Blog Posts

An almost perfect day....

29/8/2019

The weather was ideal for a long walk and these 5 Hazelhutters were not afraid to throw themselves into a hike.

So we went to the top of the Tuscia's highest point - Monte Cimino. The beech forest floor was full of beautiful cyclamen and we came across many large boulders.... perfect for a snack!

And to climb up!

There were also a lot of fallen trees to play on.

The kids were having so much fun that we decided to extend the walk and wound up on a pretty long hike, but these adventurous Hazelhutters were very positive and kept up the pace.

The next stop was 'Da Linetta' for a welcome plate of the famous fieno pasta. Back at the Hazelhut, the children enjoyed some free time and decided to have a game of football which is when one of our poor campers managed to injure her toe and knees, making the day not quite perfect!

Bust she didn't give up on the day, making her own pizza at the pizza party and cheering on her friends as they danced their last night away! - That's the spirit!!

In spite of the injury, everyone had a great last day - do we really have to send these kids home tomorrow???!!!!!

United in the arts

28/8/2019

There was a great feeling of sisterhood between the girls today - clearly the arts have the power to unite! We started the day with and activity to decorate a photo frame.

Then a photo shoot for the picture to fill the frame, the girls made perfect models!

During their free time the children wanted to swim and they were very good at organising themselves into teams and activities....

....united again!

In the afternoon we all went to see the donkeys and to make sure they had enough food, water and attention!

Then we went off to hunt for blackberries....

There were hundreds!!! We picked over 2 kilos and some of the girls also picked leaves for Fidel and Belen to enjoy on the way back - lucky donkeys!

The final activity of the day was karaoke and once again the Hazelhutters were united - this time in song!

It has been such a great day, full of magical moments. We wonder what tomorrow could bring......!

Horsey Hazelhutters

27/8/2019

It was the perfect day to say 'hello' to the horses at La Martingala, so we headed for the stables soon after breakfast.

The children joined another group of riders and worked on their horse riding skills. They impressed Irma and the others at the centre with their ability and concentration.

The day ended with a competition to mount and dismount then remount and dismount a chosen pony as fast as possible - 2 of the Hazelhutters did it in under 9 seconds!!!

After they had finished the children took care of the ponies....

....and then enjoyed their own lunch.

When we returned to the Hazelhut, the children couldn't wait to have a swim. In the evening we lit the barbecue and the camp fire and enjoyed some home made burgers and chocolate stuffed bananas too! What a day!

6 sporty Hazelhutters

26/8/2019

The 5 girls were joined today by a brave boy making our sport's day team up to 6.

The morning was busy with all kinds of physical activities and the Hazelhutters enjoyed both competing and fooling around together.

The final activity before lunch was the much anticipated shooting and we were amazed by how accurate these children were with a gun!

By the time lunch came round, the sun was high and the children were hungry, so we found a shady spot and tried to keep the cats away as we picnicked on the lawn and in the tree house.

In the afternoon the children kept out of the heat by making bracelets, colouring in and 4 of them had a dip in the pool.

Later on all of the children got involved in a sewing activity making purses to take home to their families.

As the evening approached, the sky turned dark, so we squeezed in our final sports day activities before the rain came.

It has been a very special day of getting to know these children better and seeing their sporting talents. We can't wait to find out what tomorrow will bring!

When Hazelhutters and the races came to town!

25/8/2019

Yes, we're Hazelhutting again with 5 lovely girls all ready to learn some English and have some fun! It happens to be a very important day in the Ronciglione calendar as the town was holding its annual palio.

So we got the children on board and they each chose a rione and horse to back and then they began to create t-shirts to show their support.

Once we were dressed, we headed into the village for the qualifying races.

We found a little spot to squeeze into on the main road and watched the horses race by!

There was a fair bit of time to wait between races but the children were good at keeping amused.

In the end none of our chosen horses won, but we all enjoyed the spectacle.

After our walk home there was time for the children to call their families and feed the cats and then it was lasagna time - smiles all round!!

Goodbyes....

3/8/2019

Once again it was time to pack bags and gather up belongings at the Hazelhut. Then we headed off to the nearby town of Sutri for some retail therapy....

The children bought gifts for family and things to remember their trip to the Hazelhut. then we all sat down to lunch at Il Vescovado.

We were all rather full afterwards, but managed to struggle up the hill again....

....and squeeze in an ice cream!

There was not much time left once we returned to the Hazelhut, before family members came to celebrate the successes of these 6 wonderful children.

Then the children got together to sing the Hazelhut song before the Hazelhutters were dismissed.

The Hazelhut will be closed until 25th August when summer camps will resume for 2 weeks. Please contact us if you are interested in attending.

A hike in the forest

1/8/2019

What better place to spend another hot day than in the cool of the faggeta above Soriano nel Cimino! So James helped each of the children to make a walking stick and then off we went.

The way up was steep, but the children hardly complained and we made it to the top.

Naturally the way back down was much easier and more fun!

It was also made easier by the promise of a delicious lunch 'da Linetta'. We all enjoyed the delicious 'fieno' pasta and also some lovely meat.

Back at the Hazelhut our teen helpers prepared cookies for the parents tea party tomorrow, while the other children had a swim.

Later in the evening we had our pizza party. The oven was lit and the children made their own pizzas using our Hazelhut dough and garden passata - the pizzas they created were spectacular!

It was a perfect final evening for these great kids to spend together.

Nostro amico, Vico!

31/7/2019

When we have such a small, well behaved group, it's easy to take them anywhere!

It was so hot today that we decided on our favourite place, Lago di Vico. And the children made the most of the facilities, playing games and hanging out in the shade.

Of course most of them took a dip and enjoyed water gymnastics and hunting for fish.

For lunch we ate hotdogs and sandwiches.

After lunch Ottavia taught all the children how to make friendship bracelets and it has been a massive craze ever since..... (In fact they are still making them now in front of the movie!!!!!)

It was hard to tear ourselves away from Lago di Vico, but finally we headed back to the Hazelhut, the children had a dip in the pool and then called their families. We had fish (from the freezer, not the lake!) for dinner with potatoes and spinach. What a super day!

Horsing around together

30/7/2019

A morning with the ponies at La Martingala was just what our Hazelhutters needed to bring the group together.

The staff at the horse riding centre were very impressed with the good manners and excellent listening skills of this group.

They also showed excellent table manners at lunchtime, which is always a pleasure to see!

After lunch our caring group went to visit the ponies a second time to give them some water melon rinds as a treat.

Back at the Hazelhut, the kids enjoyed some free time and played football, made chickens and helped in the veg garden.

For dinner the children all enjoyed a home-made burger, followed by home made ice cream. What a day!

Getting to know you

29/7/2019

Today we have really enjoyed getting to know the Hazelhutters in our care. Sports and games can tell you a great deal about someone and the Tai Qi session James led showed us that we have a very open-minded and calm bunch.

The 'coconut' shy showed a willingness to take a risk.

While skipping needs determination.

When the children interact with animals we can see their sensitive side, but also the comical one!

Spending time in the vegetable garden shows us that these children were happy to help and later to eat a healthy diet.

At lunch we learned more about the kinds of things the children like and dislike.

And in the afternoon we discovered how creative and diligent these kids are as they tackled a range of crafts.

We learned that these Hazelhutters can play alone or with others, whether adults or other children.

And we're feeling blessed to have such a special group to stay this week!