Back To Work.

A little cooler today but still lots of sunshine. I have started washing the gravel before putting it back on the grass bed. There is a water tap up at the scree garden but I've found that the best way to clean the gravel is to fill up the blue tray and take it down to the stream. It was very peaceful crouching in the water gently swirling the stones around and listening to the birds. Back to work in the afternoon. It was a bit of a shock to the system after 2 peaceful weeks at home. All those little voices wanting immediate attention. This week we are having an Arts Week on the theme of 'Africa' , great for me as art is my thing.

Cherry blossom in the school playground.

In town everywhere is full of blossom and flowers, cherry, magnolia, wisteria and camellias are painted with bright spring colours. Even in the country hedgerows the bright lime green of new leaves is beginning to be seen.
Yesterday afternoon, Peter and I went down to the beach for a picnic lunch. This was our first visit of the holiday as we prefer to avoid the crowds of holiday makers if we can. Even so it was still quite busy as many schools were having a non-pupil day. For once there was no wind at the beach and it was positively roasting. I collected 35 flat slate pebbles so that my class could create some San Bushmen style rock art, luckily I took along a very strong bag. A beach cafe hut has appeared at Barricane Beach so we treated ourselves to a cup of tea which for once was served in china mugs, (plastic/ paper cups so spoil the tea).

The clean -up squad at the beach were not the noisy sea gulls which are just as likely to steal food from your hands, but several jackdaws. I have no problems with jackdaws as long as they are not trying to nest in our chimney and attic, Sarah says that some of them have built a nest in the indoor school and she has to pick up a mess of sticks every day.