Art, reading and life

This year we started the year with some painting.  Largely focusing on complimentary colours and how to mix them from after images.  We picked up some new Stockmar paints, as we were getting a bit low.  The book "Colour Dynamics" offered great inspiration and the idea for trialing mixing the colours we could see as after images.

Mixing after image colours.

Our stockmar paints.

Painting together

A selection of Irving's paitnings.

A selection of Arden's paintings.

 Veil Painting- stages....

 

 

 

  

A selection of my paintings.

Veil painting - transforming

Paintings on display.

Complementary colours in nature.

We also took a look at Jenny Hocking's book "The Palace Letters" after coming across it at the library.  Arden and I heard about the letters regarding Gough Whitlam's dismissal last year, and decided it was worth reading about.  Some of it was a bit dry for his level, but a significant amount of it was filled with intrigue and so as a book for us to read together it worked very well.  For more pleasureable reading we all read "Wind in the Willows" together.

Creating a cork board gradually.

We did some first aid again this Summer.  Arden and Irving's turn this year.

Since we were in and out of lockdown during this time, we adjusted our usual start to the year, which is March, did painting took some time out again and "started" for the year.  Given that we do a lot of natural learning and interest led learning even during our structured time it didn't hugely impact the beginning of the year.  As we always start gently as the heat can oftentimes still be oppressive in March.

This year we hired a car and did some weekend driving around Western Australia.

The Pinnacles.

Two Rocks

Crystals in the Caves at Yanchep.

Cervantes

Mandaring Weir.  Quite a big deal in Western Australia, where a lot of the state is desert.

The coast.

 Arden and Irving really enjoyed getting out and seeing a lot of the places that they have heard about.  Gabriel came along for abit, unfortunately Willow was busy for a lot of the weekend- so we were mostly a family of four for the weekend.  Something that is more common these days as we transition into a family with adults.  Sometimes all of us, sometimes 4 and sometimes 5.  It is interesting being able to experience the family in different ways as we transition into new ways of experiencing family life as a multi-generational family.

Dragonflies were studied for a bit, when we came across this one.

Arden had an opportunity to be photographed as a schoool student for WA maritime museum.  First time in a school uniform.  :D

Irving was making mobius strips.  We seem to have phases with them!

Some interesting reading on the English language.  Everyone enjoyed this!

Arden's jeans being patched to get every last bit of life out of them, until they are too small!

Summer 2021 and slow starts....

 This year has seen us be much more relaxed into our educational year than most.  We generally start our at home structured activities in late Feb early March.  This year our brief co-vid lockdown saw us make the decision to do two weeks in Feb, take another month off, do 3weeks and start the more structured part of our schooling in the April Holidays. 

We had our usual hectic start to the year with Jan and Feb covering four birthdays.  With all the bowling we did last year, we headed off ten pin bowling for my birthday this year.

 

 A pleasing find in the Op shop- some fire king mugs.

 

 We drank a lot of pineapple, mint and ginger juice with sparkling water during the summer.  Freshly made and very refreshing!

Santa brought us a 3000 piece Lord of the Rings puzzle this year.  Everyone did a little, but really it ended up that I did most of it. 

We spent quite a bit of time on the Swan River.

This was an interesting insight into a potential future looking Perth.  From an exhibition at the State Library.

We read George MacDonald again- he is a family favourite.  As is this book- "At the Back of the North Wind".

Irving in recovery after a fun time at the park- there's no place like a cold floor on a hot day it would seem!

Sewing jammies.

Family walk through John Forrest National Park.