Week 1

We've been really busy this past week, doing loads of interesting things, and enjoying Perth.

We started back into school stuff with Willow doing her first block of physics. We're using 'Physic's is Fun' by Robert Trostli which I've found brilliant for helping to set up how to do experiments. I had linked to it on Amazon via this blog, but I've noticed that the links aren't coming up at present, so I'll have to look into that. Anyway last week we worked on sound, looking at instruments and sound travelling through different mediums. I was hoping that there might be a chladni plate at Scitech, but a brief search didn't come up with one, so next time we're there we'll have to see if we can find one.

Gabriel finished off his man and animal block- with some writing and pictures relating to man. We experimented with some different techniques including straight line drawing.


And using a dry brush to paint with.


Willow is sewing her horse up, which is very exciting, and Gabriel is progressing well through his cross stitch.

Geometry saw us involved in some intense line drawing this past week, but giving a very interesting effect.

Willow's geometry picture.


My geometry picture.


It's interesting the difference the colours make, in the feeling of these pictures.

Willow has also recommenced flute lessons this week, which will make us a bit busier again. And Willow and Gabriel and Damien went to the Perth Observatory which they all found interesting, and showed some different aspects to astronomy from our home studies. Whilst they were there, Arden and I ended up watching half the performance of the Ramayana at the Swan Festival of Lights- Arden loved it so much he wanted to stay.

On Sunday we made our way to Whiteman park and rode the vintage trams and Willow and I attended a french cooking class- it was a bit mad on the weekend and will be lovely to have a quiter one this weekend.

Etc, etc, etc.

We have had such a fabulous holiday break- getting out and seeing more of Perth. We finally visited the Art Gallery and museum- we'd been around the cultural precinct a few times, but not to any of the galleries. We wandered around all the museum displays but the crystal and historic displays were the ones that were most appreciated. I also loved the section that used to be part of the library, it was very beautiful with it's spiral staircases up to the bookcases.

The art gallery has a visiting exhibit from the Victoria and Albert museum (which is closed til 2014 apparently). There was some stunning pieces in there, and I particularly liked the guitar on display, which was covered in engraved mother of purl, tortoiseshell and ivory. There were some amazing religious items too, like a tiny prayer book covered in emeralds. The art gallery was also holding a lego building session, in white lego blocks, to promote the exhibit. The kids really enjoyed that, and there were some fabulous models.

We also headed to the Royal show, which we found quite similar to Adelaide's but different too. There was significantly less in the craft entries, which we found interesting, since we usually enter that Adelaide show, and will likely put entries in the Perth show next year. We loved the way that there is a ferris wheel right in the arena, and the way the arena felt much more prominent- we felt this was due to it's central placing. There were some great historic displays, and we all enjoyed watching a telegram being sent and received, and the blacksmiths hard at work. We finished the evening with the fireworks, which were the best I'd seen in quite a while.

The kid's circus teacher had a show on during the holidays too, so we attended that, as well as hanging round for a circus class. We also got to Northbridge Piazza a couple of times,for the movie sessions there. We really enjoyed watching the movie, but felt it was better on a weekday, when there was less people heading out to the pubs and clubs in Northbridge. Other than that we headed out to another Organic shop, which was a fun outing, but in terms of servicing our needs for food, its selection was rather limited. And finally over this last weekend Willow and Gabriel and Damien got out to a talk about Wedge-tail Eagles- which they all enjoyed, and Arden and I discovered that there was an aeroplane show on whilst we were there, so we all went back for a look the following day. It was a great break, and I felt really refreshed for getting back into some more structured work today- particularly after making some yummy food yesterday, such as scotch eggs.

The kids also did lots of playing and creating, with Willow designing and knitting me a purse, Gabriel making lots of maps, and Arden getting involved with lots of cooking, but I suspect one of the highlights for them would have been discovering some really good toy shops!


Plus I almost forgot we visited the beach finally- Cottesloe- and found these cute tiles to lead us there from the train.

Southern Aurora

Well today we headed out across the city to Bibra Lake, to the Steiner related shop there(Southern Aurora). On public transport it was a bit of a hike- took about 1 1/2- it could have been a quicker trip, but since we don't know the area at all, and it was very suburban I decided on the slightly slower route. The shop was gorgeous full of lovely toys, and crafts, and books, and we spent a long time in there exploring.

I was quite satisfied with our selection of purchases on leaving- lots of art materials, some crafty bits, and main lesson books. It was great to make a longer journey, and have such a pleasurable time in a shop. I only purchased one book in there today- this one on making paper rose windows.('Rose Window's and How to Make them' by Helga Meyerbroeker)
I've been thinking about getting it for quite a while, but particularly since we did some window stars with some friends, they had a copy of this book.
So I'm thinking that we'll make some rose windows for Christmas- to decorate the place a bit, will be interesting to see how complex/easy they are.

Bibra Lake, from behind the playground fence!

What I'm reading

I've just about finished reading this(Dr Zhivago)- I'm just at Yuri's poems.
Such a magnificent book, and so tragic.

There were a few things I found of particular interest- the discussion on storing vegetables, the idea of preserving mushrooms- am thinking of doing some cultured ones soon now and the overall setting. It's also interesting reading it knowing that Communism is over in Russia.