Best helpers - the girls did the jobs today! Best bedroom - did they even sleep in here?! One of the best jump rope athletes. Best water relay ever invented! Best fun in the pool! Best indoor gamers... Best fun in a hammock.... Best care shown to the animals. Best ice cream makers! All in all another super day at the Hazelhut!
28 Comments
These magnificent dozen have arrived at the Hazelhut to begin a week of summer camp. In this picture they are standing in front of the cherry tree we planted on our very first summer camp 5 years ago last week! We are so happy to have such a big group from near and far. The heat meant many of the children were keen to get in the pool.... .....but others had today's important event - the World Cup final on their minds..... and hit the pitch in spite of the heat. These two boys made themselves very useful feeding the pigs and helping to sort out their pen. Most of the children were backing Croatia as the outsiders in the Cup Final and enjoyed the thrill of the match....but France were a tough team to beat.... Other children weren't so keen to sit through the match and went to the art room to play. At the end of a busy day, Marilena's lasagne couldn't have come soon enough.... Now the children are watching 'A Night at the Museum' and the room is full of giggles and shreeks! We think it's going to be a great week!
After a mammoth room tidy and bed stripping session, we were finally ready for our weekly trip into the village. We took in the sights before hitting the stores! Then we enjoyed a big plate of pasta and some delicious veal thanks to Marilena! Back at the Hazelhut we played the name game - won by The Blackbirds.... Then before we knew it, the prizes were awarded to Sports Day winners, best kept rooms and top Hazelhutters and the song was sung before everyone went home and James and Ottavia had a well earned rest! Sadly there are no Hazelhutters this week, due to maintenance on the building, but we are open for the rest of the summer, so call if you are interested, or know someone who is!
The temperature was soaring today, so we headed off somewhere cool, lush and shady: Lago di Vico. The children enjoyed lots of calm and relaxing activities.... .....until they started to smell the sizzle of chicken and swarmed around the lunch table! As usual every scrap of food was eaten and the children were eagerly awaiting the next meal(!), which was pizza tonight - can you believe we actually had 5 slices left over??!!! Our helpers kindly decided to make their specialty - tiramisù.... but sadly they had to learn a tough lesson for any chef, when the mixture curdled.... The kids didn't seem to mind as they ate it while they watched the first ever Hazelhut Talent Show! Featuring classical guitar.... Football talents... Group dance... And individual dance... .....as well as a song which had the audience enraptured, from our very own junior helpers! Judging by the audience reaction, we may just have to make this a new summer camp feature!
Today's activities included designing and decorating cotton shopping bags.... ....indoor games ...and bamboo and forest fun! Lunch was hot but tasty. Then in the afternoon things got a bit dramatic with 2 trips to the local hospital! Luckily both patients doing well this evening. The wonderful Hazelhutters got on with their chores as usual and Boris and Stiva got fed on time. Pip was very happy to have his cage cleaned and a play in the afternoon. He is not enjoying the high temperatures.... In the evening we all enjoyed the suasage sizzle, and especially the orto fresh cougettes fried in just a little sausage fat - yum! Then it was time for the helpers to say 'Move over, James!' as they played guitar and sang The Beatles classic 'Let it Be'!
Today we gave the helpers a well earned rest and headed off to the horses in 15! Grooming and saddling complete, the children headed up to the paddock. Then the ponies came out one by one - Nocciolina... Dolce Nera.... Misty... ...and of course, Bartali! Thank you so much to Irma and the staff at 'La Martingala' for another great day out! Thanks also to Rita for the delicious lunch she prepared. After lunch the football fever continued with a top canine player.... Lea! Back at the Hazelhut apricot jam production began with one group. Another group dug potatoes for dinner. The pool was in play..... naturally! And Pip enjoyed plenty of cuddles before dinner.... ...All in all another great day!
A super room inspection began a super day at the Hazelhut and today it was all about sport! We had the usual mix of real and imagined sports... The children made an impressive effort in the morning, but by the afternoon, the heat had got to them.... so we decided to let them mess about in the pool instead of competing in the pool olympics. Some of the Hazelhutters wanted to help with the annual beetroot harvest and cooking up our special beetroot ketchup, so who were we to say 'No'?! Others made ice cream or played with Pip. Some kids hung out in the cool of the games room or made bracelets in the art room , while only losing the football finally stopped play on the pitch... .... a good excuse to start a game of 'Auction Football'! Special thanks to Room A who did their jobs very well today and to our helpers who are making the week slip by with ease! This evening the World Cup match will have to go unwatched, as we have to get up early tomorrow to make it to the horses and we can't risk another set of sleepy penalties.... In any case you might enjoy yesterday's photo during Denmark/Croatia(!) This evening the boys and girls are united in laughter in front of 'Home Alone' - Good Hazelhut fun!
What a joy it was to welcome all these children through our doors today. We also have 2 older boys (ex-Hazelhutters!) helping us out this week. Our first job was to meet the animals and collect the day's eggs, but then it just got too hot, so most of the children cooled off in the pool. However with World Cup fever going on all around them, the boys couldn't keep away from the football pitch and ALL their chat was about it ALL day! Luckily the girls were less distracted and some of them were even keen to help in the vegetable garden, picking beans for dinner. The beans were all finished up at dinner time, along with a delicious garden salad and every last crumb of Marilena's lasagna! Now the boys and girls are in 2 separate camps - the girls enjoying a comedy in the comfort of the sitting room and the boys screaming at Croatia vs. Denmark in the kitchen.... is this a pattern of the week to come or will the sides ever join?
|
Categories |