Forestgarten Families!

We were so happy to see the students after a week away from The Garden! It was fun hearing about all of the adventures that were had with family and friends over the Thanksgiving break.

The week started off chilly and overcast and ended sunny and warm! That being said, the lost and found is already starting to pile up as layers are shed, so please check the wagon daily ☺ We try our very best to remind students to place their belongings with their backpack or in our designated spot at base camp in the forest but there certainly are times when things are left behind.

Our story this week was Stone Soup and was told by Ki Holly. Some hungry travelers arrived in a village and appealed to the villagers for a meal and a warm place to stay. Over and over again, the villagers shut their doors to the travelers, saying they had neither food nor an extra bed to spare. So, the travelers decided to make some Stone Soup. To a large kettle, they added a stone and some water. As the water boiled, the villagers became curious and started coming out of their homes to watch. The travelers said the soup was coming along nicely but could use a bit of salt. One villager had some salt to spare and added it to the pot. Again, the travelers stirred and said it was coming along nicely but could use a little something else. One by one, the villagers each contributed what they could spare to the soup. What happened next? Ask your Forestgartener how this wonderful story about sharing ends.

In the beginning of the week, we focused on some practical work, collecting sticks of various sizes, pine cones and dried grasses to build our supply of fire starting materials. The students sorted the sticks and helped make nests with the dried grasses. They also worked together, rolling stumps and lining them along the perimeter of the fire. Once the fire was blazing, students stopped by to warm their hands and sing songs around the dancing flames.

The Advent Spiral was certainly the highlight of our week. It was so special to watch each child as they walk contemplatively through the spiral of greens, light their candle, and thoughtfully place it along the path as they completed their journey. One of the students whispered “This is so beautiful,” perfectly capturing the essence of the experience!

With gratitude and appreciation,

Ki Fatima

Ki Holly

Ki Amy