Blackberry picking

This morning, B wanted to have a fiddle with his new Chemistry set that Grandma and Grandad had given him for this birthday. Although it informs us that it is for ages 10-adult (or "you need 10 adults to help me, as B saw it!), skimming through the instruction booklet led me to believe that we'd already done most of the experiments using our own kitchen bits and bobs. Anyway, today, on further inspection of the booklet, things seemed alittle more complicated. It was exactly like the chemistry set I used to have when much younger, and I remember not following the book but mixing various lotions and potions together to see what would happen (not a lot actually!). B said the same thing ... "can I just mix some things together to make a bang!" We did a couple of experiments to make bubbles to whet his appetite but he really wanted to take it further. I hate to stop learning in its natural tracks, but I just felt I needed to read the booklet first to see what's what before I can let him loose on it. Just hope he won't lose interest.

K made some rock cakes all by herself (except taking them out of the oven) - proud moment. They were the best rock cakes we've had so far.

Packed a picnic and headed for the park for lunch by "rabbit creak" which seems to still be a rather shallow swamp, rather than a nice small fishing lake. Obviously we need some serious downpours to get it back to how it was last year when we are able to go fishing with our nets. After lots of tree climbing, photo and film taking, handstands, cartwheels and chatter, we headed off to my sister and brother-in-law's home to pick some wild blackberries that line their outside walls. Got loads. We noticed them last week during a visit and were able to record our siting of fruit on the bramble on the Nature Detectives website. Our package which corresponds to this had arrived a couple of days before, so we're all geared up for siting autumnal things! We're looking forward to sending in our sitings and have been writing up our on-line diary too. Check out the website here. I think once you've joined they send you a package each Spring and Autumn.





We've found lots and lots of tiny caterpillars on our nasturium leaves this morning. Tempted to have a go at nurturing one/two ourselves - the 100 Science Experiments book from Usborne that we're still borrowing from the library, tells us how to do this safely. Use this site to find out about caterpillars. It seems the only one (they have listed) that likes this leaf is the Great White. I'll keep you posted!