Four little friends on a sultry day

From Collages

How to say I love you ... and ... Happy Birthday Finn

Harvey in a moment of absolute love and adoration for Agnes this morning burst forth with 'Agnes ... (little pause) ... you're fantAgnes'

Couldn't have said it better and adore each other they do.

It was also Finn's fifth birthday and after a rough night and not feeling too well, Sue organised for him to come along just to share his birthday cake and a pass the parcel. 

This had been Finn's simple birthday dream.  To share both these things with his friends at the farm.

The other children talked about him all morning. 'played with him in absentia', I guess you'd call it and then we sat and shared his birthday moment together...

farm 17.03.10

Have a peek and look to see Ella and Charlie, new faces that are part of Kari's group.  Of course alongside the other little farmers they'll be with too...

Farm 10.03.10 and 17.03.10k

Kindness and a chocolate pond...

Wednesday was a bleak and changeable day weather wise. We had rain and it was cool, a storm brewed and it even cleared for a bit.

It was also the day that Omkara really came into the heart space of the group in a new way through his strong fresh spirit and Finn's kindness and care.

Over the weeks previous, I had been encouraging the children to be patient with trying to understand Omkara who speaks a mix of Spanish and English. 

It was fascinating to see that at first to their ears, there was no difference, they just listened expecting to understand.  Next, it became obvious there were things they didn't understand and they didn't know why. Finally, and it was Finn who really twigged to this, patience and a willingness to engage and ask again started happening and a new understanding opened up between the children. 

On wednesday, Finn who had really taken to listening to understand Omkara, piped up wanting to take Omkara for a special walk. 

As I talked with him, I found out that he knew Omkara hadn't been there the week before when we took a long detour in our play, via the back of the convent gardens to find our way back to the farm.  Finn wanted Omkara to have this experience for himself, so we set off, down the bike path to the wonderful tree that makes a cubby house... ...and it's neighbour who is great to climb and then wandered up into the back of the convent to find our way back.

If you haven't walked this way before, as you enter the convent grounds, you are met with a high long hedge and you need to walk to find an entrance........so like a secret garden that opens before your eyes as you enter in through the opening in the hedge.

The gardeners were tending with loving care and as we got there, the sky darkenend and rain threatened.  I noticed the lights on in the art gallery and headed up there with the children.

I opened the door and in walked four little folk, who the sight of left the gallery director a little taken aback then followed by me.

farm 10.03.10

The children were just gorgeous and really interested in what was there to see. 

The first installation was a big projected set of changing images with some sound and music. All the children loved this and Agnes showed herself to be a party on the inside in front of this.  As soon as she looked up  and saw the image and heard the music, she burst into dance and smiled as she said simply, "Music". 

I have seen this love expressed by her on many occasions at the farm.  'Neighbours', was filmed over a few days last year in the back paddock and they set up an outdoor party for their filming.  Agnes burst into dance on the spot with the first sound of the music even though the back paddock was closed... ...Agnes asked each time it started if we could go back to the music.  On any occasion where there is music at the farm, that is where Agnes will be drawn, to dance! 

I think Simon and Helene may have one party loving teenager in the making :)

farm11.03.10

Thursday morning saw five little girls, mostly enjoying themselves in each others company.

On friday morning down by the river.  Magnus climbed up to peek over the fence, his little hands folded under his chin as a head rest as he quietly gazed out over the incredibly still water.

 

The other children played together behind him as he held his reverie and then all of a sudden, he turned and called, 'Hey 'Ulla, look at the chocolate pond'.

Afters years of seeing the river in many moods and expression, for the first time, I too saw something new, the Yarra River in front of us as a chocolate pond.



Mean while, Elodie trooped along in the best of moods, collected feathers like fine couture, (and promptly lost them) and shared as much love as she could with Dawn and vice versa, including sitting in Dawn's hair salon and letting herself have her hair done.

Who's who and how do they do it ...

When you take the time to look at the photos, what shows itself for all to see is the unique flavour of each little group.  Sometimes there is a recurring theme or place of discovery, sometimes there is a mood or timbre to the day that speaks to us through the photos and belongs only to that unique little combination of people.

Here are Lola, Monique, Ali, Angus and Natalie enjoying the farm in their unique way as they do each week with Kari ... ...

Farm 24.02.10 and 03.03.10k

Listen with all your senses ...

Last week, when I first saw Monique on Wednesday, she was peeking out from under her sun hat when I said hello and she shyly and demurely said, 'Hello'.  At the same time, she held up her left hand near her shoulder with four fingers in the air.  While we said our hellos, the four fingers stayed there and she couldn't help but smile when I noticed.  She was swinging her skirt and smiling away and kind nudging my attention in the direction of her hand.  I got it.  Those four little fingers in the air were saying, 'Hey danella, remember how you told you about my birthday... ...and how I'm four... ...and how exciting it's been to know each day from Mum that I'm still four... ... ...well it gets even better.  I'm still four today!!!' 

To me, Monique was instinctively counting on me to have really meant it when in a few moments in earlier weeks, I'd shared my excitement for her milestone... ...and counting on me to have remembered, four fingers and a big smile was all that was needed.

If we really listen with all our senses and our hearts, it's easy to hear what children are saying.  The more you get to know the unique gem that each one is, the easier it gets.