Alice in Dutch Wonderland

 Oma Leslie gets killer deals at a secret Disney store only for employees and their families so every year she gets the honor of picking out Ravenna's Halloween costume. This year Oma picked out a very appropriate for our curious girl, Alice in Wonderland. Ravenna has never seen the Disney film but she has been to Dutch Wonderland. Whenever anyone would ask her what she was dressed up as she would say very confidently "Alice in Dutch Wonderland" who also evolved into a princess.

Despite the post hurricane cold weather she had a glorious Halloween celebrated with songs of "Three Little Witches", recitations of "Five Little Pumpkin" finger plays with the felted wool pumpkins she made in her Waldorf school and, of course, trick-or-treating until her "bones hurt." From her stash she got to pick four candies ("Because I am four") and the rest went to the dentist for his annual candy buy back and to daddy for his annual "I like to visit the dentist" candy gorge-a-thon.

Mom had some candy too but it unfortunately it ended badly. Curious to try the Nestle chocolate covered peanut confection "Goobers" I made the terrible mistake of actually eating them despite the fact that they smelled like farts. I write this only to warn you from making the same mistake I did. Nestle is evil, just stay away.

Michaelmas

To celebrate Michaelmas, the feast of St. Michael, Ravenna's Waldorf kindergarten class made capes and crowns. The capes are silk dyed with marigolds and the crown is wool felt and yarn.

Michaelmas, which occurs on September 29th, right around the Autumnal equinox, is celebrated as a harvest festival and has great significance in the Waldorf tradition. In a letter sent to parents to explain the festivities Ms. Wendy, Ravenna's teacher, wrote,

"St. Michael, by way of the earthly St. George, becomes an archetype of heavenly courage and inspiration. We are not alone in our efforts to meet the dragons of cold, hunger and darkness--be they physical or spiritual. Courage, honor and goodness are spiritual gifts given every human being if one gathers his or her inner forces, cocoons him or herself to enkindle warmth of heart, and lights the lamps of positivity and hope within."

 A few weeks beforehand the children see a weekly puppet show of St. Michael and the Dragon to familiarize them with the story. On the day of celebration the children had to conquer an obstacle course and "fight" a dragon. They dressed as "Star Children" with golden capes and and star crowns and "care for all things good and true."

Jumping up and down to show me how the cape works.

 When asked about the day Ravenna said that she got to be brave and was a hero. How's that for a morning's work?

The First Day

 Today Ravenna started preschool. We are lucky enough to have a lovely Waldorf school near our home where Ravenna can explore and grow in a warm, gentle environment. She is in a mixed-age kindergarten with children from ages 3-6 which allows her both to learn from and teach her classmates.

 She doesn't look too excited but believe me, she was.

This is Ms. Wendy, Ravenna's teacher. Look at that classroom! I wish I could show you all the cool stuff there is in there (there is even a climbing tower with a slide!). Everyday Ms. Wendy sets up the room to be a little bit different and creates opportunities for imaginative play to evolve. Today she had a few balance boards draped with sheep skins and covered the climbing tower with a cloth just like the blanket forts of yore. 

In the basket next to Ms. Wendy you can see that she is working on some kind of yarn project. She will sit in her rocking chair and work on a project while her assistant teacher whips up a batch of millet muffins and the children play. The idea is that the children will either be interested, or not, in what the adults are doing and the children can, and often do, join in if they are so inclined.